STORAGE PROTEINS, VITELLOGENIN AND VITELLIN OF WILD SILKWORMS, ANTHERAEA-YAMAMAI, ANTHERAEA-PERNYI AND THEIR HYBRIDS

1. Hemolymph proteins, fat body proteins and ovary proteins of Anthera ea yamamai, Antheraea pernyi and their hybrids were analyzed by SDS PA GE. A 83 kDa peptide increased remarkably in larval hemolymph, but a 7 5 kDa peptide increased only in the hemolymph of female larvae. 2. Imm unoblot analysis using antisera of Bombyx arylphorin and female-specif ic storage protein showed that the 83 kDa peptide was Antheraea arylph orin, the 75 kDa peptide was Antheraea female-specific storage protein . 3. We found that a 36 kDa peptide was A. yamamai-specific serum prot ein, a 34 kDa peptide was A. pernyi-specific serum protein. These two peptides were accumulated in the hemolymph at constant level through l arval instar and were detected in hybrids of A. yamamai and A. pernyi. 4. A 185 kDa peptide appeared in the hemolymph of female pharate pupa e of A. yamamai and was accumulated in the ovaries of pupae. A 210 kDa peptide appeared in hemolymph of female pharate pupae of A. pernyi. A 170 kDa peptide was accumulated in the ovaries of A. pernyi pupae. Th ese three peptides were related to vitellogenin and vitellin as shown by immunoblot analysis using anti-BmVg serum. It was also found that t hese three peptides were accumulated in the ovaries of Antheraea F1 hy brids. 5. A new female-specific protein (24 kDa peptide) was discovere d only in the female fat bodies.