Free amino acids are important for the retention of protein and non-protein meals by the midgut of Aedes aegypti females Article

Caroci, AS, Noriega, FG. (2003). Free amino acids are important for the retention of protein and non-protein meals by the midgut of Aedes aegypti females . JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY, 49(9), 839-844. 10.1016/S0022-1910(03)00134-3

cited authors

  • Caroci, AS; Noriega, FG

authors

abstract

  • There is a relationship between the normal progress of digestion and the retention or elimination of the proteins ingested with the meal by Aedes aegyti females. The addition of soybean trypsin inhibitor (STI) to a protein meal prevented digestion and resulted in a rapid elimination of the undigested proteins. The addition of a mix of free amino acids to a protein meal together with STI resulted in a significant increase in the retention of the undigested proteins during the first 10-15 hrs after feeding. The effect of the free amino acids on the retention of the proteins was concentration-dependent between 250 μg/ml and 5 mg/ml. Free amino acids were also important for the retention of non-protein meals. When females were fed a meal containing FITC-dextran (20 kD), most of this compound was eliminated into the feces by 10 hrs; the addition of free amino acid resulted in a significant increase in the retention of the FITC-dextran by the midgut during the first 15 hrs after feeding. The presence of free amino acids in the midgut lumen seems to be an important signal used by the mosquito to regulate the retention of the meal. © 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

publication date

  • September 1, 2003

published in

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

start page

  • 839

end page

  • 844

volume

  • 49

issue

  • 9