Motoko Nakagoshi

Occurrence of ommochrome-containing pigment granules in the central nervous system of the silkworm, Bombyx mori.

Dark-red pigment granules were found in the brain and ganglion of the normal strain of the silkworm, Bombyx mori, by light microscopy. No other pigmentation was seen in the brain or ganglia. Electron microscopy showed that the granules were electron-dense. The granules were similar to the ommochrome-containing pigment granules that are present in the epidermal cells of the quail mutant, as previously reported. The pigment in the larval central nervous system (CNS) of the normal silkworm was identical to the ommin standard with respect to the absorption spectrum, the infrared spectrum, and the Rf value in thin-layer chromatography (TLC). After acid hydrolysis of the pigment, 3-hydroxykynurenine was detected by TLC. The pigment granules in the CNS contained mainly ommin. An ommochrome-binding protein was also detected in the CNS by in vitro binding studies and Western blotting. The ommochrome granules may have an important function in the CNS of the silkworm.

Hormonal control of GTP cyclohydrolase I gene expression and enzyme activity during color pattern development in wings of Precis coenia

Color patterns of butterfly wings are composed of single color points represented by each scale. In the case of Precis coenia, at the end of pupal development, different types of pigments are synthesized sequentially in the differently colored scales beginning with white (pterins) followed by red (ommatins) and then black (melanin). In order to explain how formation of these different colors is regulated, we examined the expression of an mRNA-encoding guanosine triphosphate-cyclohydrolase I (GTP-CH I; EC 3.5.4.16), the first key enzyme in the biosynthesis of pteridines, during pigment formation in the wings of P. coenia. The strongest positive signal was recognized around pigment formation one day before butterfly emergence. This GTP-CH I gene expression is paralleled by GTP-CH I enzyme activity measured in wing extracts. We also investigated the effect of 20-hydroxyecdysone on the expression of GTP-CH I mRNA and the enzyme activity during color formation. The results strongly suggest that the onset and duration of the expression of a GTP-CH I mRNA is triggered by a declining ecdysteroid hormone titer during late pupal development.

Occurrence of biopterin in the wings ofMorpho butterflies

A blue fluorescent compound was isolated fromMorpho butterfly wings. Based on thin layer chromatographic, UV and CD-spectrophotometric and HPLC analyses, the blue fluorescent compound was identified as L-erythro biopterin. Biopterin is a major component of blue fluorescent pteridines in bothM. sulkowskyi andM. adonis. Pterin and isoxanthopterin can also be detected as minor components in these species. This paper is the first to report the presence of biopterin in butterfly wings.

Casein kinase 2 during early embryonic development in silkworm Bombyx mori: cDNA sequence, gene expression, and enzyme activity

To clarify the property of casein kinase 2 (CK2) during early embryonic development in the silkworm, we compared the phosphorylation activities of CK2 in non-diapause and diapause eggs until 60 h after oviposition. In nondiapause eggs, the phosphorylated signals were found at each stage and became progressively stronger through each stage. On the other hand, in diapause eggs, the strongest phosphorylated signals were found at approximately 12 to 24 h after oviposition and became progressively weaker through each stage. To clarify the control mechanism of these enzyme activities, we tried to clone cDNAs encoding α- and β-subunit of CK2 and analyze the gene expressions. The deduced amino acid sequence of the isolated cDNAs comprised 342 and 220 residues, and these sequences showed 85–90% identities to the α- and β-subunit of CK2 in Spodoptera frugiperda. RT-PCR indicated that these genes were expressed in nondiapause and diapause eggs. However, these genes expressions were not parallel with the changes in CK2 activity. These results suggest that the changes in CK2 activity are regulated mainly at the level of post-transcription during embryonic development in Bombyx mori.

The nature of the seasonal colour dimorphism in the scorpion fly, Panorpa japonica thunberg

Abstract The scorpion fly, Panorpa japonica, displays a seasonal colour dimorphism by changing from black to yellow in the adult state. The yellow pigment in the integument and haemolymph of the adult fly was identified as sepiapterin, while the black integument pigment was found to be melanin. After analysis of sepiapterin content by high performance liquid chromatography and determination of total haemolymph volume by [carboxyl-14C]inulin, it was shown that sepiapterin levels in the haemolymph and integument varied greatly both in the two colour types of insects and in the two sexes. Photometric analysis of melanin content showed that melanin levels correlated negatively with sepiapterin levels. These quantitative differences in sepiapterin and melanin fully explain the colour dimorphism in the insect.

Molecular cloning and characterization of a cDNA encoding a novel cuticle protein in the silkworm, Bombyx mori

We have cloned the full length of a novel cDNA named Bombyx mori cuticle protein that contains an AlaAlaProAla/Val-repeat (BMCPA) from a cDNA library of integument in the larval silkworm. Both a typical tandem repeat (A-A-P-A/V) for cuticle protein and a unique tandem repeat with Ser, Ala, Gly, Pro, Val, Tyr and Thr were observed in the predicted amino acid sequence of the cDNA encoding BMCPA. Approximately 80% of the amino acids in BMCPA were composed of Ser, Ala, Gly, Pro, Val and Tyr. Northern-hybridization analysis indicated that BMCPA mRNA is expressed only in the larval epidermis and that the expression pattern of the BMCPA gene in the developmental stage was observed mainly at the larval stage. We propose BMCPA may be a novel component of cuticle, and may play an important role in the integument of the larval silkworm.

The occurrence of 7-hydroxybiopterin in the scorpion fly,Panorpa japonica

A purple fluorescent compound was isolated from the integument of scorpion flies. Based on paper chromatographic, UV-spectrophotometric, fluoreometric and HPLC analysis, as well as a chemical color test and various degradation tests, the compound was identified as 7-hydroxybiopterin.

Relationship between Seasonal Colour Dimorphism and Pteridines in the Scorpion Fly, Panorpa japonica, Thunberg

The combination of the morphological and biochemical approaches shows that sepiapterin is characteristically located at the pigment granules in the integument of the insect. We report here that the contents of various pteridines and the activities of related enzymes (GTP-cyclohydrolase I, 6-pyruvoyl-tetrahydropterin synthase and sepiapterin reductase) were measured at several stages after emergence of both yellow type fly and black one.

Pteridines and Pigment Granules of Wing Scales Concerned with Sexual Difference in Wing's Capability Reflecting Near-UV Rays in the Japanese Cabbage Butterfly Pieris Rapae Crucibora

Sexual dimorphism in the colouration and colour pattern of butterfly wings plays a significant part in the initial recognition of the opposite sex. In the 1970s, a number of authors had reported the absorption or reflection of UV rays by the wings of butterflies (1). In some kinds of butterfly, their wing patterns, which are normally invisible to vertebrates, appeared when photographic techniques were used to isolate UV images, and these patterns frequently differed in closely related species and between the sexes (2).