Published September 1963
| Version v1
Book
Radioisotope Study of Tegumentary Pigmentation in Insects
Creators
- 1. Laboratoire de Zoologie, Faculte des Sciences de l'Universite de Paris, Centre d'Orsay (S. ET O.) (France)
Description
The nature of insect cuticle, which is made up in large part of scleroproteins, calls for the use of labelled isotopes to obtain answers to certain questions regarding pigmentation. The following method, which has the advantage of being quick and easy to apply, has been developed. The labelled substance chosen is injected into the animal at various phases of its skin-shedding cycle: before secretion of the cuticular proteins, i. e. when the cuticle is at rest; at the time these proteins are deposited; and, lastly, at the time their sclerification begins. After a suitable interval the cuticle is removed, suitably treated, and subjected to full autoradiography. Photographic comparison of the results then indicates whether or not the substance chosen has been used for any formation of pigment, due account being taken of prior chemical processes involving the substance. The findings presented in the paper relate to three labelled substances: two carbon-14 amino-acids - tyrosine and tryptophane - and inorganic sulphur-35 in the form of sodium sulphate. It has thus been possible to give direct proof of the origin of variously-coloured cuticular pigments and to discuss the role of tryptophane and sulphur in forming pigments in insect integument. All cuticular pigments spring from the metabolism of tyrosine, thus confirming the term ''melanic'' hitherto applied to them without direct proof. Tryptophane, exceptionally integrated in the cuticle, is the substratum of the ommochromic red and black pigments in the hypodermis. Inorganic sulphur plays no regular specific role in the formation of cuticular pigments, contrary to what has been suggested by various hypotheses on the role of the sulpbydryl group. From the standpoint of comparative biochemistry, the melanins appear to be purely cuticular among insects, granular melanins being confined to the vertebrates. Dark hypodermic granules in insects are ommochromic, derived from tryptophane, and not melanic. (author)
Abstract (French)
En raison de la nature de la cuticule des insectes - constituee en grande partie de scleroproteines - il est necessaire, pour repondre a certaines questions relatives a la pigmentation, d'utiliser des elements marques. La methode suivante a ete mise au point; elle presente l'avantage de la rapidite et de la facilite. L'element choisi est injecte a l'animal a differents moments de son cycle de mue: avant la secretion des proteines cuticulaires, la cuticule etant alors au repos; au moment du depot de ces proteines; a l'instant ou commence le processus de sclerification de ces proteines. Apres un laps de temps adequate la cuticule est prelevee, traitee de facon appropriee et autoradiographiee in toto. La comparaison photographique des resultats permet de conclure a l'utilisation ou non de l'element choisi dans telle formation pigmentaire, compte tenu des processus chimiques anterieurs relatifs a l'element. Les resultats presentes concernent trois elements marques: deux acides amines - tyrosine et tryptophane - au carbone-14, du soufre-35 inorganique sous forme de sulfate de sodium. On a pu ainsi demontrer directement l'origine des pigments cuticulaires de differentes couleurs et discuter le role du tryptophane et du soufre dans les formations pigmentaires du tegument des insectes. Les pigments cuticulaires sont tous issus du metabolisme de la tyrosine, confirmant le terme de ''melaniques'' qui leur etait jusqu'a present attribue sans preuve directe. Le tryptophane, exceptionnellement integre dans la cuticule, constitue le substrat des pigments noirs et rouges ommochromiques de l'hypoderme. Le soufre inorganique ne joue pas de role specifique regulier dans la formation des pigments cuticulaires, contrairement a ce que laissaient supposer differentes hypotheses sur le role des groupements sulfhydriles. Du point de vue de la biochimie comparee, les melanines semblent etre chez les insectes exclusivement cuticulaires, les granulaires etant reservees aux vertebres. Quant aux granules hypodermiques sombres, ils sont, chez les insectes, de nature ommochromique, derives du tryptophane et non melaniques. (author)Abstract (Spanish)
La naturaleza de la cuticula de los insectos -constituida en gran parte por escleroproteinas- obliga a utilizar elementos marcados para resolver ciertas cuestiones relativas a la pigmentacion. Se ha preparado el metodo siguiente, que ofrece la ventaja de su rapidez y simplicidad. El elemento elegido se inyecta en el animal en diferentes momentos de su ciclo de muda: antes de la secrecion de las proteinas cuticulares, cuando la cuticula se encuentra en reposo; en el momento de depositarse estas proteinas, y, por ultimo, en el instante en que comienza el proceso de escarificacion de dichas proteinas. Despues de un lapso de tiempo adecuado se retira la cuticula, se somete a un tratamiento apropiado y se auetorradiografia in toto. La comparacion fotografica de los resultados permite determinar si el elemento elegido ha sido utilizado o no en la formacion pigmentaria, teniendo en cuenta los procesos quimicos anteriores que afectan a dicho elemento. Los resultados presentados en la memoria se refieren a tres elementos marcados: dos aminoacidos -tirosina y triptofano- marcados con carbono-14, y azufre-35 inorganico, en forma de sulfato de sodio. Con este procedimiento se ha podido demostrar directamente el origen de los pigmentos cuticulares de diferentes colores y analizar la function del triptofano y del azufre en las formaciones pigmentarias del tegumento de los insectos. Los pigmentos cuticulares provienen todoe del metabolismo de la tirosina, lo que confirma el termino de ''melanicos'' que hasta ahora se les atribuia sin pruebas directas. El triptofano, excepcionalmente integrado en la cuticula, constituye el substrato de los pigmentos negros y rojos homocromicos de la hipodermis. El azufre inorganico no desempefla una funcion especifica regular en la formacion de los pigmentos cuticulares, contrariamente a lo que permitian suponer diferentes hipotesis sobre la funcion de los grupos sulfhidrilos. Desde el punto de vista de la bioquimica comparada, las melaninas parecen ser exclusivamente cuticulares en los insectos, mientras que son granulares en los vertebrados. En cuanto a los granulos hipodermicos oscuros, en los insectos son de naturaleza homocromica, derivados del triptofano, y no melanica. (author)Abstract (Russian)
V svyazi s kharakterom kutikuly nasekomykh, sostoyashchej v znachitel'noj chasti iz skleroproteina, voznikaet neobkhodimost' v ispol'zovanii mechenykh ehlementov dlya izucheniya nekotorykh protsessov pigmentatsii. Byl ispol'zovan sleduitsij bystryj i legkij metod issledovaniya. Opredelennyj ehlement vvoditsya zhivotnomu v razlichnye periody lin'ki: do vydeleniya kutikulyarnykh proteinov, kogda kutikula nakhoditsya v stadii pokoya, v moment otlozheniya ehtikh proteinov i, nakonets, v moment, kogda nachinaetsya protsess sklerotiehatsii ehtikh proteinov. Cherez opredelennyj promezhutok vremeni kutikula snimaetsya, obrabatyvaetsya sootvetstvuptsim obrazom i v tselom podvergaetsya avtoradiografii, fotograficheskoe sravnenie poluchennykh rezul'tatov pozvolyaet prijti k vyvodu otnositel'no ispol'zovaniya ili neispol'zovaniya dannogo ehlementa v obrazovanii pigmenta s uchetom predydushchikh khimicheskikh protsessov, kasakhkhtsikhsya ehlementa Predstavlennye zdes' rezul'taty otnosyatsya k trem mechenym ehlementam: dvum aminokislotam - tirozinu i triptofanu, mechennym uglerodom-14, i neorganicheskoj sere-35 v vide sul'fata natriya. Takim obrazom predstavilos' vozmozhnym naglyadno pokazat' proiskhozhdenie kozhnykh pigmentov razlichnykh tsvetov i obsudit' rol' triptofana i sery v obrazovanii pigmenta obolochki nasekomykh. Kutikulyarnye pigmenty obrazuetsya v rezul'tate metabolizma tirozina, podtverzhdaya tem samym termin ''melaninovye'', kotoryj byl im do sikh por prisvoen bez pryamogo dokazatel'stva. Triptofan, kotoryj vkhodit tol'ko v sostav kutikuly, predstavlyaet soboj ommokhromnyj substrat chernykh i krasnykh pigmentov gipodermy. Neorganicheskaya sera ne igraet opredelennoj spetsificheskoj rodi v obrazovanii kutikulyarnykh; pigmentov vopreki razlichnym gipotezam o roli serovodorodnykh soedinenij. S tochki zreniya sravnitel'noj biokhimii melaniny prisutstvuyut, po-vidimomu, tol'ko u kutikulyarnykh nasekomykh, a zernistost' svojstvenna pozvonochnym. Chto kasaetsya temnykh gipodermicheskikh granul, to u nasekomykh oni nosyat ommokhromnyj kharakter, lisheny triptofana i ne otnosyatsya k melaninam. (author)Additional details
Additional titles
- Original title (English)
- Etude de la pigmentation tegumentaire des insectes a l'aide de radioelements; Izuchenie pigmentatsii obolochki nasekomykh s pomoshch'yu radioehlementov; Estudio de la pigmentacion tegumentaria de los insectos con ayuda de radioelementos
Publishing Information
- Publisher
- IAEA
- Imprint Place
- Vienna (International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA))
- Imprint Title
- Radiation and Radioisotopes Applied to Insects of Agricultural Importance. Proceedings of the Symposium on the Use and Application of Radioisotopes and Radiation in the Control of Plant and Animal Insect Pests
- Imprint Pagination
- 526 p.
- Series
- Proceedings Series
- Journal Page Range
- p. 289-297
- ISSN
- 0074-1884
Conference
- Title
- Symposium on the Use and Application of Radioisotopes and Radiation in the Control of Plant and Animal Insect Pests
- Dates
- 22-26 Apr 1963
- Place
- Athens (Greece)
INIS
- Country of Publication
- International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
- Country of Input or Organization
- International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
- INIS RN
- 44058781
- Subject category
- S60: APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES;
- Resource subtype / Literary indicator
- Conference
- Descriptors DEI
- AUTORADIOGRAPHY; CARBON 14; HYPOTHESIS; INSECTS; MELANIN; METABOLISM; SCLEROPROTEINS; SKIN; SODIUM SULFATES; SULFUR 35; TYROSINE; VERTEBRATES
- Descriptors DEC
- ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS; AMINO ACIDS; ANIMALS; ARTHROPODS; BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES; BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES; BODY; CARBON ISOTOPES; CARBOXYLIC ACIDS; DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES; EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI; EVEN-ODD NUCLEI; HYDROXY ACIDS; HYDROXY COMPOUNDS; INVERTEBRATES; ISOTOPES; LIGHT NUCLEI; NUCLEI; ORGANIC ACIDS; ORGANIC COMPOUNDS; ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS; ORGANS; OXYGEN COMPOUNDS; PIGMENTS; PROTEINS; RADIOISOTOPES; SODIUM COMPOUNDS; SULFATES; SULFUR COMPOUNDS; SULFUR ISOTOPES; YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
Optional Information
- Notes
- 1 fig., 1 tab., 8 refs.
- Secondary number(s)
- STI/PUB--74