Digestive physiology and characterization of digestive cathepsin L-like proteinase from the sugarcane weevil Sphenophorus levis

Sugarcane is an important crop that has recently become subject to attacks from the weevil Sphenophorus levis, which is not efficiently controlled with chemical insecticides. This demands the development of new control devices for which digestive physiology data are needed. in the present study, ion-exchange chromatography of S. levis whole midgut homogenates, together with enzyme assays with natural and synthetic substrates and specific inhibitors, demonstrated that a cysteine proteinase is a major proteinase, trypsin is a minor one and chymotrypsin is probably negligible. Amylase, maltase and the cysteine proteinase occur in the gut contents and decrease throughout the midgut; trypsin is constant in the entire midgut, whereas a membrane-bound aminopeptidase predominates in the posterior midgut. the cysteine proteinase was purified to homogeneity through ion-exchange chromatography. the purified enzyme had a mass of 37 kDa and was able to hydrolyze Z-Phe-Arg-MCA and Z-Leu-Arg-MCA with k(cat)/K(m) values of 20.0 +/- 1.1 mu M(-1) s(-1) and 30.0 +/- 0.5 mu M(-1) s(-1), respectively, but not Z-Arg-Arg-MCA. the combined results suggest that protein digestion starts in the anterior midgut under the action of a cathepsin L-like proteinase and ends on the surface of posterior midgut cells. All starch digestion takes place in anterior midgut. These data will be instrumental to developing S. levis-resistant sugarcane. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Univ São Paulo, Inst Chem, Dept Biochem, BR-05513970 São Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Carlos, Dept Genet & Evolut, Mol Biol Lab, BR-13565905 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Biophys, BR-04044020 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Biophys, BR-04044020 São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Variant vicilins from a resistant Vigna unguiculata lineage (IT81D-1053)\ud accumulate inside Callosobruchus maculatus larval midgut epithelium

It has been demonstrated that variant vicilins are the main resistance factor of cowpea seeds (Vigna unguiculata) against attack by the cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus. There is evidence that the toxic properties of these storage proteins may be related to their interaction with glycoproteins and other microvillar membrane constituents along the digestive tract of the larvae. New findings have shown that following interaction with the microvilli, the vicilins are absorbed across the intestinal epithelium and thus reach the internal environment of the larvae. In the present paper we studied the insecticidal activity of the variant vicilins purified from a resistant cowpea variety (IT81D-1053). Bioassays showed that the seeds of this genotype affected larval growth, causing developmental retardation and 100% mortality. By feeding C. maculatus larvae on susceptible and IT81D-1053 derived vicilins (FITC labelled or unlabelled), followed by fluorescence and immunogold cytolocalization, we were able to demonstrate that both susceptible and variant forms are internalized in the midgut cells and migrate inside vesicular structures from the apex to the basal portion of the enterocytes. However, when larvae were fed with the labelled vicilins for 24 h and then returned to a control diet, the concentration of the variant form remained relatively high, suggesting that variant vicilins are not removed from the cells at the same rate as the non-variant vicilins. We suggest that the toxic effects of variant vicilins on midgut cells involve the binding of these proteins to the cell surface followed by internalization and interference with the normal physiology of the enterocytes, thereby affecting larval development in vivo

Biochemical aspects of hemolymph and cocoon collective Rhynchosciara Americana

Os resultados obtidos nesta tese podem ser distribuídos em três grupos: composição química da hemolinfa e do casulo coletivo e determinação química de alguns componentes principais do corpo gorduroso e túbulos de Malpighi ao longo do desenvolvimento. Os principais resultados referentes à química da hemolinfa de larvas maduras são: 1) A hemolinfa possui uma densidade 1,043, pH = 7,27, osmolaridade = 216 miliosmoles e corresponde a 37% do pêso-úmido do animal e 26% de seu pêso-sêco. A hemolinfa não se coagula e possui um volume de células correspondente a 0,3% de seu volume total. 2) A análise química realizada deu conta de 88% do peso-sêco total da hemolinfa e revelou que entre os componentes presentes mais importantes em massa estão as proteínas, seguidas dos aminoácidos livres, enquanto que os osmóticamente mais ativos são os aminoácidos livres seguido de Mg++ e Na+. Entre os aminoácidos é notável a presença de ornitina e cistationina em concentrações relativamente elevadas e a ausência, mesmo em traços, de cisteína e/ou cistina e citrulina. 3) Os peptídeos ocorrem em concentrações elevadas, mas em pequeno número, e são compostos de 2 a 3 resíduos de aminoácidos em média; o mais abundante dos quais deve ser um dipeptídeo de histidina e ácido aspártico. 4) Citrato é o ânion mais importante da hemolinfa, seguido dos fosfatos orgânicos, enquanto que trealose é o principal carboidrato presente. 5) Existem pelo menos 6 carotenóides ligados de forma não covalente a proteínas da hemolinfa e uma cromoglicoproteína, de côr amarelo-limão, fluorescente, de natureza desconhecida. Os carotenóides mais importantes quantitativamente são: β-caroteno e um similar ao astaceno. A composição em massa do casulo coletivo na véspera da muda pupal é a seguinte, em números inteiros: 44% de CaCO3; 34% de proteínas e 10% de carboidratos, ambos insolúveis em todos solventes utilizados (SDS 10%, uréia 6M, ácido fórmico 50%, HCl 2N, KOH 1M e Na HCO3 1M); 10% de material hidrossolúvel 4% de cinzas não identificadas. O material hidrossolúvel foi parcialmente identificado como: proteína (4%), carboidratos (2%), enquanto que 4% ainda permanece desconhecido. O correlacionamento da análise química da hemolinfa, casulo, túbulos de Malpighi e corpo gorduroso ao longo do desenvolvimento, possibilitou ainda as seguintes conclusões: 1) A fração insolúvel do casulo (proteínas e carboidratos) corresponde à sêda secretada pelas glândulas salivares da larva, enquanto que o CaCO3 presente provém dos túbulos de Malpighi. 2) As proteínas do casulo devem originar-se, pelo menos em parte, das proteínas da hemolinfa, enquanto que seus carboidratos devem provir do glicogênio do corpo gorduroso. Os resultados são considerados em têrmos de seus possíveis significados metabólicos e eventualmente fisiológicos. Ênfase é dada na discussão do papel metabólico dos componentes orgânicos e inorgânicos da hemolinfa, assim como dos mecanismos de secreção da sêda e CaCO3 e sua possível regulação hormonal.The results of this thesis are concerned to three main lines of research: the chemical composition of the hemolymph, of the communal cocoon, and the chemical determination of some components in the rat body and Malpighian tubules along larval development. The chief results on the hemolymph chemistry of mature larvae are: 1) The hemolymph has a density = 1.043, pH = 7.27, osmolarity = 2l6 miliosmols and corresponds to 37% of the larva (Wet-Weight) or to 26% of the larva (dry weight). The hemolymph does not clott and the volume of the hemocytes is 0.3% of blood total volume. 2) The chemical analysis dealt with 88% (dry-weight) of the hemolymph and showed that proteins are the most important component in mass, while free amino acids, Mg++ and Na+ are the most osmotically active substances. Among the amino acids is remarkable the titres of ornithine and cystathionine, and the complete absence of cysteine and/or cystine and citrulline. 3) There are few peptides, but present in high titres. They are built of two to three amino acids residues, and the most concentrated of them must be a dipeptide of histidine and aspartic acid. 4) Citrate and organic phosphates are the most important anions in the hemolymph. Trehalose is the chief carbohydrate present. 5) There are at least 6 non-covalentely protein-bound carotenoids and one lemon-yellow, fluorescent chromoglycoprotein of unknown nature. The chemical composition of the communal cocoon of R. americana expressed in percentage of its total dry weigth (numbers rounded to the nearest unity) are: 44% of CaCO3; 34% of proteins and 10% of carbohydrates both insoluble in all solvents used (10% SDS, 6M urea, 50% formic acid, 2N HCl, 1M KOH and 1M NaHCO3 ); 10% of water soluble material and 4% of unknown nature. The water soluble material was identified in part as: protein (4%) and carbohydrates (2%), while 4% remained unknown. The interrelationship among the results of the chemical analysis of the hemolymph, cocoon, Malpighian tubules and fat body during larval development was used to draw the conclusions: 1) The insoluble fraction of the cocoon proteins and carbohydrates) corresponds to the silk produced by the larval salivary glands, while CaCO3 comes from Malpighian tubules. 2) The cocoon proteins must come, at least in part, from the hemolymph proteins, while its carbohydrates must come from the fat body glycogen. The results are discussed in terms of its possible metabolic and eventually physiological meanings. Emphasis is given in the discussion of the metabolic role of the inorganic and organic components of the hemolymph, as yet in the the mechanisms of the silk secretion and CaCO3 deposition and their possible hormonal regulation

Biochemical aspects of hemolymph and cocoon collective Rhynchosciara Americana

Os resultados obtidos nesta tese podem ser distribuídos em três grupos: composição química da hemolinfa e do casulo coletivo e determinação química de alguns componentes principais do corpo gorduroso e túbulos de Malpighi ao longo do desenvolvimento. Os principais resultados referentes à química da hemolinfa de larvas maduras são: 1) A hemolinfa possui uma densidade 1,043, pH = 7,27, osmolaridade = 216 miliosmoles e corresponde a 37% do pêso-úmido do animal e 26% de seu pêso-sêco. A hemolinfa não se coagula e possui um volume de células correspondente a 0,3% de seu volume total. 2) A análise química realizada deu conta de 88% do peso-sêco total da hemolinfa e revelou que entre os componentes presentes mais importantes em massa estão as proteínas, seguidas dos aminoácidos livres, enquanto que os osmóticamente mais ativos são os aminoácidos livres seguido de Mg++ e Na+. Entre os aminoácidos é notável a presença de ornitina e cistationina em concentrações relativamente elevadas e a ausência, mesmo em traços, de cisteína e/ou cistina e citrulina. 3) Os peptídeos ocorrem em concentrações elevadas, mas em pequeno número, e são compostos de 2 a 3 resíduos de aminoácidos em média; o mais abundante dos quais deve ser um dipeptídeo de histidina e ácido aspártico. 4) Citrato é o ânion mais importante da hemolinfa, seguido dos fosfatos orgânicos, enquanto que trealose é o principal carboidrato presente. 5) Existem pelo menos 6 carotenóides ligados de forma não covalente a proteínas da hemolinfa e uma cromoglicoproteína, de côr amarelo-limão, fluorescente, de natureza desconhecida. Os carotenóides mais importantes quantitativamente são: β-caroteno e um similar ao astaceno. A composição em massa do casulo coletivo na véspera da muda pupal é a seguinte, em números inteiros: 44% de CaCO3; 34% de proteínas e 10% de carboidratos, ambos insolúveis em todos solventes utilizados (SDS 10%, uréia 6M, ácido fórmico 50%, HCl 2N, KOH 1M e Na HCO3 1M); 10% de material hidrossolúvel 4% de cinzas não identificadas. O material hidrossolúvel foi parcialmente identificado como: proteína (4%), carboidratos (2%), enquanto que 4% ainda permanece desconhecido. O correlacionamento da análise química da hemolinfa, casulo, túbulos de Malpighi e corpo gorduroso ao longo do desenvolvimento, possibilitou ainda as seguintes conclusões: 1) A fração insolúvel do casulo (proteínas e carboidratos) corresponde à sêda secretada pelas glândulas salivares da larva, enquanto que o CaCO3 presente provém dos túbulos de Malpighi. 2) As proteínas do casulo devem originar-se, pelo menos em parte, das proteínas da hemolinfa, enquanto que seus carboidratos devem provir do glicogênio do corpo gorduroso. Os resultados são considerados em têrmos de seus possíveis significados metabólicos e eventualmente fisiológicos. Ênfase é dada na discussão do papel metabólico dos componentes orgânicos e inorgânicos da hemolinfa, assim como dos mecanismos de secreção da sêda e CaCO3 e sua possível regulação hormonal.The results of this thesis are concerned to three main lines of research: the chemical composition of the hemolymph, of the communal cocoon, and the chemical determination of some components in the rat body and Malpighian tubules along larval development. The chief results on the hemolymph chemistry of mature larvae are: 1) The hemolymph has a density = 1.043, pH = 7.27, osmolarity = 2l6 miliosmols and corresponds to 37% of the larva (Wet-Weight) or to 26% of the larva (dry weight). The hemolymph does not clott and the volume of the hemocytes is 0.3% of blood total volume. 2) The chemical analysis dealt with 88% (dry-weight) of the hemolymph and showed that proteins are the most important component in mass, while free amino acids, Mg++ and Na+ are the most osmotically active substances. Among the amino acids is remarkable the titres of ornithine and cystathionine, and the complete absence of cysteine and/or cystine and citrulline. 3) There are few peptides, but present in high titres. They are built of two to three amino acids residues, and the most concentrated of them must be a dipeptide of histidine and aspartic acid. 4) Citrate and organic phosphates are the most important anions in the hemolymph. Trehalose is the chief carbohydrate present. 5) There are at least 6 non-covalentely protein-bound carotenoids and one lemon-yellow, fluorescent chromoglycoprotein of unknown nature. The chemical composition of the communal cocoon of R. americana expressed in percentage of its total dry weigth (numbers rounded to the nearest unity) are: 44% of CaCO3; 34% of proteins and 10% of carbohydrates both insoluble in all solvents used (10% SDS, 6M urea, 50% formic acid, 2N HCl, 1M KOH and 1M NaHCO3 ); 10% of water soluble material and 4% of unknown nature. The water soluble material was identified in part as: protein (4%) and carbohydrates (2%), while 4% remained unknown. The interrelationship among the results of the chemical analysis of the hemolymph, cocoon, Malpighian tubules and fat body during larval development was used to draw the conclusions: 1) The insoluble fraction of the cocoon proteins and carbohydrates) corresponds to the silk produced by the larval salivary glands, while CaCO3 comes from Malpighian tubules. 2) The cocoon proteins must come, at least in part, from the hemolymph proteins, while its carbohydrates must come from the fat body glycogen. The results are discussed in terms of its possible metabolic and eventually physiological meanings. Emphasis is given in the discussion of the metabolic role of the inorganic and organic components of the hemolymph, as yet in the the mechanisms of the silk secretion and CaCO3 deposition and their possible hormonal regulation

Digestive morphophysiology of Gryllodes sigillatus (Orthoptera: Gryllidae)

The evolution of the digestive system in the Order Orthoptera is disclosed from the study of the morphophysiology of the digestive process in its major taxa. This paper deals with a cricket representing the less known suborder Ensifera Most amylase and trypsin activities occur in crop and caeca. respectively. Maltase and aminopeptidase are found in soluble and membrane-bound forms in caeca, with aminopeptidase also occurring in ventriculus. Amaranth was orally fed to Gryllodes sigillatus adults or injected into their haemolymph. The experiments were performed with starving and feeding insects with identical results. Following feeding of the dye the luminal side of the most anterior ventriculus (and in lesser amounts the midgut caeca) became heavily stained. In injected insects, the haemal side of the most posterior ventriculus was stained This suggested that the anterior ventriculus is the main site of water absorption (the caeca is a secondary one). whereas the posterior ventriculus secretes water into the gut. Thus, a putative counter-current flux of fluid from posterior to anterior ventriculus may propel digestive enzyme recycling. This was confirmed by the finding that digestive enzymes are excreted at a low rate. The fine structure of midgut caeca and ventriculus cells revealed that they have morphological features that may be related to their involvement in secretion (movement from cell to lumen) and absorption (movement from lumen to cell) of fluids. Furthermore, morphological data showed that both merocrine and apocrine secretory mechanisms occur in midgut cells. The results showed that cricket digestion differs from that in grasshopper in having (1) more membrane-bound digestive enzymes; (2) protein digestion slightly displaced toward the ventriculus; (3) midgut fluxes, and hence digestive enzyme recycling, in both starved and fed insects. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Brazilian research agency FAPESPFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)CNPqFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)FAPES

The digestive system of the “stick bug” Cladomorphus phyllinus (Phasmida, Phasmatidae): A morphological, physiological and biochemical analysis

This work presents a detailed morphofunctional study of the digestive system of a phasmid representative, Cladomorphus phyllinus. Cells from anterior midgut exhibit a merocrine secretion whereas posterior midgut cells show a microapocrine secretion. A complex system of midgut tubules is observed in the posterior midgut which is probably related to the luminal alkalization of this region. Amaranth dye injection into the haemolymph and orally feeding insects with dye indicated that the anterior midgut is water-absorbing whereas the Malpighian tubules are the main site of water secretion. Thus, a putative counter-current flux of fluid from posterior to anterior midgut may propel enzyme digestive recycling, confirmed by the low rate of enzyme excretion. The foregut and anterior midgut present an acidic pH (5.3 and 5.6, respectively), whereas the posterior midgut is highly alkaline (9.1) which may be related to the digestion of hemicelluloses. Most amylase, trypsin and chymotrypsin activities occur in the foregut and anterior midgut. Maltase is found along the midgut associated with the microvillar glicocalix, while aminopeptidase occurs in the middle and posterior midgut in membrane bound forms. Both amylase and trypsin are secreted mainly by the anterior midgut through an exocytic process as revealed by immunocytochemical dat

The 3D structure and function of digestive cathepsin L-like proteinases of Tenebrio molitor larval midgut

Cathepsin L-like proteinases (CAL) are major digestive proteinases in the beetle Tenebrio molitor. Procathepsin Ls 2 (pCAL2) and 3 (pCAL3) were expressed as recombinant proteins in Escherichia coil, purified and activated under acidic conditions. Immunoblot analyses of different T. molitor larval tissues demonstrated that a polyclonal antibody to pCAL3 recognized pCAL3 and cathepsin L 3 (CAD) only in the anterior two-thirds of midgut tissue and midgut luminal contents of T. molitor larvae. Furthermore, immunocytolocalization data indicated that pCAL3 occurs in secretory vesicles and microvilli in anterior midgut Therefore CAL3, like cathepsin L 2 (CAL2), is a digestive enzyme secreted by T. molitor anterior midgut CAD hydrolyses Z-FR-MCA and Z-RR-MCA (typical cathepsin substrates), whereas CAL2 hydrolyses only Z-FR-MCA. Active site mutants (pCAL2C25S and pCAL3C265) were constructed by replacing the catalytic cysteine with serine to prevent autocatalytic processing. Recombinant pCAL2 and pCAL3 mutants (pCAL2C25S and pCAL3C26S) were prepared, crystallized and their 3D structures determined at 1.85 and 2.1 angstrom, respectively. While the overall structure of these enzymes is similar to other members of the papain superfamily, structural differences in the S2 subsite explain their substrate specificities. The data also supported models for CAL trafficking to lysosomes and to secretory vesicles to be discharged into midgut contents. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP)Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq)Associacao Brasileira de Tecnologia de Luz Sincroton (ABTLus)Associacao Brasileira de Tecnologia de Luz Sincroton (ABTLus

Characterization of a beta-1,3-glucanase active in the alkaline midgut of Spodoptera frugiperda larvae and its relation to beta-glucan-binding proteins

Spodoptera frugiperda beta-1,3-glucanase (SLam) was purified from larval midgut. It has a molecular mass of 37.5 kDa, an alkaline optimum pH of 9.0, is active against beta-1,3-glucan (laminarin), but cannot hydrolyze yeast beta-1,3-1,6-glucan or other polysaccharides. The enzyme is an endoglucanase with low processivity (0.4), and is not inhibited by high concentrations of substrate. In contrast to other digestive beta-1,3-glucanases from insects, SLam is unable to lyse Saccharomyces cerevisae cells. The cDNA encoding SLam was cloned and sequenced, showing that the protein belongs to glycosyl hydrolase family 16 as other insect glucanases and glucan-binding proteins. Multiple sequence alignment of beta-1,3-glucanases and beta-glucan-binding protein supports the assumption that the beta-1,3-glucanase gene duplicated in the ancestor of mollusks and arthropods. One copy originated the derived beta-1,3-glucanases by the loss of an extended N-terminal region and the beta-glucan-binding proteins by the loss of the catalytic residues. SLam homology modeling suggests that E228 may affect the ionization of the catalytic residues, thus displacing the enzyme pH optimum. SLam antiserum reacts with a single protein in the insect midgut. Immunocytolocalization shows that the enzyme is present in secretory vesicles and glycocalyx from columnar cells. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Brazilian research agency FAPESP (Tematico)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Brazilian research agency CNP

Properties and secretory mechanism of Musca domestica digestive chymotrypsin and its relation with Drosophila melanogaster homologs

Musca domestica larvae present two different digestive chymotryptic activities found in the posterior midgut (PMG): one major soluble activity in the lumen and another minor present in cell membrane fractions. Both soluble and membrane-bound chymotryptic activities have different half lives of thermal inactivation (46 degrees C) in the presence and absence of 10 mM Triton X-100, indicating that they are two different molecular species. Purified soluble chymotryptic activity has pH optimum 7.4 and a molecular mass of 28 kDa in SDS-PAGE. It does not cleave short substrates, such as Suc-F-MCA, preferring longer substrates, such as Suc-AAPF-MCA, with a primary specificity (kcat/Km) for Phe rather than Tyr and Leu residues. In-gel activity revealed a unique band against S-AAPF-MCA with the same migration as purified chymotrypsin. One chymotrypsinogen-like sequence (MdChy1) was sequenced, cloned and recombinantly expressed in Escherichia coli (DE3) Star. MdChy1 is expressed in the proximal posterior midgut (PMG1), as seen by RT-PCR. Expression analysis of other chymotrypsin genes revealed genes expressed at the anterior midgut (AMG) and PMG. Western blot of M. domestica midgut tissues using anti-MdChy1 antiserum showed a single band in samples from AMG and PMG, co-migrating with recombinant and purified enzymes. Immunogold labeling corresponding to Mdchy1 was found in small vesicles (thus indicating exocytosis) and in the lumen of AMG and PMG, corroborating the existence of two similar groups of chymotrypsins. Transcriptomes of M. domestica AMG and whole midgut prepared by pyrosequencing disclosed 41 unique sequences of chymotrypsin-like enzymes (19 probably functional), from which MdChy1 is highly expressed. Phylogenetic reconstruction of Drosophila melanogaster and M. domestica chymotrypsin-like sequences revealed that the chymotrypsin genes expanded before the evolutionary separation of Musca and Drosophila. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.FAPESP (Tematico)FAPESP (Tematico)CNPqCNP

Prey digestion in the midgut of the predatory bug Podisus nigrispinus (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)

Pre-oral digestion is described as the liquefaction of the solid tissues of the prey by secretions of the predator. It is uncertain if pre-oral digestion means pre-oral dispersion of food or true digestion in the sense of the stepwise bond breaking of food polymers to release monomers to be absorbed. Collagenase is the only salivary proteinase, which activity is significant (10%) in relation to Podisus nigrispinus midgut activities. This suggests that pre-oral digestion in P. nigrispinus consists in prey tissue dispersion. This was confirmed by the finding of prey muscles fibers inside P. nigrispinus midguts. Soluble midgut hydrolases from P. nigrispinus were partially purified by ion-exchange chromatography, followed by gel filtration. Two cathepsin L-like proteinases (CAL1 and CAL2) were isolated with the properties: CAL1 (14.7 kDa, pH optimum (pHo) 5.5, km with carbobenzoxy-Phe-Arg-methylcoumarin, Z-FR-MCA, 32 mu M); CAL2 (17 kDa, pHo 5.5, km 11 mu M Z-FR-MCA). Only a single molecular species was found for the other enzymes with the following properties are: amylase (43 kDa, pHo 5.5, km 0.1% starch), aminopeptidase (125 kDa, pHo 5.5, km 0.11 mM L-Leucine-p-nitroanilide), alpha-glucosidase (90 kDa, pHo 5.0, km 5 mM with p-nitrophenyl alpha-D-glucoside). CAL molecular masses are probably underestimated due to interaction with the column. Taking into account the distribution of hydrolases along P. nigrispinus midguts, carbohydrate digestion takes place mainly at the anterior midgut, whereas protein digestion occurs mostly in middle and posterior midgut, as previously described in seed- sucker and blood-feeder hemipterans. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.FAPESPFAPESPCNPqCNPqCAPESCAPESFAPEMIGFAPEMI