Developmental pattern of esterases in Apis mellifera L honey bees. I. Stage-dependent changes of esterase isoenzymes in Africanized workers

The esterases of Africanized Apis mellifera worker honey bees were investigated during pre- and postimaginal development. Embryos, larvae, pupae and adults of different ages were examined. The phenotypic variation detected by electrophoresis on Penetrose 30 gels was stage specific. This variation permitted us to classify seven distinct esterase phenotypes for workers: one for embryos, two for the larval phase, one for prepupae and non-pigmented pupae, one for pupae in the process of pigmentation, one for the final pupal stage and for young adults, and one for adults older than 72 h. This study showed that these esterase phenotypes, in addition to representing markers of specific stages of ontogenetic development, are alternated at the beginning of critical events such as eclosion, larva-pupa transition, cuticle pigmentation and adult emergence

Occurrence of a prothoracicotropic hormone-like peptide in the developing nervous system of the honey bee (Apis mellifera L)

An antibody generated against prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH) of the silkworm Bombyx mori reacted with distinct sets of cells in the central nervous system and also in the retrocerebral complex of Apis mellifera larvae and pupae. Neurons expressing a Bombyx-PTTH-like peptide were first detected in the spinning stage of the last larval instar. Five distinct clusters of brain neurons comprising a total of 20-24 neurons were stained in this larval stage, in addition to a pair of somata located in the labial neuromere and in the first thoracic ganglion. With progressing metamorphosis this pattern changed. In white-eyed pupal brains only two neurons in the dorsal protocerebrum continued to express a PTTH-like peptide, whereas in the suboesophageal ganglion each neuromere now contained a pair of immunoreactive neurons. No axonal PTTH immunoreactivity was detected