Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-jbqgn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-21T03:00:05.616Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Humoral encapsulation in Diptera (Insecta): defence reactions of Chironomus larvae against fungi

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

P. Götz  and
A. Vey
P. Götz
Affiliation:
Biologisches Institut I der Universität, D-78 Freiburg, West Germany, Katharinenstrasse 20
A. Vey
Affiliation:
Station de recherches cytopathologiques, F34-St Christol-les-Alès, France
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

Humoral encapsulation is an effective defence reaction against fungal pathogens. The development of injected spores in the haemocoele of Chironomus larvae may be completely (Aspergillus niger) or partially (Mucor hiemalis) prevented by this reaction. The encapsulation proceeds very rapidly; within 5 min of injection most of the spores are enclosed in a solid capsule. Disintegrating blood cells may participate in the formation of capsule substance, but this is not usually the case. Encapsulation also occurs within the cuticle against invading hyphae of Beauveria bassiana. Histochemical tests show that the capsule substance does not consist of polysaccharides; some tests for proteins and all tests for melanin were positive. The significance of melanin formation and the biochemistry of the phenoloxidase system in insects is discussed in detail. The data presented lead to the conclusion that humoral encapsulation is based upon an activation of phenoloxidases and that the capsule substance represents a polyphenol—protein complex. In contrast to current opinion, the formation of melanin in cellular as well as in humoral encapsulation is not considered to be a secondary process, independent of the actual encapsulation procedure. Instead, the authors interpret the presence of melanin as an indication of the activity of phenoloxidases which cause the formation of a capsule substance on the surface of the parasites.

Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 68 , Issue 2 , April 1974 , pp. 193 - 205
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1974

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Brewer, F. D. & Vinson, S. B. (1971). Chemicals affecting the encapsulation of foreign material in an insect. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 18, 287–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bronskill, J. F. (1962). Encapsulation of Rhabdidoid nematodes in mosquitoes. Canadian Journal of Zoology 40, 1269–75.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Essinger, J. H. (1962). Behaviour of microfilaria of Brugia pahangi in Anopheles quadrimaculatus. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 11, 749.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Götz, P. (1969). Die Einkapselung von Parasiten in der Haemolymphe von Chironomus Larven (Diptera). Zoologischer Anzeiger, Supplementband 33, Verhandlungen der Zoologischen Gesellschaft, 610–7.Google Scholar
Götz, P. (1972). Humorale Einkapselung von Hydromermis contorta und Turbatrix aceti (Nematoda) in Haemolymphe von Chironomus thummi (Diptera). Film E 1917, Institut für den wissenschaftlichen Film, Göttingen, 1972, and Publikationen zu wissenschaftlichen Filmen (in Press).Google Scholar
Götz, P. (1973). Immunreaktionen bei Insekten. Naturwissenschaftliche Rundschau 26, 367–75.Google Scholar
Götz, P. & Röttgen, I. (1974). (In preparation.)Google Scholar
Grimstone, A. V., Rotheram, S. & Salt, G. (1967). An electron-microscope study of capsule formation by insect blood cells. Journal of Cell Science 2, 281–92.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hackman, R. H. (1971). The integument of Arthropoda. In Chemical Zoology, vol. 6B (ed. Florkin, M. and Scheer, B. T.), pp. 1–63. New York and London: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Hoffmann, J. A. (1970). Les organes heacute;matopoiétiques de deux insectes orthoptères: Locusta migratoria et Gryllus beniaculatus. Zeitschrift für Zellforschung und mikroskopische Anatomie 106, 439–50.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hoffmann, J. A. (1972). Modifications of the haemogramme of larval and adult Locusta migratoria after selective irradiations of the haemocytopoietic tissue. Journal of Insect Physiology 18, 1639–52.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hoffmann, D. (1972). Dorinées expérimentales sur la protéction (immunité acquise) contre Bacillus thuringiensis chez des imagos mâles de Locusta migratoria L. (Orthoptére). Comptes Rendus hébdomadaires des séances de l'Académie des Sciences, Paris 274, 1109–12.Google Scholar
Jones, B. (1958). Enzymatic oxidation of proteins as a rate determining step in the formation of highly stable surface membranes. Proceedings of the Royal Society, London B 149, 263–77.Google ScholarPubMed
Jones, J. C. (1962). Current concepts concerning insect haemocytes. American Zoologist 2, 209–46.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Karlson, P. (1971). Kurzes Lehrbuch der Biochemie. Stuttgart: G. Thieme Verlag.Google Scholar
Kucera, M. & Samsinakova, A. (1968). Toxins of the entomophagous fungus Beauveria bassiana. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 12, 316–20.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lange, H. (1932). Die Phagocytose bei Chironomiden. Zeitschrift für wissenschaftliche Biologie, Abteilung B, 16, 752–805.Google Scholar
Maier, W. A. (1969). Die Hämocyten der Larve von Chironomus thummi (Dipt.). Zeitschrift für Zellforschung 99, 54–63.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Maier, W. A. (1970). Die Haemolymphe von Chironomus und ihre Beeinflussung durch parasitäre Mermithiden. Dissertation, University of Freiburg, W. Germany, 1970.Google Scholar
Maier, W. A. (1973). Die Phenoloxydase von Chironomus thummi und ihre Beeinflussung durch parasitäre Mermithiden. Journal of Insect Physiology 19, 85–95.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Metalnikov, S. (1924). Phagocytose et réaction des cellules dans l'immunité. Annales de l'Institut Pasteur, Paris 38, 787–826.Google Scholar
Nappi, A. J. (1973). The role of melanization in the immune reaction of larvae of Drosophila algonquin against Pseudocoila bochei. Parasitology 66, 23–32.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nicolaus, R. A. (1968). Melanins. Paris: Hermann.Google Scholar
Pause, J. (1919). Biologie und Physiologie der Larve von Chironomus gregarius. Zoologische Jahrbücher 36, 339–452.Google Scholar
Pearse, A. G. E. (1972). Histochemistry, Theoretical and Applied. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone.Google Scholar
Pelling, C. (1964). Ribonucleinsäure-Synthese der Riesenchromosomen. Autoradiographische Untersuchungen an Chironomus tentans. Chromosoma (Berl.) 15, 71–122.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Poinar, G. O. Jr, Leutenegger, R. & Götz, P. (1968) Ultrastructure of the formation of a melanotic capsule in Diabrotica (Coleoptera) in response to a parasitic nematode (Mermithidae). Journal of Ultrastructure Research 25, 293–306.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ruthmann, A. (1966). Methoden der Zellforschung. Stuttgart: Franckh'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung.Google Scholar
Salt, G. (1965). Experimental studies in insect parasitism. XIII. The haemocytic reaction of a caterpillar to eggs of its habitual parasite. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B 162, 303–18.Google Scholar
Salt, G. (1970). The Cellular Defence Reactions of Insects. Cambridge Monographs in Experimental Biology no. 16. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Taylor, R. L. (1969). A suggested role for the polyphenol—phenol—oxidase system in invertebrate immunity. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 14, 427–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Unestam, T. & Nylund, J.-E. (1972). Blood reactions in vitro in crayfish against a fungal parasite, Aphanomyces astaci. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 19, 94–106.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vey, A. (1968). Réactions de défence cellulaire dans les inféctions de blessures à Mucor hiemalis Wehmer. Annales épiphyties 19, 695–702.Google Scholar
Vey, A. (1971). Recherches sur la réaction hémocytaire anticryptogamique de type granulome chez les insectes. Annales de Zoologie et Ecologie animale 3, 17–30.Google Scholar
Vey, A. & Götz, P. (1974). Humoral encapsulation in Diptera (Insecta): comparative studies under in vitro conditions. (In preparation.)Google Scholar
Vey, A. & Vago, C. (1971). Réaction anticryptogamique de type granulome chez les insectes. Annales de l'Institut Pasteur, Paris 121, 527–32.Google Scholar
Wülker, W. (1961). Untersuchungen über die Intersexualität der Chironomiden (Dipt.) nach Paramermis-Infektion. Archiv für Hydrobiologie, Supplementband 25, 127–81.Google Scholar