DOI: 10.1051/apido:2001106

Apidologie 32 (2001) 25-35

Genetic, ontogenetic, and tissue-specific variation of aminopeptidases of Apis mellifera

Marco Antonio Del Lama^a, Renata Maria Bezerra^a, Ademilson Espencer Egea Soares^b and Maria Cláudia Colla Rúvolo-Takasusuki<sup>a

a</sup>  Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Rodovia Washington Luiz km 235, 13565.905, Sao Carlos, SP, Brazil
^b  Departamento de Genética, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (USP), Av. Bandeirantes s/n, 14049.900, SP, Brazil

(Received 13 April 2000; revised 24 July 2000; accepted 14 August 2000)

Abstract
Four aminopeptidases were detected in Apis mellifera by starch gel electrophoresis. These enzymes were characterized on the basis of their substrate preference, effect of inhibitors, tissue and ontogenetic developmental distribution. Lap-A activity was present at all tissues and developmental stages. Lap-P was characterized by a more intense activity during the pupal stage. Lap-G activity was concentrated in the midgut and was detected in association with the presence of food inside the digestive tract. Lap-D was more proeminent in the reproductive tract of adult drones, where its activity appeared to be concentrated in the mucus. Four electrophoretic variants of Lap-D were observed, with an uncommonly high intralocus heterozygosity level. Segregational analyses demonstrated the absence of close linkage between Lap-D and Est-1a, Est-2, Est-5, Est-6, Mdh-1, Hk-1 and Pgm-1 loci of Apis mellifera.

Key words: aminopeptidases / Apis mellifera / polymorphism / tissue distribution / reproduction

Correspondence and reprints: Marco Antonio Del Lama
    e-mail: dmdl@power.ufscar.br

© INRA, EDP Sciences, DIB, AGIB 2001