The effect of adipokinetic hormone on nutrient levels and locomotion of the greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella)
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| Year of publication | 2020 |
| Type | Conference abstract |
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| Description | The greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella) is a worldwide distributed parasitic moth. Its development is tied to beehives, where it causes damage to honey combs, death of larvae and loss of honey. The larvae of G. mellonella are increasingly being used as a model organism due to its many advantages, such as an easy manipulation and no legal and ethical restrictions. This model organism is also used in this study, where we examine an effect of adipokinetic hormone (AKH) on a nutrition level and larval locomotion. Adipokinetic hormones in invertebrates are produced in neurosecretory glands called corpora cardiaca that are localised near the brain. AKH works primarily as an energy-mobilising hormone; however, its function is pleiotropic and ensures a complex anti-stress response. In general, it stimulates catabolic reactions and attenuates synthetic reactions. It promotes food intake, movement, immune and anti-oxidant reactions. In this study, the optimal dose of synthetic Manse-AKH (Manduca sexta) used for the physiological experiments was determined. The natural level of AKH in larval central nervous system and the half-life of the injected hormone were determined using RP-HPLC as 68.3 fmol per CNS and 16.6 minutes, respectively. Further, the results showed that concentration of lipids, proteins and carbohydrates as well as a level of nitric oxide in haemolymph were not affected within several hours after injection or topical application of Manse-AKH. However, despite our expectations, the injection of AKH resulted in impaired mobility of G. mellonella larvae which was measured using FIMtrack method. Manse-AKH reduced travel distance, velocity and time which the larvae spent by active movement. The reasons and molecular background of this inhibitory effect remains unknown; however, the future experiments will focus on explanation of this observation. This study was supported by grant No. 17-03253S from the Czech Science Foundation. |
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