MIDGUT ENDOPEPTIDASES OF HONEY BEE (APIS-MELLIFICA) - COMPARISON OF ENZYMES IN DIFFERENT ONTOGENETIC STAGES

Endopeptidases from the midguts of larval and adult honey bee workers were purified. The chymotryptic proteases BIII and BIV were present in both developmental stages, whereas the tryptic protease A was only found in adult workers. From larval workers, however, an anodic Bz-Arg-Nan splitting enzyme could be purified. As shown by immunological techniques, the proteases B of adult and larval workers were identical. Protease A or cross-reacting material for precursor molecules of this enzyme could not be detected in the larval stage. Protease A and the larval Bz-Arg-Nan hydrolysing enzyme showed no immunological relationship. During the ontogeny of the honey bee worker the proteolytic activity is decreased. During the replacement of the larval midgut cells the Bz-Arg-Nan activity increases. Protease A is firstly synthetised by the adult worker bee after emerging from its cell. © 1978.