Active role of fatty acid amino acid conjugates in nitrogen metabolism in Spodoptera litura larvae.

ABSTRACT: Since the first fatty acid amino acid conjugate (FAC) was isolated from regurgitant of Spodoptera exigua larvae in 1997 [volicitin: N-(17-hydroxylinolenoyl)-L-glutamine], their role as elicitors of induced responses in plants has been well documented. However, studies of the biosyntheses and the physiological role of FACs in the insect have been minimal. By using (14)C-labeled glutamine, glutamic acid, and linolenic acid in feeding studies of Spodoptera litura larvae, combined with tissue analyses, we found glutamine in the midgut cells to be a major source for biosynthesis of FACs. Furthermore, 20% of the glutamine moiety of FACs was derived from glutamic acid and ammonia through enzymatic reaction of glutamine synthetase (GS). To determine whether FACs improve GS productivity, we studied

SUBMITTER: Yoshinaga N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2584681 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature