Cuticular fatty acids of Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera) inhibit fungal enzymatic activities of pathogenic Conidiobolus coronatus.

ABSTRACT: The entomopathogenic fungus Conidiobolus coronatus produces enzymes that may hydrolyze the cuticle of Galleria mellonella. Of these enzymes, elastase activity was the highest: this figure being 24 times higher than NAGase activity 553 times higher than chitinase activity and 1844 times higher than lipase activity. The present work examines the differences in the hydrolysis of cuticles taken from larvae, pupae and adults (thorax and wings), by C. coronatus enzymes. The cuticles of the larvae and adult thorax were the most susceptible to digestion by proteases and lipases. Moreover, the maximum concentration of free N-glucosamine was in the hydrolysis of G. mellonella thorax. These differences in the digestion of the various types of cuticle may result from differences in their composition.

SUBMITTER: Wronska AK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5843172 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature