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Egg laying suppression in Drosophila melanogaster (Diptera: Drosophilidae) and Dacus (Bactrocera) oleae (Diptera: Tephritidae) by phloroglucinol, a peroxidase inhibitor

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

K.E. Keramaris
Affiliation:
Department of Biochemistry, Cell-Molecular Biology and Genetics, Athens University, Greece
L.H. Margaritis
Affiliation:
Department of Biochemistry, Cell-Molecular Biology and Genetics, Athens University, Greece
E.N. Zografou
Affiliation:
Institute of Biology, NCSR ‘Demokritos’, Athens, Greece
G.J. Tsiropoulos*
Affiliation:
Institute of Biology, NCSR ‘Demokritos’, Athens, Greece
*
* Correspondence: G.J. Tsiropoulos, Institute of Biology, ‘Demokritos’, National Research Center, Aghia Paraskevi 153 10 Attiki, Greece.

Abstract

Eggshell peroxidase (ESP) is responsible for the hardening process in several Diptera, including Drosophila melanogaster Meigen and Bactrocera oleae Gmelin. Its action can be inhibited by phloroglucinol, a natural phenolic substance, during the formation of the egg-shell. We used phloroglucinol, in the diet of adults of D. melanogaster and B. oleae, at concentrations of 1 mM, 10 mM, 25 mM, 50 mM, 100 mM and 400 mM to study its effect on egg laying. In both insects, 1 mM had no effect. At concentrations above 10 mM, egg laying of D. melanogaster was gradually affected leading to the deposition of empty shells and chorion-less eggs, while in B. oleae, it was gradually suppressed and only amorphous masses were laid. The effect of phloroglucinol at the tested concentrations was reversible. It is concluded that phloroglucinol added at appropriate, non-lethal concentrations, affected egg-laying of D. melanogaster and B. oleae in different ways, related to differences in the ovipositor diameter relative to egg size. In B. oleae, it is relatively narrow, causing breakage of the phloroglucinol-induced non-elastic egg-shell, since covalent crosslinking of the chorion proteins is prevented. In D. melanogaster, chorion-less eggs and separate chorions are laid, due to egg dechorionation. A possible field application of these results is discussed.

Type
Original Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1996

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