[Structural and biochemical aspects of flight muscle development inEphestia kühniella Z. (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae) : II. Degradation and de-novo-synthesis of thoracic muscle proteins during metamorphosis].

The development of muscle proteins in the thorax of the meal mothEphestia kühniella Z. was studied during metamorphosis and imaginal development by immunological methods. The antigens of the thorax muscle proteins are identical in the last larval instar and in the imago. After the breakdown of larval thoracic muscles (24 h after pupal molt) no muscle antigens are detected. Just before the indirect flight muscles are striated, 4 antigens of imaginal thoracic proteins reappear sequentially. An antigen which in not found in larval or imago muscle occurred between the pupal molt and muscle striation. The immuno-chemical results are correlated with morphological findings. They indicate a resynthesis of contractile proteins in the thorax during metamorphosis.