Wheeler D E, Martínez T
Department of Entomology, University of Arizona, Tucson 85721, USA.
Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol. 1995 Sep;112(1):15-9. doi: 10.1016/0305-0491(95)00035-7.
Storage proteins are a major feature of holometabolous development in insects, accumulating during the larval period and disappearing during metamorphosis. In ants (Hymenoptera:Formicidae), storage proteins also play important roles in adult females. Three types of storage proteins have been characterized from ants: hexamerins, proteins high in glutamine/glutamic acid, and very high density lipoproteins (VHDLs). The hexamerins have moderately high levels of aromatic amino acids and belong to the arthropod hemocyanin family of proteins. The proteins high in glutamine/glutamic acid can form hexamers under some conditions, but the subunit size is larger than that of typical hexamerins. The VHDLs are dimeric and share features with storage chromoproteins described from Lepidoptera. In Camponotus festinatus (Formicinae), storage proteins are found in adult ants in two situations. First, lack of brood stimulates workers to accumulate the same two storage hexamers found in larvae. Second, young virgin queens store large reserves of these proteins before mating. Protein storage by queens has been confirmed in two other subfamilies of ants, indicating it is widespread. The capacity to store proteins as adults enables queens to rear brood without leaving the nest and workers to store rich reserves and regulate larval diet seasonally.
储存蛋白是昆虫全变态发育的一个主要特征，在幼虫期积累，在变态过程中消失。在蚂蚁（膜翅目：蚁科）中，储存蛋白在成年雌性蚂蚁中也发挥着重要作用。已从蚂蚁中鉴定出三种类型的储存蛋白：六聚蛋白、富含谷氨酰胺/谷氨酸的蛋白和极高密度脂蛋白（VHDL）。六聚蛋白具有适度高水平的芳香族氨基酸，属于节肢动物血蓝蛋白家族的蛋白质。富含谷氨酰胺/谷氨酸的蛋白在某些条件下可以形成六聚体，但其亚基大小比典型的六聚蛋白大。VHDL是二聚体，与鳞翅目描述的储存色素蛋白具有共同特征。在敏捷扁头猛蚁（蚁亚科）中，成年蚂蚁在两种情况下会出现储存蛋白。第一，缺乏幼虫会刺激工蚁积累与幼虫中发现的相同的两种储存六聚蛋白。第二：年轻的未交配蚁后在交配前会大量储存这些蛋白质。蚁后的蛋白质储存已在另外两个蚂蚁亚科中得到证实，表明这一现象很普遍。成年蚂蚁储存蛋白质的能力使蚁后无需离开巢穴就能养育幼虫，使工蚁能够储存丰富的储备并季节性地调节幼虫的食物供应。
