doiSerbia

Characterization of endopeptidases from the midgut of Morimus funereus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) larvae

Božić Nataša (Centar za hemiju, Institut za hemiju, tehnologiju i metalurgiju, Beograd)
Dojnov Biljana (Centar za hemiju, Institut za hemiju, tehnologiju i metalurgiju, Beograd)
Milovanović Aleksandra (Centar za hemiju, Institut za hemiju, tehnologiju i metalurgiju, Beograd)
Nenadović Vera (Odeljenje za fiziologiju i biohemiju insekata, Institut za biološka istraživanja 'Siniša Stanković', Beograd)
Ivanović Jelisaveta (Odeljenje za fiziologiju i biohemiju insekata, Institut za biološka istraživanja 'Siniša Stanković', Beograd)
Vujčić Z. (Katedra za biohemiju, Hemijski fakultet, Univerzitet u Beogradu, Beograd)

Application of specific chromogenic substrates, use of class-specific inhibitors, and zymogram analysis enabled us to identify several peptidase classes in extracts of the midgut of Morimus funereus larvae. Zymogram analysis with gelatin as a peptidase substrate and phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride as an inhibitor showed that serine peptidases were the most abundant endopeptidases in the midgut of M. funereus larvae. By zymogram analysis with gelatin as a peptidase substrate and 1,10-phenanthroline as an inhibitor, metallopeptidases were also detected. Analyses of serine peptidases with specific chromogenic substrates revealed dominance of elastase-like peptidases in extracts of the midgut of M. funereus larvae, with less pronounced chymotrypsin- and trypsin-like activities.

Keywords: Cerambycid beetle, Morimus funereus, midgut peptidases, protease inhibitors, synthetic substrate, zymogram