Studies on structure and functions of silkworm proteins

昆虫血淋巴中含有大量的蛋白质，蛋白质随发育变化很大。这些蛋白质中的许多具有与亚基六聚体相同的结构，大约有80,000道尔顿，但它们的功能不同。家蚕体内有两种储存蛋白。我们研究了这些储存蛋白、芳粉蛋白和幼虫雌性特异性蛋白的结构和功能。1)改进了纯化方法，获得了大量的储存蛋白。2)揭示了储存蛋白的性质，如天然蛋白和亚基的分子量、等电点、共轭组分等。3)分析了不同条件下储存蛋白亚基的缔合、解离和凝集情况。4)研究了幼虫发育过程中蛋白质代谢的变化及贮藏蛋白的作用。5)研究了蚕蛹贮藏蛋白质浓度与营养状况的关系。

Insect haemolymph contained a large amount of proteins, which enormously varied with development. Many of these proteins have the same structure as a hexamer of subunits with about 80, 000 dalton, but their functions are different. There are two proteins belonging to a category of storage proteins in the silkworm, Bombyx mori. We investigated the structure and function of these storage proteins, arylphorin and larval female-specific protein. 1)Purification methods were improved to obtain a large amount of storage proteins. 2)Nature of storage proteins such as molecular weights of native proteins and subunits, isoelectric point, conjugated components were revealed. 3)Association, dissociation of subunits of storage proteins and agglutination of proteins under various conditions were analyzed. 4)Changes of protein metabolism and role of storage proteins during larval development were examined. 5)Relationship between storage protein concentrations and nutritional conditions of silkworm larvae was investigated.