The chemical composition of egg plugs deposited by <i>Sitophilus granarius</i> L. females on grain

Autor/innen

  • Z. Szewczuk Wrocław University, Department of Chemistry, ul. Joliot-Curie 14, 50-383 Wrocław, Poland
  • P. Stefanowicz Wrocław University, Department of Chemistry, ul. Joliot-Curie 14, 50-383 Wrocław, Poland
  • J. Nawrot Institute of Plant Protection-National Research Institute, ul. W. Węgorka 20, 60-318 Poznan, Poland, Email address: j.nawrot.list@home.pl

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5073/jka.2010.425.222

Abstract

Over 20,000 egg plugs collected from infested wheat grain were subjected to chemical analysis.Elemental analysis showed a relatively high content of nitrogen (about 9%). It suggested that the predominant constituent of egg plugs is a protein. Spectrum obtained in ESI-MS analysis showed a series of peaks characteristic corresponding to protein of molecular weight 30073 Da. The appearance of other peaks in this spectrum suggests that studied protein is not homogenous. A sample of egg plugs incubated with pepsin yielded a complex mixture of peptides. The most abundant peak in the ESI-MS spectrum of zymatic hydrolysis products corresponds to peptide Mw 4560.76 Da. Chemical analysis indicated that the main component of egg plugs is protein.

Keywords: egg plugs, chemical composition, Sitophilus granarius

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Veröffentlicht

2010-09-02