Balbiani Ring Pattern and Biochemical Activities in the Salivary Gland of Acricotopus lucidus (Chironomidae)

A male accessory gland peptide that regulates reproductive behavior of female D. melanogaster

“…The presence of two cysteine residues in the peptide suggests that an intrachain disulfide bridge may form. Baudisch (1977) reported the presence of hydroxyproline in secretory proteins of the larval salivary gland of the midge Acricotopus lucidus, another dipteran insect. We have previously detected hydroxyproline in the hydrolysate of adult Drosophila (see Chen, 1985).…”

Developmental puffing activity in the salivary gland and Malpighian tubule chromosomes ofAcricotopus lucidus (Diptera, Chironomidae)

“…Ecdysone induces successive regression of the AL Balbiani rings BR 3 and BR 4 in the course of development to the prepupa (Panitz 1964;Panitz et al 1972), in contrast to the unchanged activity of the ML/SL Balbiani rings BR 1 and BR 2. These observations, together with the specific development-dependent accumulation of carotenoids in the AL secretion (Mechelke 1953;Baudisch 1963), point to a far-ranging specialization of the gland lobes.…”

“…In parallel with the successive ecdysone-induced regression of BR 3 and BR 4 and the accumulation of carotinoids in the AL secretion (Baudisch 1963), a change in the cell surface bordering on the gland lumen occurs. AL cells with expanded BR 3 and BR 4 have a very large surface area, characterisic of secretory activity, while in AL cells with regressed BR this is much reduced.…”

“…Thus a change in salivary gland function takes place but whether the AL of A. lucidus changes its function, cannot be clearly answered. After the regression of the BRs some large puffs are formed (some AL-specific) and an accumulation of carotinoids in the AL secretion occurs although no new secretory proteins have been detected (Baudisch 1963(Baudisch , 1977. In the ML/SL, in contrast to the AL, no regression of ML/SL-specific puffs occurs as the ecdysone titre increases and no change of function takes place.…”