Acid and alkaline phosphatase activity in the fat body and midgut of the beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), infected with nuclear polyhedrosis virus

• Published in: Journal of invertebrate pathology Vol. 31; no. 1; pp. 4 - 9
• Main Authors: Sujak, P., Ziemnicki, K., Ziemnicka, J., Lipa, J.J., Obuchowicz, L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 1978
• Subjects: acid phosphatase; alkaline phosphatase; fat body; Heliothis armigera; Heliothis zea; midgut; nuclear polyhedrosis virus; Spodoptera exigua; Heliothis zea; Heliothis armigera; nuclear polyhedrosis virus; midgut; acid phosphatase; alkaline phosphatase; fat body; Spodoptera exigua
• ISSN: 0022-2011; 1096-0805
• DOI: 10.1016/0022-2011(78)90101-5

Changes in the activity of acid and alkaline phosphatase in Spodoptera exigua larvae infected with nuclear polyhedrosis virus have been investigated. Three days after per os infection, the activity of acid phosphatase in the fat body and midgut of infected larvae was significantly higher than that in normal larvae. Alkaline phosphatase activity did not show such significant changes. There were differences in the phosphatase patterns depending on whether their activities were expressed as enzyme units per milligram of fresh organ weight or per milligram of homogenate protein. The literature relevant to the subject allows us to conclude that the increase in phosphatase activities in S. exigua larvae is not specifically associated with virus infection itself, but, rather, is a reaction of the insect organism to the diminishing supply of energy sources.