Immunolocalization of ubiquitin in degenerating insect flight muscle

• Published in: The Histochemical journal Vol. 26; no. 4; p. 298
• Main Authors: Davis, W L, Jacoby, B H, Goodman, D B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands 01.04.1994
• Subjects: Animals; Ants - chemistry; Dactinomycin - pharmacology; Female; Hemolymph - chemistry; Immunohistochemistry; Male; Microscopy, Fluorescence; Muscles - chemistry; Muscles - ultrastructure; Tissue Fixation; Ubiquitins - analysis
• ISSN: 0018-2214
• DOI: 10.1007/BF00157762

Ubiquitin was localized by immunofluorescence microscopy during post-mating histolysis of fibrillar flight muscle in female fire ants, Solenopsis spp. Normal muscles, as well as histolysing muscles from artificially inseminated and haemolymph-injected females contained ubiquitin in association with nuclei, Z-lines, myofilaments and mitochondria. However, the density of the ubiquitin immunoreaction was markedly increased in the nuclei, Z-lines and mitochondria of degenerating tissues 6, 12 and 24 h posttreatment. At these times the heaviest immunoreactivity for ubiquitin was seen in association with the nuclei, Z-lines and mitochondria. Immuno-controls, incubated in the absence of the primary antibody, showed no similar immunostaining. When insemination was preceded by the injection of actinomycin D, muscle degradation was significantly depressed after a 24-h period. Also, ubiquitin immunofluorescence was markedly reduced in tissues pre-treated with actinomycin D. These observations suggest that insemination increases the ubiquitination of specific myofibrillar proteins destined for degradation.