Le dimorphisme sexuel des protéines cuticulaires du Criquet migrateur, Locusta migratoria migratorioides (Reiche &Farmaire)

Abstract

Cuticular and blood proteins were studied in adult male and female Locusta migratoria migratorioides (Reiche &Farmaire) by means of electrophoresis and imunoelectrophoresis. Comparative analysis of proteinograms, physico-chemical characteristics (Rf, molecular weight), and antigenic properties allow us to conclude that some cuticular proteins are sex related; this sexual dimorphism is correlated with the maturation process; one of the specific female cuticular proteins is closely related to vitellogenin. Many of the cuticular proteins exhibit the same electrophoretic pattern and the same antigenic determinants as blood proteins which appear to pass the epidermis without any major structural alteration. Other ones are typically cuticular and are presumably synthetized by epidermal cells using blood precursors. There are various major hemolymph proteins which are never detected in the cuticle; this suggests that epidermal cells recognize and select, among the blood proteins, those which are incorporated into the cuticular matrix during the moulting process and oocyte maturation.