Journal of Lipid Research, Vol. 7, 112-115, January 1966
Copyright © 1966 by Lipid Research, Inc.

Temperature independence of the composition of triglyceride fatty acids synthesized de novo by the mosquito

Emile Van Handel

Florida State Board of Health, Entomological Research Center, Vero Beach, Florida

The hypothesis that depot fat is more unsaturated when it is synthesized at lower temperatures was tested in the mosquito. Female mosquitoes (Aedes sollicitanS) were starved until no triglycerides remained. A single dose of sugar was fed and the mosquitoes were maintained at different temperatures. Approximately the same amount of triglyceride was synthesized per mosquito at each temperature, although at different rates. Mosquitoes maintained at low temperatures did not synthesize more unsaturated triglycerides than those at higher temperatures: the fatty acid composition was essentially the same from 10 to 35°.

The triglycerides synthesized from sugar contained no poly-unsaturated fatty acids. Total amounts and composition of phospholipid fatty acids remained unaltered during sugar feeding. When deprived of food, the mosquitoes catabolized triglyceride fatty acids randomly; cold-exposure did not cause selective retention or utilization of any individual fatty acid.

Supplementary key words temperature dependence • de novo synthesis • triglycerides • mosquito • adipose tissue • fatty acid composition • cold-exposure • poikilotherms • fatty acid oxidation

Submitted on June 2, 1965
Accepted on August 23, 1965

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?