Anaerobic metabolism in the larvae of tenebrio molitor L.: Gaseous metabolism and changes in glycogen, sugar, fat and lactic acid
✍ Scribed by Gilmour, Darcy
- Publisher
- Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
- Year
- 1941
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 473 KB
- Volume
- 18
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0095-9898
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✦ Synopsis
The work reported in this paper was undertaken with the purpose of combining in one investigation a study of both the gaseous and nongaseous changes which occur during anaerobiosis and subsequent recovery. I n previous investigations on other insects (Gilmour, '40 a and b), in which a respirometer technique alone was used, it was not possible to arrive at definite conclusions in respect to the non-gaseous end-products.
The larvae of Tenebrio molitor L. were selected for this study as they can be maintained in culture very readily in the laboratory, and because it was believed that insects living in such a uniform environment would have a relatively uniform composition, This expectation proved to be ill-foundcd.
Methods
The insects were fed on bran. Full-grown larvae of approximately uniform size were used in the experiments. Gaseous metabolism was studied in Fenn micro-respirometers, oxygen being measured by volumc and carbon dioxide by the conductivity of barium hydroxide. The procedure in these experiments was exactly the same as in the previously reported study on the oxygen debt repayment of grasshopper skeletal muscle (Gilmour, '41), oxygen uptake and carbon dioxide production being followed in separate respirometers during an initial resting period, a 1-hour period of anaerobiosis, and subsequent recovery in air. The insects were placed in small cylindrical cages of celluloid, since they were found to make less attempt a t movement in this situation than when lying freely on the floor of the respirometer vessel. Shielding the respirometers from strong light was also effective in reducing the activity of the insects.
James King of Irrawang Scholar of the Gniversity of Sydney.