Latent larval cuticular phenoloxidase in the coconut pest, Oryctes rhinoceros

✍ Scribed by Kandasamy Longankumar; Thirumalaisamy Thangaraj; Muthusamy Manimegalai; Marappa Aruchami; Anandhan Vinayakam

• Book ID: 102661530
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1996
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 704 KB
• Volume: 33
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0739-4462
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1520-6327(1996)33:1<27::aid-arch2>3.0.co;2-u

✦ Synopsis

Cuticular phenoloxidase (Tyrosinase) in the larval stage of the coconut pest Orycfes rhinoceros has been extracted in the stable proform using cane sugar salineborate buffer. The extracted prophenol oxidase can be activated by the addition of proteolytic enzymes such as trypsin, chymotrypsin, thermolysin, and subtilisin. Detergents such as SDS and Tween-80 also activated the enzyme. Electrophoretical analysis revealed dissociation of the enzyme into two molecular forms after its activation by proteolytic enzymes. The functional significance of the enzyme is suggested to involve the generation of quinone compounds in the wound healing process: most phenoloxidase inhibitors prevented melanization when applied topically to surgical wounds. @ 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inr.