THE GORGING RESPONSE IN RHODNIUS PROLIXUS STĂHL

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Rhodnius prolixus nymphs confined in an artificial feeding apparatus could be induced to gorge on 0.15 M NaCl solutions at pH 7.0 containing 10-3 [image] concentrations of chemicals having phosphate bonds of high energy release. The di- and tri-phosphates of adenosine, guanine, inosine, cytosine, and uridine all showed high gorging factor activity. Creatine phosphate and tetrasodium pyro-phosphate were slightly less active. Riboflavin-5-phosphate, 5[image]-adenylic acid, and 3[image]5[image] cyclic adenylic acid also stimulated gorging to a marked degree. Addition of Ca++ ions to the solution decreased the gorging factor activity of adenosine triphosphate. Gorging appears to be triggered by chemicals which can act as phosphate donors or can initiate phosphorylation in a non-specific and unknown manner.