Digestive proteases in four species of Polistes wasps

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Abstract
Adults of Polistes exclamons, Polistes metricus, Polistes fuscatus, and Polistes annularis (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) were examined for digestive protease activity. All samples analysed were found to contain chymotrypsin-like, trypsin-like, 'carboxypeptidase-A-like,' and 'carboxypeptidase-B-like' activities. The wasp chymotryptic enzyme has a serine and histidine in its active center and a specificity for aromatic amino acids and in these respects is similar to bovine chymotrypsin. The tryptic enzyme does not react like its bovine homologue, though low concentrations of this enzyme and the limit of sensitivity of the spectrophotometer may account for the differences. Enzyme comparisons are made between these Polistes species and three Vespid species.