蜜蜂卵黄原蛋白的研究进展

Overview of Vitellogenin of Honey Bee

卵黄原蛋白(Vg)是昆虫卵黄蛋白的前体,为卵巢的发育提供营养和功能性物质。随着Western blot、免疫组化和RNAi技术的应用,证实Vg在昆虫的行为分化、增强免疫力、转化食物和延长寿命等方面也发挥重要作用,因此也被称为多功能性蛋白质。近年来对昆虫Vg的研究取得了重大突破,证实Vg不仅仅调控雌虫的繁殖过程,而且对昆虫的生命周期影响很大。以蜜蜂为例简要介绍了Vg的发生与调控,功能多效性及其研究方法等。

In insects, vitellogenin(Vg), the precursor of the major yolk protein, vitellin, serves as a source of energy and functionality for the embryo. As RNA interference, Western blot and immunohistochemistry were applied, pleiotropic functions of vitellogenin in honey bee Apis mellifera were discovered, including behavior differentiation, enhance immunity, food convertion and life extension. All these studies suggested that this protein regulated not only female reproductive physiology,but had great influence on the life cycle of insects. Here research progress in pleiotropic functions of insect vitellogenin is reviewed with A. mellifera as an example,including its occurrence and regulation, pleiotropic effects and research methods.