Total salivary gland proteins of female culex pipiens and aedes caspius [diptera: culicidae] and their fractionaation during adult development and after blood sucking

ABSTRACT

Salivary glands of Culex pipiens and Aedes caspius were analyzed to determine total protein content and its fractionation during adult female development and after blood sucking. In both species, the molecular weight of proteins ranged between 26.000 and 84.000 Daltons. These proteins were not identical in the two species. In Cx. pipiens, the total protein level increased during the first three days of adult development from 4.94 +/- 0.84 to 6.6 +/- 0.37 mug/gland. During this period, the salivary gland proteins were separated into 35, 34 and 37 fractions, respectively. Cx. pipiens was released in the human host 64% of the total proteins while taking a blood meal compared to unfed females. This decrease in protein level was proportional to protein fractions. Over the next six days, the protein level increased again to attain values comparable to those obtained prior to blood sucking. In Ae. caspius, the total protein level of the salivary glands did not change during the first 4 days of adult development [range between 3.13 +/- 0.27 and 3.19 +/- 0.36 mug gland]; but on the 5th day, 2-fold increase was observed