Discussion
This suggested that the production of the enzyme in the anterior midgut was a general physiological response under control of different convergent signals. Besides that, the comparison between different treatments for artificial blood feeding showed that heparinated blood was the choice with minor side effects for the study of the midgut α-L-fucosidase, when compared to defibrinated or citrated blood.
Methods
We tested if specific proteins or sugars elicit this response, which may help to understand the nature of the physiological substrate for this enzyme.
Results
In general, our results showed that the Anterior Midgut was the only midgut fraction that responds to the blood meal in terms of α-L-fucosidase production. Besides that, this response was not triggered by midgut distension or by ingestion of the blood cell fraction. Conversely, the enzyme was produced after feeding with the plasma fraction. However, the production of α-L-fucosidase was also triggered by different biochemical stimuli, as protein or fucoidan ingestion.