Polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism inferred from fatty acid compositions of the diets and tissues of the gypsy moth lymant ria dispar (original) (raw)

Phospholipid fatty acid compositions of whole animals from all life stages of the gypsy moth Lymanrria dispar and the fatty acid compositions of total lipids of their larval culture medium were determined. 2. The major components of the larval diet and the insect tissues were the Cl6 and Cl8 saturated and unsaturated fatty acids that are expected in plant and insect lipids. 3. The fatty acid profiles of the insects and of their larval diet were different. 4. There were small differences in fatty acid profiles of phospholipids and triacylglycerols from different life stages of the gypsy moths, and substantial differences between phospholipids and triacylglycerols within life stages. 5. Certain Cl8 and C20 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) that were not present in the diets were detected in the insect tissue phospholipids. 6. Biosynthesis of certain PUFAs from 18:2n-6 and from 18: 3n-3 is inferred from these observations. help in rearing the gypsy moths, and Arthur Bridgeford for diet processing. This is paper 9681, journal series, Nebraska Agricultural Research Division, and contribution 771 of the Department of Entomology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. These investigations were supported by the University of Nebraska Agricultural Research Division, the