Studies on the function of amino acids and amines in the central nervous system of insects (Schistocerca americana gregaria and Periplaneta americana)

Jabbar, Abdul (1982) Studies on the function of amino acids and amines in the central nervous system of insects (Schistocerca americana gregaria and Periplaneta americana). PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

The main aim of the present investigations was to study amino compounds in the locust (Schistocerca americana gregaria) central nervous system (CNS). The results may be summarized as follows: 1. A method of separating amino compounds and their derivatives was developed. It involved electrophoresis with subsequent thin layer chromatography of dansyl derivatives and was sensitive of an enough to estimate as low as 1p mole of an amino compound in less than 1mg tissue and 50-60nl of haemolymph. 2. Of the monoamines of interest, dopamine, octopamine, tyramine, N-acetyloctopamine, N-acetyltyramine and 5-hydroxytryptamine were detectable in the thoracic ganglia. N-acetylamines were found to be the major end product of tyrosine metabolism in the CNS. 3. Among the amino acids; alanine, arginine, aspartic acid, cysteine/cystine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, iso-leucine, leucine, lysine, phenylalanine, proline, taurine, tryptophan, tyrosine and valine were all present in the locust CNS and haemolymph. gamma-Aminobutyric acid (Gaba) could only be detected in CNS. 4. The incubation of the isolated thoracic ganglia in saline devoid of mono-saccharides resulted in substantial decrease (generally 5-50%) in the concentration of most of the amino acids. The exception to this decline was a 2-3 fold increase in alanine. 5. During the incubation of the isolated thoracic ganglia, glutamate, aspartate and Gaba were mostly retained in the tissue, whereas the rest of the amino acids readily diffused out. The efflux was mainly during the first 5-15 minutes and was greater at 32

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Additional Information: Adviser: R HC Strang
• Keywords: Neurosciences
• Date of Award: 1982
• Depositing User: Enlighten Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:1982-72479
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 11 Jun 2019 11:06
• Last Modified: 11 Jun 2019 11:06
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/72479