DNASE AS A COMPONENT OF MULTI-ENZYME COMPLEXES IN BLOOD OF SATURNIID MOTHS

Five distinct bands of DNase activity can be demonstrated by zone electrophoresis of the blood of diapausing Cecropia pupae. This enzyme activity, which resembles vertebrate DNase II, and other hydrolytic enzymes were found to be closely associated with blood pigment. These pigment-enzyme complexes resist dissociation by mild means, although partial separation of different bands was achieved by varying the salt concentration of the blood. Preliminary gradient density studies of one of the complexes revealed a sedimentation constant of approximately 23 S, which is consistent with the presence of several enzyme molecules bound to a lipid molecule. The demonstration of DNase activity in the blood by histochemical means was confirmed by studies of in vitro and in vivo degradation of 14C-labelled exogenous DNA. The patterns of appearance and disappearance of different DNase bands in the blood and tissues during the pupal-adult transformation are also reported. The possible significance of these multi-enzyme complexes and particularly DNase is discussed. © 1969.