Overview

There has been a considerable upsurge in interest in insect bio­ chemistry and physiology in recent years and this has been reflected in a notable expansion in the number of original papers in this field. Whereas insect physiology has tended to receive ample attention from reviewers, the same has not always been true for the more biochemical aspects of insect research. This book is a venture to help redress the balance. No attempt has been made to cover all aspects of insect biochemistry, but rather a few topics have been selected which seemed to us to merit a review at the present time. One reason for this increased interest in insect biochemistry is perhaps the growing realization that insects can be very useful organisms to act as model systems for the experimental study of general biochemical principles. One remembers, for instance, that Keilin's perceptive observations on the flight muscles of living bees and wax moths led to his discovery of the cytochromes. The fundamental unity of biochemistry has long been accepted as a dogma by the faithful and the insect kingdom provides no exception to it. The main biochemical processes in insects are being revealed as essentially the same as in other life forms but, as so often found in comparative biochemistry, there are interesting variations on the central theme.

Full Product Details

Author:   D. J. Candy ,  B. A. Kilby
Publisher:   Chapman and Hall
Imprint:   Chapman and Hall
Edition:   New edition
Dimensions:   Width: 15.50cm , Height: 1.70cm , Length: 23.50cm
Weight:   0.504kg
ISBN:  

9780412215308

ISBN 10:   0412215306
Pages:   316
Publication Date:   26 January 1978
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Professional and scholarly ,  Undergraduate ,  Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Table of Contents

1. Biochemistry of Insect Flight: Part 1 - Utilization of Fuels by Muscle.- Pathways for the Utilization of Carbohydrates, Amino acids and Fats in Flight Muscle.- Physiological aspects of the bioenergetics of flight.- Glycogenolysis.- Utilization of trehalose.- Glycolysis.- Glycolytic-mitochondrial interactions.- Auxiliary glycolytic reactions.- Oxidation of the end-products of glycolysis and the permeability of mitochondria to metabolic intermediates.- Utilization of amino acids.- Oxidation of fat.- The Control of Flight Muscle Mitochondrial Metabolism.- Morphological and biochemical organization of flight muscle mitochondria.- Oxidative phosphorylation.- Control of the mitochondrial oxidation of ?-glycerol-P.- Control of the mitochondrial oxidation of proline.- Control of the mitochondrial oxidation of pyruvate and the citric acid cycle.- Mitochondrial ion movements and the special role of Ca2+ in the regulation of flight muscle metabolism.- The oxidation-reduction state of the respiratory components in mitochondria and the control of metabolism.- References.- 2. Biochemistry of Insect Flight: Part 2 - Fuel Supply.- The Nature of Respiratory Fuels.- Stores of Respiratory Fuels.- Lipids and their Metabolism.- Tissue content of lipids.- Absorption of dietary lipids and incorporation into fat body lipids.- Lipid degradation by fat body.- Biosynthesis of lipids.- Lipid release from the fat body.- Carbohydrates and their Metabolism.- Tissue content of carbohydrates.- Utilization of carbohydrate reserves during flight.- Metabolism of sugars other than glucose.- Glycogen biosynthesis.- Trehalose biosynthesis.- Carbohydrate synthesis from non-carbohydrate precursors.- Glycogen breakdown.- Hormonal control of carbohydrate metabolism.- The Supply of Amino Acid Fuels for Flight.- Conclusion.- References.- 3. Excretion in Insects.- Excretion Associated with the Malpighian Tubule-Rectum System.- Ions, water and active transport.- Uric acid.- Ammonia.- Urea.- Amino acids.- Tryptophan derivatives.- Pteridines.- Other nitrogenous products.- Carbohydrates.- Miscellaneous excretory products.- Xenobiotics.- Minor Excretory Systems.- Labial glands.- Pericardial and other cells.- Utriculi majores.- The gut.- Concluding Remarks.- References.- Addendum.- 4. Synaptic Transmission in Insects.- General Outline of the Insect Nervous System.- Chemical Transmitters in the Central Nervous System.- Acetylcholine.- Acetylcholine receptors.- Glutamic acid and ?-amino butyric acid (GABA).- Biogenic amines.- Chemical Transmitters at the Neuromuscular Junction.- Glutamic acid.- Glutamate receptor.- Enzymes associated with the glutamate system.- ?-Amino butyric acid (GABA).- Biogenic amines.- Summary.- References.- Addendum.

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