Synthesis and mobilization of glycogen during metamorphosis of the medfly Ceratitis capitata

There are no recent reports focusing on insect glycogen metabolism that take the advances made in mammalian and yeast systems into account. Moreover, little is known about glycogen synthesis and degradation during insect metamorphosis. The biosynthesis and mobilization of insect glycogen were measured during the larva to adult transition in the Medfly, Ceratitis capitata. The glycogen accumulated by larva decreased to reach almost undetectable levels at the beginning of the pupation process. Histological preparations of 40 h muscles and fat body confirmed a low glycogen content, in contrast with high glycogen images in third larva tissues. After 40 h, glycogen was synthesized de novo and accumulates up to adult ecdysis. We obtained the metamorphosis-dependent profiles of phosphorylase, glycogen synthase, and a glycogenin-like protein. This novel insect glycogen initiator protein (the first measured in an arthropod) appeared to be similar to the homologous enzymes from vertebrates and yeast. We have correlated these results with other biochemical events and anatomical landmarks to understand the use of storage carbohydrates during the sequence of metamorphosis events.