Phospholipid metabolism in European house dust mite (Acari: Pyroglyphidae)

Phospholipid metabolism was studied in European house dust mite, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Trouessart). Analysis of phospholipid metabolites in mite extracts suggested the presence of PLaseA1, PLaseA2, and PLaseC, which have important physiological roles in phospholipid metabolism. The optimum pH of PLaseA1 and PLaseA2 was 8 and 9, and the optimum temperature of PLaseA1 was 45 degrees C; the activity of PLaseA2 was not affected by temperature. The activity of PLaseA1 at pH 8 and 37 degrees C was 5 times higher than that of PLaseA2 in D. pteronyssinus. The optimum temperatures of diacylglycerol production were 25 and 45 degrees C.