Regulation of drosophila folylpolyglutamates during development.

The polyglutamate status of reduced folates during the larval, pupal and adult stages of Drosophila melanogaster development was investigated. The chain length distribution is very similar and is predominantly pentaglutamate. Half-life estimates of the hydrolytic degradation to the monoglutamate showed larva less than pupa less than adult. This raises the possibility that polyglutamate hydrolase may have a role in regulating the total intracellular reduced folate content of the different developmental stages.