Presence of sialic acid in prothoracic glands of Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera).

The presence of sialic acid (SA) in prothoracic glands (PGs) of Galleria mellonella was determined by the methods of electron microscopy (EM), histochemistry, spectrophotometry (SP) and electronic ionization (EI)-mass spectroscopy. Histochemical observations were carried out by the cationic dye ruthenium red (RR), staining with and without neuraminidase digestion in the larval stage. Neuraminidase-sensitive SA was demonstrated by the decrease in the amount of RR-binding following neuraminidase digestion. The total amount of SA was found to be 0.09016 mg g(-1) in dry tissue by spectrophotometric determination. EI-mass spectroscopy results confirmed the EM and SP observations. The fragmentation scheme derived from EI-mass analysis exhibited the presence of the lactonized form of Neu5Gc7, 9Ac(2). On the basis of the various pieces of evidence described above, it was firmly concluded that Neu5Gc7, 9Ac(2) molecules were present in PGs of G. mellonella.