Ammonia utilization by the bruchid beetle,Caryedes brasiliensis [Bruchidae].

The seed predator,Caryedes brasiliensis [Bruchidae] generates appreciable ammonia in its dietary use and detoxification ofL-canavanine and its catabolic product,L-canaline.L-Canavanine is a toxic allelochemical ofDioclea megacarpa seeds, the food of the developing larvae. Bruchid beetle larvae rely upon glutamic acid dehydrogenase and glutamine synthetase to use ammonia for glutamic acid synthesis from 2-oxoglutaric acid and conversion of the former to glutamine. These reactions provide the larvae with a means for metabolically eliminating ammonia. Proline serves as a carbon skeleton source for glutamic acid formation.