Aldehyde oxidase distribution in picture-winged Hawaiian Drosophila: Evolutionary trends

• Published in: Evolution Vol. 35; no. 4; pp. 635 - 646
• Main Authors: Ahearn, J.N, Kuhn, D.T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Society for the Study of Evolution 01-07-1981
• Subjects: aldehyde oxidase; Aldehydes; Drosophila; enzymatic activity; Enzymes; evolution; Evolutionary genetics; histochemistry; Imaginal discs; Insect larvae; Larvae; Legs; Oxidases; Salivary glands; Hawaii
• ISSN: 0014-3820; 1558-5646
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.1981.tb04925.x

Aldehyde oxidase (AO) has been detected histochemically in selected larval tissues and imaginal discs of ten picture-winged Hawaiian Drosophila species chosen to represent four cytological subgroups. Levels of enzyme activity (as assessed by overall stain intensity) differ between subgroups and are generally similar for species within a subgroup. Distribution of aldehyde oxidase activity in larval tissues of closely related species reveals differences in tissue-specific expression which must be regulatory. Patterns of AO staining within imaginal discs are similar for closely related species and generally differ between subgroups. Most striking of all imaginal disc AO patterns were those for the antennal and leg discs in which homologous regions within these discs were very precisely and consistently stained in almost every species. Results were interpreted as reflecting very basic metabolic regulatory differences in development. It is concluded that histochemical localization of enzymes in development is a potentially powerful tool in the study of regulatory changes in evolution.