author(s)
Kakali Talukdar, RC Rajkhowa, Sarma S, Kalita JC, Rahman A

abstract
In the present study the total haemolymph protein content and its electrophoretic profile of 3rd, 4th and 5th instar larval stages of Muga silkworm (Antheraea assamensis) grown on two different primary host plants - Som (Persea bombycina) and Soalu (Litsea monopetala) for two different crops, namely, Bhodia (monsoon crop) and Kotia (autumn crop) was determined. The study showed that the protein content increases from 3rd to 5th instar larvae grown in both L. monopetala and P. bombycina for both the crops. The patterns of protein bands observed in the haemolymph using 12% of Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) indicated distinct nine bands with various intensities for the larvae grown on both the host plants for both the crops with an exception of an additional band of poor resolution in the haemolymph of larvae reared on L. monopetala for monsoon crop and the absence of the second band with molecular weight 116kDa in third instar larvae of the autumn crop. But the same was present in fourth and fifth instar larvae. On the other hand, the protein bands with molecular weight 66kDa and 47kDa were observed in all the three larval stages grown on both the host plants in autumn crop. Interestingly, in the 5th instar larvae of the same crop a band of high intensity was observed which was not found in the larvae of monsoon crop. However, the protein bands in all the larval stages grown on both the host plants with molecular weight 25 kDa, 20 kDa and 14kDa were found to be identical. The electrophoretogram evidences revealed that all the three haemolymph protein patterns with molecular weight 25kDa, 20kDa and 14kDa showed homology with minor variations in all the three larval stages reared on both the host plants for both the crops.