Lactate dehydrogenase and glycerol‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase gene expression during ontogeny of the mosquito (Anopheles albimanus)

The specific activities (and activity per organism) of L‐lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and glycerol‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase (G3PDH) were determined for developmental stages of the mosquito Anopheles albimanus. The G3PDH specific activity is initially quite low, then undergoes a 5‐fold increase in the fourth instar larva. During the transitional pupal stage to adult, enzyme activity increases 25‐fold. The LDH specific activity in larval stages is initially about 100 times greater than that of G3PDH and reaches a peak in the late fourth instar larva. A 7‐fold decrease in LDH activity occurs just before moulting to early pupa. However, in contrast to reports for Drosophila, there is then a 3‐fold resurgence of LDH activity from pupal stage to the adult, mainly in the abdominal region. This is the same period in which G3PDH activity increases dramatically, primarily in the thorax. Thus, there is more than one pattern of gene expression for LDH and G3PDH within developing diptera.