The essential amino acids (EAAs) arginine, histidine, lysine, and methionine, as well as cysteine (semiessential), are believed to be susceptible to reactions with reactive oxygen species (ROS) in biological systems. The decreased availability of these EAAs could harm insect nutrition, since several of them can also be limiting for protein synthesis. However, no in vivo studies have quantified the effect of ROS in the midguts of insect herbivores on EAA composition. This study examined the association between elevated levels of ROS in the midgut fluid of Lymantria dispar caterpillars and the compositions of EAAs (protein-bound + protein-free) in their midgut fluid and frass. Contrary to expectation, the compositions of EAAs were not significantly decreased by ROS in midgut fluid ex vivo when incubated with phenolic compounds. Two in vivo comparisons of low- and high-ROS-producing leaves also showed similar results: there were no significant decreases in the compositions of EAAs in the midgut fluids and/or frass of larvae with elevated levels of ROS in their midguts. In addition, waste nitrogen excretion was not significantly increased from larvae on high-ROS treatments, as would be expected if ROS produced unbalanced EAA compositions. These results suggest that L. dispar larvae are able to tolerate elevated levels of ROS in their midguts without nutritionally significant changes in the compositions of susceptible EAAs in their food.
© 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.