Overview

The purpose of our PG biosynthesis is to determine if the midgut from Manduca Sexta contain PG, which would lead us to the conclusion to know if C20:4n-6 was synthesis or not. From our lab, we would expect that PG would appear in the midgut. Our PG vial, which contained our PG broke before we were able to run it through the GC/MS, but from the procedures and processes, we can refer to K. Buyukguzel PG biosynthesis journey (K. Buyukguzel, 2002) for the result. The result shows that PG is in the midgut. We know that PG is the derivative from C20:4n-6, and from the lipid analysis of the midgut, we found that C20:4n-6n-6 is not present in the midgut. This means that C20:4n-6 must be brought in somehow, because we know that PG is there, which mean that C20:4n-6n-6 must be used by the Manduca Sexta. This lead us to the question of how does the Manduca Sexta synthesis C20:4n-6? Is it from a conversion from Lenolaic acid or is it from some kind of carrier that is able to drop off C20:4n-6 or something else? (In other word, is the process exogenous or endogenous?)

Significant of the finding and future research.

The significance from this lab is that we know that PGis produced in the Manduca Sexta, but we also know from the lipid anaylsis of the midgut that C20:4n-6 doesnt exist in there. This would lead to the conclusion that C20:4n-6 must come in some how; either exogenous or endogenous. If we find out how C20:4n-6 come in to the midgut, then we would be able to help synthesize more of it, which would also mean that we would be able to synthesize more PG. The important of PG is that it is an Eicosanoids, and Eicosanoids are important part of insect biology. By studying the insect, we can find certain thing that can later be apply to human research, such as PG synthesis or the pathway to get C20:4n-6 in our body.