The Gorging Response in Rhodnius Prolixus Stăhl

Rhodnius prolixus nymphs confined in an artificial feeding apparatus could be induced to gorge on 0.15 M NaCl solutions at pH 7.0 containing 10−3 M concentrations of chemicals having phosphate bonds of high energy release. The di- and tri-phosphates of adenosine, guanine, inosine, cytosine, and uridine all showed high gorging factor activity. Creatine phosphate and tetrasodium pyrophosphate were slightly less active. Riboflavin-5-phosphate, 5′-adenylic acid, and 3′5′ cyclic adenylic acid also stimulated gorging to a marked degree. Addition of Ca++ions to the solution decreased the gorging factor activity of adenosine triphosphate.Gorging appears to be triggered by chemicals which can act as phosphate donors or can initiate phosphorylation in a non-specific and unknown manner.