The total protein content, protein fractions and proteases activities of drone prepupae of Apis mellifera due to varrosis

The proteins level and activities of acid and alkaline proteases in whole body extracts of drone prepupae of Apis mellifera naturaly infested with Varroa destructor were studied. The infested and a non-infested group did not differ significantly in their total protein content. However, some differences in protein profiles were found. A lack of three protein fractions of moderate and lower molecular weight in infested prepupae was noted. Moreover, some differences in the quantity of protein in most of the fractions were observed. The activity of acid proteases from infested prepupae was lower (p < 0.05) compared with the activity of these proteases from the non-infested one group. The infested drone had higher activity of alkaline proteases than non-infested but this difference was not statisticaly significant.