PMC

SDS-PAGE analysis of honey bee larva intestinal enzymes, major royal jelly proteins (MRJPs) and digested royal jelly proteins. Honey been larva intestinal enzymes (lane A) were obtained from honey bee larva, major royal jelly proteins (lane B) were obtained from soluble royal jelly. Mixture of digested royal jelly proteins and intestinal enzymes were shown as lane C, D, E and F. Digestion condition of lane D was selected for preparation of royal jelly peptides. Protein lander was shown as lane G.

Immunoblot and inhibition analysis. The serum-specific IgE bind to royal jelly and honeycomb. Line 1: royal jelly, serum; Line 2: royal jelly, serum co-incubated with honeycomb; Line 3: honeycomb, serum; Line 4: honeycomb, serum co-incubated with royal jelly.

Effects of royal jelly on silkmoth body size. (A) First-instar silkmoth larvae were reared by feeding them artificial diets supplemented with 5.6% w/w royal jelly (RJ) or without royal jelly (Basal). The data were obtained on day 23-24 after the start of experiment. The graph shows the pooled data from two independent experiments. All data are plotted in the graph (each dot represents each individual) with boxplots showing quartiles. The statistical information is summarized in . There was no significant difference (n.s.) between Basal and RJ in the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. (B) First-instar silkmoth larvae were reared to pupae by feeding artificial diets supplemented with 5.6% w/w royal jelly (RJ) or without royal jelly (Basal). The graphs show the pooled data from five independent experiments. Pupae weights were measured on days 31-40 after the start of experiment. In each experiment, larvae were fed the diets throughout larval stage (pupae and adults do not ingest any diet). All data are plotted in the graph (each dot represents each individual) with boxplots showing quartiles. Asterisks indicate a significant difference (*P<0.025) compared to the Basal diet group in the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. The statistical information is summarized in . (C) First instar silkmoth larvae were reared to adult moths by feeding artificial diets supplemented with 5.6% w/w royal jelly (RJ) or without royal jelly (Basal) throughout larval stage. Weights of adult moths were measured on the day of adult emergence from pupae. The graph shows the pooled data from five independent experiments. All data are plotted in the graph (each dot represents each individual) with boxplots showing quartiles. Asterisks indicate a significant difference (*P<0.025) compared to the Basal diet group in the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. The statistical information is summarized in . (D) An image of female moths reared by feeding on an artificial diet supplemented with 5.6% w/w royal jelly (RJ) or without royal jelly (Basal). Scale bar: 1 cm.