Termites have been reported to fluoresce under UV light, but the compounds responsible have not previously been characterized. Extracts of termites were made using base hydrolysis, and purification was performed using a solid phase extraction (SPE) tandem technique employing a PRS strong cationic exchange cartridge and a C-18 reverse-phase cartridge. Crude and purified extracts were analyzed with high performance TLC plates and with positive ion liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Characterizations were carried out by preparation of trimethylsilyl derivatives of the compounds followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and by positive ion liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Termites are subterranean social insects that face disease pressures from bacteria, fungi, viruses and other soil pathogens. Mechanisms of disease resistance in the social insects are poorly understood. Fluorescent compounds isolated from many different organisms have been shown to exhibit strong anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral properties, and we therefore propose that the fluorescent compounds in Reticulitermes flavipes and R. tibialis termites may be important in disease resistance.
Species 1: Isoptera Rhinotermitidae Reticulitermes flavipes (termites)
Species 2: Isoptera Rhinotermitidae Reticulitermes tibialis (termites)
Keywords: flourescence, disease-resistance
The ESA 2001 Annual Meeting - 2001: An Entomological Odyssey of ESA