Feulgen staining in malpighian tubules of meliponid bees: a methodological contribution

ABSTRACT

Whole-mounted Malpighian tubules of larvae from two meliponid bee species fixed in acetic acid-ethanol showed apositive cytoplasmic staining with Schiff reagent when submitted to the Feulgen reaction in which acid hydrolysiswas done in 4 M HCl at room temperature. The ability of various treatments applied before the Feulgen acid hydrolysisto abolish this cytoplasmic staining was examined. The aldehyde groups of phospholipids present in the cytoplasm ofthe Malpighian tubules were blocked or removed by sequential treatment with 5% sodium borohydride and acetonechloroform(11, v/v) for 15 min each prior to HCl hydrolysis. This treatment is recommended in order to abolish thecytoplasmic (plasmal) reaction and to allow the reliable quantification of DNA by the Feulgen reaction and thediscrimination of nuclear phenotypes in the Malpighian tubules of meliponid bees.