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Science 27 April 1979:
Vol. 204. no. 4391, pp. 415 - 417
DOI: 10.1126/science.204.4391.415
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Articles

Natural Polyesters: Dufour's Gland Macrocyclic Lactones Form Brood Cell Laminesters in Colletes Bees

ABRAHAM HEFETZ 1, HENRY M. FALES 1, and SUZANNE W. T. BATRA 2

1 Laboratory of Chemistry, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Bethesda, Maryland 20014
2 Beneficial Insect Introduction Laboratory, Insect Identification and Beneficial Insect Introduction Institute, Science and Education Administration, Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland 20705

Bees in the genus Colletes make their brood cells in the ground and coat them with a highly resistant, waterproof, transparent membrane. This membrane is a polyester constructed mainly from 18-hydroxyoctadecanoic acid and 20-hydroxy-eicosanoic acid, which are stored as their corresponding lactones in the Dufour's gland of the bee. When lining the cells, the bee secretes its glandular content, and the membrane is apparently a product of polycondensation reaction of its contents. This appears to be the first report of a naturally occurring linear polyester. The term laminester (lamina sime layer + ester) for this class of compounds is proposed.

Submitted on September 27, 1978
Revised on January 22, 1979


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Evidence for an antiaphrodisiac in the sweat bee Lasioglossum (Dialictus) zephyrum.
P Kukuk (1985)
Science 227, 656-657
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Anthophora Bees: Unusual Glycerides from Maternal Dufour's Glands Serve as Larval Food and Cell Lining.
B. NORDEN, S. W.T. BATRA, H. M. FALES, A. HEFETZ, and G. J. SHAW (1980)
Science 207, 1095-1097
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