Tanigawa M, Suzuki C, Niwano K, Kanekatsu R, Tanaka H, Horiike K, Hamase K, Nagata Y (2016) Participation of D-serine in the development and reproduction of the silkworm Bombyx mori. J Insect Physiol 87:20-29. doi: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2016.01.006 PMID: 26828952
Summary: The silkworm Bombyx mori is known to contain high levels of free D-serine, an optical isomer of L-serine. In this work, the authors investigated the localization of D-serine in various organs of the silkworms in various stages of life in an effort to elucidate its role. They used an immunohistochemical approach to localize D-serine to the silkworm hemolymph, midgut, testes, ovaries, and fat bodies. They also used rabbit antibody against glutaraldehyde-conjugated D-alanine (Cat. #AB-T049) to examine the distribution of D-alanine throughout the silkworms. The authors treated silkworms with an inhibitor of serine racemase to reduce the conversion of L- to D-serine and on the basis of their results suggested the possible involvement of D-serine in ATP synthesis for metamorphosis and reproduction.