Figure 3
From: Light- induced electron transfer and ATP synthesis in a carotene synthesizing insect
Carotene signature in aphid eyes and spontaneous crystals by Raman imaging.
A 488 nm laser excitation of the Raman spectrometry was used. A control with pure β-carotene is shown. Two other spectra are shown: the microscope laser was focused on an eye and on spontaneous crystals obtained after crushing adult orange aphids in PBS solution. The 1,550, 1,150 and 1,005 cm−1 shifts correspond respectively to the C = C, CH-CH and CH-CH3 motifs. Conditions of Raman: 488 nm; 1.2 mW; 3 s. The panels at the top represent spontaneous crystals, an eye and embryos (mature orange embryos in a germaria plus an ovariole stained in green with anti HRP10). β-carotene is present in whole aphids and in aphid eyes.
