FIGURE 3.

Time course of induction of antimicrobial peptide genes in the fat body by active PP. mRNA amounts of antimicrobial peptide genes (A, cecropin A; B, moricin) in the fat body after injection of saline (open circles) or active PP (filled circles) were analyzed by quantitative RT-PCR. mRNA quantity of each gene was normalized to that of a control gene, elongation factor 2, whose expression is not affected by injection of the samples. Furthermore, fold changes in mRNA quantities relative to time 0 (no injection) were estimated and are shown on the longitudinal axis. Data represent mean ± S.D. (error bars) of four or five experiments. Statistical significance was determined by Student's t test (*, p < 0.05).