Abstract: In order to make clear the relationship between parasitoid hymenopteran insect species and the existence or absence of yolk protein, as well as their immunological relationships, we used SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis to characterize the yolk protein profiles and determine their immunoreactions with the polyantiserum or monoclonal antibodies against Pteromalus puparum yolk soluble protein in twelve hymenopteran parasitoid species. Combined with what have been achieved for parasitoid yolk proteins, we conclude that the protein profiles of the wasps differ noticeably with respect to the presence of approximately 200 kD vitellogenin in Pteromalidae, Eupelmidae, Ichneumonidae and Aphelinidae, and the absence of this protein in Braconidae, but there exist several peptides with molecular mass of 40-80 kD. Furthermore, there exists a 62 kD protein in all the tested parasitic wasps.

Key words: Parasitoid, yolk protein, vitellogenin, immunological relationship, Western blot