Royal jelly biopterin

A closely related substance is decenolic acid, which has been isolated from Royal Jelly . Biopterin has also been found in Royal Jelly, but its biological function for the bee has not yet been determined. 

Royal jelly. Nutritional paste prepared by nurse bees tom head gland secretions and honey stomach contents for rearing queen bee larvae. R. j. contains ca. 24% water, 31% protein, 15% carbohydrates, 15% ether-soluble components as well as 2% ash, and further trace elements such as iron, manganese, nickel, cobalt, etc., and various vitamins. Although synthetically prepared R. j. keeps the larvae alive it does not result in the development of a queen bee. R. j. differs from the breeding nutrition of worker bees by having higher concentrations of neopterin, biopterin, and... 

The structure and function of every biologically important pterin is not yet known. Biopterin was isolated recently its formula is presented below. It is a growth substance for the unicellular Crithidia fasciculata. Biopterin is widely distributed in very minute amounts it is found in urine, in Drosophila extracts, and in the food juice of queen bee larvae (royal jelly). The biologic significance of biopterin for bees is still obscure. 

Among the lutrogen-containing derivatives isolated from polychaetes there is a series of pteridines derived from lumazin and thus related to vitamin B2 (riboflavin). Recall that some of the pteridine derivatives provide the white, yellow, orange and red pigments of the wings of butterflies and other insects. Biopterin is also a constituent of the royal jelly of bees. 

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