Extracellular Composite Matrices in Arthropods, 1st ed. 2016

Emphasis is placed on the elaborate cuticular matrices in insects and crustaceans, spider and insect silks, sialomes of phytophagous and blood-feeding arthropods as well as on secretions of male and female accessory glands. Focus is placed largely on insects, due to the extensive body of published research that in part is the result of available whole genome sequences of several model species (in particular Drosophila melanogaster) and accessible ESTs for other species. Such advances have facilitated fundamental insights into genomic, proteomic and molecular biology-based physiology. This new volume contains comprehensive contributions on extracellular composite matrices in arthropods. The building blocks of such matrices are formed in and secreted by single layered epithelial cells into exterior domains where their final assembly takes place.

Additionally, the unique mechanical properties of natural biocomposites like chitin/chitosan, the crustacean mineralized exoskeleton, the pliant protein resilin or insect and spider silks, have inspired basic and applied research that yield sophistical biomimetics and structural biocomposite hybrids important for future industrial and biomedical use. In summary, this book provides an invaluable vast source of basic and applied information for a plethora of scientists as well as textbook for graduate and advanced undergraduate students.

Part A     Skeletal matrices       

1   Genes of Cuticular Proteins and their Regulation - H. Kawasaki

1.1 Recent Classification of Cuticular Proteins and the Construction of Cuticular Layers

1.2 Factors that Affect the Expression of Cuticular Proteins

1.3 Application of Genome Information

1.4 Regulation of Gene Expression of Cuticular Proteins

1.5 Future Prospects

2   Chitin Synthetic and Degradation Pathways - S. Muthukrishnan, Y. Arakane, H. Merzendorfer and Q. yang

2.1  Introduction

2.2  Structure of Chitin

2.3  Higher Order Structures Involving Chitin Fibers in the Cuticle

2.4  Higher Order Structures in the Peritrophic Matrix

2.5  Precursors of Chitin and generation of Activated Substrates

2.6  Towards the Mode of Action of Insect Chitin Synthases

2.8  Chitin deacetylation and Possible Role in Cuticle Assembly

2.9  Chitin deacetylases in Insects

2.10 Chitin Degradation   

2.11 Chitinolytic N-Acetylglucosaminidase and their Genes

2.12 Additional Proteins Involved in Chitin Protection and Degradation

2.13 Cuticular Proteins Analogous to Peritrophins

2.14 Cuticular Proteins Belonging to R&R and Other Groups

2.15 Concluding Remarks

3    Molecular model of skeletal organization and differentiation - B. Moussian

3.1  Introduction

3.2  Cuticles of Model Insects

3.3  Conceptual model of cuticle differentiation

3.4  Outlook

4    Resilin – The Pliant Protein - J. Michels, E. Appel, S.N. Gorb

4.1  Introduction

4.2  Biochemistry and molecular biology

4.3  Identification and visualization of resilin

4.4  Mechanical properties of resilin

4.5  Occurrence and function in different systems

4.6  Biomimetics

4.7  Conclusions and outlook

5    The Mineralized Exoskeletons of Crustaceans - S. Bentov, S. Abehsera and A. Sagi

5.1       Introduction

5.2       The advantage of mineralization

5.3       Degree of mineralization

5.4       Degree of crystallization

5.5       The combination of calcium carbonate and calcium phosphate

5.6       Involvement of proteins and genes

5.7       Potential biomimetic applications inspired by the crustacean exoskeleton

5.8       Concluding remarks

6         Tyrosine Metabolism in Insect Cuticle Pigmentation and  

            Sclerotization -  M. Y. Noh, T. Asano, J. J. Kramer and Y. Arakane

6.1          Introduction

6.2          Functions of Key Enzymes/Proteins Involved in Cuticle Pigmentation and Sclerotization

6.3         Interactions and Functions of Pigments in Insects

6.4        Hormonal Regulation of Cuticle Pigmentation 

6.5        Future Prospects and Concluding Remarks

7          Cuticular Hydrocarbons: Biochemistry and Chemical Ecology - M. D.  Ginzel and G. J. Blomquist 

7.1         Introduction

7.2          Chemical Composition of Insect Hydrocarbons

7.3           Hydrocarbon Biosynthesis

7.4           Ecological and Behavioral Aspects

7.5            Future Directions

Part B     Peritrophic Membranes and Eggshell Matrices - 

8          Peritrophic Matrices - H. Merzendorfer, M. Kekenberg and S. Muthukrishnan

8.1         Introduction

8.2         Structural Components on the Peritrophic Matrix

8.3         Peritrophic Matrix Formation and assembly

8.4         Peritrophic Matrix Properties and Structure-Function Relationship of Peritrophic   

              Matrix Components

8.5          Function of the Peritrophic Matrix

8.6          Mechanisms Developed by Pathogens and Parasites to Cross the Peritrophic 

               Membrane Barrier