title: Isolation and characterization of chitin from bumblebee (Bombus terrestris).
abstract: Insect chitin possessing shell-like structure was prepared from the bumblebee corpses by a consequent treatment with 1M HCl and 1M NaOH. The bumblebee chitin was compared with crustacean (shrimp) chitin by using elemental analysis, Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) and solid-state (13)C cross-polarization magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (CP/MAS)-NMR spectroscopy and confocal microscopy. Both chitins (bumblebee and shrimp) exhibited identical spectra, while the bumblebee chitin had a 5% lower degree of acetylation and was characterized by a fine membrane texture.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Apidology, Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 21, 845 51 Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Juraj
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Majtán
authors.forename: Katarína
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bíliková
authors.forename: Oskar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Markovic
authors.forename: Ján
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gróf
authors.forename: Grigorij
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kogan
authors.forename: Jozef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Simúth
mesh_terms: D000107:Acetylation; D000818:Animals; D002686:Chitin / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D033364:Decapoda / Q000737:chemistry; D006927:Hymenoptera / Q000737:chemistry*; D019906:Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular
chemical_list: D002686:Chitin