title: Biosynthesis, Turnover, and Functions of Chitin in Insects.
abstract: Chitin is a major component of the exoskeleton and the peritrophic matrix of insects. It forms complex structures in association with different assortments of cuticle and peritrophic matrix proteins to yield biocomposites with a wide range of physicochemical and mechanical properties. The growth and development of insects are intimately coupled with the biosynthesis, turnover, and modification of chitin. The genes encoding numerous enzymes of chitin metabolism and proteins that associate with and organize chitin have been uncovered by bioinformatics analyses. Many of these proteins are encoded by sets of large gene families. There is specialization among members within each family, which function in particular tissues or developmental stages. Chitin-containing matrices are dynamically modified at every developmental stage and are under developmental and/or physiological control. A thorough understanding of the diverse processes associated with the assembly and turnover of these chitinous matrices offers many strategies to achieve selective pest control.
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology.
authors.forename: Kun Yan
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biology, University of Siegen, 57076 Siegen, Germany; email: merzendorfer@chemie-bio.uni-siegen.de.
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Merzendorfer
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China; email: lsszwq@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Wenqing
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Applied Biology, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030006, China; email: zjz@sxu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Jianzhen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas 66506; email: kzhu@ksu.edu , smk@ksu.edu.
authors.forename: Subbaratnam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Muthukrishnan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002686:Chitin / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D007300:Insect Control; D007313:Insecta / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D002686:Chitin
keywords: chitin deacetylation; chitin degradation; cuticle; peritrophic matrix; pest management