Cuticular hydrocarbons promote desiccation resistance by preventing transpiration in Drosophila melanogaster.

ABSTRACT: Desiccation is a fundamental challenge confronted by all terrestrial organisms, particularly insects. With a relatively small body size and large surface-to-volume ratio, insects are susceptible to rapid evaporative water loss and dehydration. To counter these physical constraints, insects have acquired specialized adaptations, including a hydrophobic cuticle that acts as a physical barrier to transpiration. We previously reported that genetic ablation of the oenocytes - specialized cells required to produce cuticular hydrocarbons (HCs) - significantly reduced survivorship under desiccative conditions in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. Although increased transpiration - resulting from the loss of the oenocytes and HCs - was hypothesized to be responsible for the decrease in desicca

SUBMITTER: Nayal K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11634026 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature