A sperm-plasma β-N-acetyl-D-hexosaminidase interacting with a Chitinolytic β-N-Acetyl-D-hexosaminidase in insect molting fluid.

ABSTRACT: Insects require molting fluids to shed the old cuticle during molting. β-N-acetyl-D-hexosaminidase, known as Hex1, together with various chitinases, is responsible for degrading the chitin component of the old cuticle. This study showed that another β-N-acetyl-D-hexosaminidase, termed OfHex3, interacted with Hex1 and functioned in the molting fluid, although the homolog of OfHex3 was known as a sperm-plasma enzyme functioning in egg-sperm recognition. OfHex3 is an enzyme cloned from the insect Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis, which is one of the most destructive pests of maize. The enzymatic activity analysis indicated that OfHex3 was able to degrade chitooligosaccharides, but at a lower rate than that of OfHex1. Because OfHex3 did not have substrate inhibition, we deduced that the p

SUBMITTER: Qu M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3741120 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature