Desiccation resistance: effect of cuticular hydrocarbons and water content in Drosophila melanogaster adults.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The insect cuticle covers the whole body and all appendages and has bi-directionnal selective permeability: it protects against environmental stress and pathogen infection and also helps to reduce water loss. The adult cuticle is often associated with a superficial layer of fatty acid-derived molecules such as waxes and long chain hydrocarbons that prevent rapid dehydration. The waterproofing properties of cuticular hydrocarbons (CHs) depend on their chain length and desaturation number. Drosophila CH biosynthesis involves an enzymatic pathway including several elongase and desaturase enzymes.

Methods

The link between desiccation resistance and CH profile remains unclear, so we tested (1) experimentally selected desiccation-resistant lines, (2) transgenic f

SUBMITTER: Ferveur JF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5813593 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature