Did aculeate silk evolve as an antifouling material?

ABSTRACT: Many of the challenges we currently face as an advanced society have been solved in unique ways by biological systems. One such challenge is developing strategies to avoid microbial infection. Social aculeates (wasps, bees and ants) mitigate the risk of infection to their colonies using a wide range of adaptations and mechanisms. These adaptations and mechanisms are reliant on intricate social structures and are energetically costly for the colony. It seems likely that these species must have had alternative and simpler mechanisms in place to ensure the maintenance of hygienic domicile conditions prior to the evolution of these complex behaviours. Features of the aculeate coiled-coil silk proteins are reminiscent of those of naturally occurring α-helical antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). In t

SUBMITTER: Sutherland TD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6150510 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature