A dynamic interplay between chitin synthase and the proteins Expansion/Rebuf reveals that chitin polymerisation and translocation are uncoupled in Drosophila.

ABSTRACT: Chitin is a highly abundant polymer in nature and a principal component of apical extracellular matrices in insects. In addition, chitin has proved to be an excellent biomaterial with multiple applications. In spite of its importance, the molecular mechanisms of chitin biosynthesis and chitin structural diversity are not fully elucidated yet. To investigate these issues, we use Drosophila as a model. We previously showed that chitin deposition in ectodermal tissues requires the concomitant activities of the chitin synthase enzyme Kkv and the functionally interchangeable proteins Exp and Reb. Exp/Reb are conserved proteins, but their mechanism of activity during chitin deposition has not been elucidated yet. Here, we carry out a cellular and molecular analysis of chitin deposition, and we s

SUBMITTER: De Giorgio E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9894549 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature