Hormonal regulation of cuticle extensibility in newly emerged adult blowflies

doi:10.1016/0022-1910(76)90172-4

Journal of Insect Physiology

Volume 22, Issue 4, 1976, Pages 529-534

https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-1910(76)90172-4 Get rights and content

Abstract

The cuticle of adult blowflies, Calliphora vicina, newly emerged from their puparial cases, is relatively inextensible. It becomes briefly more extensible at the time of air swallowing, when the body is inflated and the wings expanded. This plasticization is shown to be under the control of a blood-borne active factor which is indistinguishable from the tanning hormone, bursicon, in a number of ways. Cuticle plasticization is not, however, a consequence of the chemical events of tanning.

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The role of bursicon in melanization and endocuticle formation in the adult fleshfly, Sarcophaga bullata
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Hormonal control of tanning in the American cockroach: changes in blood cell permeability during ecdysis
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The imaginal ecdysis of blowflies. The control of cuticular hardening and darkening

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Observations and experiments on the blowfly (Calliphora erythrocephala) during the first day after emergence

Cited by (21)

Bursicon, a Neuropeptide Hormone that Controls Cuticle Tanning and Wing Expansion
2012, Insect Endocrinology
This chapter focuses on bursicon, which has already been demonstrated to bind DLGR2 and activate cAMP/PKA signaling, and provides insights into novel bursicon functions beyond cuticle tanning and wing expansion. Bursicon is a neuropeptide responsible for cuticle tanning (melanization and sclerotization) and wing expansion in insects. Insects are encased in a semi-rigid exoskeleton (cuticle) that provides insect protection and attachment sites for muscles and internal organs, which facilitates locomotion. On the other hand, it also limits insect growth. Insects must shed their old exoskeleton periodically (molt) to allow growth and metamorphosis. The newly formed exoskeleton after each molt is usually soft, flexible, and lacks physical strength for protection. Tanning of the cuticle must occur in a relatively short period of time after each molt for the new exoskeleton to be functional for protection. Insects could not survive without properly hardened cuticle.
Bursicon, a Neuropeptide Hormone that Controls Cuticle Tanning and Wing Expansion
2011, Insect Endocrinology
This chapter focuses on bursicon, which has already been demonstrated to bind DLGR2 and activate cAMP/PKA signaling, and provides insights into novel bursicon functions beyond cuticle tanning and wing expansion. Bursicon is a neuropeptide responsible for cuticle tanning (melanization and sclerotization) and wing expansion in insects. Insects are encased in a semi-rigid exoskeleton (cuticle) that provides insect protection and attachment sites for muscles and internal organs, which facilitates locomotion. On the other hand, it also limits insect growth. Insects must shed their old exoskeleton periodically (molt) to allow growth and metamorphosis. The newly formed exoskeleton after each molt is usually soft, flexible, and lacks physical strength for protection. Tanning of the cuticle must occur in a relatively short period of time after each molt for the new exoskeleton to be functional for protection. Insects could not survive without properly hardened cuticle.
Deconstructing the design of a biological material
2005, Journal of Theoretical Biology
By identifying the functional conflicts in its design, the cuticle of arthropods can be shown to cope with IR and UV irradiation in the same manner as our technology—by controlling spectral properties (transmission and reflection). However, the skeletal properties of cuticle are integrated with demands for sensory transmission, movement, etc, by controlling the local properties of the material rather than by changing global parameters (which would be the technical solution). On the basis of this study, the biomimetic similarity of cuticle with technology is only about 20%, suggesting that we can learn from the design of arthropod cuticle.
Insect cuticular proteins
1995, Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Insect cuticles are composite structural materials with mechanical properties optimal for their biological functions. The bulk properties of cuticles are to a large extent determined by the interactions between the various components, mainly the chitin filament system and the proteins. The various cuticular types show pronounced differences in mechanical properties, and it is suggested that these differences can be related to the properties of the individual proteins and to the degree of secondary stabilization (sclerotization).
The amino acid sequences, which have been obtained for insect cuticular proteins either by direct sequencing of purified proteins or by deduction from corresponding DNA-sequences, are listed according to insect order and species.
Extensive sequence similarity is observed among several cuticular proteins obtained from different insect orders. Other cuticular proteins are characterized by repeated occurrence of a few small motifs consisting mainly of hydrophobic residues. The latter group of proteins has so far only been reported from stift cuticles.
The possible relevance of the various motifs and repeats for protein interaction and the mechanical properties of cuticles is discussed.
A monoclonal antibody to a 56 kDa neurosecretory polypeptide from the posterior lateral neurosecretory cells of the housefly, Musca domestica
1992, Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
A protocol was developed for generating monoclonal antibodies (MABs) to neurosecretory cells (NSCs) of the housefly, Musca domestica, using head extract as immunogen. A panel of MABs to housefly NSCs was produced using a 3-tier screening involving enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), western blot, and immunocytochemistry. One clone designated 01C10 was shown to immunostain the posterior lateral NSCs of the adult housefly brain. Immunostaining of neurohemal organs, corpora cardiaca (CC), was restricted to the late pharate adult stage and the first 6 h of adult eclosion. Loss of immunostained material from CC indicated its release into the hemolymph. Western blot studies revealed that 01C10 MAB immunoreacted with a 56 kDa polypeptide in the brain, corpora cardiaca/ corpora allata (CC/CA) complex of newly emerged adults and hemolymph collected 1 h after adult eclosion. These results strongly suggested the neurohormonal nature of the 01C10-immunoreactive polypeptide. We speculated the 56 kDa polypeptide to be bursicon based on a HPLC separation of hemolymph proteins from newly emerged adults which showed the co-elution of bursicon activity and the 56 kDa polypeptide in the same fractions.
Comparative study of some expanding arthropod cuticles: The relation between composition, structure and function
1987, Journal of Insect Physiology
The abdominal cuticles of the adult female ticks Argas (Persicargas) robertsi and Boophilus microplus, sp der Badumna insignis, tsetse fly Glossina morsitans morsitans, sheep ked Melophagus ovinus and locust Locusta migratoria migratorioides and of the fifth-instar larva of the bug Rhodnius prolixus stretch greatly, some of them quite rapidly, when they are feeding, laying eggs or carrying a developing larva or egg mass. During this expansion the epicuticle, which is convoluted, unfolds and the underlying endocuticle stretches. There is an increase in the volume of each of the cuticles on expansion. The fine structures of those cuticles which go through cycles of expansion and contraction do not become disrupted. Cuticles with acidic proteins have much higher chitin contents than those with basic proteins. Plasticization, i.e. breaking of intermolecular non-covalent bonds, precedes rapid expansion of cuticles but is unnecessary for slow expansion. The compositions of the cuticles and the properties of the proteins are discussed in relation to the expansions which take place in the cuticles.

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^∗: Present address: Department of Zoology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, U.S.A.

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Journal of Insect Physiology

Abstract

References (25)

The role of bursicon in melanization and endocuticle formation in the adult fleshfly, Sarcophaga bullata

J. Insect Physiol.

Bursicon, a hormone which mediates tanning of the cuticle in the adult fly and other insects

J. Insect Physiol.

Hormonal control of tanning in the American cockroach: changes in blood cell permeability during ecdysis

J. Insect Physiol.

Membrane potential of the corpus cardiacum neurosecretory cells of the blowfly, Calliphora erythrocephala

J. Insect Physiol.

Bursicon: its effect on tyrosine permeation into insect haemocytes

Biochim. Biophys. Acta.

Hormonal regulation of disaggregation of cellular fragments in the haemolymph of Lucilia cuprina

J. Insect Physiol.

Bursicon mediation of tyrosine hydroxylation during tanning of the adult cuticle of the fly Sarcophaga bullata

J. Insect Physiol.

General observations on the imaginal ecdysis of blowflies

Trans. R. ent. Soc. Lond.

The imaginal ecdysis of blowflies. Evidence for a change in the mechanical properties of the cuticle at expansion

J. exp. Biol.

The imaginal ecdysis of blowflies. Detection of the blood-borne darkening factor and determination of some of its properties

J. exp. Biol.

The imaginal ecdysis of blowflies. The control of cuticular hardening and darkening

J. exp. Biol.

Observations and experiments on the blowfly (Calliphora erythrocephala) during the first day after emergence

Cited by (21)

Bursicon, a Neuropeptide Hormone that Controls Cuticle Tanning and Wing Expansion

Bursicon, a Neuropeptide Hormone that Controls Cuticle Tanning and Wing Expansion

Deconstructing the design of a biological material

Insect cuticular proteins

A monoclonal antibody to a 56 kDa neurosecretory polypeptide from the posterior lateral neurosecretory cells of the housefly, Musca domestica

Comparative study of some expanding arthropod cuticles: The relation between composition, structure and function