Expression of the rubber-like protein, resilin, in developing and functional insect cuticle determined using a Drosophila anti-Rec 1 resilin antibody.

BACKGROUND The natural elastomeric protein, insect resilin, is the most efficient elastic material known, used to store energy for jumping and flight in a variety of insects. Here, an antibody to recombinant Drosophila melanogaster pro-resilin is used to examine resilin expression in Drosophila and a wider range of insects. RESULTS Immunostaining of Drosophila embryos reveals anti-resilin reactivity in epidermal patches that exhibit a dynamic spatial and temporal expression through late embryogenesis. Resilin is also detected in stretch receptors in the embryo. In developing adult Drosophila, resilin pads are described at the base of wings and at the base of flexible sensory hairs in pupae. Resilin is also detected in embryos of the tephritid fruitfly, Bactrocera tryoni, and two well-known concentrations of insect resilin: the flight muscle tendon of the dragonfly and the pleural arch of the flea. CONCLUSIONS The anti-Rec1 antibody antibody developed using Drosophila pro-resilin as antigen is cross-reactive and is useful for detection of resilin in diverse insects. For the first time, resilin expression has been detected during embryogenesis, revealing segmental patches of resilin in the developing epidermis of Drosophila.