The optical properties of plant surfaces are strongly determined by the shape of epidermal cells and by the patterning of the cuticle on top of the cells. Combinations of particular cell shapes with particular nanoscale structures can generate a wide range of optical effects. Perhaps most notably, the development of ordered ridges of cuticle on top of flat petal cells can produce diffraction-gr...

Rates of penetration through the cuticle of amphiphylic analogs, synthesized by addition of 6-phenylhexanoic acid or 9-fluoreneacetic acid or 1-pyrenebutyric acid to the amino terminus of the pentapeptide Phe-Thr-Pro-Arg-Leu-amide, were assessed by quantitative analysis using reversed phase liquid chromatography. The analogs effectively penetrated the cuticle of both the adult American cockroac...

During each molting cycle of insect development, synthesis of new cuticle occurs concurrently with the partial degradation of the overlying old exoskeleton. Protection of the newly synthesized cuticle from molting fluid enzymes has long been attributed to the presence of an impermeable envelope layer that was thought to serve as a physical barrier, preventing molting fluid enzymes from accessin...

Body shapes are much more variable than body plans. One way to alter body shapes independently of body plans would be to mechanically deform bodies. To what extent body shapes are regulated physically, or molecules involved in physical control of morphogenesis, remain elusive. During fly metamorphosis, the cuticle (exoskeleton) covering the larval body contracts longitudinally and expands later...

Exposed regions of the arthropod exoskeleton have specialized structure and mineral composition. Their study can provide insights into evolutionary optimization cuticle as a material. We determined structural compositional features claws in crustacean Ligia pallasii using X-ray micro-computed tomography, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), analytical transmission (STEM). In addition, we used na...

Specialized mechanical connection between exoskeleton and underlying muscles in arthropods is a complex network of interconnected matrix constituents, junctions and associated cytoskeletal elements, which provides prominent mechanical attachment of the epidermis to the cuticle and transmits muscle tensions to the exoskeleton. This linkage involves anchoring of the complex extracellular matrix c...

Cuticular layers and seeds are prominent plant adaptations to terrestrial life that appeared early and late during plant evolution, respectively. The cuticle is a waterproof film covering plant aerial organs preventing excessive water loss and protecting against biotic and abiotic stresses. Cutin, consisting of crosslinked fatty acid monomers, is the most abundant and studied cuticular componen...

This study investigates the role of zooclasts in bulk organic matter composition, kerogen type, and hydrocarbon generation potential lower Paleozoic marine Alum shale Baltoscandia, northwestern Europe. The results show that graptolite periderm is composed non-granular cuticles granular filling. cuticle non-fluorescing has a well-polishing measurable surface, while fraction semi-translucent brow...

Insect cuticle is one of the most common biological materials, yet very little is known about its mechanical properties. Many parts of the insect exoskeleton, such as the jumping legs of locusts, have to withstand high and repeated loading without failure. This paper presents the first measurements of fracture toughness for insect cuticle using a standard engineering approach. Our results show ...

Proteinase 2 (Pr2) is a fungal (Metarhizium anisopliae) serine proteinase which has a tryptic specificity for basic residues and which may be involved in entomopathogenicity. Analytical and preparative isoelectric focusing methods were used to separate two trypsin components, produced during growth on cockroach cuticle, with isoelectric points of 4.4 (molecular mass, 30 kDa) and 4.9 (27 kDa). T...