Chitin synthase synthesizes chitin, which is critical for the arthropod exoskeleton. In this study, we cloned the cDNA sequences of a chitin synthase 1 gene, PcCHS1, in the citrus red mite, Panonychus citri (McGregor), which is one of the most economically important pests of citrus worldwide. The full-length cDNA of PcCHS1 contains an open reading frame of 4605 bp of nucleotides, which encodes ...

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...

A selection of isogenic yeast strains (with deletion for genes involved in cell-wall synthesis) was used to evaluate their nutritional and immunostimulatory characteristics for gnotobiotically-grown Artemia. In the first set of experiments the nutritional value of isogenic yeast strains (effected in mannoproteins, glucan, chitin and cell-wall bound protein synthesis) for gnotobiotically-grown A...

A system for studying the in vivo activity of Rhizobium NodC protein in Escherichia coli has been developed. Using thin-layer chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography, and mass spectrometry, we show that in this system R. leguminosarum bv. viciae NodC protein directs the synthesis of chitinpentaose, chitintetraose, chitintriose, and two as yet unidentified modified chitin oligosac...

Chitin is a fungal microbe-associated molecular pattern recognized in Arabidopsis by a lysin motif receptor kinase (LYK), AtCERK1. Previous research suggested that AtCERK1 is the major chitin receptor and mediates chitin-induced signaling through homodimerization and phosphorylation. However, the reported chitin binding affinity of AtCERK1 is quite low, suggesting another receptor with high chi...

The influence of the light microscopical stains, Calcofluor white and Congo red, on the process of chitin microfibril formation of the chrysoflagellate alga Poterioochromonas stipitata was studied with light and electron microscopy. There is a concentration-dependent inhibition of lorica formation with both dyes. In the presence of the inhibitors malformed loricae are made, which do not show th...

Trehalose, a non-reducing disaccharide, is widespread throughout the biological world. It is the major blood sugar in insects playing a crucial role as an instant source of energy and in dealing with abiotic stresses. The hydrolysis of trehalose is under the enzymatic control of trehalase. The enzyme trehalase is gaining interest in insect physiology as it regulates energy metabolism and glucos...

Natural products are often large, synthetically intractable molecules, yet frequently offer surprising inroads into previously unexplored chemical space for enzyme inhibitors. Argifin is a cyclic pentapeptide that was originally isolated as a fungal natural product. It competitively inhibits family 18 chitinases by mimicking the chitooligosaccharide substrate of these enzymes. Interestingly, ar...

As a result of the relatively few available antifungals and increasing frequency resistance to them, development novel is increasingly important. The plant natural product poacic acid (PA) inhibits ?-1,3-glucan synthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae has antifungal activity against wide range pathogens. However, mode action PA unclear. Here, we reveal that specifically binds ?-1,3-glucan, its aff...