Cuticle renewal is a complex biological process that depends on the cross talk between hormone levels and gene expression. This study characterized the expression of two genes encoding cuticle proteins sharing the four conserved amino acid blocks of the Tweedle family, AmelTwdl1 and AmelTwdl2, and a gene encoding a cuticle peroxidase containing the Animal haem peroxidase domain, Ampxd, in the h...

A majority of the plant-infecting viruses and many of the animal-infecting viruses are dependent upon arthropod vectors for transmission between hosts and/or as alternative hosts. The viruses have evolved specific associations with their vectors, and we are beginning to understand the underlying mechanisms that regulate the virus transmission process. A majority of plant viruses are carried on ...

Fruit development and ripening entail key biological and agronomic events, which ensure the appropriate formation and dispersal of seeds and determine productivity and yield quality traits. The MADS box gene Arlequin/tomato Agamous-like1 (hereafter referred to as TAGL1) was reported as a key regulator of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) reproductive development, mainly involved in flower developme...

The anticipated effects of CO2-induced ocean acidification on marine calcifiers are generally negative, and include dissolution of calcified elements and reduced calcification rates. Such negative effects are not typical of crustaceans for which comparatively little ocean acidification research has been conducted. Crustaceans, however, depend on their calcified exoskeleton for many critical fun...

Tensile properties of the larval cuticle of Manduca sexta were measured during the fifth instar. It was found that as the larvae grew and the cuticle thickened, the tangent modulus (intrinsic stiffness) for the cuticle declined rapidly. The extensibility of the cuticle during the growth period remained relatively high and fairly constant, while the flexural stiffness remained low. Subsequently,...

An important adaptation to land habitats in terrestrial isopod crustaceans is development of embryos in a fluid-filled female brood pouch, marsupium. The study brings insight into the structure and protective role of egg envelopes and cuticle renewal during ontogenetic development of Porcellio embryos and marsupial mancas. Egg envelopes cover embryos, the outer chorion until late-stage embryo a...

Egg washing is currently not permitted within the European Union, with few exceptions. This is mainly because there are concerns that cuticle damage could occur during or after the washing process, as a result of a suboptimal operation. In this study, the cuticle coverage levels of 400 washed or unwashed eggs, derived from either a brown or a white egg-laying flock at the end of lay, were comp...

1. The mechanism of plasticization of the abdominal cuticle in Rhodnius larvae has been investigated, using the properties of loops of cuticle under varying test conditions as a model for the behaviour of the cuticle in vivo. 2. It is supposed that plasticization is effected by a change in the intracuticular environment. A number of model mechanisms for plasticization may be proposed, which sup...

Collembola, also known as springtails, are soil-dwelling arthropods that typically respire through the cuticle. To avoid suffocating in wet conditions, Collembola have evolved a complex, hierarchically nanostructured, cuticle surface that repels water with remarkable efficiency. In order to gain a more profound understanding of the cuticle characteristics, the chemical composition and architect...

The cuticle provides a physical barrier against water loss and protects against irradiation, xenobiotics, and pathogens. Components of the cuticle are perceived by invading fungi and activate developmental processes during pathogenesis. In addition, cuticle alterations of various types induce a syndrome of reactions that often results in resistance to necrotrophs. This article reviews the curre...