Studies on Insect Fibrous Proteins: The Larval Silk of <i>Apis, Bombus</i> and <i>Vespa</i> (Hymenoptera: Aculeata)

Flower, N.E.; Kenchington, W.

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2818.1967.tb00589.x

Cited by 35 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…The inference that silk proteins are highly organized in the gland lumen before the larvae actually begin spinning (Flower and Kenchington 1967) was recently confirmed by Silva-Zacarin et al (2003), who showed that silk formation starts during the middle of the fifth instar and finishes at the end of the same instar. This process begins in the distal secretory portion of the gland, going towards the proximal secretory portion and from the periphery to the centre of the gland lumen.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 67%

“…The coiled-coil silk proteins of honeybees are small compared with the fibrous silk proteins of spiders and silkworms and therefore can be produced as full-length proteins by fermentation in the bacterium Escherichia coli. The native coiled-coil silk self-assembles within the silk gland before spinning (Flower and Kenchington 1967), and key elements of this self-assembly are replicated in reconstituted or recombinant silk, potentially allowing straightforward capture of native silk functionality in a biomaterial (Sutherland et al 2007(Sutherland et al , 2011a(Sutherland et al , 2012. Moreover, in future, this work will very likely come within the gambit and purview of patent offices around the world (Sutherland et al 2010b).…”

Section: Molecular Dynamics Of A-helical Proteinsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Physical properties of honeybee silk: a review

Hepburn

Duangphakdee²,

Pirk

2013

Apidologie

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-Honeybee silk is released from secretory cells and polymerises as birefringent tactoids in the lumen while silk is spun by a spinneret at the tip of the labium-hypopharynx and contains ά-helical proteins arranged in a four-strand coiled-coil structure. Wet fibres are only half as stiff as dried ones, but are equal in strength. The fibroin is hygroscopic and lithium thiocyanate and urea eliminate the yield point tested on both dry and wet fibres. The slopes of the solvent-related curves are reduced compared to those tested in water. Silk sheets are independent of temperature when deformed in tension. This fibre is rather crystalline and its hydration sensitivity, expressed as the ratio of the elastic modulus of wet to that of dry fibre, is 0.53. The ά-helical fibroins are predicted to have an antiparallel tetrameric configuration that is shown as a possible structural model. The molecular structure of ά-helical proteins maximizes their robustness with minimal use of building materials. In conclusion, it appears that the composition, molecular topology and amino acid content and sequence are a highly conserved feature in the evolution of silk in Apis species.honeybee / silk / ά-helix / fibroin

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 67%

Section: Molecular Dynamics Of A-helical Proteinsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Physical properties of honeybee silk: a review

Hepburn

Duangphakdee²,

Pirk

2013

Apidologie

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“…Larvae of Bombus spp and B. attratus Franklin do have many secretory tubes on either side of the body, with short transverse commissures so that they anastomose across the middle, but in these species, they do not end in a "loop" (Flower & Kenchington 1967, Mello & Vidal 1979.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ultramorphology and histology of the larval salivary gland of Pachycondyla villosa (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae, Ponerinae)

Zara¹,

Caetano²

2003

Neotrop. Entomol.

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Utramorfologia e Histologia da Glândula Salivar Larval de Pachycondyla villosa (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae, Ponerinae)RESUMO -A glândula salivar apresenta-se com um duto anterior único, formado por um epitélio colunar, dois dutos laterais curtos, os quais apresentam-se com epitélio cúbico simples e que na sua porção mais proximal torna-se colunar. Posterior a estes, encontram-se os dois reservatórios, os quais possuem o epitélio bastante delgado e é neste reservatório que a região secretora da glândula se abre. Os ramos dorsal e ventral da região secretora da glândula conectam-se por meio de comissuras transversais, sendo que, posteriormente, a região secretora termina em forma de "alça". A região secretora é uniforme, não apresenta tipos celulares distintos e é formada por um epitélio cúbico simples. Neste trabalho é apresentada, também, a revisão sobre a morfologia da glândula salivar larval em insetos, principalmente com relação aos Hymenoptera-Aculeata. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Insecta, formiga, MEV, morfologiaABSTRACT -The salivary gland possesses a single anterior duct with a columnar epithelium, two lateral ducts with simple cubical epithelium, which becomes columnar in the proximal portion, and two thin-walled reservoirs, from which two secretory regions arise. The dorsal and ventral branches of the secretory regions are connected via transverse commissures and ends in a loop. The secretory region is uniform and consists on a simple cubical epithelium. This paper also presents a review on the morphology of the salivary glands in insects, mainly in Hymenoptera-Aculeata.

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“…In our study, however, we observed that residue pollen grains became embedded in the lower cell wall lining when the nesting female periodically brushed additional salivary liquids across those surfaces during pollen-nectar provisioning periods. Flower & Kenchington (1967) demonstrated how different sections on the salivarium in larval apoids (Apis, Bombus) and Vespa produce different materials that are combined enzymatically into the silklike material that is subsequently secreted through the salivary lips. Therefore, adult Colletes may produce polyester cell linings by using similar pathways through which Apocrita larvae produce cocoon silk.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%