Chitin, also known as chitin, is a structurally isomorphic polysaccharide polymerized by N- acetylglucosamine through β-bond. Widely exists in the cell walls of crustaceans, insect crustaceans and fungi, and also exists in some green algae.
Chitin is a kind of nitrogen-containing polysaccharide biopolymer widely existing in nature. Its main sources are crustaceans such as shrimp, crabs and insects, organs of mollusks (such as cartilage of squid) and cell walls of fungi.
Extended data
The synthesis and degradation of chitin is one of the most important physiological processes of insects. The biosynthetic pathway of insect chitin begins with trehalose and ends with chitin, which involves 8 enzymes. Trehalase and chitin synthase are the most studied. There are two trehalase genes and two chitin synthase genes in insects.
Soluble trehalase gene has great influence on chitin synthesis in insect epidermis, while membrane-bound trehalase gene mainly affects chitin synthesis in midgut.
Chitin synthase A is mainly responsible for chitin synthesis in epidermis and trachea, while chitin synthase B is responsible for chitin synthesis in midgut peritrophic membrane. At present, there are two main ways to regulate insect chitin synthesis: using RNAi technology and chitin synthesis inhibitors? .
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