Cuticular Proteins

This chapter summarizes the wealth of information about cuticular proteins amassed. Cuticular protein sequences are certain to be described in ever-increasing numbers as more insect genomes are analyzed. Central to the issue of cuticle structure is the important fact that considerable cuticle growth can occur during an intermolt period, some of it by a smoothing out of macro- and microscopic folds and pleats. During intra-instar growth, new cuticular proteins are interspersed among the old, necessitating a model of chitin–protein and protein–protein interactions that will permit such intussusception. A wealth of sequence information is available for cuticular proteins, but many challenges lie ahead for those who wish to continue to further their understanding of how the diverse forms and properties of cuticle are constructed extracellularly as these proteins self-assemble in proximity to chitin and make specific contributions to the properties of the exoskeleton.