Article
Identification of the gene encoding bursicon, an insect neuropeptide responsible for cuticle sclerotization and wing spreading.
Current biology : CB - 13 Jul 2004
Dewey Elizabeth M, McNabb Susan L, Ewer John, Kuo Gloria R, Takanishi Christina L, Truman James W, Honegger Hans-Willi
Abstract excerpt
To accommodate growth, insects must periodically replace their exoskeletons. After shedding the old cuticle, the new soft cuticle must sclerotize. Sclerotization has long been known to be controlled by the neuropeptide hormone bursicon, but its large size of 30 kDa has frustrated attempts to determine its sequence and structure. Using partial sequences obtained from purified cockroach bursicon, we identified the...
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