Peritrophic matrix proteins

The peritrophic matrix (or peritrophic membrane) lines the gut of most insects at one or more stages of the life cycle. It has important roles in the facilitation of the digestive processes in the gut and the protection of the insect from invasion by micro-organisms and parasites. The traditional vi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 1999-02, Vol.29 (2), p.87-101
Main Authors: Tellam, Ross L., Wijffels, Gene, Willadsen, Peter
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Chitin
Chitin - metabolism
Chitinase
Chrysomya bezziana
Cysteine-rich
Digestive System - chemistry
Drosophila melanogaster
Endopeptidases - metabolism
Immunosuppression
Insect Proteins - chemistry
Insect Proteins - immunology
Insecta - chemistry
Lucilia cuprina
Mucin
Peritrophic matrix
Peritrophic membrane
Peritrophin
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Summary:The peritrophic matrix (or peritrophic membrane) lines the gut of most insects at one or more stages of the life cycle. It has important roles in the facilitation of the digestive processes in the gut and the protection of the insect from invasion by micro-organisms and parasites. The traditional view of the peritrophic matrix as a relatively inert sieve, composed largely of proteins and glycosaminoglycans embedded in a chitinous matrix, is under revision as more is learned about the molecular characteristics of the peritrophic matrix proteins. This review summarizes emerging knowledge of the main protein constituents of the peritrophic matrix. The availability of the first sequences of integral peritrophic matrix proteins has coincided with the explosion of information in sequence databases. It is therefore possible to examine common structural themes in this family of proteins as well as in proteins of unknown location and function from a variety of other insects, nematodes and viruses. The review concludes with speculation about the biological functions of the proteins in this matrix.
ISSN:0965-1748
1879-0240
DOI:10.1016/S0965-1748(98)00123-4