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Chitin: Structure, Chemistry and Biology

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Targeting Chitin-containing Organisms

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 1142))

Abstract

Chitin is a linear polysaccharide of the amino sugar N-acetyl glucosamine. It is present in the extracellular matrix of a variety of invertebrates including sponges, molluscs, nematodes and arthropods and fungi. Generally, it is an important component of protective or supportive extracellular matrices that cover the tissue that produces it or the whole body of the organism. Chitin fibres associate with each other adopting one of three possible crystalline organisations, i.e. α-, β- or γ-chitin. Usually, chitin fibre bundles interact with chitin-binding proteins forming higher order structures. Chitin laminae, which are two-dimensional sheets of α-chitin crystals with antiparallel running chitin fibres in association with β-folded proteins, are primary constituents of the arthropod cuticle and the fibrous extracellular matrix in sponges. A tri-dimensional composite material of proteins coacervates and β-chitin constitute hard biomaterials such as the squid beak. The molecular composition of γ-chitin-based structures that contribute to the physical barrier found in insect cocoons is less well studied. In principle, chitin is a versatile extracellular polysaccharide that in association with proteins defines the mechanical properties of tissues and organisms.

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Acknowledgements

I am deeply thankful to Dr. Zhitao Yu, Department of Entomology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, USA, for her substantial contribution to the figures.

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  1. Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, Inserm, Institute of Biology Valrose, Parc Valrose, Nice, CEDEX 2 06108, France

    Bernard Moussian

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Correspondence to Bernard Moussian .

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  1. State Laboratory of Biology for Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection at Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China

    Qing Yang

  2. Biochemistry−Electrochemistry Research Unit, Institute of Science, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand

    Tamo Fukamizo

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Moussian, B. (2019). Chitin: Structure, Chemistry and Biology. In: Yang, Q., Fukamizo, T. (eds) Targeting Chitin-containing Organisms. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 1142. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-7318-3_2

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