Proteins in Insects

By: Roberto Gomez, Stefano Meier and Thomas Hearne

• Insects need proteins to do many things.• Proteins are used in most of the processes

they use. • Some insects can use them to produce things

such as: spider webs, exoskeleton, metamorphosis, etc.

• Here are some examples:

Spider Webs

• Silk is a protein fibre produced by spiders.• Spiders produce silk to make spider webs. • Many small spiders use also silk threads for

ballooning. • All sipders produce silk and they can produce

up to seven different types of silk for different uses.

Exoskeleton

• Exoskeleton is basically made up of chitin, a carbohydrate.

• The tough and flexible endocuticle is built by microfibers of chitin surrounded by a matrix of protein.

• Chitin may be compared with the protein keratin.

Metamorphosis

• Is process of development that all insects must pass through it.

• In the incomplete metamorphosis a new epicuticle goes out of the other insect’s out layer of the skin or epidermis.

• When the new epicuticle is coming out, the epidermis releases a mixture of enzymes that digests the endocuticle.

Fireflies

• The fireflies are flying beetles. • Females are lit in the middle of the night to

attract the males, being able to turn of the light to hide from any dangerous situation.

• They are able to produce light through a special organ located in the lower abdomen.

• Bioluminescence it’s generated by symbiotic organisms carried with a larger organism.

• It is generated by an enzyme catalyzed chemoluminescence reaction, where the pigment luciferin is oxidised by the enzyme luciferase.

• Adenosine triphosphate have a huge roll in most instances.