Structural and biochemical analysis of the parasite Gordius villoti (Nematomorpha, Gordiacea) cuticle.
2000; Elsevier BV; Volume: 32; Issue: 5 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1054/tice.2000.0125
ISSN1532-3072
AutoresMaurizio Francesco Brivio, Magda de Eguileor, Annalisa Grimaldi, Davide Vigetti, Roberto Valvassori, Giulio Lanzavecchia,
Tópico(s)Genetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model Organisms
ResumoThe cuticle of the nematomorpha Gordius villoti is a proteinaceous extracellular structure that covers the body during the endoparasitic life in the hemocoelic cavity of insect hosts, and of the free-living adult animals. The ultrastructure of the cuticle has a complex spatial organization with several parallel layers of large diameter fibers, interposed thinner fibrous elements and honeycomb-shaped matrix surrounding the fibers. When adult isolated cuticles were partially solubilized by several compounds, the structure revealed a strong insolubility and the main fibers were always observable. HPLC and spectrophotometric assays carried out to investigate the presence of tyrosine cross-linking, indicated such a mechanism as a key-element in the hardening process of the cuticle. Such data strongly suggest that the Gordius cuticle contains dityrosine compounds, whose formation is probably mediated by endogenous peroxidase activity.
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