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.