Microfibrils of chitin

Chitin. Like cellulose synthase, fungal chitin synthases are present in the plasma membrane and extrude microfibrils of chitin to the outside.147 150 In the fungus Mucor the majority of the chitin synthesized later has its N-acetyl groups removed hydrolytically to form the deacetylated polymer chitosan.151152 Chitin is also a major component of insect exoskeletons. For this reason, chitin synthase is an appropriate target enzyme for design of synthetic insecticides.153... 

The chemistry, biochemistry, and industrial and medical uses of chitin have been reviewed. Partially de-JV-acetylated chitin, which was obtained following treatment of chitin with alkali at 25 °C for two or three days, was reasonably soluble in water at 0 The effect of sonic radiation on the morphology of microfibrils of chitins and celluloses has been correlated with the polarity of the constituent chains. " For given conditions, fibrillation of the microfibrils takes place when the polarity of the chains is antiparallel but not when it is parallel. The synthesis of chitin by a wide variety of insect pests is inhibited by diflubenzuron (25). ... 

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See also in sourсe #XX -- [ ]

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