Advance of researches on insect cuticular proteins and the regulation mechanism of their gene expression
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Key Words：insect, cuticular proteins, classification, regulated mechnism
Abstract： Insect cuticular proteins (ICP) are structural proteins, which form the insect cuticle together with chitin and serve as a barrier to the external environment. According to the different motif, ICPs are divided into five families, i.e. CPR, CPT, CPG, CPF and CPFL, in which there are unique structure and distinguishing characteristics. Environment factors, hormones, transcription factors and introns may influence the expression of ICP genes (ICPG), and consequently result in the stage- and tissue-specific expression of ICPG. ICP and ICPG have been considered as excellent models for the studies on regulation of insect molting and metamorphosis, and for the understanding of the biochemical, physicochemical and structural modifications occurring in the cuticle during insect development, so that more and more attentions have been paid for. In this review, we described the recent progresses in the classification of ICP and the regulation mechanism under environment factors, hormones, transcription factors and introns during expression of ICPG.