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Analysis of chitin fiber assembling mechanism in beetle elytra toward development and application of structural materials

Research Project

Project/Area Number 19K22248
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)

Allocation TypeMulti-year Fund
Review Section Medium-sized Section 37:Biomolecular chemistry and related fields
Research InstitutionTokyo University of Agriculture and Technology

Principal Investigator

ARAKAKI ATSUSHI  東京農工大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (10367154)

Project Period (FY) 2019-06-28 – 2022-03-31
Project Status Completed (Fiscal Year 2021)
Budget Amount *help
¥6,240,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,440,000)
Fiscal Year 2021: ¥1,950,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥450,000)
Fiscal Year 2020: ¥1,690,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥390,000)
Fiscal Year 2019: ¥2,600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥600,000)
Keywordsタンパク質 / キチン / 甲虫 / 構造材料 / 自己組織化
Outline of Research at the Start

甲虫の上翅は、外敵から柔らかい組織を保護するための防御機能を有する他、飛翔の際のバランサーの役割を果たしており、軽量さと頑丈さを併せ持つ材料として、航空機、ロボット等の産業分野において注目を集めている。本研究では、甲虫上翅の機械特性の向上に関わるドラスティックな表皮構造形成の分子機構の解明と、その機構を利用したキチン繊維の配向制御プロセスの開発を行う。

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The upper wings of beetles, referred to as elytra, have a defensive function to protect soft tissues from foreign enemies and also serve as a balancer during flight. As a material having both lightweight and robustness, it is attracting much attention in industrial fields such as aircraft and robotics. This study aims to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of drastic structural changes involved in improving the mechanical properties of beetle elytra. We classified cuticle proteins identified from the beetle elytra by their amino acid sequences and analyzed the gene expression during the elytra formation process. We also analyzed the chitin-binding ability of the cuticle proteins and prepared materials using the proteins.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、甲虫上翅の形成過程における構造の変化と、その変化に伴い発現するタンパク質を明らかにした。その結果、従来知られていなかった新しい表皮タンパク質のグループの存在を見出した。本研究の成果は、キチンとタンパク質のバイオポリマーを利用した軽量・高強度材料の開発につながることが期待される。

Report

(4 results)
  • 2021 Annual Research Report   Final Research Report ( PDF )
  • 2020 Research-status Report
  • 2019 Research-status Report
  • Research Products

    (9 results)

All 2021 2020 2019 Other

All Journal Article (4 results) (of which Int'l Joint Research: 4 results,  Peer Reviewed: 4 results) Presentation (4 results) Remarks (1 results)

  • [Journal Article] Structural Design Variations in Beetle Elytra2021

    • Author(s)
      Jesus Rivera, Satoshi Murata, Maryam Sadat Hosseini, Adwait A. Trikanad, Robin James, Allison Pickle, Nicholas Yaraghi, Nana Matsumoto, Wen Yang, Dilworth Y. Parkinson, Harold S. Barnard, Pablo Zavattieri, Atsushi Arakaki, David Kisailus
    • Journal Title

      Advanced Functional Materials

      Volume: 31 Issue: 50 Pages: 2106468-2106468

    • DOI

      10.1002/adfm.202106468

    • Related Report
      2021 Annual Research Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
  • [Journal Article] Unveiling Characteristic Proteins for the Structural Development of Beetle Elytra2021

    • Author(s)
      Satoshi Murata, Jesus Rivera, Mi Yong Noh, Naoya Hiyoshi, Wen Yang, Dilworth Y Parkinson, Harold S Barnard, Yasuyuki Arakane, David Kisailus, Atsushi Arakaki
    • Journal Title

      Acta Biomaterialia

      Volume: 140 Pages: 467-480

    • DOI

      10.1016/j.actbio.2021.12.021

    • Related Report
      2021 Annual Research Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
  • [Journal Article] Toughening Mechanisms of the Elytra of the Diabolical Ironclad Beetle2020

    • Author(s)
      Jesus Rivera, Maryam Sadat Hosseini, David Restrepo, Satoshi Murata , Drago Vasile, Dilworth Y Parkinson, Harold S Barnard, Atsushi Arakaki, Pablo Zavattieri, David Kisailus
    • Journal Title

      Nature

      Volume: 586 Issue: 7844 Pages: 543-548

    • DOI

      10.1038/s41586-020-03106-6

    • Related Report
      2020 Research-status Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
  • [Journal Article] Radular Stylus of Cryptochiton Stelleri: A Multifunctional Lightweight and Flexible Fiber-Reinforced Composite2020

    • Author(s)
      Anna Pohl, Steven A. Herrera, David Restrepo, Ryo Negishi, Jae-Young Jung, Chris Salinas, Richard Wuhrer, Tomoko Yoshino, Joanna McKittrick, Atsushi Arakaki, Michiko Nemoto, Pablo Zavattieri, David Kisailus
    • Journal Title

      J Mech Behav Biomed Mater

      Volume: 111 Pages: 103991-103991

    • DOI

      10.1016/j.jmbbm.2020.103991

    • Related Report
      2020 Research-status Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] キチン積層構造形成機構の解明に向けた甲虫上翅のプロテオーム解析2021

    • Author(s)
      村田智志
    • Organizer
      日本生物工学会 東日本支部 第16回学生発表討論会
    • Related Report
      2021 Annual Research Report
  • [Presentation] キチン積層構造形成機構の解明に向けた甲虫上翅のプロテオーム解析2020

    • Author(s)
      村田智志
    • Organizer
      第10回CSJ化学フェスタ2020
    • Related Report
      2020 Research-status Report
  • [Presentation] Multiscale architectures in the exoskeletal armor of a crush resistant insect2020

    • Author(s)
      Jesus Rivera
    • Organizer
      TMS 2020 Annual Meeting & Exhibition
    • Related Report
      2020 Research-status Report
  • [Presentation] ニホンカブトムシTrypoxylus dichotomus上翅のプロテオーム解析2019

    • Author(s)
      村田 智志, Jesus Rivera, David Kisailus, 新垣 篤史
    • Organizer
      日本生物工学会
    • Related Report
      2019 Research-status Report
  • [Remarks] 東京農工大学生命工学科 生命分子工学・海洋生命工学研究室

    • URL

      http://web.tuat.ac.jp/~biomol/index.html

    • Related Report
      2020 Research-status Report

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Published: 2019-07-04   Modified: 2023-01-30  

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