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Mei Z, Kuzhir P, Godeau G. Update on Chitin and Chitosan from Insects: Sources, Production, Characterization, and Biomedical Applications. Biomimetics (Basel) 2024; 9:297. [PMID: 38786507 PMCID: PMC11118814 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics9050297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2024] [Revised: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Insects, renowned for their abundant and renewable biomass, stand at the forefront of biomimicry-inspired research and offer promising alternatives for chitin and chitosan production considering mounting environmental concerns and the inherent limitations of conventional sources. This comprehensive review provides a meticulous exploration of the current state of insect-derived chitin and chitosan, focusing on their sources, production methods, characterization, physical and chemical properties, and emerging biomedical applications. Abundant insect sources of chitin and chitosan, from the Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Orthoptera, Hymenoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, Dictyoptera, Odonata, and Ephemeroptera orders, were comprehensively summarized. A variety of characterization techniques, including spectroscopy, chromatography, and microscopy, were used to reveal their physical and chemical properties like molecular weight, degree of deacetylation, and crystallinity, laying a solid foundation for their wide application, especially for the biomimetic design process. The examination of insect-derived chitin and chitosan extends into a wide realm of biomedical applications, highlighting their unique advantages in wound healing, tissue engineering, drug delivery, and antimicrobial therapies. Their intrinsic biocompatibility and antimicrobial properties position them as promising candidates for innovative solutions in diverse medical interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenying Mei
- Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS UMR 7010 Institut de Physique de Nice, 17 rue Julien Laupêtre, 06200 Nice, France
| | - Pavel Kuzhir
- Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS UMR 7010 Institut de Physique de Nice, 17 rue Julien Laupêtre, 06200 Nice, France
| | - Guilhem Godeau
- Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS UMR 7010 Institut de Physique de Nice, 17 rue Julien Laupêtre, 06200 Nice, France
- Université Côte d’Azur, Institut Méditerranéen du Risque de l’Environnement et du Développement Durable, 9 rue Julien Laupêtre, 06200 Nice, France
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Improving Polysaccharide-Based Chitin/Chitosan-Aerogel Materials by Learning from Genetics and Molecular Biology. MATERIALS 2022; 15:ma15031041. [PMID: 35160985 PMCID: PMC8839503 DOI: 10.3390/ma15031041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Improved wound healing of burnt skin and skin lesions, as well as medical implants and replacement products, requires the support of synthetical matrices. Yet, producing synthetic biocompatible matrices that exhibit specialized flexibility, stability, and biodegradability is challenging. Synthetic chitin/chitosan matrices may provide the desired advantages for producing specialized grafts but must be modified to improve their properties. Synthetic chitin/chitosan hydrogel and aerogel techniques provide the advantages for improvement with a bioinspired view adapted from the natural molecular toolbox. To this end, animal genetics provide deep knowledge into which molecular key factors decisively influence the properties of natural chitin matrices. The genetically identified proteins and enzymes control chitin matrix assembly, architecture, and degradation. Combining synthetic chitin matrices with critical biological factors may point to the future direction with engineering materials of specific properties for biomedical applications such as burned skin or skin blistering and extensive lesions due to genetic diseases.
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Genomic and transcriptomic landscapes and evolutionary dynamics of molluscan glycoside hydrolase families with implications for algae-feeding biology. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2020; 18:2744-2756. [PMID: 33101612 PMCID: PMC7560691 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2020.09.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Genome-wide characterization of GH families is conducted for Mollusca. GH9, GH10, GH18 and GH20 families are remarkably expanded in molluscs. The wide adoption of CBMs likely facilitates the hydrolysis of polysaccharides. Hepatopancreas is the main organ for the prominent expression of GH families. Functional divergence of GH families possibly contributes to their adaptive roles.
The hydrolysis of sugar-containing compounds by glycoside hydrolases (GHs) plays essential roles in many major biological processes, but to date our systematic understanding of the functional diversity and evolution of GH families remains largely limited to a few well-studied terrestrial animals. Molluscs represent the largest marine phylum in the animal kingdom, and many of them are herbivorous that utilize algae as a main nutritional source, making them good subjects for studying the functional diversity and adaptive evolution of GH families. In the present study, we conducted genome-wide identification and functional and evolutionary analysis of all GH families across major molluscan lineages. We revealed that the remarkable expansion of the GH9, GH10, GH18 and GH20 families and the wide adoption of carbohydrate-binding modules in molluscan expanded GH families likely contributed to the efficient hydrolysis of marine algal polysaccharides and were involved in the consolidation of molluscan algae-feeding habits. Gene expression and network analysis revealed the hepatopancreas as the main organ for the prominent expression of approximately half of the GH families (well corresponding to the digestive roles of the hepatopancreas) and key or hub GHs in the coexpression gene network with potentially diverse functionalities. We also revealed the evolutionary signs of differential expansion and functional divergence of the GH family, which possibly contributed to lineage-specific adaptation. Systematic analysis of GH families at both genomic and transcriptomic levels provides important clues for understanding the functional divergence and evolution of GH gene families in molluscs in relation to their algae-feeding biology.
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Reverse and forward engineering of Drosophila corneal nanocoatings. Nature 2020; 585:383-389. [PMID: 32939070 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2707-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Insect eyes have an anti-reflective coating, owing to nanostructures on the corneal surface creating a gradient of refractive index between that of air and that of the lens material1,2. These nanocoatings have also been shown to provide anti-adhesive functionality3. The morphology of corneal nanocoatings are very diverse in arthropods, with nipple-like structures that can be organized into arrays or fused into ridge-like structures4. This diversity can be attributed to a reaction-diffusion mechanism4 and patterning principles developed by Alan Turing5, which have applications in numerous biological settings6. The nanocoatings on insect corneas are one example of such Turing patterns, and the first known example of nanoscale Turing patterns4. Here we demonstrate a clear link between the morphology and function of the nanocoatings on Drosophila corneas. We find that nanocoatings that consist of individual protrusions have better anti-reflective properties, whereas partially merged structures have better anti-adhesion properties. We use biochemical analysis and genetic modification techniques to reverse engineer the protein Retinin and corneal waxes as the building blocks of the nanostructures. In the context of Turing patterns, these building blocks fulfil the roles of activator and inhibitor, respectively. We then establish low-cost production of Retinin, and mix this synthetic protein with waxes to forward engineer various artificial nanocoatings with insect-like morphology and anti-adhesive or anti-reflective function. Our combined reverse- and forward-engineering approach thus provides a way to economically produce functional nanostructured coatings from biodegradable materials.
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Mohan K, Ganesan AR, Muralisankar T, Jayakumar R, Sathishkumar P, Uthayakumar V, Chandirasekar R, Revathi N. Recent insights into the extraction, characterization, and bioactivities of chitin and chitosan from insects. Trends Food Sci Technol 2020; 105:17-42. [PMID: 32901176 PMCID: PMC7471941 DOI: 10.1016/j.tifs.2020.08.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Background Insects are a living resource used for human nutrition, medicine, and industry. Several potential sources of proteins, peptides, and biopolymers, such as silk, chitin, and chitosan are utilized in industry and for biotechnology applications. Chitosan is an amino-polysaccharide derivative of chitin that consists of linear amino polysaccharides with d-glucosamine and N-acetyl-d-glucosamine units. Currently, the chief commercial sources of chitin and chitosan are crustacean shells that accumulate as a major waste product from the marine food industry. Existing chitin resources have some natural challenges, including insufficient supplies, seasonal availability, and environmental pollution. As an alternative, insects could be utilized as unconventional but feasible sources of chitin and chitosan. Scope and approach This review focuses on the recent sources of insect chitin and chitosan, particularly from the Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Orthoptera, Hymenoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, Dictyoptera, and Odonata orders. In addition, the extraction methods and physicochemical characteristics are discussed. Insect chitin and chitosan have numerous biological activities and could be used for food, biomedical, and industrial applications. Key findings and conclusions Recently, the invasive and harmful effects of insect species causing severe damage in agricultural crops has led to great economic losses globally. These dangerous species serve as potential sources of chitin and are underutilized worldwide. The conclusion of the present study provides better insight into the conversion of insect waste-derived chitin into value-added products as an alternative chitin source to address food security related challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kannan Mohan
- PG and Research Department of Zoology, Sri Vasavi College, Erode, Tamil Nadu, 638 316, India
| | - Abirami Ramu Ganesan
- School of Applied Sciences, College of Engineering, Science and Technology (CEST), Fiji National University, 5529, Fiji
| | - Thirunavukkarasu Muralisankar
- Aquatic Ecology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, School of Life Sciences, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, 641 046, India
| | - Rajarajeswaran Jayakumar
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
| | - Palanivel Sathishkumar
- Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China
| | | | | | - Nagarajan Revathi
- PG and Research Department of Zoology, Sri Vasavi College, Erode, Tamil Nadu, 638 316, India
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Kabalak M, Aracagök D, Torun M. Extraction, characterization and comparison of chitins from large bodied four Coleoptera and Orthoptera species. Int J Biol Macromol 2020; 145:402-409. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2019.12.194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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Spalding A, Shanks K, Bennie J, Potter U, Ffrench-Constant R. Optical Modelling and Phylogenetic Analysis Provide Clues to the Likely Function of Corneal Nipple Arrays in Butterflies and Moths. INSECTS 2019; 10:insects10090262. [PMID: 31443396 PMCID: PMC6780202 DOI: 10.3390/insects10090262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Revised: 08/11/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The lenses in compound eyes of butterflies and moths contain an array of nipple-shaped protuberances, or corneal nipples. Previous work has suggested that these nipples increase light transmittance and reduce the eye glare of moths that are inactive during the day. This work builds on but goes further than earlier analyses suggesting a functional role for these structures including, for the first time, an explanation of why moths are attracted to UV light. Using a phylogenetic approach and 3D optical modelling, we show empirically that these arrays have been independently lost from different groups of moths and butterflies and vary within families. We find differences in the shape of nipples between nocturnal and diurnal species, and that anti-glow reflectance levels are different at different wave-lengths, a result thereby contradicting the currently accepted theory of eye glow for predator avoidance. We find that there is reduced reflectance, and hence greater photon absorption, at UV light, which is probably a reason why moths are attracted to UV. We note that the effective refractive index at the end of the nipples is very close to the refractive index of water, allowing almost all the species with nipples to see without distortion when the eye is partially or completely wet and providing the potential to keep eyes dry. These observations provide a functional explanation for these arrays. Of special interest is the finding that their repeated and independent loss across lepidopteran phylogeny is inconsistent with the explanation that they are being lost in the ‘higher’, more active butterflies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Spalding
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter in Cornwall, Penryn Campus, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK.
- Spalding Associates (Environmental) Ltd., 10 Walsingham Place, Truro TR1 2RP, UK.
| | - Katie Shanks
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter Penryn Campus, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Jon Bennie
- Centre for Geography and Environmental Science, Peter Lanyon Building, Penryn Campus, Treliever Road, Penryn, Cornwall, PenrynTR10 9FE, UK
| | - Ursula Potter
- Microscopy & Analysis Suite, Faculty of Science, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, UK
| | - Richard Ffrench-Constant
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter in Cornwall, Penryn Campus, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
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Extraction and physicochemical characterization of chitin and chitosan from Zophobas morio larvae in varying sodium hydroxide concentration. Int J Biol Macromol 2017; 108:135-142. [PMID: 29175166 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2017.11.138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2017] [Revised: 11/06/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Large amount of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is consumed to remove the protein content in chitin biomass during deproteinization. However, excessive NaOH concentration used might lead to the reduction of cost effectiveness during chitin extraction. Hence, the present study aimed to extract and evaluate the physicochemical properties of chitin and chitosan isolated from superworm (Zophobas morio) larvae using 0.5M-2.0M of NaOH. The extracted chitin and chitosan were subjected to Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), elemental analysis, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD). The 0.5M NaOH treatment resulted in the highest yield of chitin (5.43%), but produced the lowest yield (65.84%) of chitosan. The extracted chitin samples had relatively high degree of acetylation (DA) (82.39%-101.39%). Both chitin and chitosan showed smooth surface with tiny pores. The extracted chitin samples were confirmed as α-chitin based on the FT-IR and TGA. The chitin samples were amorphous with low degree of crystallinity. From TGA, the Chitosan 3 extracted was partially deacetylated. Both DPPH radical scavenging and ferric-chelating assay showed positive correlation with DD of chitosan isolates. However, the chitosan isolates were not fully dissolved, resulting in lower radical scavenging and ferric-chelating ability compared to commercial chitosan.
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Šatkauskienė I, Jarusevičiūtė S, Baublys V, Maheta M, Tubelytė V. Chitin hoops obtained from Ommatoiulus sabulosus (Diplopoda, Julidae) used for bovine serum albumin adsorption. Int J Biol Macromol 2017; 94:813-818. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2016.09.103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2016] [Revised: 08/10/2016] [Accepted: 09/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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