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Haque MT, Khan MK, Herberstein ME. Current evidence of climate-driven colour change in insects and its impact on sexual signals. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11623. [PMID: 38957695 PMCID: PMC11219098 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The colours of insects function in intraspecific communication such as sexual signalling, interspecific communication such as protection from predators, and in physiological processes, such as thermoregulation. The expression of melanin-based colours is temperature-dependent and thus likely to be impacted by a changing climate. However, it is unclear how climate change drives changes in body and wing colour may impact insect physiology and their interactions with conspecifics (e.g. mates) or heterospecific (e.g. predators or prey). The aim of this review is to synthesise the current knowledge of the consequences of climate-driven colour change on insects. Here, we discuss the environmental factors that affect insect colours, and then we outline the adaptive mechanisms in terms of phenotypic plasticity and microevolutionary response. Throughout we discuss the impact of climate-related colour change on insect physiology, and interactions with con-and-heterospecifics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Tangigul Haque
- School of Natural SciencesMacquarie UniversitySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Md Kawsar Khan
- School of Natural SciencesMacquarie UniversitySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
- Department of Biology, Chemistry and PharmacyFree University BerlinBerlinGermany
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2
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Ogawa D, Nishimura T, Nishina Y, Sano K. A magnetically responsive photonic crystal of graphene oxide nanosheets. NANOSCALE 2024; 16:7908-7915. [PMID: 38441113 DOI: 10.1039/d3nr06114k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Magnetically responsive photonic crystals of colloidal nanosheets hold great promise for various applications. Here, we systematically investigated the magnetically responsive behavior of a photonic crystal consisting of graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets and water. After applying a 12 T magnetic field perpendicular and parallel to the observation direction, the photonic crystal exhibited a more vivid structural color and no structural color, respectively, based on the magnetic orientation of GO nanosheets. The reflection wavelength can be modulated by varying the GO concentration, and the peak intensity can be basically enhanced by increasing both the time and strength of the magnetic application. To improve color quality, we developed a novel approach of alternately applying a magnetic field to two orthogonal directions, instead of using a rotating magnetic field. Finally, we achieved color switching by changing the direction of applied magnetic fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Ogawa
- Department of Chemistry and Materials, Faculty of Textile Science and Technology, Shinshu University, 3-15-1 Tokida, Ueda, Nagano 386-8567, Japan.
| | - Tomoki Nishimura
- Department of Chemistry and Materials, Faculty of Textile Science and Technology, Shinshu University, 3-15-1 Tokida, Ueda, Nagano 386-8567, Japan.
| | - Yuta Nishina
- Research Core for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Okayama University, 3-1-1 Tsushimanaka, Kita-ku, Okayama 700-8530, Japan
| | - Koki Sano
- Department of Chemistry and Materials, Faculty of Textile Science and Technology, Shinshu University, 3-15-1 Tokida, Ueda, Nagano 386-8567, Japan.
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3
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Zhan YY, Ogawa D, Sano K, Wang X, Araoka F, Sakai N, Sasaki T, Ishida Y. Reconfigurable Photonic Crystal Reversibly Exhibiting Single and Double Structural Colors. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202311451. [PMID: 37861089 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202311451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Unlike absorption-based colors of dyes and pigments, reflection-based colors of photonic crystals, so called "structural colors", are responsive to external stimuli, but can remain unfaded for over ten million years, and therefore regarded as a next-generation coloring mechanism. However, it is a challenge to rationally design the spectra of structural colors, where one structure gives only one reflection peak defined by Bragg's law, unlike those of absorption-based colors. Here, we report a reconfigurable photonic crystal that exhibits single-peak and double-peak structural colors. This photonic crystal is composed of a colloidal nanosheet in water, which spontaneously adopts a layered structure with single periodicity (407 nm). After a temperature-gradient treatment, the photonic crystal segregates into two regions with shrunken (385 nm) and expanded (448 nm) periodicities, and thus exhibits double reflection peaks that are blue- and red-shifted from the original one, respectively. Notably, the transition between the single-peak and double-peak states is reversible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Yang Zhan
- RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - Daisuke Ogawa
- Department of Chemistry and Materials, Faculty of Textile Science and Technology, Shinshu University, 3-15-1 Tokida, Ueda, Nagano, 386-8567, Japan
| | - Koki Sano
- RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
- Department of Chemistry and Materials, Faculty of Textile Science and Technology, Shinshu University, 3-15-1 Tokida, Ueda, Nagano, 386-8567, Japan
| | - Xiang Wang
- RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - Fumito Araoka
- RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - Nobuyuki Sakai
- Research Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0044, Japan
| | - Takayoshi Sasaki
- Research Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0044, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Ishida
- RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
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4
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Miyake D, He J, Asai F, Hara M, Seki T, Nishimura SN, Tanaka M, Takeoka Y. Optically Transparent and Color-Stable Elastomer with Structural Coloration under Elongation. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2023. [PMID: 38033265 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c02442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Optically transparent and colored elastomers with high toughness are expected to play an important role in the construction of advanced medical materials, wearable displays, and soft robots. In this study, we found that composite elastomers consisting of amorphous SiO2 particles homogeneously dispersed in high concentrations within a biocompatible acrylic polymer network exhibit optical transparency and bright structural colors. In the composite elastomers, the system in which the SiO2 particles form a colloidal amorphous array hardly changes its structural color hue despite deformation due to elongation. Furthermore, the composite elastomer of the SiO2 particles with the acrylic polymer network also results in high mechanical toughness. In summary, we have shown that the elastomer that exhibits fade-resistant structural coloration formed from safe materials can combine stable coloration and mechanical strength independent of their shape. This is expected to have new potential in future technologies to support our daily life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daiki Miyake
- Department of Molecular & Macromolecular Chemistry, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8603, Japan
| | - Jialei He
- Department of Molecular & Macromolecular Chemistry, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8603, Japan
| | - Fumio Asai
- Department of Molecular & Macromolecular Chemistry, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8603, Japan
- Research & Development Center, UNITIKA LTD., Kyoto 611-0021, Japan
| | - Mitsuo Hara
- Department of Molecular & Macromolecular Chemistry, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8603, Japan
| | - Takahiro Seki
- Department of Molecular & Macromolecular Chemistry, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8603, Japan
| | - Shin-Nosuke Nishimura
- Institute for Materials Chemistry and Engineering, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
- Institute for Materials Chemistry and Engineering, Doshisha University, 1-3 Miyakodani, Tatara 610-0394, Kyotanabe, Japan
| | - Masaru Tanaka
- Institute for Materials Chemistry and Engineering, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Yukikazu Takeoka
- Department of Molecular & Macromolecular Chemistry, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8603, Japan
- Research Center for Crystalline Materials Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8603, Japan
- Institute of Materials Innovation, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8603, Japan
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5
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Bai L, Liu L, Esquivel M, Tardy BL, Huan S, Niu X, Liu S, Yang G, Fan Y, Rojas OJ. Nanochitin: Chemistry, Structure, Assembly, and Applications. Chem Rev 2022; 122:11604-11674. [PMID: 35653785 PMCID: PMC9284562 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.2c00125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Chitin, a fascinating biopolymer found in living organisms, fulfills current demands of availability, sustainability, biocompatibility, biodegradability, functionality, and renewability. A feature of chitin is its ability to structure into hierarchical assemblies, spanning the nano- and macroscales, imparting toughness and resistance (chemical, biological, among others) to multicomponent materials as well as adding adaptability, tunability, and versatility. Retaining the inherent structural characteristics of chitin and its colloidal features in dispersed media has been central to its use, considering it as a building block for the construction of emerging materials. Top-down chitin designs have been reported and differentiate from the traditional molecular-level, bottom-up synthesis and assembly for material development. Such topics are the focus of this Review, which also covers the origins and biological characteristics of chitin and their influence on the morphological and physical-chemical properties. We discuss recent achievements in the isolation, deconstruction, and fractionation of chitin nanostructures of varying axial aspects (nanofibrils and nanorods) along with methods for their modification and assembly into functional materials. We highlight the role of nanochitin in its native architecture and as a component of materials subjected to multiscale interactions, leading to highly dynamic and functional structures. We introduce the most recent advances in the applications of nanochitin-derived materials and industrialization efforts, following green manufacturing principles. Finally, we offer a critical perspective about the adoption of nanochitin in the context of advanced, sustainable materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long Bai
- Key
Laboratory of Bio-based Material Science & Technology (Ministry
of Education), Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, P.R. China
- Bioproducts
Institute, Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Department
of Chemistry, and Department of Wood Science, 2360 East Mall, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Liang Liu
- Jiangsu
Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest
Resources, Jiangsu Key Lab of Biomass-Based Green Fuel and Chemicals,
College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing
Forestry University, 159 Longpan Road, Nanjing 210037, P.R. China
| | - Marianelly Esquivel
- Polymer
Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, National University of Costa Rica, Heredia 3000, Costa Rica
| | - Blaise L. Tardy
- Department
of Bioproducts and Biosystems, School of Chemical Engineering, Aalto University, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Siqi Huan
- Key
Laboratory of Bio-based Material Science & Technology (Ministry
of Education), Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, P.R. China
- Bioproducts
Institute, Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Department
of Chemistry, and Department of Wood Science, 2360 East Mall, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Xun Niu
- Bioproducts
Institute, Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Department
of Chemistry, and Department of Wood Science, 2360 East Mall, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Shouxin Liu
- Key
Laboratory of Bio-based Material Science & Technology (Ministry
of Education), Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, P.R. China
| | - Guihua Yang
- State
Key Laboratory of Biobased Material and Green Papermaking, Qilu University of Technology, Shandong Academy of
Sciences, Jinan 250353, China
| | - Yimin Fan
- Jiangsu
Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest
Resources, Jiangsu Key Lab of Biomass-Based Green Fuel and Chemicals,
College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing
Forestry University, 159 Longpan Road, Nanjing 210037, P.R. China
| | - Orlando J. Rojas
- Bioproducts
Institute, Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Department
of Chemistry, and Department of Wood Science, 2360 East Mall, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
- Department
of Bioproducts and Biosystems, School of Chemical Engineering, Aalto University, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
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6
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Xu C, Luo C, Jarzembowski EA, Fang Y, Wang B. Aposematic coloration from Mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210039. [PMID: 35124999 PMCID: PMC8819367 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Aposematic coloration is among the most diverse antipredator strategies, which can signal unpleasantness of organisms to potential predators and reduce the probability of predation. Unlike mimesis, aposematic coloration allows organisms to warn their predators away by conspicuous and recognizable colour patterns. However, aposematism has been a regular puzzle, especially as the long-term history of such traits is obscured by an insufficient fossil record. Here, we report the discovery of aposematic coloration in an orthopteran nymph from Mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber (99 million years old). It is attributed to the extinct family Elcanidae and erected as a new genus identified by conspicuous dark/light-striped coloration, four apical spurs on the metatibia, a two-segmented metatarsus and unsegmented stylus. It represents the first fossil orthopteran preserved with aposematic coloration from the Mesozoic, demonstrating that orthopterans had evolved aposematism by the Mid-Cretaceous. Our findings provide novel insights into the early evolution of anti-predator strategies among orthopterans. Together with mimesis, debris-carrying camouflage and aposematism previously reported, our findings demonstrate the relative complexity of prey-predator interactions in the Mesozoic, especially in the Mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber forest. This article is part of the theme issue 'The impact of Chinese palaeontology on evolutionary research'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunpeng Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology and Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, People's Republic of China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, People's Republic of China
| | - Cihang Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology and Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, People's Republic of China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, People's Republic of China
| | - Edmund A Jarzembowski
- State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology and Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology and Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, People's Republic of China
| | - Bo Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology and Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, People's Republic of China
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7
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Preservation and Taphonomy of Fossil Insects from the Earliest Eocene of Denmark. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11030395. [PMID: 35336769 PMCID: PMC8945194 DOI: 10.3390/biology11030395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Insect fossils dating 55 million-years-old from the Stolleklint Clay and Fur Formation of Denmark are known to preserve both fine morphological details and color patterns. To enhance our understanding on how such fragile animals are retained in the fossil record, we examined a pair of beetle elytra, a wasp and a damselfly using sensitive analytical techniques. In our paper, we demonstrate that all three insect fossils are composed of cuticular remains (that is, traces of the exoskeleton) that, in turn, are dominated by the natural pigment eumelanin. In addition, the beetle elytra show evidence of a delicate lamellar structure comparable to multilayered reflectors that produce metallic hues in modern insects. Our results contribute to improved knowledge on the process of fossilization of insect body fossils in marine environments. Abstract Marine sediments of the lowermost Eocene Stolleklint Clay and Fur Formation of north-western Denmark have yielded abundant well-preserved insects. However, despite a long history of research, in-depth information pertaining to preservational modes and taphonomic pathways of these exceptional animal fossils remains scarce. In this paper, we use a combination of scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) to assess the ultrastructural and molecular composition of three insect fossils: a wasp (Hymenoptera), a damselfly (Odonata) and a pair of beetle elytra (Coleoptera). Our analyses show that all specimens are preserved as organic remnants that originate from the exoskeleton, with the elytra displaying a greater level of morphological fidelity than the other fossils. TEM analysis of the elytra revealed minute features, including a multilayered epicuticle comparable to those nanostructures that generate metallic colors in modern insects. Additionally, ToF-SIMS analyses provided spectral evidence for chemical residues of the pigment eumelanin as part of the cuticular remains. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first occasion where both structural colors and chemical traces of an endogenous pigment have been documented in a single fossil specimen. Overall, our results provide novel insights into the nature of insect body fossils and additionally shed light on exceptionally preserved terrestrial insect faunas found in marine paleoenvironments.
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8
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Smalyukh II. Thermal Management by Engineering the Alignment of Nanocellulose. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2021; 33:e2001228. [PMID: 32519371 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202001228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Revised: 03/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
One of the grand current research challenges is to improve the energy efficiency of residential and commercial buildings, which cumulatively consume more than 40% of the energy generated globally. In addition to improving the comfort of the inhabitants and mitigating the growing energy consumption problem, new building materials and technologies could provide a safe strategy for geoengineering to mitigate global climate change. Herein, recent progress in developing such advanced materials from nanocellulose, which is often derived from wood or even dirty feedstocks like waste, is reviewed. By using chemical and bacteria-enabled processing, nanocellulose can be used to fabricate broadband photonic reflectors, thermally super-insulating aerogels, solar gain regulators, and low-emissivity coatings, with potential applications in windows, roofs, walls, and other components of buildings envelopes. These material developments draw inspiration from advanced energy management found in nature, such as the nanoporous photonic structures that evolved in cuticles of beetles. Fabrication of such materials takes advantage of mesoscale liquid crystalline self-assembly, which allows for pre-designed control of cellulose nanoparticle orientations at the mesoscale. With the potential fully realized, such materials could one day transform the current energy-lossy buildings into energy plants on Earth and possibly even enable extraterrestrial habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan I Smalyukh
- Department of Physics, Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering Program and Soft Materials Research Center, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
- Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute, National Renewable Energy Laboratory and University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
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9
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Boyon C, Soldan V, Mitov M. Bioinspired, Cholesteric Liquid-Crystal Reflectors with Time-Controlled Coexisting Chiral and Achiral Structures. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:30118-30126. [PMID: 34132540 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c08218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The twisted structures of the chitin-based cuticle of beetles confer specific optical characteristics on them. Intrigued by the observation of Bragg gratings with a depth-dependent periodicity in the cuticle of Chrysina beetles, we determine the experimental conditions leading to their transcription into cholesteric liquid-crystal oligomers. We correlate the optical properties of reflectors thus produced with their internal morphology, as observed by transmission electron microscopy. With the use of a single parameter, thermal annealing time, the reflection color is made time-tunable. Different spectral bands and reflection colors from golden yellow to NIR are available, and the irreversibility of the final color is reached at the end. On the basis of the design concept and these properties, these hybrid chiral-achiral materials inspire the fabrication of smart reflective labels. When encapsulated in the package of a product to be kept under cold conditions, the label records the history of the product conservation. Two kinds of information based on color changes are recorded as follows: qualitative information reporting that the product was kept outside of the specified storage temperature and quantitative information giving an indication of the time elapsed since the temperature exceeded the storage temperature of the product.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cécilia Boyon
- Centre d'Elaboration de Matériaux et d'Etudes Structurales, CEMES, CNRS, 31055 Toulouse, France
| | - Vanessa Soldan
- Centre de Biologie Intégrative, CBI, Microscopie Electronique Intégrative, METi, CNRS, University of Toulouse, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Michel Mitov
- Centre d'Elaboration de Matériaux et d'Etudes Structurales, CEMES, CNRS, 31055 Toulouse, France
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10
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Cai C, Tihelka E, Pan Y, Yin Z, Jiang R, Xia F, Huang D. Structural colours in diverse Mesozoic insects. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20200301. [PMID: 32605519 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.0301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Structural colours, nature's most pure and intense colours, originate when light is scattered via nanoscale modulations of the refractive index. Original colours in fossils illuminate the ecological interactions among extinct organisms and functional evolution of colours. Here, we report multiple examples of vivid metallic colours in diverse insects from mid-Cretaceous amber. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy revealed a smooth outer surface and five alternating electron-dense and electron-lucent layers in the epicuticle of a fossil wasp, suggesting that multilayer reflectors, the most common biophotonic nanostructure in animals and even plants, are responsible for the exceptional preservation of colour in amber fossils. Based on theoretical modelling of the reflectance spectra, a reflective peak of wavelength of 514 nm was calculated, corresponding to the bluish-green colour observed under white light. The green to blue structural colours in fossil wasps, beetles and a fly most likely functioned as camouflage, although other functions such as thermoregulation cannot be ruled out. This discovery not only provides critical evidence of evolution of structural colours in arthropods, but also sheds light on the preservation potential of nanostructures of ancient animals through geological time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenyang Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, and Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, People's Republic of China
| | - Erik Tihelka
- Department of Animal Science, Hartpury College, Hartpury GL19 3BE, UK
| | - Yanhong Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, and Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, People's Republic of China.,School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Ziwei Yin
- Laboratory of Systematic Entomology, College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 200234, People's Republic of China
| | - Rixin Jiang
- Laboratory of Systematic Entomology, College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 200234, People's Republic of China
| | - Fangyuan Xia
- Lingpoge Amber Museum, Shanghai 201108, People's Republic of China
| | - Diying Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, and Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, People's Republic of China
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11
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McDonald LT, Narayanan S, Sandy A, Saranathan V, McNamara ME. Brilliant angle-independent structural colours preserved in weevil scales from the Swiss Pleistocene. Biol Lett 2020; 16:20200063. [PMID: 32289243 PMCID: PMC7211455 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2020.0063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Extant weevils exhibit a remarkable colour palette that ranges from muted monochromatic tones to rainbow-like iridescence, with the most vibrant colours produced by three-dimensional photonic nanostructures housed within cuticular scales. Although the optical properties of these nanostructures are well understood, their evolutionary history is not fully resolved, in part due to a poor knowledge of their fossil record. Here, we report three-dimensional photonic nanostructures preserved in brightly coloured scales of two weevils, belonging to the genus Phyllobius or Polydrusus, from the Pleistocene (16–10 ka) of Switzerland. The scales display vibrant blue, green and yellow hues that resemble those of extant Phyllobius/Polydrusus. Scanning electron microscopy and small-angle X-ray scattering analyses reveal that the subfossil scales possess a single-diamond photonic crystal nanostructure. In extant Phyllobius/Polydrusus, the near-angle-independent blue and green hues function primarily in crypsis. The preservation of far-field, angle-independent structural colours in the Swiss subfossil weevils and their likely function in substrate matching confirm the importance of investigating fossil and subfossil photonic nanostructures to understand the evolutionary origins and diversification of colours and associated behaviours (e.g. crypsis) in insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke T McDonald
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Cork T23 TK30, Ireland.,Environmental Research Institute, University College Cork, Cork T23 XE10, Ireland
| | - Suresh Narayanan
- Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439, USA
| | - Alec Sandy
- Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439, USA
| | - Vinodkumar Saranathan
- Division of Science, Yale-NUS College, 138609, Singapore.,Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore 117543, Singapore.,NUS Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Initiative (NUSNNI-NanoCore), National University of Singapore, 117581, Singapore.,Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, National University of Singapore, 117377, Singapore
| | - Maria E McNamara
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Cork T23 TK30, Ireland.,Environmental Research Institute, University College Cork, Cork T23 XE10, Ireland
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12
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Wei Y, Liu S, Xiao Z, Zhao H, Luo J, Deng X, Guo L. Enamel Repair with Amorphous Ceramics. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2020; 32:e1907067. [PMID: 31930630 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201907067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Revised: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Developing high-performance materials in physiological conditions to clinically repair stiff tissue for long lifespan remains a great challenge. Here, an enamel repair strategy is reported by efficiently growing a biocompatible ZrO2 ceramic layer on defective enamel through controllable hydrolysis of Zr4+ in oral-tolerable conditions. Detailed analysis of the grown layer indicates that the grown ZrO2 ceramic is amorphous without grain boundary and dislocation, which endows the repaired enamel with natural enamel comparable mechanical performance (modulus ≈82.5 GPa and hardness ≈5.2 GPa). Besides, the strong chemical connection between unsaturated coordinated Zr4+ in amorphous structure and PO4 3- greatly strengthen the crystalline-amorphous interface of the repaired enamel to endure the long-time mastication damage. Moreover, these ZrO2 ceramics provide hydrophilic, electronegative, and smooth surfaces to resist the adhesion and proliferation of cariogenic bacteria. The hybrid amorphous-crystalline interface design with advantages in biomechanical compatibility would promote the evolution of a variety of cutting-edge functional materials for medical and engineering application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Wei
- Department of Geriatric Dentistry, NMPA Key Laboratory for Dental Materials, National Engineering Laboratory for Digital and Material Technology of Stomatology, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, 100081, P. R. China
| | - Shaojia Liu
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Chemistry, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, P. R. China
| | - Zuohui Xiao
- Department of Geriatric Dentistry, NMPA Key Laboratory for Dental Materials, National Engineering Laboratory for Digital and Material Technology of Stomatology, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, 100081, P. R. China
| | - Hewei Zhao
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Chemistry, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, P. R. China
| | - Jun Luo
- Center for Electron Microscopy, Institute for New Energy Materials & Low-Carbon Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin, 300384, P. R. China
| | - Xuliang Deng
- Department of Geriatric Dentistry, NMPA Key Laboratory for Dental Materials, National Engineering Laboratory for Digital and Material Technology of Stomatology, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, 100081, P. R. China
| | - Lin Guo
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Chemistry, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, P. R. China
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13
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Rudall PJ. Colourful cones: how did flower colour first evolve? JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2020; 71:759-767. [PMID: 31714579 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erz479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Angiosperms that are biotically pollinated typically produce flowers with bright and contrasting colours that help to attract pollinators and hence contribute to the reproductive success of the species. This colourful array contrasts with the much less multicoloured reproductive structures of the four living gymnosperm lineages, which are mostly wind pollinated, though cycads and Gnetales are predominantly pollinated by insects that feed on surface fluids from the pollination drops. This review examines the possible evolutionary pathways and cryptic clues for flower colour in both living and fossil seed plants. It investigates how the ancestral flowering plants could have overcome the inevitable trade-off that exists between attracting pollinators and minimizing herbivory, and explores the possible evolutionary and biological inferences from the colours that occur in some living gymnosperms. The red colours present in the seed-cone bracts of some living conifers result from accumulation of anthocyanin pigments; their likely primary function is to help protect the growing plant tissues under particular environmental conditions. Thus, the visual cue provided by colour in flower petals could have first evolved as a secondary effect, probably post-dating the evolution of bee colour vision but occurring before the subsequent functional accumulation of a range of different flower pigments.
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14
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Fukuda S, Konuma J. Using three-dimensional printed models to test for aposematism in a carabid beetle. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blz127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
AbstractMany studies have demonstrated that bright colours sometimes evolve as warning coloration on the bodies of distasteful prey. However, few studies have demonstrated that the bright structural colours of beetles function as such aposematic signals for predators in the wild. To determine whether body colour might act as an aposematic signal in the carabid beetle Damaster blaptoides, we generated beetle models and conducted camera-trap and field experiments. Elaborate beetle models produced using a three-dimensional printer were used to determine which animals attack them in the wild. Red and black models were placed in forests to test which of the two types was attacked the least frequently. The camera-trap experiments indicated that mammals and birds were the potential predators of D. blaptoides. The field experiments revealed that predators attacked the red models significantly less frequently than the black models in each of three sites where red Damaster subspecies were distributed. In three sites where black Damaster subspecies were distributed, predators attacked both red and black models at similar rates. These results might imply that the predators learned more easily to avoid distasteful red beetles rather than black ones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinpei Fukuda
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Toho University, Miyama, Funabashi, Chiba, Japan
| | - Junji Konuma
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Toho University, Miyama, Funabashi, Chiba, Japan
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15
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D'Alba L, Wang B, Vanthournout B, Shawkey MD. The golden age of arthropods: ancient mechanisms of colour production in body scales. J R Soc Interface 2019; 16:20190366. [PMID: 31575346 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2019.0366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Insect colour is extremely diverse and produced by a large number of pigmentary and nanostructural mechanisms. Considerable research has been dedicated to these optical mechanisms, with most of it focused on chromatic colours, such as blues and greens, and less on achromatic colours like white and gold. Moreover, studies on the evolution of these colours are less common and largely limited to inferences from extant organisms, in part because of the limited amount and types of available fossil material. Here, we directly compare nanostructure and colour of extant and amber-preserved (approx. 15 and 99 Myr old, respectively) gold-coloured representatives of micromoths (Lepidoptera: Micropterigidae) and springtails (Collembola: Tomoceridae). Using electron microscopy, microspectrophotometry and finite domain time difference optical modelling, we show that golden coloration in the extant micromoth is produced by nanometre-scale crossribs that function as zero-order diffraction gratings and in the springtail by a diffraction grating without crossribs. Surprisingly, nanostructure and thus predicted colour of the amber-preserved specimens were nearly identical to those of their extant counterparts. Removal of amber enabled direct colour measurement of the fossil micromoth and further revealed that its colour matched both that of the extant specimen and the predicted colour, providing further support for our optical models. Our data thus clearly show an early origin and striking conservation of scale nanostructures and golden coloration, suggesting strong selection pressure either on the colour itself or on the mechanisms that produce the colour. Furthermore, we show the thus-far untapped potential for the use of amber-preserved specimens in studies on the evolution of organismal coloration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liliana D'Alba
- Evolution and Optics of Nanostructures Group, Department of Biology, University of Ghent, Ledeganckstraat 35, Ghent 9000, Belgium
| | - Bo Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 39 East Beijing Road, Nanjing 210008, People's Republic of China
| | - Bram Vanthournout
- Evolution and Optics of Nanostructures Group, Department of Biology, University of Ghent, Ledeganckstraat 35, Ghent 9000, Belgium
| | - Matthew D Shawkey
- Evolution and Optics of Nanostructures Group, Department of Biology, University of Ghent, Ledeganckstraat 35, Ghent 9000, Belgium
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16
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Kose O, Tran A, Lewis L, Hamad WY, MacLachlan MJ. Unwinding a spiral of cellulose nanocrystals for stimuli-responsive stretchable optics. Nat Commun 2019; 10:510. [PMID: 30705267 PMCID: PMC6355765 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-08351-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2018] [Accepted: 01/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) derived from biomass spontaneously organize into a helical arrangement, termed a chiral nematic structure. This structure mimics the organization of chitin found in the exoskeletons of arthropods, where it contributes to their remarkable mechanical strength. Here, we demonstrate a photonic sensory mechanism based on the reversible unwinding of chiral nematic CNCs embedded in an elastomer, leading the materials to display stimuli-responsive stretchable optics. Vivid interference colors appear as the film is stretched and disappear when the elastomer returns to its original shape. This reversible optical effect is caused by a mechanically-induced transition of the CNCs between a chiral nematic and pseudo-nematic arrangement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osamu Kose
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, 2036 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z1, Canada
| | - Andy Tran
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, 2036 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z1, Canada
| | - Lev Lewis
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, 2036 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z1, Canada
| | - Wadood Y Hamad
- FPInnovations, 2665 East Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Mark J MacLachlan
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, 2036 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z1, Canada.
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17
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Zhang Q, Mey W, Ansorge J, Starkey TA, McDonald LT, McNamara ME, Jarzembowski EA, Wichard W, Kelly R, Ren X, Chen J, Zhang H, Wang B. Fossil scales illuminate the early evolution of lepidopterans and structural colors. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2018; 4:e1700988. [PMID: 29651455 PMCID: PMC5895446 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1700988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2017] [Accepted: 02/23/2018] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Lepidopteran scales exhibit remarkably complex ultrastructures, many of which produce structural colors that are the basis for diverse communication strategies. Little is known, however, about the early evolution of lepidopteran scales and their photonic structures. We report scale architectures from Jurassic Lepidoptera from the United Kingdom, Germany, Kazakhstan, and China and from Tarachoptera (a stem group of Amphiesmenoptera) from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. The Jurassic lepidopterans exhibit a type 1 bilayer scale vestiture: an upper layer of large fused cover scales and a lower layer of small fused ground scales. This scale arrangement, plus preserved herringbone ornamentation on the cover scale surface, is almost identical to those of some extant Micropterigidae. Critically, the fossil scale ultrastructures have periodicities measuring from 140 to 2000 nm and are therefore capable of scattering visible light, providing the earliest evidence of structural colors in the insect fossil record. Optical modeling confirms that diffraction-related scattering mechanisms dominate the photonic properties of the fossil cover scales, which would have displayed broadband metallic hues as in numerous extant Micropterigidae. The fossil tarachopteran scales exhibit a unique suite of characteristics, including small size, elongate-spatulate shape, ridged ornamentation, and irregular arrangement, providing novel insight into the early evolution of lepidopteran scales. Combined, our results provide the earliest evidence for structural coloration in fossil lepidopterans and support the hypothesis that fused wing scales and the type 1 bilayer covering are groundplan features of the group. Wing scales likely had deep origins in earlier amphiesmenopteran lineages before the appearance of the Lepidoptera.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingqing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
- University of Sciences and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Wolfram Mey
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute of Evolution and Biodiversity Research, Humboldt University, D-10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jörg Ansorge
- Institute of Geography and Geology, University of Greifswald, D-17487 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Timothy A. Starkey
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QL, UK
| | - Luke T. McDonald
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, North Mall, Cork T23 TK30, Ireland
| | - Maria E. McNamara
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, North Mall, Cork T23 TK30, Ireland
| | - Edmund A. Jarzembowski
- State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
- Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Wilfried Wichard
- Institute of Biology and its Didactics, University of Cologne, D-50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Richard Kelly
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
- Department of Natural Sciences, National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh EH1 1JF, UK
| | - Xiaoyin Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Jun Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
- Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Linyi University, Linyi 276000, China
| | - Haichun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Bo Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
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18
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Ahmed R, Ji X, Atta RH, Rifat AA, Butt H. Morpho butterfly-inspired optical diffraction, diffusion, and bio-chemical sensing. RSC Adv 2018; 8:27111-27118. [PMID: 35540021 PMCID: PMC9083500 DOI: 10.1039/c8ra04382e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 07/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Morpho-butterfly is well-known for the blue colouration in its tiny wing scales and finds applications in colour filters, anti-reflecting coatings and optical devices. Herein, the structural optical properties of the Morpho peleides-butterfly wing scales were examined through light reflection, diffraction and optical diffusion. The light diffraction property from wing scales was investigated through experiments and computation modelling. Broadband reflection variation was observed from different parts of the dorsal wings at broadband light illumination due to tiny structural variations, as verified by electronic microscopic images. The periodic nanostructures showed well-defined first-order diffraction through monochromatic (red, green and blue) and broadband light at normal illumination. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) embedded with Morpho peleides-butterfly wing scales acts as an optical diffuser to produce soft light. Light diffraction and diffusion properties were measured by angle-resolve experiments, followed by computational modelling. The maximum optical diffusion property at ∼185° from the wing scales was observed using broadband light at normal illumination. Finally, Morpho peleides-butterfly based submicron nanostructures were utilized to demonstrate bio-inspired chemical sensing. Morpho butterfly-inspired structures were used as optical devices (diffraction, diffusion, etc.). Their optical performance were modelled and studied, revealing their potential for real-life bio-sensing applications.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajib Ahmed
- Nanotechnology Laboratory
- School of Engineering
- University of Birmingham
- Birmingham B15 2TT
- UK
| | - Xiaochao Ji
- School of Metallurgy and Materials
- University of Birmingham
- Birmingham B15 2TT
- UK
| | - Raghied M. H. Atta
- Electrical Engineering Department
- Engineering College
- Taibah University
- Madinah
- Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmmed A. Rifat
- Nonlinear Physics Centre
- Research School of Physics and Engineering
- The Australian National University
- Acton
- Australia
| | - Haider Butt
- Nanotechnology Laboratory
- School of Engineering
- University of Birmingham
- Birmingham B15 2TT
- UK
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19
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Abstract
Liquid crystals play an important role in biology because the combination of order and mobility is a basic requirement for self-organisation and structure formation in living systems. Cholesteric liquid crystals are omnipresent in living matter under both in vivo and in vitro conditions and address the major types of molecules essential to life. In the animal and plant kingdoms, the cholesteric structure is a recurring design, suggesting a convergent evolution to an optimised left-handed helix. Herein, we review the recent advances in the cholesteric organisation of DNA, chromatin, chitin, cellulose, collagen, viruses, silk and cholesterol ester deposition in atherosclerosis. Cholesteric structures can be found in bacteriophages, archaea, eukaryotes, bacterial nucleoids, chromosomes of unicellular algae, sperm nuclei of many vertebrates, cuticles of crustaceans and insects, bone, tendon, cornea, fish scales and scutes, cuttlebone and squid pens, plant cell walls, virus suspensions, silk produced by spiders and silkworms, and arterial wall lesions. This article specifically aims at describing the consequences of the cholesteric geometry in living matter, which are far from being fully defined and understood, and discusses various perspectives. The roles and functions of biological cholesteric liquid crystals include maximisation of packing efficiency, morphogenesis, mechanical stability, optical information, radiation protection and evolution pressure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michel Mitov
- Centre d'Elaboration de Matériaux et d'Etudes Structurales (CEMES), CNRS, BP 94347, 29 rue Jeanne-Marvig, F-31055 Toulouse Cedex 4, France.
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20
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Onelli OD, Kamp TVD, Skepper JN, Powell J, Rolo TDS, Baumbach T, Vignolini S. Development of structural colour in leaf beetles. Sci Rep 2017; 7:1373. [PMID: 28465577 PMCID: PMC5430951 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-01496-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2017] [Accepted: 03/28/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Structural colours in living organisms have been observed and analysed in a large number of species, however the study of how the micro- and nano-scopic natural structures responsible of such colourations develop has been largely ignored. Understanding the interplay between chemical composition, structural morphology on multiple length scales, and mechanical constraints requires a range of investigation tools able to capture the different aspects of natural hierarchical architectures. Here, we report a developmental study of the most widespread strategy for structural colouration in nature: the cuticular multilayer. In particular, we focus on the exoskeletal growth of the dock leaf beetle Gastrophysa viridula, capturing all aspects of its formation: the macroscopic growth is tracked via synchrotron microtomography, while the submicron features are revealed by electron microscopy and light spectroscopy combined with numerical modelling. In particular, we observe that the two main factors driving the formation of the colour-producing multilayers are the polymerization of melanin during the ecdysis and the change in the layer spacing during the sclerotisation of the cuticle. Our understanding of the exoskeleton formation provides a unique insight into the different processes involved during metamorphosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olimpia D Onelli
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Thomas van de Kamp
- Laboratory for Applications of Synchrotron Radiation (LAS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Kaiserstr. 12, D-76131, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Jeremy N Skepper
- CAIC, Anatomy Building, Cambridge University, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3DY, UK
| | - Janet Powell
- CAIC, Anatomy Building, Cambridge University, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3DY, UK
| | - Tomy Dos Santos Rolo
- Institute for Photon Science and Synchrotron Radiation (IPS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, D-76344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Tilo Baumbach
- Laboratory for Applications of Synchrotron Radiation (LAS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Kaiserstr. 12, D-76131, Karlsruhe, Germany
- Institute for Photon Science and Synchrotron Radiation (IPS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, D-76344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Silvia Vignolini
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK.
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21
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Reproducing the hierarchy of disorder for Morpho-inspired, broad-angle color reflection. Sci Rep 2017; 7:46023. [PMID: 28387328 PMCID: PMC5384085 DOI: 10.1038/srep46023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2016] [Accepted: 03/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The scales of Morpho butterflies are covered with intricate, hierarchical ridge structures that produce a bright, blue reflection that remains stable across wide viewing angles. This effect has been researched extensively, and much understanding has been achieved using modeling that has focused on the positional disorder among the identical, multilayered ridges as the critical factor for producing angular independent color. Realizing such positional disorder of identical nanostructures is difficult, which in turn has limited experimental verification of different physical mechanisms that have been proposed. In this paper, we suggest an alternative model of inter-structural disorder that can achieve the same broad-angle color reflection, and is applicable to wafer-scale fabrication using conventional thin film technologies. Fabrication of a thin film that produces pure, stable blue across a viewing angle of more than 120 ° is demonstrated, together with a robust, conformal color coating.
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22
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Investigation of the Variation of Near-Circular Polarization in Scarabaeoidea Beetles. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.matpr.2017.04.100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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23
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24
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Andrew Jansen M, Singh SS, Chawla N, Franz NM. A multilayer micromechanical model of the cuticle of Curculio longinasus Chittenden, 1927 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). J Struct Biol 2016; 195:139-158. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2016.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2016] [Revised: 05/13/2016] [Accepted: 05/14/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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25
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McNamara ME, Saranathan V, Locatelli ER, Noh H, Briggs DEG, Orr PJ, Cao H. Cryptic iridescence in a fossil weevil generated by single diamond photonic crystals. J R Soc Interface 2015; 11:20140736. [PMID: 25185581 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2014.0736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Nature's most spectacular colours originate in integumentary tissue architectures that scatter light via nanoscale modulations of the refractive index. The most intricate biophotonic nanostructures are three-dimensional crystals with opal, single diamond or single gyroid lattices. Despite intense interest in their optical and structural properties, the evolution of such nanostructures is poorly understood, due in part to a lack of data from the fossil record. Here, we report preservation of single diamond (Fd-3m) three-dimensional photonic crystals in scales of a 735,000 year old specimen of the brown Nearctic weevil Hypera diversipunctata from Gold Run, Canada, and in extant conspecifics. The preserved red to green structural colours exhibit near-field brilliancy yet are inconspicuous from afar; they most likely had cryptic functions in substrate matching. The discovery of pristine fossil examples indicates that the fossil record is likely to yield further data on the evolution of three-dimensional photonic nanostructures and their biological functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria E McNamara
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, Kline Geology Laboratory, Yale University, 210 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06520, USA UCD School of Geological Sciences, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Vinod Saranathan
- Edward Grey Institute, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Tinbergen Building, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
| | - Emma R Locatelli
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, Kline Geology Laboratory, Yale University, 210 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Heeso Noh
- Department of Nano and Electronic Physics, Kookmin University, 77 Jeong-neong Ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, Korea Department of Applied Physics, Yale University, Becton Centre, 15 Prospect St., New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Derek E G Briggs
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, Kline Geology Laboratory, Yale University, 210 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06520, USA Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, 170 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Patrick J Orr
- UCD School of Geological Sciences, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Hui Cao
- Department of Applied Physics, Yale University, Becton Centre, 15 Prospect St., New Haven, CT 06520, USA
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26
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakob Vinther
- Schools of Earth Sciences and Biological Sciences; University of Bristol; Bristol United Kingdom
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27
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Shah AA, Ganesan M, Jocz J, Solomon MJ. Direct current electric field assembly of colloidal crystals displaying reversible structural color. ACS NANO 2014; 8:8095-103. [PMID: 25093248 DOI: 10.1021/nn502107a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
We report the application of low-voltage direct current (dc) electric fields to self-assemble close-packed colloidal crystals in nonaqueous solvents from colloidal spheres that vary in size from as large as 1.2 μm to as small as 0.1 μm. The assemblies are created rapidly (∼2 min) from an initially low volume fraction colloidal particle suspension using a simple capacitor-like electric field device that applies a steady dc electric voltage. Confocal microscopy is used to observe the ordering that is produced by the assembly method. This spatial evidence for ordering is consistent with the 6-fold diffraction patterns identified by light scattering. Red, green, and blue structural color is observed for the ordered assemblies of colloids with diameters of 0.50, 0.40, and 0.29 μm, respectively, consistent with spectroscopic measurements of reflectance. The diffraction and spectrophotometry results were found to be consistent with the theoretical Bragg's scattering expected for closed-packed crystals. By switching the dc electric field from on to off, we demonstrate reversibility of the structural color response on times scales ∼60 s. The dc electric field assembly method therefore represents a simple method to produce reversible structural color in colloidal soft matter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aayush A Shah
- Macromolecular Science and Engineering and ‡Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan , Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
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28
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Bright-white beetle scales optimise multiple scattering of light. Sci Rep 2014; 4:6075. [PMID: 25123449 PMCID: PMC4133710 DOI: 10.1038/srep06075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2014] [Accepted: 07/04/2014] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Whiteness arises from diffuse and broadband reflection of light typically achieved through optical scattering in randomly structured media. In contrast to structural colour due to coherent scattering, white appearance generally requires a relatively thick system comprising randomly positioned high refractive-index scattering centres. Here, we show that the exceptionally bright white appearance of Cyphochilus and Lepidiota stigma beetles arises from a remarkably optimised anisotropy of intra-scale chitin networks, which act as a dense scattering media. Using time-resolved measurements, we show that light propagating in the scales of the beetles undergoes pronounced multiple scattering that is associated with the lowest transport mean free path reported to date for low-refractive-index systems. Our light transport investigation unveil high level of optimisation that achieves high-brightness white in a thin low-mass-per-unit-area anisotropic disordered nanostructure.
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Strout G, Russell SD, Pulsifer DP, Erten S, Lakhtakia A, Lee DW. Silica nanoparticles aid in structural leaf coloration in the Malaysian tropical rainforest understorey herb Mapania caudata. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2013; 112:1141-8. [PMID: 23960046 PMCID: PMC3783236 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mct172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2013] [Accepted: 06/11/2013] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Blue-green iridescence in the tropical rainforest understorey sedge Mapania caudata creates structural coloration in its leaves through a novel photonic mechanism. Known structures in plants producing iridescent blues consist of altered cellulose layering within cell walls and in special bodies, and thylakoid membranes in specialized plastids. This study was undertaken in order to determine the origin of leaf iridescence in this plant with particular attention to nano-scale components contributing to this coloration. METHODS Adaxial walls of leaf epidermal cells were characterized using high-pressure-frozen freeze-substituted specimens, which retain their native dimensions during observations using transmission and scanning microscopy, accompanied by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy to identify the role of biogenic silica in wall-based iridescence. Biogenic silica was experimentally removed using aqueous Na2CO3 and optical properties were compared using spectral reflectance. KEY RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Blue iridescence is produced in the adaxial epidermal cell wall, which contains helicoid lamellae. The blue iridescence from cell surfaces is left-circularly polarized. The position of the silica granules is entrained by the helicoid microfibrillar layers, and granules accumulate at a uniform position within the helicoids, contributing to the structure that produces the blue iridescence, as part of the unit cell responsible for 2 ° Bragg scatter. Removal of silica from the walls eliminated the blue colour. Addition of silica nanoparticles on existing cellulosic lamellae is a novel mechanism for adding structural colour in organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greg Strout
- Samuel Roberts Noble Electron Microscopy Laboratory, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Scott D. Russell
- Samuel Roberts Noble Electron Microscopy Laboratory, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Drew P. Pulsifer
- Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Sema Erten
- Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Akhlesh Lakhtakia
- Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - David W. Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA
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Greenwalt D, Labandeira C. The Amazing Fossil Insects of the Eocene Kishenehn Formation in Northwestern Montana. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013. [DOI: 10.1080/00357529.2013.809972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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McNamara ME, Briggs DEG, Orr PJ, Field DJ, Wang Z. Experimental maturation of feathers: implications for reconstructions of fossil feather colour. Biol Lett 2013; 9:20130184. [PMID: 23536445 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2013.0184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Fossil feathers often preserve evidence of melanosomes-micrometre-scale melanin-bearing organelles that have been used to infer original colours and patterns of the plumage of dinosaurs. Such reconstructions acknowledge that evidence from other colour-producing mechanisms is presently elusive and assume that melanosome geometry is not altered during fossilization. Here, we provide the first test of this assumption, using high pressure-high temperature autoclave experiments on modern feathers to simulate the effects of burial on feather colour. Our experiments show that melanosomes are retained despite loss of visual evidence of colour and complete degradation of other colour-producing structures (e.g. quasi-ordered arrays in barbs and the keratin cortex in barbules). Significantly, however, melanosome geometry and spatial distribution are altered by the effects of pressure and temperature. These results demonstrate that reconstructions of original plumage coloration in fossils where preserved features of melanosomes are affected by diagenesis should be treated with caution. Reconstructions of fossil feather colour require assessment of the extent of preservation of various colour-producing mechanisms, and, critically, the extent of alteration of melanosome geometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria E McNamara
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
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