Abstract

Chorion is the major component of silkmoth eggshell. More than 95% of its dry mass consists of proteins that have remarkable mechanical and chemical properties protecting the oocyte and the developing embryo from a wide range of environmental hazards. We present data from electron microscopy (negative staining and shadowing), X‐ray diffraction and modeling studies of synthetic peptide analogues of silkmoth chorion proteins indicating that chorion is a natural amyloid. The folding and self‐assembly models of chorion peptides strongly support the β‐sheet helix model of amyloid fibrils proposed recently by Blake and Serpell [Structure 4 (1996) 989–998].

Keywords

OocytePeptideAmyloid (mycology)EmbryoFibrilCell biologyBiophysicsChemistryNegative stainStructural proteinBiologyBiochemistryElectron microscope

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Publication Info

Year
2000
Type
article
Volume
479
Issue
3
Pages
141-145
Citations
196
Access
Closed

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Vassiliki A. Iconomidou, Gert Vriend, Stavros J. Hamodrakas (2000). Amyloids protect the silkmoth oocyte and embryo. FEBS Letters , 479 (3) , 141-145. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0014-5793(00)01888-3

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DOI
10.1016/s0014-5793(00)01888-3