Cuticle sclerotization in pharate adult and imago of Drosophila melanogaster, Ceratitis capitata, and Haematobia irritans

Abstract

N- β -alanyldopamine synthase is the enzyme conjugating dopamine with β -alanine to generate N- β -alanyldopamine (NBAD) in the integument of insects (Pérez et al. , 2002). NBAD is the main cross-linking precursor of the brown insect cuticles (Hopki ns and Kramer, 1992). NBAD is synthesized in the epidermis and ap ically exported to the cuticle to give rise to the corresponding quinone, which will crosslink proteins and eventu ally chitin (Hopkins and Kramer, 1992).