Abstract
IT is now generally accepted that oxidation products of aromatic compounds are involved in the hardening of the skeletal proteins of insects1. The strong circumstantial evidence that, in blowfly larvæ, tyrosine gives rise to ‘tanning’ phenols2 has recently been substantiated by the finding that injected tyrosine labelled with carbon-14 is converted to N-acetyl-3,4-dihydroxyphenylethy1-amine, the natural tanning agent of Calliphora3.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Pryor, M. G. M., Proc. Roy. Soc., B, 128, 393 (1940).
Fraenkel, G., and Rudall, K. M., Proc. Roy. Soc., B, 134, 111 (1947).
Karlson, P., Z. physiol. Chem., 318, 194 (1960). Karlson, P., and Sekeris, C. E., Nature, 195, 183 (1962).
Pryor, M. G. M., Russell, P. B., and Todd, A. R., Biochem. J., 40, 627 (1946).
Brunet, P. C. J., and Kent, P. W., Proc. Roy. Soc., B, 144, 259 (1955).
Whitehead, D. L., Brunet, P. C. J., and Kent, P. W., Nature, 185, 610 (1960).
Birch, A. J., Fortschr. Chem. Org. Nat., 14, 186 (1957).
Sprinson, D. B., Adv. Carbohydrate Chem., 15, 235 (1960).
Gross, S. R., J. Biol. Chem., 233, 1146 (1958).
Rothstein, M., and Tomlinson, G., Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 63, 471 (1962).
Goodwin, T. W., in Colour and Life, edit. by Broughton, W. B. (Institute of Biology, London, 1963, in the press).
Richards, A. G., and Brooks, M. A., Ann. Revs. Entomol., 3, 37 (1958).
Gilmour, D., The Biochemistry of Insects (New York, 1961).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
BRUNET, P. Synthesis of an Aromatic Ring in Insects. Nature 199, 492–493 (1963). https://doi.org/10.1038/199492a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/199492a0
This article is cited by
-
Role of symbiotes in tanning of termite cuticle
Experientia (1968)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.