Cocoonase

Cocoonase is a trypsin-like[1] proteolytic enzyme[2] produced by silkworms (of both Bombyx[3] and Antheraea[4][5] species) as they near the final stages of their metamorphosis. It is produced by cells in the proboscis[6] and exuded onto the galeae.[7] Its function is to weaken the fibers of the cocoon, thereby facilitating the emergence of the adult insect.

It was discovered by Carroll Williams.[8]

References
  1. Cocoonase: III. PURIFICATION, PRELIMINARY CHARACTERIZATION, AND ACTIVATION OF THE ZYMOGEN OF AN INSECT PROTEASE Edward Berger and Fotis C. Kafatos, Ronald L. Felsted and John H. Law; Journal of Biological Chemistry vol. 246, no. 13 (July 10, 1971); pp 4131-4137
  2. Cocoonase: I. PRELIMINARY CHARACTERIZATION OF A PROTEOLYTIC ENZYME FROM SILK MOTHS Fotis C. Kafatos, Alan M. Tartakoff and John H. Law, Journal of Biological Chemistry vol. 242, 1477-87 (1967)
  3. Eguchi, M.; Iwamoto, A. (1975). "Rôle of the midgut, crop, and maxillae of Bombyx mori in the production of cocoon-digesting enzyme". Journal of Insect Physiology. 21 (7): 1365. doi:10.1016/0022-1910(75)90262-0.
  4. CARBONIC ANHYDRASE ACTIVITY DURING THE LARVAL-PUPAL TRANSFORMATION OF HYALOPHORA CECROPIA REARED ON FOLIAGE AND SYNTHETIC DIET: EFFECTS OF POTASSIUM AND CHLORIDE ON MIDGUT, FAT BODY AND INTEGUMENTARY ENZYMES, by James W. Johnston and Arthur M. Jungreis, Journal of Experimental Biology vol. 91 (1981), pp 255-269
  5. Cocoonase V. STRUCTURAL STUDIES ON AN INSECT SERINE PROTEASE Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine by Karl J. Kramer, Ronald L. Felsted, and John H. Law, Journal of Biological Chemistry vol. 248 (1973) no. 9, pp 3021-3028
  6. Moths of Australia by I. F. B. Common, published January 1990 by CSIRO Publishing, via Google Books
  7. PHYSIOLOGY OF INSECT ECDYSIS I. THE ECLOSION BEHAVIOUR OF SATURNIID MOTHS AND ITS HORMONAL RELEASE, from the Journal of Experimental Biology, by James W. Truman, vol. 54 (1971), pp 805-814
  8. Memorial Minutes on Carroll Williams (FAS) and Aaron Gissen (HMS) and Louis Zetzel (HMS) Archived June 4, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, from the Harvard Gazette; published March 21, 1996; retrieved November 16, 2011


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