Among the many natural biomaterials for which information on atomic-level structure and reorientational motion can offer essential clues to function, insoluble multi-component composites with limited degrees of order are among the most challenging to study. Despite its limited sensitivity, solid-state NMR (ssNMR) is often the technique of choice to ferret out these details in carbon- and nitrogen-rich materials: this spectroscopic approach can probe many biomaterials in their native or near-native states, either with or without the introduction of stable NMR-active isotopes, or with the assistance of dynamic nuclear polarization technology. During a span of close to four decades, such research targets and ssNMR approaches have been exemplified by insects, a diverse and evolutionarily agile group of organisms with global impacts that include ecology, agriculture, and human disease. In this short review, we present case studies on insect cuticles that range from protective exoskeletons and egg capsules to the wing structures that enable flight and showcase nature's awe-inspiring beauty, highlighting the use of ssNMR spectroscopy to profile chemical composition, elucidate macromolecular architecture, and monitor metabolic development in these fascinating biological assemblies.

中文翻译：

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固体核磁共振技术阐明昆虫生物材料的结构和代谢


在许多天然生物材料中，原子级结构和重新取向运动的信息可以为功能提供重要线索，具有有限有序度的不溶性多组分复合材料是最具挑战性的研究材料之一。尽管固体核磁共振 （ssNMR） 的灵敏度有限，但它通常是在富含碳和氮的材料中挖掘这些细节的首选技术：这种波谱方法可以探测许多处于天然或接近天然状态的生物材料，无论是否引入稳定的 NMR 活性同位素，或者在动态核极化技术的辅助下。在近四十年的时间里，昆虫就是这种研究靶点和 ssNMR 方法的例证，昆虫是一组多样化且进化敏捷的生物，具有全球影响，包括生态学、农业和人类疾病。在这篇简短的综述中，我们介绍了昆虫角质层的案例研究，从保护性外骨骼和卵囊到能够飞行并展示大自然令人敬畏之美的翅膀结构，重点介绍了 ssNMR 波谱来分析化学成分、阐明大分子结构并监测这些迷人的生物组装体中的代谢发育。