Chitin Chitin Chitin (CHON) ( ), a long-chain polymer of "N"-acetylglucosamine, is a derivative of glucose. It is a primary component of cell walls in fungi, the exoskeletons of arthropods, such as crustaceans (e.g., crabs, lobsters and shrimps) and insects, the radulae of molluscs, cephalopod beaks, and the scales of fish and lissamphibians. The structure of chitin is comparable to another polysaccharide - cellulose, forming crystalline nanofibrils or whiskers. In terms of function, it may be compared to the protein keratin. Chitin has proved useful for several medicinal, industrial and biotechnological purposes. The English word "chitin" comes from the French word
Sexual selection in fungi equivalent of male-male competition in plants and animals. They may also be choosy when being fertilized, the equivalent to female choice. Sexual selection in fungi aids in explaining certain characteristics including the high redundancy of pheromones in the B mating-type locus as well as strong pheromone signaling in yeasts. Pheromone signaling is used within fungi to either attract a mate or to assess the quality of that gamete; and tends to be more effective when occurring over small distances. Female gametes are typically the ones responsibly for producing pheromones in order to attract a mate. However, pheromones can also be