Skin lipid structure controls water permeability in snake molts

Area of Science:

• Biophysics
• Comparative Physiology
• Materials Science

Background:

• Lipids play a crucial role in biological water exchange through their molecular organization.
• Snake skin permeability varies significantly across species inhabiting different climates and habitats.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between lipid molecular composition, structural organization, and water exchange control in snake molts.
• To understand how temperature influences the lipid-rich mesos layer's structure and function in different snake species.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of snake molts from four species: tiger snake, Gabon viper, rattlesnake, and grass snake.
• Utilized micro-diffraction, micro-spectroscopy, thermal analysis, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), and chromatographic analyses.
• Integrated data from these diverse analytical techniques.

Main Results:

• Identified correlations between the molecular composition and structural organization of the lipid-rich mesos layer and water exchange control, influenced by temperature.
• Discovered that sophisticated structural organization, involving changes in size and phase distribution of crystalline lipid domains, regulates water permeability as a function of temperature.
• Observed species-specific adaptations in lipid layer structures corresponding to different climates.

Conclusions:

• Snake skins possess evolved and climate-adapted structured lipid layers for effective water exchange control.
• These specialized lipid structures provide a protective mechanism against water loss, even in temperatures exceeding the snakes' native habitats.