Expression of Cht2^KK111252 under the control of Scer\GAL4^69B prevents the cuticle thickening during third instar larval stage and in contrast to controls no increase in number of chitin-lamellae in the procuticle is observed, the lamellae are also less organized, the cuticle assembly zone is diminished and the pore canals appear fragmented and are mis-distributed throughout the entire chitin matrix. Distribution of pore canals is comparable to wild-type in second instar larvae.

Scer\GAL4^69B-mediated expression results in larval cuticle molting defects - mutants show characteristic double-cuticles of head skeleton and posterior spiracles in the second and third instar larvae.

Scer\GAL4^69B-mediated expression results in pupal cuticle molting defects and interferes with normal wing extension.

Scer\GAL4^69B-mediated expression results in large epidermal lesions at wounded sites of first instar and immediate lethality.

Scer\GAL4^69B-mediated expression results in an extremely thin epidermal cuticle-ECM in third instars.

The 'cuticle assembly zone' (i.e. the chitin-ECM of the cuticle next to the apical cell surface of the epidermis) is barely detectable or absent in Scer\GAL4^69B Cht2^KK111252 larvae - procuticle lamellae are irregularly stratified and their number does not increase during the third instar intermolt.

Unlike in wild type, Pseudomonas can penetrate the cuticle of Scer\GAL4^69B Cht2^KK111252 larvae.