Function
One of 8 partially redundant surface-active proteins required for efficient formation of aerial mycelium; the short chaplins assemble into a hydrophobic, amyloidal fibrillar surface layer that envelopes and protects aerial hyphae and spores, presumably anchored to the long chaplins (PubMed:12832396, PubMed:12832397, PubMed:15228525, PubMed:17462011). Chaplins have an overlapping function with the surface-active SapB peptide; chaplins are essential on minimal medium while on rich medium both chaplins and SapB are required for efficient aerial hyphae formation (PubMed:17462011). A minimal chaplin strain capable of forming aerial mycelium/hyphae on minimal medium contains ChpC, ChpE and ChpH. The strain also has restored rodlet formation on the hyphae surface (PubMed:18586935). The long chaplins (ChpA, ChpB, ChpC) are not absolutely necessary for short chaplin localization or rodlet formation, but probably play a role in initiating aerial hyphae development (PubMed:22296345). Chaplins are also involved in cell attachment to a hydrophobic surface (PubMed:19682261).