51
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Sugime Y, Watanabe D, Yasuno Y, Shinada T, Miura T, Tanaka NK. Upregulation of Juvenile Hormone Titers in Female Drosophila melanogaster Through Mating Experiences and Host Food Occupied by Eggs and Larvae. Zoolog Sci 2017; 34:52-57. [PMID: 28148219 DOI: 10.2108/zs160150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Juvenile hormone (JH) plays a crucial role in the determination of developmental timing in insects. In Drosophila melanogaster, reports indicate that JH titers are the highest immediately following eclosion and that the mating experience increases the titers in females. However, the titers have not been successively measured for an extended period of time after eclosion. This study reveals that JH titers are increased after eclosion in virgin females when supplied with food that is occupied by eggs and larvae as well as in mated females. With the presence of eggs and larvae, food induced the virgin females to lay unfertilized eggs. When combined with previous work indicating that females are attracted to such food where they prefer to lay eggs, these results suggest that flies can prepare themselves to lay eggs by changing the titers of JH under the presence of growing larvae, ensuring that the food is an appropriate place to oviposit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuhiro Sugime
- 1 Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0810, Japan
| | - Dai Watanabe
- 1 Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0810, Japan
| | - Yoko Yasuno
- 2 Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, Osaka 558-8585, Japan
| | - Tetsuro Shinada
- 2 Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, Osaka 558-8585, Japan
| | - Toru Miura
- 1 Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0810, Japan
| | - Nobuaki K Tanaka
- 3 Creative Research Institution, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 001-0021, Japan.,4 Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
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52
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Baumann AA, Texada MJ, Chen HM, Etheredge JN, Miller DL, Picard S, Warner R, Truman JW, Riddiford LM. Genetic tools to study juvenile hormone action in Drosophila. Sci Rep 2017; 7:2132. [PMID: 28522854 PMCID: PMC5437021 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-02264-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2016] [Accepted: 04/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The insect juvenile hormone receptor is a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH), Per-Arnt-Sim (PAS) domain protein, a novel type of hormone receptor. In higher flies like Drosophila, the ancestral receptor germ cell-expressed (gce) gene has duplicated to yield the paralog Methoprene-tolerant (Met). These paralogous receptors share redundant function during development but play unique roles in adults. Some aspects of JH function apparently require one receptor or the other. To provide a foundation for studying JH receptor function, we have recapitulated endogenous JH receptor expression with single cell resolution. Using Bacteria Artificial Chromosome (BAC) recombineering and a transgenic knock-in, we have generated a spatiotemporal expressional atlas of Met and gce throughout development. We demonstrate JH receptor expression in known JH target tissues, in which temporal expression corresponds with periods of hormone sensitivity. Larval expression largely supports the notion of functional redundancy. Furthermore, we provide the neuroanatomical distribution of JH receptors in both the larval and adult central nervous system, which will serve as a platform for future studies regarding JH action on insect behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- A A Baumann
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, VA, 21047, USA. .,University of Tennessee, College of Veterinary Medicine, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA.
| | - M J Texada
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, VA, 21047, USA
| | - H M Chen
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, VA, 21047, USA
| | - J N Etheredge
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, VA, 21047, USA
| | - D L Miller
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, VA, 21047, USA.,National Institute of Neurological Disease and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - S Picard
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, VA, 21047, USA
| | - R Warner
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, VA, 21047, USA
| | - J W Truman
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, VA, 21047, USA.,Friday Harbor Laboratories, University of Washington, Friday Harbor, WA, 98250, USA
| | - L M Riddiford
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, VA, 21047, USA.,Friday Harbor Laboratories, University of Washington, Friday Harbor, WA, 98250, USA
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53
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Oliveira RC, Vollet-Neto A, Akemi Oi C, van Zweden JS, Nascimento F, Sullivan Brent C, Wenseleers T. Hormonal pleiotropy helps maintain queen signal honesty in a highly eusocial wasp. Sci Rep 2017; 7:1654. [PMID: 28490760 PMCID: PMC5431770 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-01794-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2016] [Accepted: 04/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
In insect societies, both queens and workers produce chemicals that reliably signal caste membership and reproductive status. The mechanisms that help to maintain the honesty of such queen and fertility signals, however, remain poorly studied. Here we test if queen signal honesty could be based on the shared endocrine control of queen fertility and the production of specific signals. In support of this “hormonal pleiotropy” hypothesis, we find that in the common wasp, application of methoprene (a juveline hormone analogue) caused workers to acquire a queen-like cuticular hydrocarbon profile, resulting in the overproduction of known queen pheromones as well as some compounds typically linked to worker fertility. By contrast, administration of precocene-I (a JH inhibitor) had a tendency to have the opposite effect. Furthermore, a clear gonadotropic effect of JH in queens was suggested by the fact that circulating levels of JH were ca. 2 orders of magnitude higher in queens than those in workers and virgin, non-egg-laying queens, even if methoprene or precocene treatment did not affect the ovary development of workers. Overall, these results suggest that queen signal honesty in this system is maintained by queen fertility and queen signal production being under shared endocrine control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Caliari Oliveira
- Laboratory of Socioecology and Social Evolution, Zoological Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Ayrton Vollet-Neto
- Laboratory of Socioecology and Social Evolution, Zoological Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Cintia Akemi Oi
- Laboratory of Socioecology and Social Evolution, Zoological Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jelle S van Zweden
- Laboratory of Socioecology and Social Evolution, Zoological Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Fabio Nascimento
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Tom Wenseleers
- Laboratory of Socioecology and Social Evolution, Zoological Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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54
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Juvenile Hormone Suppresses Resistance to Infection in Mated Female Drosophila melanogaster. Curr Biol 2017; 27:596-601. [PMID: 28190728 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2016] [Revised: 12/13/2016] [Accepted: 01/03/2017] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Hormonal signaling provides metazoans with the ability to regulate development, growth, metabolism, immune defense, and reproduction in response to internal and external stimuli. The use of hormones as central regulators of physiology makes them prime candidates for mediating allocation of resources to competing biological functions (i.e., hormonal pleiotropy) [1]. In animals, reproductive effort often results in weaker immune responses (e.g., [2-4]), and this reduction is sometimes linked to hormone signaling (see [5-7]). In the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, mating and the receipt of male seminal fluid proteins results in reduced resistance to a systemic bacterial infection [8, 9]. Here, we evaluate whether the immunosuppressive effect of reproduction in female D. melanogaster is attributable to the endocrine signal juvenile hormone (JH), which promotes the development of oocytes and the synthesis and deposition of yolk protein [10, 11]. Previous work has implicated JH as immunosuppressive [12, 13], and the male seminal fluid protein Sex Peptide (SP) activates JH biosynthesis in female D. melanogaster after mating [14]. We find that transfer of SP activates synthesis of JH in the mated female, which in turn suppresses resistance to infection through the receptor germ cell expressed (gce). We find that mated females are more likely to die from infection, suffer higher pathogen burdens, and are less able to induce their immune responses. All of these deficiencies are rescued when JH signaling is blocked. We argue that hormonal signaling is important for regulating immune system activity and, more generally, for governing trade-offs between physiological processes.
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55
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He Q, Zhang Y, Zhang X, Xu D, Dong W, Li S, Wu R. Nucleoporin Nup358 facilitates nuclear import of Methoprene-tolerant (Met) in an importin β- and Hsp83-dependent manner. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2017; 81:10-18. [PMID: 27979731 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2016.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2016] [Revised: 12/11/2016] [Accepted: 12/11/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The bHLH-PAS transcription factor, Methoprene-tolerant (Met)1, functions as a juvenile hormone (JH) receptor and transduces JH signals by directly binding to E-box like motifs in the regulatory regions of JH response genes. Nuclear localization of Met is crucial for its transcriptional activity. Our previous studies have shown that the chaperone protein Hsp83 facilitates JH-induced Met nuclear import in Drosophila melanogaster. However, the exact molecular mechanisms of Met nuclear transport are not fully elucidated. Using DNA affinity chromatography, we have previously detected binding of the nucleoporin Nup358, in the presence of JH, to the JH response region (JHRR) sequences isolated from the Krüppel-homolog 1 (Kr-h1) promoter. Here, we have demonstrated that Nup358 regulates JH-Hsp83-induced Met nuclear localization. RNAi-mediated knockdown of Nup358 expression in Drosophila fat body perturbs Met nuclear transport during the 3 h after initiation of wandering, when the JH titer is high. The accompanying reduced expression of the transport receptor importin β in Nup358 RNAi flies could be one of the reasons accounting for Met mislocalization. Furthermore, a tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) domain at the N-terminal end of Nup358 interacts with Hsp83 and is indispensable for Met nuclear localization. Overexpression of the TPR domain in Drosophila fat body prevents Met nuclear localization resulting in a decrease in JHRR-driven reporter activity and Kr-h1 expression. These data show that Nup358 facilitates JH-induced Met nuclear transport in a manner dependent on importin β and Hsp83.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianyu He
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, China
| | - Yuanxi Zhang
- Environmental Monitoring Center Station, DaQing Environmental Protection Agency, Daqing 163316, China
| | - Xu Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, China
| | - DanDan Xu
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, China
| | - Wentao Dong
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, China
| | - Sheng Li
- The Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Insect Development Regulation and Application Research, Institute of Insect Sciences and School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China.
| | - Rui Wu
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, China.
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56
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Flaven-Pouchon J, Farine JP, Ewer J, Ferveur JF. Regulation of cuticular hydrocarbon profile maturation by Drosophila tanning hormone, bursicon, and its interaction with desaturase activity. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2016; 79:87-96. [PMID: 27794461 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2016.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2016] [Revised: 10/21/2016] [Accepted: 10/24/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Shortly after emergence the exoskeleton (cuticle) of adult insects is rapidly expanded, hardened (sclerotized), and pigmented (melanized). In parallel with this process, the oenocytes, which are large polyploid cells located below the abdominal epidermis, secrete onto the cuticle a cocktail of cuticular hydrocarbons (CHs) and waxes. These improve the waterproofing of the cuticle, and also provide important chemosensory and pheromonal cues linked with gender, age, and species differentiation. The hardening and pigmentation of the new cuticle are controlled by the neurohormone, bursicon, and its receptor, encoded by the DLGR2 receptor, rickets (rk); by contrast, little is known about the timecourse of changes in CH profile and about the role of bursicon in this process. Here we show in Drosophila that rk function is also required for the normal maturation of the fly's CH profile, with flies mutant for rk function showing dramatically elevated levels of CHs. Interestingly, this effect is mostly abrogated by mutations in the Δ9 desaturase encoded by the desaturase1 gene, which introduces a first double bond into elongated fatty-acid chains, suggesting that desaturase1 acts downstream of rk. In addition, flies mutant for rk showed changes in the absolute and relative levels of specific 7-monoenes (in males) and 7,11-dienes (in females). The fact that these differences in CH amounts were obtained using extractions of very different durations suggests that the particular CH profile of flies mutant for rk is not simply due to their unsclerotized cuticle but that bursicon may be involved in the process of CH biosynthesis itself.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Flaven-Pouchon
- Centro Interdiciplinario de Neurociencias de Valparaiso, Universidad de Valparaiso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Jean-Pierre Farine
- Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation, UMR 6265 CNRS, UMR 1324 INRA, Université de Bourgogne-Franche-Comté 6, Bd Gabriel, F-21000 Dijon, France
| | - John Ewer
- Centro Interdiciplinario de Neurociencias de Valparaiso, Universidad de Valparaiso, Valparaíso, Chile.
| | - Jean-François Ferveur
- Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation, UMR 6265 CNRS, UMR 1324 INRA, Université de Bourgogne-Franche-Comté 6, Bd Gabriel, F-21000 Dijon, France.
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57
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Chiang YN, Tan KJ, Chung H, Lavrynenko O, Shevchenko A, Yew JY. Steroid Hormone Signaling Is Essential for Pheromone Production and Oenocyte Survival. PLoS Genet 2016; 12:e1006126. [PMID: 27333054 PMCID: PMC4917198 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2015] [Accepted: 05/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Many of the lipids found on the cuticles of insects function as pheromones and communicate information about age, sex, and reproductive status. In Drosophila, the composition of the information-rich lipid profile is dynamic and changes over the lifetime of an individual. However, the molecular basis of this change is not well understood. To identify genes that control cuticular lipid production in Drosophila, we performed a RNA interference screen and used Direct Analysis in Real Time and gas chromatography mass spectrometry to quantify changes in the chemical profiles. Twelve putative genes were identified whereby transcriptional silencing led to significant differences in cuticular lipid production. Amongst them, we characterized a gene which we name spidey, and which encodes a putative steroid dehydrogenase that has sex- and age-dependent effects on viability, pheromone production, and oenocyte survival. Transcriptional silencing or overexpression of spidey during embryonic development results in pupal lethality and significant changes in levels of the ecdysone metabolite 20-hydroxyecdysonic acid and 20-hydroxyecdysone. In contrast, inhibiting gene expression only during adulthood resulted in a striking loss of oenocyte cells and a concomitant reduction of cuticular hydrocarbons, desiccation resistance, and lifespan. Oenocyte loss and cuticular lipid levels were partially rescued by 20-hydroxyecdysone supplementation. Taken together, these results identify a novel regulator of pheromone synthesis and reveal that ecdysteroid signaling is essential for the maintenance of cuticular lipids and oenocytes throughout adulthood. Pheromones are used by many animals to control social behaviors such as mate choice and kin recognition. The pheromone profile of insects is dynamic and can change depending on environmental, physiological, and social conditions. While many genes responsible for the biosynthesis of insect pheromones have been identified, much less is known about how pheromone production is systemically regulated over the lifetime of an animal. In this work, we identify 12 genes in Drosophila melanogaster that play a role in pheromone production. We characterized the function of one gene, which we name spidey, and which encodes a steroid dehydrogenase. Silencing spidey expression during the larval stage results in the rapid inactivation of an essential insect steroid, 20-hydroxyecdysone, and developmental arrest. In adults, spidey is needed for maintaining the viability of oenocytes, specialized cells that produce pheromones and also regulate energy homeostasis. Our work reveals a novel role for ecdysteroids in the adult animal and uncovers a regulatory mechanism for oenocyte activity. Potentially, ecdysteroid signaling serves as a mechanism by which environmental or social conditions shape pheromone production. Exploitation of this conserved pathway could be useful for interfering with the mating behavior and lifespan of disease-bearing insects or agricultural pests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yin Ning Chiang
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kah Junn Tan
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Henry Chung
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Laboratory of Molecular Biology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Oksana Lavrynenko
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | - Andrej Shevchenko
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | - Joanne Y. Yew
- Pacific Biosciences Research Center, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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58
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Hormonal Modulation of Pheromone Detection Enhances Male Courtship Success. Neuron 2016; 90:1272-1285. [PMID: 27263969 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2016.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2015] [Revised: 03/08/2016] [Accepted: 04/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
During the lifespans of most animals, reproductive maturity and mating activity are highly coordinated. In Drosophila melanogaster, for instance, male fertility increases with age, and older males are known to have a copulation advantage over young ones. The molecular and neural basis of this age-related disparity in mating behavior is unknown. Here, we show that the Or47b odorant receptor is required for the copulation advantage of older males. Notably, the sensitivity of Or47b neurons to a stimulatory pheromone, palmitoleic acid, is low in young males but high in older ones, which accounts for older males' higher courtship intensity. Mechanistically, this age-related sensitization of Or47b neurons requires a reproductive hormone, juvenile hormone, as well as its binding protein Methoprene-tolerant in Or47b neurons. Together, our study identifies a direct neural substrate for juvenile hormone that permits coordination of courtship activity with reproductive maturity to maximize male reproductive fitness.
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59
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Wijesekera TP, Saurabh S, Dauwalder B. Juvenile Hormone Is Required in Adult Males for Drosophila Courtship. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0151912. [PMID: 27003411 PMCID: PMC4803231 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0151912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2015] [Accepted: 03/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Juvenile Hormone (JH) has a prominent role in the regulation of insect development. Much less is known about its roles in adults, although functions in reproductive maturation have been described. In adult females, JH has been shown to regulate egg maturation and mating. To examine a role for JH in male reproductive behavior we created males with reduced levels of Juvenile Hormone Acid O-Methyl Transferase (JHAMT) and tested them for courtship. JHAMT regulates the last step of JH biosynthesis in the Corpora Allata (CA), the organ of JH synthesis. Males with reduced levels of JHAMT showed a reduction in courtship that could be rescued by application of Methoprene, a JH analog, shortly before the courtship assays were performed. In agreement with this, reducing JHAMT conditionally in mature flies led to courtship defects that were rescuable by Methoprene. The same result was also observed when the CA were conditionally ablated by the expression of a cellular toxin. Our findings demonstrate that JH plays an important physiological role in the regulation of male mating behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thilini P. Wijesekera
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Sumit Saurabh
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Brigitte Dauwalder
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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60
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Hairy and Groucho mediate the action of juvenile hormone receptor Methoprene-tolerant in gene repression. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:E735-43. [PMID: 26744312 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1523838113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The arthropod-specific juvenile hormone (JH) controls numerous essential functions. Its involvement in gene activation is known to be mediated by the transcription factor Methoprene-tolerant (Met), which turns on JH-controlled genes by directly binding to E-box-like motifs in their regulatory regions. However, it remains unclear how JH represses genes. We used the Aedes aegypti female mosquito, in which JH is necessary for reproductive maturation, to show that a repressor, Hairy, is required for the gene-repressive action of JH and Met. The RNA interference (RNAi) screen for Met and Hairy in the Aedes female fat body revealed a large cohort of Met- and Hairy-corepressed genes. Analysis of selected genes from this cohort demonstrated that they are repressed by JH, but RNAi of either Met or Hairy renders JH ineffective in repressing these genes in an in vitro fat-body culture assay. Moreover, this JH action was prevented by the addition of the translational inhibitor cycloheximide (CHX) to the culture, indicating the existence of an indirect regulatory hierarchy. The lack of Hairy protein in the CHX-treated tissue was verified using immunoblot analysis, and the upstream regions of Met/Hairy-corepressed genes were shown to contain common binding motifs that interact with Hairy. Groucho (gro) RNAi silencing phenocopied the effect of Hairy RNAi knockdown, indicating that it is involved in the JH/Met/Hairy hierarchy. Finally, the requirement of Hairy and Gro for gene repression was confirmed in a cell transfection assay. Thus, our study has established that Hairy and its cofactor Gro mediate the repressive function of JH and Met.
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61
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Methoprene-tolerant (Met) and Krüpple-homologue 1 (Kr-h1) are required for ovariole development and egg maturation in the brown plant hopper. Sci Rep 2015; 5:18064. [PMID: 26658174 PMCID: PMC4677288 DOI: 10.1038/srep18064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2015] [Accepted: 11/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The brown plant hopper is one of the most destructive known pests of rice. We studied the roles of the JH receptor Met and the downstream transcription factor Kr-h1 in ovariole development and egg maturation. The predicted Met protein in N. lugens (NlMet) contained 517 amino acids. qRT-PCR showed that NlMet was expressed in all tissues and that the highest expression occurred in the embryonic stage. In NlMet- or NlKr-h1-silenced female adults, ovarian development varied significantly, whereas the numbers of ovarioles were less variable in those injected with dsRNA targeting NlMet, NlKrh-1 or both NlMet and NlKr-h1. In females injected with dsNlKr-h1 or with dsNlMet in combination with dsNlKr-h1 dsRNA, the preoviposition period was prolonged, whereas the females injected with NlMet dsRNA showed no significant changes. Moreover, we found no differences in the length of the preoviposition period between macropterous and brachypterous females. The disruption of Nlmet or NlKr-h1 or the dual knockdown of NlMet and NlKr-h1 significantly reduced the number of eggs laid. Moreover, significant differences were also found between the macropterous and the brachypterous brown plant hoppers. These results indicated that Met and Kr-h1 are required for ovariole development and egg maturation in the brown plant hopper.
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62
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Jindra M, Bellés X, Shinoda T. Molecular basis of juvenile hormone signaling. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2015; 11:39-46. [PMID: 28285758 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2015.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 168] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2015] [Revised: 08/13/2015] [Accepted: 08/13/2015] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Despite important roles played by juvenile hormone (JH) in insects, the mechanisms underlying its action were until recently unknown. A breakthrough has been the demonstration that the bHLH-PAS protein Met is an intracellular receptor for JH. Binding of JH to Met triggers dimerization of Met with its partner protein Tai, and the resulting complex induces transcription of target genes. In addition, JH can potentiate this response by phosphorylating Met and Tai via cell membrane, second-messenger signaling. An important gene induced by the JH-Met-Tai complex is Kr-h1, which inhibits metamorphosis. Kr-h1 represses an 'adult specifier' gene E93. The action of this JH-activated pathway in maintaining the juvenile status is dispensable during early postembryonic development when larvae/nymphs lack competence to metamorphose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marek Jindra
- Biology Center, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branisovska 31, Ceske Budejovice 37005, Czech Republic.
| | - Xavier Bellés
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Passeig Marítim 37, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Tetsuro Shinoda
- National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, Ohwashi 1-2, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634, Japan
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63
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Oi CA, van Zweden JS, Oliveira RC, Van Oystaeyen A, Nascimento FS, Wenseleers T. The origin and evolution of social insect queen pheromones: Novel hypotheses and outstanding problems. Bioessays 2015; 37:808-21. [PMID: 25916998 DOI: 10.1002/bies.201400180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Queen pheromones, which signal the presence of a fertile queen and induce daughter workers to remain sterile, are considered to play a key role in regulating the reproductive division of labor of insect societies. Although queen pheromones were long thought to be highly taxon-specific, recent studies have shown that structurally related long-chain hydrocarbons act as conserved queen signals across several independently evolved lineages of social insects. These results imply that social insect queen pheromones are very ancient and likely derived from an ancestral signalling system that was already present in their common solitary ancestors. Based on these new insights, we here review the literature and speculate on what signal precursors social insect queen pheromones may have evolved from. Furthermore, we provide compelling evidence that these pheromones should best be seen as honest signals of fertility as opposed to suppressive agents that chemically sterilize the workers against their own best interests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cintia A Oi
- Department of Biology, Laboratory of Socioecology & Social Evolution, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jelle S van Zweden
- Department of Biology, Laboratory of Socioecology & Social Evolution, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ricardo C Oliveira
- Department of Biology, Laboratory of Socioecology & Social Evolution, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Annette Van Oystaeyen
- Department of Biology, Laboratory of Socioecology & Social Evolution, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Fabio S Nascimento
- Departamento de Biologia da Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Tom Wenseleers
- Department of Biology, Laboratory of Socioecology & Social Evolution, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Bontonou G, Shaik HA, Denis B, Wicker-Thomas C. Acp70A regulates Drosophila pheromones through juvenile hormone induction. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2015; 56:36-49. [PMID: 25484200 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2014.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2014] [Revised: 11/14/2014] [Accepted: 11/27/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Mated Drosophila melanogaster females show a decrease in mating receptivity, enhanced ovogenesis, egg-laying and activation of juvenile hormone (JH) production. Components in the male seminal fluid, especially the sex peptide ACP70A stimulate these responses in females. Here we demonstrate that ACP70A is involved in the down-regulation of female sex pheromones and hydrocarbon (CHC) production. Drosophila G10 females which express Acp70A under the control of the vitellogenin gene yp1, produced fewer pheromones and CHCs. There was a dose-dependent relationship between the number of yp1-Acp70A alleles and the reduction of these compounds. Similarly, a decrease in CHCs and diene pheromones was observed in da > Acp70A flies that ubiquitously overexpress Acp70A. Quantitative-PCR experiments showed that the expression of Acp70A in G10 females was the same as in control males and 5 times lower than in da > Acp70A females. Three to four days after injection with 4.8 pmol ACP70A, females from two different strains, exhibited a significant decrease in CHC and pheromone levels. Similar phenotypes were observed in ACP70A injected flies whose ACP70A receptor expression was knocked-down by RNAi and in flies which overexpress ACP70A N-terminal domain. These results suggest that the action of ACP70A on CHCs could be a consequence of JH activation. Female flies exposed to a JH analog had reduced amounts of pheromones, whereas genetic ablation of the corpora allata or knock-down of the JH receptor Met, resulted in higher amounts of both CHCs and pheromonal dienes. Mating had negligible effects on CHC levels, however pheromone amounts were slightly reduced 3 and 4 days post copulation. The physiological significance of ACP70A on female pheromone synthesis is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Haq Abdul Shaik
- CNRS UPR 9034, Université de Paris Sud, 91198 Gif sur Yvette, France
| | - Béatrice Denis
- CNRS UPR 9034, Université de Paris Sud, 91198 Gif sur Yvette, France
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Zhang S, Liu X, Zhu B, Yin X, Du M, Song Q, An S. Identification of differentially expressed genes in the pheromone glands of mated and virgin Bombyx mori by digital gene expression profiling. PLoS One 2014; 9:e111003. [PMID: 25330197 PMCID: PMC4203833 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0111003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2014] [Accepted: 09/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Mating decreases female receptivity and terminates sex pheromone production in moths. Although significant progress has been made in elucidating the mating-regulated inactivation of pheromone biosynthesis-activating neuropeptide (PBAN) secretion, little is known about the mating induced gene expression profiles in pheromone glands (PGs). In this study, the associated genes involved in Bombyx mori mating were identified through digital gene expression (DGE) profiling and subsequent RNA interference (RNAi) to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the mating-regulated gene expression in PGs. Results Eight DGE libraries were constructed from the PGs of mated and virgin females: 1 h mating (M1)/virgin (V1) PGs, 3 h mating (M3)/virgin (V3) PGs, 24 h mating (M24)/virgin (V24) PGs and 48 h mating (M48)/virgin (V48) PGs (M48 and V48). These libraries were used to investigate the gene expression profiles affected by mating. DGE profiling revealed a series of genes showing differential expression in each set of mated and virgin female samples, including immune-associated genes, sex pheromone synthesis-associated genes, juvenile hormone (JH) signal-associated genes, etc. Most interestingly, JH signal was found to be activated by mating. Application of the JH mimics, methoprene to the newly-emerged virgin females leaded to the significant reduction of sex pheromone production. RNAi-mediated knockdown of putative JH receptor gene, Methoprene tolerant 1 (Met1), in female pupa resulted in a significant decrease in sex pheromone production in mature females, suggesting the importance of JH in sex pheromone synthesis. Conclusion A series of differentially expressed genes in PGs in response to mating was identified. This study improves our understanding of the role of JH signaling on the mating-elicited termination of sex pheromone production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songdou Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science (College of Plant Protection), Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan, P.R. China
| | - Xiaoming Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science (College of Plant Protection), Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan, P.R. China
| | - Bin Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science (College of Plant Protection), Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan, P.R. China
| | - Xinming Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science (College of Plant Protection), Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan, P.R. China
| | - Mengfang Du
- State Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science (College of Plant Protection), Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan, P.R. China
| | - Qisheng Song
- Divisions of Plant Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Shiheng An
- State Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science (College of Plant Protection), Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan, P.R. China
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66
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Marchal E, Hult EF, Huang J, Pang Z, Stay B, Tobe SS. Methoprene-tolerant (Met) knockdown in the adult female cockroach, Diploptera punctata completely inhibits ovarian development. PLoS One 2014; 9:e106737. [PMID: 25197795 PMCID: PMC4157775 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0106737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2014] [Accepted: 07/08/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Independent of the design of the life cycle of any insect, their growth and reproduction are highly choreographed through the action of two versatile hormones: ecdysteroids and juvenile hormones (JH). However, the means by which JH can target tissues and exert its pleiotropic physiological effects is currently still not completely elucidated. Although the identity of the one JH receptor is currently still elusive, recent evidence seems to point to the product of the Methoprene-tolerant gene (Met) as the most likely contender in transducing the action of JH. Studies on the role of this transcription factor have mostly been focused on immature insect stages. In this study we used the viviparous cockroach Diploptera punctata, a favorite model in studying JH endocrinology, to examine the role of Met during reproduction. A tissue distribution and developmental profile of transcript levels was determined for Met and its downstream partners during the first gonadotropic cycle of this cockroach. Using RNA interference, our study shows that silencing Met results in an arrest of basal oocyte development; vitellogenin is no longer transcribed in the fat body and no longer taken up by the ovary. Patency is not induced in these animals which fail to produce the characteristic profile of JH biosynthesis typical of the first gonadotropic cycle. Moreover, the ultrastructure of the follicle cells showed conspicuous whorls of rough endoplasmic reticulum and a failure to form chorion. Our study describes the role of Met on a cellular and physiological level during insect reproduction, and confirms the role of Met as a key factor in the JH signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Marchal
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Ekaterina F. Hult
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Juan Huang
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Zhenguo Pang
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Barbara Stay
- Department of Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Stephen S. Tobe
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- * E-mail:
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