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Hua Q, Chi X, Zhang W, Song H, Wang Y, Liu Z, Wang H, Xu B. Damage to the behavior and physiological functions of Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae) by monocrotaline via the modulation of tryptophan metabolism and the corazonin receptor. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 952:175931. [PMID: 39218096 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2024] [Revised: 08/29/2024] [Accepted: 08/29/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Monocrotaline (MCT) is a toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloid found in plants of the Crotalaria genus. As primary pollinators of Crotalaria plants, honeybees come into contact with this harmful substance. However, limited research has been conducted on the effects of MCT on Apis mellifera, particularly the risks of long-term exposure to sublethal concentrations. Through evaluating the proboscis extension reflex (PER) ability, analyzing the honeybee brain transcriptome, and analyzing the honeybee hemolymph metabolome, we discovered that sublethal concentrations of MCT impair the olfactory and memory capabilities of honeybees by affecting tryptophan (Trp) metabolism. Furthermore, MCT upregulates the expression of the corazonin receptor (CrzR) gene in the honeybee brain, which elevates reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in the brain while reducing glucose levels in the hemolymph, consequently shortening the honeybees' lifespan. Our findings regarding the multifaceted impact of MCT on honeybees lay the foundation for exploring its toxicological pathways and management in honeybee populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Hua
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuepeng Chi
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongyu Song
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, People's Republic of China
| | - Ying Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhenguo Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongfang Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, People's Republic of China
| | - Baohua Xu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, People's Republic of China.
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2
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Marco HG, Glendinning S, Ventura T, Gäde G. The gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) superfamily across Pancrustacea/Tetraconata: A role in metabolism? Mol Cell Endocrinol 2024; 590:112238. [PMID: 38616035 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2024.112238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Heather G Marco
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa.
| | - Susan Glendinning
- Centre for BioInnovation, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Queensland, 4556, Australia; School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Queensland, 4556, Australia
| | - Tomer Ventura
- Centre for BioInnovation, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Queensland, 4556, Australia; School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Queensland, 4556, Australia
| | - Gerd Gäde
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa
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Manoli G, Zandawala M, Yoshii T, Helfrich-Förster C. Characterization of clock-related proteins and neuropeptides in Drosophila littoralis and their putative role in diapause. J Comp Neurol 2023; 531:1525-1549. [PMID: 37493077 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Abstract
Insects from high latitudes spend the winter in a state of overwintering diapause, which is characterized by arrested reproduction, reduced food intake and metabolism, and increased life span. The main trigger to enter diapause is the decreasing day length in summer-autumn. It is thus assumed that the circadian clock acts as an internal sensor for measuring photoperiod and orchestrates appropriate seasonal changes in physiology and metabolism through various neurohormones. However, little is known about the neuronal organization of the circadian clock network and the neurosecretory system that controls diapause in high-latitude insects. We addressed this here by mapping the expression of clock proteins and neuropeptides/neurohormones in the high-latitude fly Drosophila littoralis. We found that the principal organization of both systems is similar to that in Drosophila melanogaster, but with some striking differences in neuropeptide expression levels and patterns. The small ventrolateral clock neurons that express pigment-dispersing factor (PDF) and short neuropeptide F (sNPF) and are most important for robust circadian rhythmicity in D. melanogaster virtually lack PDF and sNPF expression in D. littoralis. In contrast, dorsolateral clock neurons that express ion transport peptide in D. melanogaster additionally express allatostatin-C and appear suited to transfer day-length information to the neurosecretory system of D. littoralis. The lateral neurosecretory cells of D. littoralis contain more neuropeptides than D. melanogaster. Among them, the cells that coexpress corazonin, PDF, and diuretic hormone 44 appear most suited to control diapause. Our work sets the stage to investigate the roles of these diverse neuropeptides in regulating insect diapause.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Manoli
- Neurobiology and Genetics, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Meet Zandawala
- Neurobiology and Genetics, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Taishi Yoshii
- Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
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Lee GG, Zeng K, Duffy CM, Sriharsha Y, Yoo S, Park JH. In vivo characterization of the maturation steps of a pigment dispersing factor neuropeptide precursor in the Drosophila circadian pacemaker neurons. Genetics 2023; 225:iyad118. [PMID: 37364299 PMCID: PMC10471210 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyad118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Pigment dispersing factor (PDF) is a key signaling molecule coordinating the neuronal network associated with the circadian rhythms in Drosophila. The precursor (proPDF) of the mature PDF (mPDF) consists of 2 motifs, a larger PDF-associated peptide (PAP) and PDF. Through cleavage and amidation, the proPDF is predicted to produce cleaved-PAP (cPAP) and mPDF. To delve into the in vivo mechanisms underlying proPDF maturation, we generated various mutations that eliminate putative processing sites and then analyzed the effect of each mutation on the production of cPAP and mPDF by 4 different antibodies in both ectopic and endogenous conditions. We also assessed the knockdown effects of processing enzymes on the proPDF maturation. At the functional level, circadian phenotypes were measured for all mutants and knockdown lines. As results, we confirm the roles of key enzymes and their target residues: Amontillado (Amon) for the cleavage at the consensus dibasic KR site, Silver (Svr) for the removal of C-terminal basic residues from the intermediates, PAP-KR and PDF-GK, derived from proPDF, and PHM (peptidylglycine-α-hydroxylating monooxygenase) for the amidation of PDF. Our results suggest that the C-terminal amidation occurs independently of proPDF cleavage. Moreover, the PAP domain is important for the proPDF trafficking into the secretory vesicles and a close association between cPAP and mPDF following cleavage seems required for their stability within the vesicles. These studies highlight the biological significance of individual processing steps and the roles of the PAP for the stability and function of mPDF which is essential for the circadian clockworks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gyunghee G Lee
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Kevin Zeng
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Cole M Duffy
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Yadali Sriharsha
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Siuk Yoo
- Department of Life Sciences, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk 38541, Korea
| | - Jae H Park
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
- Genome Science and Technology Graduate Program, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
- NeuroNET Research Center, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
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5
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Guirado J, Carranza-Valencia J, Morante J. Mammalian puberty: a fly perspective. FEBS J 2023; 290:359-369. [PMID: 35607827 PMCID: PMC10084137 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Mammalian puberty and Drosophila metamorphosis, despite their evolutionary distance, exhibit similar design principles and conservation of molecular components. In this Viewpoint, we review recent advances in this area and the similarities between both processes in terms of the signaling pathways and neuroendocrine circuits involved. We argue that the detection and uptake of peripheral fat by Drosophila prothoracic endocrine cells induces endomembrane remodeling and ribosomal maturation, leading to the acquisition of high biosynthetic and secretory capacity. The absence of this fat-neuroendocrine interorgan communication leads to giant, obese, non-pupating larvae. Importantly, human leptin is capable of signaling the pupariation process in Drosophila, and its expression prevents obesity and triggers maturation in mutants that do not pupate. This implies that insect metamorphosis can be used to address issues related to the biology of leptin and puberty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Guirado
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC) and Universidad Miguel Hernández (UMH), San Juan de Alicante, Spain
| | - Juan Carranza-Valencia
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC) and Universidad Miguel Hernández (UMH), San Juan de Alicante, Spain
| | - Javier Morante
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC) and Universidad Miguel Hernández (UMH), San Juan de Alicante, Spain
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6
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Afifi S, Wahedi A, Paluzzi JP. Functional insight and cell-specific expression of the adipokinetic hormone/corazonin-related peptide in the human disease vector mosquito, Aedes aegypti. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2023; 330:114145. [PMID: 36244431 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2022.114145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
The adipokinetic hormone/corazonin-related peptide (ACP) is an insect neuropeptide structurally intermediate between corazonin (CRZ) and adipokinetic hormone (AKH). Unlike the AKH and CRZ signaling systems that are widely known for their roles in the mobilization of energy substrates and stress responses, respectively, the main role of ACP and its receptor (ACPR) remains unclear in most arthropods. The current study aimed to localize the distribution of ACP in the nervous system and provide insight into its physiological roles in the disease vector mosquito, Aedes aegypti. Immunohistochemical analysis and fluorescence in situ hybridization localized the ACP peptide and transcript within a number of cells in the central nervous system, including two pairs of laterally positioned neurons in the protocerebrum of the brain and a few ventrally localized neurons within the pro- and mesothoracic regions of the fused thoracic ganglia. Further, extensive ACP-immunoreactive axonal projections with prominent blebs and varicosities were observed traversing the abdominal ganglia. Given the prominent enrichment of ACPR expression within the abdominal ganglia of adult A. aegypti mosquitoes as determined previously, the current results indicate that ACP may function as a neurotransmitter and/or neuromodulator facilitating communication between the brain and posterior regions of the nervous system. In an effort to elucidate a functional role for ACP signaling, biochemical measurement of energy substrates in female mosquitoes revealed a reduction in abdominal fat body in response to ACP that matched the actions of AKH, but interestingly, a corresponding hypertrehalosaemic effect was only found in response to AKH since ACP did not influence circulating carbohydrate levels. Comparatively, both ACP and AKH led to a significant increase in haemolymph carbohydrate levels in male mosquitoes while both peptides had no influence on their glycogen stores. Neither ACP nor AKH influenced circulating or stored lipid levels in both male and female mosquitoes. Collectively, these results reveal ACP signaling in mosquitoes may have complex sex-specific actions, and future research should aim to expand knowledge on the role of this understudied neuropeptide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salwa Afifi
- Department of Biology, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, Ontario M3J1P3, Canada
| | - Azizia Wahedi
- Department of Biology, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, Ontario M3J1P3, Canada
| | - Jean-Paul Paluzzi
- Department of Biology, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, Ontario M3J1P3, Canada.
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Heckman EL, Doe CQ. Presynaptic contact and activity opposingly regulate postsynaptic dendrite outgrowth. eLife 2022; 11:82093. [PMID: 36448675 PMCID: PMC9728994 DOI: 10.7554/elife.82093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The organization of neural circuits determines nervous system function. Variability can arise during neural circuit development (e.g. neurite morphology, axon/dendrite position). To ensure robust nervous system function, mechanisms must exist to accommodate variation in neurite positioning during circuit formation. Previously, we developed a model system in the Drosophila ventral nerve cord to conditionally induce positional variability of a proprioceptive sensory axon terminal, and used this model to show that when we altered the presynaptic position of the sensory neuron, its major postsynaptic interneuron partner modified its dendritic arbor to match the presynaptic contact, resulting in functional synaptic input (Sales et al., 2019). Here, we investigate the cellular mechanisms by which the interneuron dendrites detect and match variation in presynaptic partner location and input strength. We manipulate the presynaptic sensory neuron by (a) ablation; (b) silencing or activation; or (c) altering its location in the neuropil. From these experiments we conclude that there are two opposing mechanisms used to establish functional connectivity in the face of presynaptic variability: presynaptic contact stimulates dendrite outgrowth locally, whereas presynaptic activity inhibits postsynaptic dendrite outgrowth globally. These mechanisms are only active during an early larval critical period for structural plasticity. Collectively, our data provide new insights into dendrite development, identifying mechanisms that allow dendrites to flexibly respond to developmental variability in presynaptic location and input strength.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily L Heckman
- Institute of Neuroscience, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of OregonEugeneUnited States
| | - Chris Q Doe
- Institute of Neuroscience, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of OregonEugeneUnited States
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8
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Fat Body-Multifunctional Insect Tissue. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12060547. [PMID: 34208190 PMCID: PMC8230813 DOI: 10.3390/insects12060547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Revised: 06/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Efficient and proper functioning of processes within living organisms play key roles in times of climate change and strong human pressure. In insects, the most abundant group of organisms, many important changes occur within their tissues, including the fat body, which plays a key role in the development of insects. Fat body cells undergo numerous metabolic changes in basic energy compounds (i.e., lipids, carbohydrates, and proteins), enabling them to move and nourish themselves. In addition to metabolism, the fat body is involved in the development of insects by determining the time an individual becomes an adult, and creates humoral immunity via the synthesis of bactericidal proteins and polypeptides. As an important tissue that integrates all signals from the body, the processes taking place in the fat body have an impact on the functioning of the entire body. Abstract The biodiversity of useful organisms, e.g., insects, decreases due to many environmental factors and increasing anthropopressure. Multifunctional tissues, such as the fat body, are key elements in the proper functioning of invertebrate organisms and resistance factors. The fat body is the center of metabolism, integrating signals, controlling molting and metamorphosis, and synthesizing hormones that control the functioning of the whole body and the synthesis of immune system proteins. In fat body cells, lipids, carbohydrates and proteins are the substrates and products of many pathways that can be used for energy production, accumulate as reserves, and mobilize at the appropriate stage of life (diapause, metamorphosis, flight), determining the survival of an individual. The fat body is the main tissue responsible for innate and acquired humoral immunity. The tissue produces bactericidal proteins and polypeptides, i.e., lysozyme. The fat body is also important in the early stages of an insect’s life due to the production of vitellogenin, the yolk protein needed for the development of oocytes. Although a lot of information is available on its structure and biochemistry, the fat body is an interesting research topic on which much is still to be discovered.
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Habenstein J, Thamm M, Rössler W. Neuropeptides as potential modulators of behavioral transitions in the ant Cataglyphis nodus. J Comp Neurol 2021; 529:3155-3170. [PMID: 33950523 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Age-related behavioral plasticity is a major prerequisite for the ecological success of insect societies. Although ecological aspects of behavioral flexibility have been targeted in many studies, the underlying intrinsic mechanisms controlling the diverse changes in behavior along the individual life history of social insects are not completely understood. Recently, the neuropeptides allatostatin-A, corazonin, and tachykinin have been associated with the regulation of behavioral transitions in social insects. Here, we investigated changes in brain localization and expression of these neuropeptides following major behavioral transitions in Cataglyphis nodus ants. Our immunohistochemical analyses in the brain revealed that the overall branching pattern of neurons immunoreactive (ir) for the three neuropeptides is largely independent of the behavioral stages. Numerous allatostatin-A- and tachykinin-ir neurons innervate primary sensory neuropils and high-order integration centers of the brain. In contrast, the number of corazonergic neurons is restricted to only four neurons per brain hemisphere with cell bodies located in the pars lateralis and axons extending to the medial protocerebrum and the retrocerebral complex. Most interestingly, the cell-body volumes of these neurons are significantly increased in foragers compared to freshly eclosed ants and interior workers. Quantification of mRNA expression levels revealed a stage-related change in the expression of allatostatin-A and corazonin mRNA in the brain. Given the presence of the neuropeptides in major control centers of the brain and the neurohemal organs, these mRNA-changes strongly suggest an important modulatory role of both neuropeptides in the behavioral maturation of Cataglyphis ants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jens Habenstein
- Behavioral Physiology and Sociobiology (Zoology II), Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Markus Thamm
- Behavioral Physiology and Sociobiology (Zoology II), Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Rössler
- Behavioral Physiology and Sociobiology (Zoology II), Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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10
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Guntur AR, Venkatanarayan A, Gangula S, Lundell MJ. Zfh-2 facilitates Notch-induced apoptosis in the CNS and appendages of Drosophila melanogaster. Dev Biol 2021; 475:65-79. [PMID: 33705738 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2021.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Apoptosis is a fundamental remodeling process for most tissues during development. In this manuscript we examine a pro-apoptotic function for the Drosophila DNA binding protein Zfh-2 during development of the central nervous system (CNS) and appendages. In the CNS we find that a loss-of-function zfh-2 allele gives an overall reduction of apoptotic cells in the CNS, and an altered pattern of expression for the axonal markers 22C10 and FasII. This same loss-of-function zfh-2 allele causes specific cells in the NB7-3 lineage of the CNS that would normally undergo apoptosis to be inappropriately maintained, whereas a gain-of-function zfh-2 allele has the opposite effect, resulting in a loss of normal NB 7-3 progeny. We also demonstrate that Zfh-2 and Hunchback reciprocally repress each other's gene expression which limits apoptosis to later born progeny of the NB7-3 lineage. Apoptosis is also required for proper segmentation of the fly appendages. We find that Zfh-2 co-localizes with apoptotic cells in the folds of the imaginal discs and presumptive cuticular joints. A reduction of Zfh-2 levels with RNAi inhibits expression of the pro-apoptotic gene reaper, and produces abnormal joints in the leg, antenna and haltere. Apoptosis has previously been shown to be activated by Notch signaling in both the NB7-3 CNS lineage and the appendage joints. Our results indicate that Zfh-2 facilitates Notch-induced apoptosis in these structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ananya R Guntur
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX, 78249, USA
| | | | - Sindhura Gangula
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX, 78249, USA
| | - Martha J Lundell
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX, 78249, USA.
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11
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Zandawala M, Nguyen T, Balanyà Segura M, Johard HAD, Amcoff M, Wegener C, Paluzzi JP, Nässel DR. A neuroendocrine pathway modulating osmotic stress in Drosophila. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009425. [PMID: 33684132 PMCID: PMC7971876 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental factors challenge the physiological homeostasis in animals, thereby evoking stress responses. Various mechanisms have evolved to counter stress at the organism level, including regulation by neuropeptides. In recent years, much progress has been made on the mechanisms and neuropeptides that regulate responses to metabolic/nutritional stress, as well as those involved in countering osmotic and ionic stresses. Here, we identified a peptidergic pathway that links these types of regulatory functions. We uncover the neuropeptide Corazonin (Crz), previously implicated in responses to metabolic stress, as a neuroendocrine factor that inhibits the release of a diuretic hormone, CAPA, and thereby modulates the tolerance to osmotic and ionic stress. Both knockdown of Crz and acute injections of Crz peptide impact desiccation tolerance and recovery from chill-coma. Mapping of the Crz receptor (CrzR) expression identified three pairs of Capa-expressing neurons (Va neurons) in the ventral nerve cord that mediate these effects of Crz. We show that Crz acts to restore water/ion homeostasis by inhibiting release of CAPA neuropeptides via inhibition of cAMP production in Va neurons. Knockdown of CrzR in Va neurons affects CAPA signaling, and consequently increases tolerance for desiccation, ionic stress and starvation, but delays chill-coma recovery. Optogenetic activation of Va neurons stimulates excretion and simultaneous activation of Crz and CAPA-expressing neurons reduces this response, supporting the inhibitory action of Crz. Thus, Crz inhibits Va neurons to maintain osmotic and ionic homeostasis, which in turn affects stress tolerance. Earlier work demonstrated that systemic Crz signaling restores nutrient levels by promoting food search and feeding. Here we additionally propose that Crz signaling also ensures osmotic homeostasis by inhibiting release of CAPA neuropeptides and suppressing diuresis. Thus, Crz ameliorates stress-associated physiology through systemic modulation of both peptidergic neurosecretory cells and the fat body in Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meet Zandawala
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Thomas Nguyen
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marta Balanyà Segura
- Neurobiology and Genetics, Würzburg Insect Research (WIR), Theodor-Boveri-Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Germany
| | | | - Mirjam Amcoff
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Christian Wegener
- Neurobiology and Genetics, Würzburg Insect Research (WIR), Theodor-Boveri-Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Germany
| | | | - Dick R Nässel
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
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12
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Imura E, Shimada-Niwa Y, Nishimura T, Hückesfeld S, Schlegel P, Ohhara Y, Kondo S, Tanimoto H, Cardona A, Pankratz MJ, Niwa R. The Corazonin-PTTH Neuronal Axis Controls Systemic Body Growth by Regulating Basal Ecdysteroid Biosynthesis in Drosophila melanogaster. Curr Biol 2020; 30:2156-2165.e5. [PMID: 32386525 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.03.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Revised: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Steroid hormones play key roles in development, growth, and reproduction in various animal phyla [1]. The insect steroid hormone, ecdysteroid, coordinates growth and maturation, represented by molting and metamorphosis [2]. In Drosophila melanogaster, the prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH)-producing neurons stimulate peak levels of ecdysteroid biosynthesis for maturation [3]. Additionally, recent studies on PTTH signaling indicated that basal levels of ecdysteroid negatively affect systemic growth prior to maturation [4-8]. However, it remains unclear how PTTH signaling is regulated for basal ecdysteroid biosynthesis. Here, we report that Corazonin (Crz)-producing neurons regulate basal ecdysteroid biosynthesis by affecting PTTH neurons. Crz belongs to gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) superfamily, implying an analogous role in growth and maturation [9]. Inhibition of Crz neuronal activity increased pupal size, whereas it hardly affected pupariation timing. This phenotype resulted from enhanced growth rate and a delay in ecdysteroid elevation during the mid-third instar larval (L3) stage. Interestingly, Crz receptor (CrzR) expression in PTTH neurons was higher during the mid- than the late-L3 stage. Silencing of CrzR in PTTH neurons increased pupal size, phenocopying the inhibition of Crz neuronal activity. When Crz neurons were optogenetically activated, a strong calcium response was observed in PTTH neurons during the mid-L3, but not the late-L3, stage. Furthermore, we found that octopamine neurons contact Crz neurons in the subesophageal zone (SEZ), transmitting signals for systemic growth. Together, our results suggest that the Crz-PTTH neuronal axis modulates ecdysteroid biosynthesis in response to octopamine, uncovering a regulatory neuroendocrine system in the developmental transition from growth to maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eisuke Imura
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8572, Japan
| | - Yuko Shimada-Niwa
- Life Science Center for Survival Dynamics, Tsukuba Advanced Research Alliance, University of Tsukuba, 305-8577 Tsukuba, Japan.
| | | | - Sebastian Hückesfeld
- Department of Molecular Brain Physiology and Behavior, LIMES Institute, University of Bonn, Bonn 53115, Germany
| | - Philipp Schlegel
- Department of Molecular Brain Physiology and Behavior, LIMES Institute, University of Bonn, Bonn 53115, Germany
| | - Yuya Ohhara
- School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, Graduate School of Integrated Pharmaceutical and Nutritional Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Shizuoka 422-8526, Japan
| | - Shu Kondo
- Invertebrate Genetics Laboratory, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima 411-8540, Japan
| | - Hiromu Tanimoto
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
| | - Albert Cardona
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA; Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK
| | - Michael J Pankratz
- Department of Molecular Brain Physiology and Behavior, LIMES Institute, University of Bonn, Bonn 53115, Germany
| | - Ryusuke Niwa
- Life Science Center for Survival Dynamics, Tsukuba Advanced Research Alliance, University of Tsukuba, 305-8577 Tsukuba, Japan; AMED-CREST, Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan
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13
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Toprak U. The Role of Peptide Hormones in Insect Lipid Metabolism. Front Physiol 2020; 11:434. [PMID: 32457651 PMCID: PMC7221030 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.00434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Lipids are the primary storage molecules and an essential source of energy in insects during reproduction, prolonged periods of flight, starvation, and diapause. The coordination center for insect lipid metabolism is the fat body, which is analogous to the vertebrate adipose tissue and liver. The fat body is primarily composed of adipocytes, which accumulate triacylglycerols in intracellular lipid droplets. Genomics and proteomics, together with functional analyses, such as RNA interference and CRISPR/Cas9-targeted genome editing, identified various genes involved in lipid metabolism and elucidated their functions. However, the endocrine control of insect lipid metabolism, in particular the roles of peptide hormones in lipogenesis and lipolysis are relatively less-known topics. In the current review, the neuropeptides that directly or indirectly affect insect lipid metabolism are introduced. The primary lipolytic and lipogenic peptide hormones are adipokinetic hormone and the brain insulin-like peptides (ILP2, ILP3, ILP5). Other neuropeptides, such as insulin-growth factor ILP6, neuropeptide F, allatostatin-A, corazonin, leucokinin, tachykinins and limostatin, might stimulate lipolysis, while diapause hormone-pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide, short neuropeptide F, CCHamide-2, and the cytokines Unpaired 1 and Unpaired 2 might induce lipogenesis. Most of these peptides interact with one another, but mostly with insulin signaling, and therefore affect lipid metabolism indirectly. Peptide hormones are also involved in lipid metabolism during reproduction, flight, diapause, starvation, infections and immunity; these are also highlighted. The review concludes with a discussion of the potential of lipid metabolism-related peptide hormones in pest management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Umut Toprak
- Molecular Entomology Lab., Department of Plant Protection Ankara, Faculty of Agriculture, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
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14
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Abstract
Hunger is a motivational state that drives eating and food-seeking behaviour. In a psychological sense, hunger sets the goal that guides an animal in the pursuit of food. The biological basis underlying this purposive, goal-directed nature of hunger has been under intense investigation. With its rich behavioural repertoire and genetically tractable nervous system, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster has emerged as an excellent model system for studying the neural basis of hunger and hunger-driven behaviour. Here, we review our current understanding of how hunger is sensed, encoded and translated into foraging and feeding behaviours in the fruit fly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suewei Lin
- 1 Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica , Taipei , Taiwan, Republic of China.,2 Molecular and Cell Biology, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica and Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center , Taipei , Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Bhagyashree Senapati
- 1 Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica , Taipei , Taiwan, Republic of China.,2 Molecular and Cell Biology, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica and Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center , Taipei , Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Chang-Hui Tsao
- 1 Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica , Taipei , Taiwan, Republic of China
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15
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Lee G, Kim J, Kim Y, Yoo S, Park JH. Identifying and monitoring neurons that undergo metamorphosis-regulated cell death (metamorphoptosis) by a neuron-specific caspase sensor (Casor) in Drosophila melanogaster. Apoptosis 2019; 23:41-53. [PMID: 29224041 DOI: 10.1007/s10495-017-1435-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Activation of caspases is an essential step toward initiating apoptotic cell death. During metamorphosis of Drosophila melanogaster, many larval neurons are programmed for elimination to establish an adult central nervous system (CNS) as well as peripheral nervous system (PNS). However, their neuronal functions have remained mostly unknown due to the lack of proper tools to identify them. To obtain detailed information about the neurochemical phenotypes of the doomed larval neurons and their timing of death, we generated a new GFP-based caspase sensor (Casor) that is designed to change its subcellular position from the cell membrane to the nucleus following proteolytic cleavage by active caspases. Ectopic expression of Casor in vCrz and bursicon, two different peptidergic neuronal groups that had been well-characterized for their metamorphic programmed cell death, showed clear nuclear translocation of Casor in a caspase-dependent manner before their death. We found similar events in some cholinergic neurons from both CNS and PNS. Moreover, Casor also reported significant caspase activities in the ventral and dorsal common excitatory larval motoneurons shortly after puparium formation. These motoneurons were previously unknown for their apoptotic fate. Unlike the events seen in the neurons, expression of Casor in non-neuronal cell types, such as glial cells and S2 cells, resulted in the formation of cytoplasmic aggregates, preventing its use as a caspase sensor in these cell types. Nonetheless, our results support Casor as a valuable molecular tool not only for identifying novel groups of neurons that become caspase-active during metamorphosis but also for monitoring developmental timing and cytological changes within the dying neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gyunghee Lee
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology and NeuroNet Research Center, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - Jaeman Kim
- Department of Biological Science, Mokpo National University, Muan-gun, Jeonnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Yujin Kim
- Department of Life Sciences, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk, 38541, Republic of Korea
| | - Siuk Yoo
- Department of Life Sciences, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk, 38541, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae H Park
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology and NeuroNet Research Center, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA.
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16
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Wegener C, Hasan G. ER-Ca2+ sensor STIM regulates neuropeptides required for development under nutrient restriction in Drosophila. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0219719. [PMID: 31295329 PMCID: PMC6622525 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0219719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2019] [Accepted: 06/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroendocrine cells communicate via neuropeptides to regulate behaviour and physiology. This study examines how STIM (Stromal Interacting Molecule), an ER-Ca2+ sensor required for Store-operated Ca2+ entry, regulates neuropeptides required for Drosophila development under nutrient restriction (NR). We find two STIM-regulated peptides, Corazonin and short Neuropeptide F, to be required for NR larvae to complete development. Further, a set of secretory DLP (Dorso lateral peptidergic) neurons which co-express both peptides was identified. Partial loss of dSTIM caused peptide accumulation in the DLPs, and reduced systemic Corazonin signalling. Upon NR, larval development correlated with increased peptide levels in the DLPs, which failed to occur when dSTIM was reduced. Comparison of systemic and cellular phenotypes associated with reduced dSTIM, with other cellular perturbations, along with genetic rescue experiments, suggested that dSTIM primarily compromises neuroendocrine function by interfering with neuropeptide release. Under chronic stimulation, dSTIM also appears to regulate neuropeptide synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Wegener
- Department of Neurobiology and Genetics, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, Biocenter, Am Hubland, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Gaiti Hasan
- National Centre For Biological Sciences, Tata Institute for Fundamental Research, Bangalore, India
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17
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Abstract
A fundamental question in contemporary neuroscience is how the remarkable cellular diversity required for the intricate function of the nervous system is achieved. Here, we bridge the gap between a cellular machinery that is known to diversify the transcriptome and the existence of distinct neuronal populations that compose the Drosophila brain. Adenosine-to-inosine (A-to-I) RNA editing is a ubiquitous mechanism that generates transcriptomic diversity in cells by recoding certain adenosines within the pre-mRNA sequence into inosines. We present a spatial map of RNA editing across different neuronal populations in Drosophila brain. Each neuronal population has a distinct editing signature, with the majority of differential editing occurring in highly conserved regions of transcripts that encode ion channels and other essential neuronal genes. Adenosine-to-inosine (A-to-I) RNA editing, catalyzed by ADAR enzymes, is a ubiquitous mechanism that generates transcriptomic diversity. This process is particularly important for proper neuronal function; however, little is known about how RNA editing is dynamically regulated between the many functionally distinct neuronal populations of the brain. Here, we present a spatial RNA editing map in the Drosophila brain and show that different neuronal populations possess distinct RNA editing signatures. After purifying and sequencing RNA from genetically marked groups of neuronal nuclei, we identified a large number of editing sites and compared editing levels in hundreds of transcripts across nine functionally different neuronal populations. We found distinct editing repertoires for each population, including sites in repeat regions of the transcriptome and differential editing in highly conserved and likely functional regions of transcripts that encode essential neuronal genes. These changes are site-specific and not driven by changes in Adar expression, suggesting a complex, targeted regulation of editing levels in key transcripts. This fine-tuning of the transcriptome between different neurons by RNA editing may account for functional differences between distinct populations in the brain.
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18
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Park HH, Park MS, Na KJ. Development of Central Nervous System in Scuttle Fly. KOREAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE 2018. [DOI: 10.15324/kjcls.2018.50.3.284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ho-Hyun Park
- Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, Mokpo Science University, Mokpo, Korea
| | - Mi-Suk Park
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Gimhae College, Gimhae, Korea
| | - Kil-Ju Na
- Department of Radiology Science, Mokpo Science University, Mokpo, Korea
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19
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Hou QL, Chen EH, Jiang HB, Yu SF, Yang PJ, Liu XQ, Park Y, Wang JJ, Smagghe G. Corazonin Signaling Is Required in the Male for Sperm Transfer in the Oriental Fruit Fly Bactrocera dorsalis. Front Physiol 2018; 9:660. [PMID: 29915542 PMCID: PMC5994612 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.00660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2018] [Accepted: 05/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Corazonin (Crz) is a widely distributed neuropeptide (or neurohormone) in insects with diverse physiological functions. The present study aimed to reveal the functions of Crz and its receptor (CrzR) in the regulation of sexual behavior and fertility in male Bactrocera dorsalis. Tissue-specific expression analyses showed that the BdCrz transcript was most abundant in the central nervous system (CNS), and the BdCrzR transcript was most abundant in both the fat body and CNS. Immunochemical localization confirmed that three pairs of Crz-immunoreactive neurons are located in the dorsolateral protocerebrum region of male adult brain. Importantly, RNAi-mediated Crz knockdown lengthened mating duration in males, and knockdown of Crz or CrzR strongly decreased male fertility in the following 3 days, while the courtship behavior and mating efficiency were not affected. The reduced number of sperm in the reproductive organs of mated females indicated that Crz knockdown in males reduced sperm transfer. The findings of this study indicate that Crz contributes to the reproductive physiology of the oriental fruit fly B. dorsalis by regulating sperm transfer in male adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiu-Li Hou
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.,Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Er-Hu Chen
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.,Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hong-Bo Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.,Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Shuai-Feng Yu
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Pei-Jin Yang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiao-Qiang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.,Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yoonseong Park
- Department of Entomology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, United States
| | - Jin-Jun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.,Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Guy Smagghe
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.,Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.,Department of Plants and Crops, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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20
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Diesner M, Predel R, Neupert S. Neuropeptide Mapping of Dimmed Cells of Adult Drosophila Brain. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MASS SPECTROMETRY 2018; 29:890-902. [PMID: 29372551 DOI: 10.1007/s13361-017-1870-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2017] [Revised: 11/29/2017] [Accepted: 12/16/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Neuropeptides are structurally highly diverse messenger molecules that act as regulators of many physiological processes such as development, metabolism, reproduction or behavior in general. Differentiation of neuropeptidergic cells often corresponds with the presence of the transcription factor DIMMED. In the central nervous system of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, DIMMED commonly occurs in neuroendocrine neurons that release peptides as neurohormones but also in interneurons with complex branching patterns. Fly strains with green fluorescence protein (GFP)-expressing dimmed cells make it possible to systematically analyze the processed neuropeptides in these cells. In this study, we mapped individual GFP-expressing neurons of adult D. melanogaster from the dimmed (c929)>GFP line. Using single cell mass spectrometry, we analyzed 10 types of dimmed neurons from the brain/gnathal ganglion. These cells included neuroendocrine cells with projection into the retrocerebral complex but also a number of large interneurons. Resulting mass spectra not only provided comprehensive data regarding mature products from 13 neuropeptide precursors but also evidence for the cellular co-localization of neuropeptides from different neuropeptide genes. The results can be implemented in a neuroanatomical map of the D. melanogaster brain. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Diesner
- Department for Biology, Zoological Institute, University of Cologne, Zuelpicher Strasse 47b, 50674, Cologne, Germany
| | - Reinhard Predel
- Department for Biology, Zoological Institute, University of Cologne, Zuelpicher Strasse 47b, 50674, Cologne, Germany
| | - Susanne Neupert
- Department for Biology, Zoological Institute, University of Cologne, Zuelpicher Strasse 47b, 50674, Cologne, Germany.
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21
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Selcho M, Mühlbauer B, Hensgen R, Shiga S, Wegener C, Yasuyama K. Anatomical characterization of PDF-tri neurons and peptidergic neurons associated with eclosion behavior in Drosophila. J Comp Neurol 2018; 526:1307-1328. [DOI: 10.1002/cne.24408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2017] [Revised: 01/31/2018] [Accepted: 02/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Mareike Selcho
- Neurobiology and Genetics, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, Biocenter; University of Würzburg; Würzburg D-97074 Germany
| | - Barbara Mühlbauer
- Neurobiology and Genetics, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, Biocenter; University of Würzburg; Würzburg D-97074 Germany
| | - Ronja Hensgen
- Animal Physiology, Department of Biology; Philipps-University Marburg; Marburg D-35032 Germany
| | - Sakiko Shiga
- Department of Biology and Geosciences, Graduate School of Science; Osaka City University; Osaka 558-8585 Japan
| | - Christian Wegener
- Neurobiology and Genetics, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, Biocenter; University of Würzburg; Würzburg D-97074 Germany
| | - Kouji Yasuyama
- Department of Natural Sciences; Kawasaki Medical School; Kurashiki 701-0192 Japan
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22
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Ohhara Y, Kobayashi S, Yamakawa-Kobayashi K, Yamanaka N. Adult-specific insulin-producing neurons in Drosophila melanogaster. J Comp Neurol 2018; 526:1351-1367. [PMID: 29424424 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2017] [Revised: 01/30/2018] [Accepted: 01/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Holometabolous insects undergo metamorphosis to reorganize their behavioral and morphological features into adult-specific ones. In the central nervous system (CNS), some larval neurons undergo programmed cell death, whereas others go through remodeling of axonal and dendritic arbors to support functions of re-established adult organs. Although there are multiple neuropeptides that have stage-specific roles in holometabolous insects, the reorganization pattern of the entire neuropeptidergic system through metamorphosis still remains largely unclear. In this study, we conducted a mapping and lineage tracing of peptidergic neurons in the larval and adult CNS by using Drosophila genetic tools. We found that Diuretic hormone 44-producing median neurosecretory cells start expressing Insulin-like peptide 2 in the pharate adult stage. This neuronal cluster projects to the corpora cardiaca and dorsal vessel in both larval and adult stages, and also innervates an adult-specific structure in the digestive tract, the crop. We propose that the adult-specific insulin-producing cells may regulate functions of the digestive system in a stage-specific manner. Our study provides a neuroanatomical basis for understanding remodeling of the neuropeptidergic system during insect development and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuya Ohhara
- School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, Graduate School of Integrated Pharmaceutical and Nutritional Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Shizuoka, 422-8526, Japan
| | - Satoru Kobayashi
- Life Science Center of Tsukuba Advanced Research Alliance, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Kimiko Yamakawa-Kobayashi
- School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, Graduate School of Integrated Pharmaceutical and Nutritional Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Shizuoka, 422-8526, Japan
| | - Naoki Yamanaka
- Department of Entomology, Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, California
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23
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Kubrak OI, Lushchak OV, Zandawala M, Nässel DR. Systemic corazonin signalling modulates stress responses and metabolism in Drosophila. Open Biol 2017; 6:rsob.160152. [PMID: 27810969 PMCID: PMC5133436 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.160152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2016] [Accepted: 10/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress triggers cellular and systemic reactions in organisms to restore homeostasis. For instance, metabolic stress, experienced during starvation, elicits a hormonal response that reallocates resources to enable food search and readjustment of physiology. Mammalian gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and its insect orthologue, adipokinetic hormone (AKH), are known for their roles in modulating stress-related behaviour. Here we show that corazonin (Crz), a peptide homologous to AKH/GnRH, also alters stress physiology in Drosophila. The Crz receptor (CrzR) is expressed in salivary glands and adipocytes of the liver-like fat body, and CrzR knockdown targeted simultaneously to both these tissues increases the fly's resistance to starvation, desiccation and oxidative stress, reduces feeding, alters expression of transcripts of Drosophila insulin-like peptides (DILPs), and affects gene expression in the fat body. Furthermore, in starved flies, CrzR-knockdown increases circulating and stored carbohydrates. Thus, our findings indicate that elevated systemic Crz signalling during stress coordinates increased food intake and diminished energy stores to regain metabolic homeostasis. Our study suggests that an ancient stress-peptide in Urbilateria evolved to give rise to present-day GnRH, AKH and Crz signalling systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga I Kubrak
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Oleh V Lushchak
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Meet Zandawala
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Dick R Nässel
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
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24
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The Neuropeptide Corazonin Controls Social Behavior and Caste Identity in Ants. Cell 2017; 170:748-759.e12. [PMID: 28802044 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2017.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2016] [Revised: 05/23/2017] [Accepted: 07/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Social insects are emerging models to study how gene regulation affects behavior because their colonies comprise individuals with the same genomes but greatly different behavioral repertoires. To investigate the molecular mechanisms that activate distinct behaviors in different castes, we exploit a natural behavioral plasticity in Harpegnathos saltator, where adult workers can transition to a reproductive, queen-like state called gamergate. Analysis of brain transcriptomes during the transition reveals that corazonin, a neuropeptide homologous to the vertebrate gonadotropin-releasing hormone, is downregulated as workers become gamergates. Corazonin is also preferentially expressed in workers and/or foragers from other social insect species. Injection of corazonin in transitioning Harpegnathos individuals suppresses expression of vitellogenin in the brain and stimulates worker-like hunting behaviors, while inhibiting gamergate behaviors, such as dueling and egg deposition. We propose that corazonin is a central regulator of caste identity and behavior in social insects.
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25
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Li Q, Kellner DA, Hatch HAM, Yumita T, Sanchez S, Machold RP, Frank CA, Stavropoulos N. Conserved properties of Drosophila Insomniac link sleep regulation and synaptic function. PLoS Genet 2017; 13:e1006815. [PMID: 28558011 PMCID: PMC5469494 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2017] [Revised: 06/13/2017] [Accepted: 05/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Sleep is an ancient animal behavior that is regulated similarly in species ranging from flies to humans. Various genes that regulate sleep have been identified in invertebrates, but whether the functions of these genes are conserved in mammals remains poorly explored. Drosophila insomniac (inc) mutants exhibit severely shortened and fragmented sleep. Inc protein physically associates with the Cullin-3 (Cul3) ubiquitin ligase, and neuronal depletion of Inc or Cul3 strongly curtails sleep, suggesting that Inc is a Cul3 adaptor that directs the ubiquitination of neuronal substrates that impact sleep. Three proteins similar to Inc exist in vertebrates—KCTD2, KCTD5, and KCTD17—but are uncharacterized within the nervous system and their functional conservation with Inc has not been addressed. Here we show that Inc and its mouse orthologs exhibit striking biochemical and functional interchangeability within Cul3 complexes. Remarkably, KCTD2 and KCTD5 restore sleep to inc mutants, indicating that they can substitute for Inc in vivo and engage its neuronal targets relevant to sleep. Inc and its orthologs localize similarly within fly and mammalian neurons and can traffic to synapses, suggesting that their substrates may include synaptic proteins. Consistent with such a mechanism, inc mutants exhibit defects in synaptic structure and physiology, indicating that Inc is essential for both sleep and synaptic function. Our findings reveal that molecular functions of Inc are conserved through ~600 million years of evolution and support the hypothesis that Inc and its orthologs participate in an evolutionarily conserved ubiquitination pathway that links synaptic function and sleep regulation. Sleep is ubiquitous among animals and is regulated in a similar manner across phylogeny, but whether conserved molecular mechanisms govern sleep is poorly defined. The Insomniac protein is vital for sleep in Drosophila and is a putative adaptor for the Cul3 ubiquitin ligase. We show that two mammalian orthologs of Insomniac can restore sleep to flies lacking Insomniac, indicating that the molecular functions of these proteins are conserved through evolution. Our comparative analysis reveals that Insomniac and its mammalian orthologs can localize to neuronal synapses and that Insomniac impacts synaptic structure and physiology. Our findings suggest that Insomniac and its mammalian orthologs are components of an evolutionarily conserved ubiquitination pathway that links synaptic function and the regulation of sleep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuling Li
- Neuroscience Institute, Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - David A. Kellner
- Neuroscience Institute, Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Hayden A. M. Hatch
- Neuroscience Institute, Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Tomohiro Yumita
- Neuroscience Institute, Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Sandrine Sanchez
- Neuroscience Institute, Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Robert P. Machold
- Neuroscience Institute, Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - C. Andrew Frank
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, United States of America
- Interdisciplinary Programs in Genetics, Neuroscience, and MCB, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States of America
| | - Nicholas Stavropoulos
- Neuroscience Institute, Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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26
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Hou QL, Jiang HB, Gui SH, Chen EH, Wei DD, Li HM, Wang JJ, Smagghe G. A Role of Corazonin Receptor in Larval-Pupal Transition and Pupariation in the Oriental Fruit Fly Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae). Front Physiol 2017; 8:77. [PMID: 28261106 PMCID: PMC5309247 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2017.00077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2016] [Accepted: 01/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Corazonin (Crz) is a neuropeptide hormone, but also a neuropeptide modulator that is internally released within the CNS, and it has a widespread distribution in insects with diverse physiological functions. Here, we identified and cloned the cDNAs of Bactrocera dorsalis that encode Crz and its receptor CrzR. Mature BdCrz has 11 residues with a unique Ser11 substitution (instead of the typical Asn) and a His in the evolutionary variable position 7. The BdCrzR cDNA encodes a putative protein of 608 amino acids with 7 putative transmembrane domains, typical for the structure of G-protein-coupled receptors. When expressed in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, the BdCrzR exhibited a high sensitivity and selectivity for Crz (EC50 ≈ 52.5 nM). With qPCR, the developmental stage and tissue-specific expression profiles in B. dorsalis demonstrated that both BdCrz and BdCrzR were highly expressed in the larval stage, and BdCrzR peaked in 2-day-old 3rd-instar larvae, suggesting that the BdCrzR may play an important role in the larval-pupal transition behavior. Immunochemical localization confirmed the production of Crz in the central nervous system (CNS), specifically by a group of three neurons in the dorso-lateral protocerebrum and eight pairs of lateral neurons in the ventral nerve cord. qPCR analysis located the BdCrzR in both the CNS and epitracheal gland, containing the Inka cells. Importantly, dsRNA-BdCrzR-mediated gene-silencing caused a delay in larval-pupal transition and pupariation, and this phenomenon agreed with a delayed expression of tyrosine hydroxylase and dopa-decarboxylase genes. We speculate that CrzR-silencing blocked dopamine synthesis, resulting in the inhibition of pupariation and cuticular melanization. Finally, injection of Crz in head-ligated larvae could rescue the effects. These findings provide a new insight into the roles of Crz signaling pathway components in B. dorsalis and support an important role of CrzR in larval-pupal transition and pupariation behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiu-Li Hou
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest UniversityChongqing, China
| | - Hong-Bo Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest UniversityChongqing, China
| | - Shun-Hua Gui
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest UniversityChongqing, China
| | - Er-Hu Chen
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest UniversityChongqing, China
| | - Dan-Dan Wei
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest UniversityChongqing, China
| | - Hui-Min Li
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest UniversityChongqing, China
| | - Jin-Jun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest UniversityChongqing, China
| | - Guy Smagghe
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest UniversityChongqing, China
- Department of Crop Protection, Ghent UniversityGhent, Belgium
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Arendt A, Baz ES, Stengl M. Functions of corazonin and histamine in light entrainment of the circadian pacemaker in the Madeira cockroach,Rhyparobia maderae. J Comp Neurol 2016; 525:1250-1272. [DOI: 10.1002/cne.24133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2016] [Revised: 09/20/2016] [Accepted: 10/12/2016] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Arendt
- Animal Physiology, Department of Biology; University of Kassel; 34132 Kassel Germany
| | - El-Sayed Baz
- Animal Physiology, Department of Biology; University of Kassel; 34132 Kassel Germany
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science; Suez Canal University; 41522 Ismailia Governorate Egypt
| | - Monika Stengl
- Animal Physiology, Department of Biology; University of Kassel; 34132 Kassel Germany
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De Nobrega AK, Lyons LC. Circadian Modulation of Alcohol-Induced Sedation and Recovery in Male and Female Drosophila. J Biol Rhythms 2016; 31:142-60. [PMID: 26833081 DOI: 10.1177/0748730415627067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Delineating the factors that affect behavioral and neurological responses to alcohol is critical to facilitate measures for preventing or treating alcohol abuse. The high degree of conserved molecular and physiological processes makes Drosophila melanogaster a valuable model for investigating circadian interactions with alcohol-induced behaviors and examining sex-specific differences in alcohol sensitivity. We found that wild-type Drosophila exhibited rhythms in alcohol-induced sedation under light-dark and constant dark conditions with considerably greater alcohol exposure necessary to induce sedation during the late (subjective) day and peak sensitivity to alcohol occurring during the late (subjective) night. The circadian clock also modulated the recovery from alcohol-induced sedation with flies regaining motor control significantly faster during the late (subjective) day. As predicted, the circadian rhythms in sedation and recovery were absent in flies with a mutation in the circadian gene period or arrhythmic flies housed in constant light conditions. Flies lacking a functional circadian clock were more sensitive to the effects of alcohol with significantly longer recovery times. Similar to other animals and humans, Drosophila exhibit sex-specific differences in alcohol sensitivity. We investigated whether the circadian clock modulated the rhythms in the loss-of-righting reflex, alcohol-induced sedation, and recovery differently in males and females. We found that both sexes demonstrated circadian rhythms in the loss-of-righting reflex and sedation with the differences in alcohol sensitivity between males and females most pronounced during the late subjective day. Recovery of motor reflexes following alcohol sedation also exhibited circadian modulation in male and female flies, although the circadian clock did not modulate the difference in recovery times between the sexes. These studies provide a framework outlining how the circadian clock modulates alcohol-induced behaviors in Drosophila and identifies sexual dimorphisms in the circadian modulation of alcohol behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aliza K De Nobrega
- Department of Biological Science, Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
| | - Lisa C Lyons
- Department of Biological Science, Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
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Sugahara R, Saeki S, Jouraku A, Shiotsuki T, Tanaka S. Knockdown of the corazonin gene reveals its critical role in the control of gregarious characteristics in the desert locust. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2015; 79:80-87. [PMID: 26092175 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2015.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2015] [Revised: 06/13/2015] [Accepted: 06/15/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The two plague locusts, Schistocerca gregaria and Locusta migratoria, exhibit density-dependent phase polyphenism. Nymphs occurring at low population densities (solitarious forms) are uniformly colored and match their body color to the background color of their habitat, whereas those occurring at high population densities (gregarious) develop black patterns. An injection of the neuropeptide, corazonin (Crz) has been shown to induce black patterns in locusts and affect the classical morphometric ratio, F/C (F, hind femur length; C, maximum head width). We herein identified and cloned the CRZ genes from S. gregaria (SgCRZ) and L. migratoria. A comparative analysis of prepro-Crz sequences among insects showed that the functional peptide was well conserved; its conservation was limited to the peptide region. Silencing of the identified SgCRZ gene in gregarious S. gregaria nymphs markedly lightened their body color and shifted the adult F/C ratio toward the value typical of solitarious forms. In addition, knockdown of the gene in solitarious nymphs strongly inhibited darkening even after a transfer to crowded conditions; however, these individuals developed black patterns after being injected with the Crz as a rescue treatment. SgCRZ was constitutively expressed in the brains of S. gregaria during nymphal development in both phases. This gene was highly expressed not only in the brain in both phases, but also in the corpora allata in the gregarious phase. This conspicuous phase-dependent difference in SgCRZ gene expression may indicate a functional role in the control of phase polyphenism in this locust.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryohei Sugahara
- Insect Growth Regulation Research Unit, National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634, Japan
| | - Shinjiro Saeki
- Locust Research Laboratory, National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634, Japan; Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, 657-8501, Japan
| | - Akiya Jouraku
- Insect Genome Research Unit, National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634, Japan
| | - Takahiro Shiotsuki
- Insect Growth Regulation Research Unit, National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634, Japan.
| | - Seiji Tanaka
- Locust Research Laboratory, National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634, Japan.
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Sha K, Choi SH, Im J, Lee GG, Loeffler F, Park JH. Regulation of ethanol-related behavior and ethanol metabolism by the Corazonin neurons and Corazonin receptor in Drosophila melanogaster. PLoS One 2014; 9:e87062. [PMID: 24489834 PMCID: PMC3904974 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0087062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2013] [Accepted: 12/19/2013] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Impaired ethanol metabolism can lead to various alcohol-related health problems. Key enzymes in ethanol metabolism are alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH); however, neuroendocrine pathways that regulate the activities of these enzymes are largely unexplored. Here we identified a neuroendocrine system involving Corazonin (Crz) neuropeptide and its receptor (CrzR) as important physiological regulators of ethanol metabolism in Drosophila. Crz-cell deficient (Crz-CD) flies displayed significantly delayed recovery from ethanol-induced sedation that we refer to as hangover-like phenotype. Newly generated mutant lacking Crz Receptor (CrzR(01) ) and CrzR-knockdown flies showed even more severe hangover-like phenotype, which is causally associated with fast accumulation of acetaldehyde in the CrzR(01) mutant following ethanol exposure. Higher levels of acetaldehyde are likely due to 30% reduced ALDH activity in the mutants. Moreover, increased ADH activity was found in the CrzR(01) mutant, but not in the Crz-CD flies. Quantitative RT-PCR revealed transcriptional upregulation of Adh gene in the CrzR(01) . Transgenic inhibition of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) also results in significantly increased ADH activity and Adh mRNA levels, indicating PKA-dependent transcriptional regulation of Adh by CrzR. Furthermore, inhibition of PKA or cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) in CrzR cells leads to comparable hangover-like phenotype to the CrzR(01) mutant. These findings suggest that CrzR-associated signaling pathway is critical for ethanol detoxification via Crz-dependent regulation of ALDH activity and Crz-independent transcriptional regulation of ADH. Our study provides new insights into the neuroendocrine-associated ethanol-related behavior and metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Sha
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Seung-Hoon Choi
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Jeongdae Im
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Gyunghee G. Lee
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Frank Loeffler
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Jae H. Park
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Genome Science Technology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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31
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Lee G, Sehgal R, Wang Z, Nair S, Kikuno K, Chen CH, Hay B, Park JH. Essential role of grim-led programmed cell death for the establishment of corazonin-producing peptidergic nervous system during embryogenesis and metamorphosis in Drosophila melanogaster. Biol Open 2013; 2:283-94. [PMID: 23519152 PMCID: PMC3603410 DOI: 10.1242/bio.20133384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2012] [Accepted: 12/10/2012] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
In Drosophila melanogaster, combinatorial activities of four death genes, head involution defective (hid), reaper (rpr), grim, and sickle (skl), have been known to play crucial roles in the developmentally regulated programmed cell death (PCD) of various tissues. However, different expression patterns of the death genes also suggest distinct functions played by each. During early metamorphosis, a great number of larval neurons unfit for adult life style are removed by PCD. Among them are eight pairs of corazonin-expressing larval peptidergic neurons in the ventral nerve cord (vCrz). To reveal death genes responsible for the PCD of vCrz neurons, we examined extant and recently available mutations as well as RNA interference that disrupt functions of single or multiple death genes. We found grim as a chief proapoptotic gene and skl and rpr as minor ones. The function of grim is also required for PCD of the mitotic sibling cells of the vCrz neuronal precursors (EW3-sib) during embryonic neurogenesis. An intergenic region between grim and rpr, which, it has been suggested, may enhance expression of three death genes in embryonic neuroblasts, appears to play a role for the vCrz PCD, but not for the EW3-sib cell death. The death of vCrz neurons and EW3-sib is triggered by ecdysone and the Notch signaling pathway, respectively, suggesting distinct regulatory mechanisms of grim expression in a cell- and developmental stage-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gyunghee Lee
- Neurogenetics Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee , Knoxville, TN 37996 , USA
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Tayler TD, Pacheco DA, Hergarden AC, Murthy M, Anderson DJ. A neuropeptide circuit that coordinates sperm transfer and copulation duration in Drosophila. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2012; 109:20697-702. [PMID: 23197833 PMCID: PMC3528491 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1218246109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Innate behaviors are often executed in concert with accompanying physiological programs. How this coordination is achieved is poorly understood. Mating behavior and the transfer of sperm and seminal fluid (SSFT) provide a model for understanding how concerted behavioral and physiological programs are coordinated. Here we identify a male-specific neural pathway that coordinates the timing of SSFT with the duration of copulation behavior in Drosophila. Silencing four abdominal ganglion (AG) interneurons (INs) that contain the neuropeptide corazonin (Crz) both blocked SSFT and substantially lengthened copulation duration. Activating these Crz INs caused rapid ejaculation in isolated males, a phenotype mimicked by injection of Crz peptide. Crz promotes SSFT by activating serotonergic (5-HT) projection neurons (PNs) that innervate the accessory glands. Activation of these PNs in copulo caused premature SSFT and also shortened copulation duration. However, mating terminated normally when these PNs were silenced, indicating that SSFT is not required for appropriate copulation duration. Thus, the lengthened copulation duration phenotype caused by silencing Crz INs is independent of the block to SSFT. We conclude that four Crz INs independently control SSFT and copulation duration, thereby coupling the timing of these two processes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Anne C. Hergarden
- Division of Biology 156-29 and
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125; and
| | - Mala Murthy
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute and
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544
| | - David J. Anderson
- Division of Biology 156-29 and
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125; and
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33
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Kapan N, Lushchak OV, Luo J, Nässel DR. Identified peptidergic neurons in the Drosophila brain regulate insulin-producing cells, stress responses and metabolism by coexpressed short neuropeptide F and corazonin. Cell Mol Life Sci 2012; 69:4051-66. [PMID: 22828865 PMCID: PMC11114645 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-012-1097-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2012] [Revised: 07/09/2012] [Accepted: 07/10/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Insulin/IGF-like signaling regulates the development, growth, fecundity, metabolic homeostasis, stress resistance and lifespan in worms, flies and mammals. Eight insulin-like peptides (DILP1-8) are found in Drosophila. Three of these (DILP2, 3 and 5) are produced by a set of median neurosecretory cells (insulin-producing cells, IPCs) in the brain. Activity in the IPCs of adult flies is regulated by glucose and several neurotransmitters and neuropeptides. One of these, short neuropeptide F (sNPF), regulates food intake, growth and Dilp transcript levels in IPCs via the sNPF receptor (sNPFR1) expressed on IPCs. Here we identify a set of brain neurons that utilizes sNPF to activate the IPCs. These sNPF-expressing neurons (dorsal lateral peptidergic neurons, DLPs) also produce the neuropeptide corazonin (CRZ) and have axon terminations impinging on IPCs. Knockdown of either sNPF or CRZ in DLPs extends survival in flies exposed to starvation and alters carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. Expression of sNPF in DLPs in the sNPF mutant background is sufficient to rescue wild-type metabolism and response to starvation. Since CRZ receptor RNAi in IPCs affects starvation resistance and metabolism, similar to peptide knockdown in DLPs, it is likely that also CRZ targets the IPCs. Knockdown of sNPF, but not CRZ in DLPs decreases transcription of Dilp2 and 5 in the brain, suggesting different mechanisms of action on IPCs of the two co-released peptides. Our findings indicate that sNPF and CRZ co-released from a small set of neurons regulate IPCs, stress resistance and metabolism in adult Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neval Kapan
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Oleh V. Lushchak
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jiangnan Luo
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Dick R. Nässel
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
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34
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Hillyer JF, Estévez-Lao TY, Funkhouser LJ, Aluoch VA. Anopheles gambiae corazonin: gene structure, expression and effect on mosquito heart physiology. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2012; 21:343-355. [PMID: 22404523 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2583.2012.01140.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Haemolymph flow in mosquitoes is primarily driven by the contraction of a dorsal vessel that is subdivided into an abdominal heart and a thoracic aorta. The factors that regulate mosquito heart contractions are not understood, but in other insects heart physiology is partially controlled by several neurohormones. One of these is corazonin, a neuropeptide initially discovered because of its cardioacceleratory activity in the cockroach Periplaneta americana. In the present study, we describe the corazonin gene and transcript structure in the mosquito Anopheles gambiae, characterize its developmental expression, and test its role in modulating heart physiology. We show that the A. gambiae corazonin gene encodes the most common form of the corazonin peptide ([Arg(7) ]-corazonin) and that it is alternatively spliced, with the only difference between the transcripts occurring in the 5' untranslated region. Analysis of the developmental expression of corazonin and the corazonin receptor revealed that transcription of both follows a bimodal distribution, with highest mRNA levels in 2nd instar larvae and during the pupa to adult transition. Finally, experiments where mosquitoes were injected with various doses of corazonin and experiments where the transcription of corazonin and the corazonin receptor were reduced by RNA interference failed to detect a significant role for this neuropeptide in modulating mosquito heart physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- J F Hillyer
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
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35
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Bergland AO, Chae HS, Kim YJ, Tatar M. Fine-scale mapping of natural variation in fly fecundity identifies neuronal domain of expression and function of an aquaporin. PLoS Genet 2012; 8:e1002631. [PMID: 22509142 PMCID: PMC3320613 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1002631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2011] [Accepted: 02/20/2012] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
To gain insight into the molecular genetic basis of standing variation in fitness related traits, we identify a novel factor that regulates the molecular and physiological basis of natural variation in female Drosophila melanogaster fecundity. Genetic variation in female fecundity in flies derived from a wild orchard population is heritable and largely independent of other measured life history traits. We map a portion of this variation to a single QTL and then use deficiency mapping to further refine this QTL to 5 candidate genes. Ubiquitous expression of RNAi against only one of these genes, an aquaporin encoded by Drip, reduces fecundity. Within our mapping population Drip mRNA level in the head, but not other tissues, is positively correlated with fecundity. We localize Drip expression to a small population of corazonin producing neurons located in the dorsolateral posterior compartments of the protocerebrum. Expression of Drip–RNAi using both the pan-neuronal ELAV-Gal4 and the Crz-Gal4 drivers reduces fecundity. Low-fecundity RILs have decreased Crz expression and increased expression of pale, the enzyme encoding the rate-limiting step in the production of dopamine, a modulator of insect life histories. Taken together these data suggest that natural variation in Drip expression in the corazonin producing neurons contributes to standing variation in fitness by altering the concentration of two neurohormones. A major goal of modern evolutionary biology is to elucidate the genetic basis of standing genetic variation underlying fitness traits. This goal is important for a comprehensive picture of the evolutionary process, because it allows us to understand the mode of natural selection on fitness traits and identify the molecular and physiological processes that affect fitness traits. Here, we describe our work to identify the molecular genetic and physiological basis for natural variation in a core life history trait, fecundity, of Drosophila melanogaster. Using a variety of mapping techniques, we show that differential expression of the aquaporin Drip in nervous tissue affects natural variation in female fecundity. We further go on to describe a novel domain of expression of Drip in neurons that produce the insect stress hormone corazonin and demonstrate that differential expression of Drip in these neurons affects female fecundity putatively through modulating the concentration of corazonin and dopamine. This surprising and novel observation highlights the benefit of exploiting natural genetic variation to identify the molecular processes underlying phenotypic traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan O Bergland
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.
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Sha K, Conner WC, Choi DY, Park JH. Characterization, expression, and evolutionary aspects of Corazonin neuropeptide and its receptor from the House Fly, Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae). Gene 2012; 497:191-9. [PMID: 22326268 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2012.01.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2011] [Revised: 12/16/2011] [Accepted: 01/21/2012] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
In this article, we characterized structure and expression of genes encoding the neuropeptide Corazonin (MdCrz) and its putative receptor (MdCrzR) in the House Fly, Musca domestica. The MdCrz gene contains two introns, one within the 5' untranslated region and the other within the open reading frame. The 150-amino-acid precursor consists of an N-terminal signal peptide, and mature Crz followed by Crz-associated peptide (CAP). The CAP region is highly diverged from those of other insect precursors, whereas the mature Crz is identical in other dipteran members. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry consistently found a group of three MdCrz-producing neurons in the dorso-lateral protocerebrum, and eight pairs of bi-lateral neurons in the ventral nerve cord in the larvae. In adults, the expression was found exclusively in a cluster of five to seven neurons per brain lobe. Comparable expression patterns observed in other dipteran species suggest conserved regulatory mechanisms of Crz expression and functions during the course of evolution. MdCrzR deduced from the full-length cDNA sequence is a 655-amino acid polypeptide that contains seven trans-membrane (TM) domains and other motifs that are characteristics of Class-A G-protein coupled receptors. Although the TMs and loops between the TMs are conserved in other CrzRs, N-terminal extracellular domain is quite dissimilar. Tissue-specific RT-PCR revealed a high level of MdCrzR expression in the larval salivary glands and a moderate level in the CNS. In adults, the receptor was expressed both in the head and body, suggesting multifunctionality of the Crz signaling system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Sha
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
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Lee G, Wang Z, Sehgal R, Chen CH, Kikuno K, Hay B, Park JH. Drosophila caspases involved in developmentally regulated programmed cell death of peptidergic neurons during early metamorphosis. J Comp Neurol 2011; 519:34-48. [PMID: 21120926 DOI: 10.1002/cne.22498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
A great number of obsolete larval neurons in the Drosophila central nervous system are eliminated by developmentally programmed cell death (PCD) during early metamorphosis. To elucidate the mechanisms of neuronal PCD occurring during this period, we undertook genetic dissection of seven currently known Drosophila caspases in the PCD of a group of interneurons (vCrz) that produce corazonin (Crz) neuropeptide in the ventral nerve cord. The molecular death program in the vCrz neurons initiates within 1 hour after pupariation, as demonstrated by the cytological signs of cell death and caspase activation. PCD was significantly suppressed in dronc-null mutants, but not in null mutants of either dredd or strica. A double mutation lacking both dronc and strica impaired PCD phenotype more severely than did a dronc mutation alone, but comparably to a triple dredd/strica/dronc mutation, indicating that dronc is a main initiator caspase, while strica plays a minor role that overlaps with dronc's. As for effector caspases, vCrz PCD requires both ice and dcp-1 functions, as they work cooperatively for a timely removal of the vCrz neurons. Interestingly, the activation of the Ice and Dcp-1 is not solely dependent on Dronc and Strica, implying an alternative pathway to activate the effectors. Two remaining effector caspase genes, decay and damm, found no apparent functions in the neuronal PCD, at least during early metamorphosis. Overall, our work revealed that vCrz PCD utilizes dronc, strica, dcp-1, and ice wherein the activation of Ice and Dcp-1 requires a novel pathway in addition to the initiator caspases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gyunghee Lee
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA
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Settembrini BP, de Pasquale D, Postal M, Pinto PM, Carlini CR, Villar MJ. Distribution and characterization of Corazonin in the central nervous system of Triatoma infestans (Insecta: Heteroptera). Peptides 2011; 32:461-8. [PMID: 21029760 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2010.10.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2010] [Revised: 10/15/2010] [Accepted: 10/18/2010] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The distribution of corazonin in the central nervous system of the heteropteran insect Triatoma infestans was studied by immunohistochemistry. The presence of corazonin isoforms was investigated using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry in samples containing the brain, the subesophageal ganglion, the corpora cardiaca-corpus allatum complex and the anterior part of the aorta. Several groups of immunopositive perikarya were detected in the brain, the subesophageal ganglion and the thoracic ganglia. Regarding the brain, three clusters were observed in the protocerebrum. One of these clusters was formed by somata located near the entrance of the ocellar nerves whose fibers supplied the aorta and the corpora cardiaca. The remaining groups of the protocerebrum were located in the lateral soma cortex and at the boundary of the protocerebrum with the optic lobe. The optic lobe housed immunoreactive somata in the medial soma layer of the lobula and at the level of the first optic chiasma. The neuropils of the deutocerebrum and the tritocerebrum were immunostained, but no immunoreactive perikarya were detected. In the subesophageal ganglion, immunostained somata were found in the soma layers of the mandibular and labial neuromeres, whereas in the mesothoracic ganglionic mass, they were observed in the mesothoracic, metathoracic and abdominal neuromeres. Immunostained neurites were also found in the esophageal wall. The distribution pattern of corazonin like immunoreactivity in the central nervous system of this species suggests that corazonin may act as a neurohormone. Mass spectrometric analysis revealed that [Arg(7)]-corazonin was the only isoform of the neuropeptide present in T. infestans tissue samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz P Settembrini
- Facultad de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad Austral, Presidente Perón 1500, B1629AHJ, Pilar, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Wegener C, Herbert H, Kahnt J, Bender M, Rhea JM. Deficiency of prohormone convertase dPC2 (AMONTILLADO) results in impaired production of bioactive neuropeptide hormones in Drosophila. J Neurochem 2011; 118:581-95. [PMID: 21138435 DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2010.07130.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Christian Wegener
- Department of Biology, Animal Physiology, Philipps-University, Marburg, Germany.
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Kahsai L, Kapan N, Dircksen H, Winther ÅME, Nässel DR. Metabolic stress responses in Drosophila are modulated by brain neurosecretory cells that produce multiple neuropeptides. PLoS One 2010; 5:e11480. [PMID: 20628603 PMCID: PMC2900207 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0011480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2010] [Accepted: 06/15/2010] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
In Drosophila, neurosecretory cells that release peptide hormones play a prominent role in the regulation of development, growth, metabolism, and reproduction. Several types of peptidergic neurosecretory cells have been identified in the brain of Drosophila with release sites in the corpora cardiaca and anterior aorta. We show here that in adult flies the products of three neuropeptide precursors are colocalized in five pairs of large protocerebral neurosecretory cells in two clusters (designated ipc-1 and ipc-2a): Drosophila tachykinin (DTK), short neuropeptide F (sNPF) and ion transport peptide (ITP). These peptides were detected by immunocytochemistry in combination with GFP expression driven by the enhancer trap Gal4 lines c929 and Kurs-6, both of which are expressed in ipc-1 and 2a cells. This mix of colocalized peptides with seemingly unrelated functions is intriguing and prompted us to initiate analysis of the function of the ten neurosecretory cells. We investigated the role of peptide signaling from large ipc-1 and 2a cells in stress responses by monitoring the effect of starvation and desiccation in flies with levels of DTK or sNPF diminished by RNA interference. Using the Gal4-UAS system we targeted the peptide knockdown specifically to ipc-1 and 2a cells with the c929 and Kurs-6 drivers. Flies with reduced DTK or sNPF levels in these cells displayed decreased survival time at desiccation and starvation, as well as increased water loss at desiccation. Our data suggest that homeostasis during metabolic stress requires intact peptide signaling by ipc-1 and 2a neurosecretory cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lily Kahsai
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Neval Kapan
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | | | - Dick R. Nässel
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- * E-mail:
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Sellami A, Isabel G, Veenstra JA. Expression of the mu opioid receptor in Drosophila and its effects on trehalose and glycogen when expressed by the AKH neuroendocrine cells. Peptides 2010; 31:1383-9. [PMID: 20420874 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2010.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2010] [Revised: 04/16/2010] [Accepted: 04/16/2010] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
We made Drosophila which express the mu opioid receptor under control of UAS in order to inactivate neurons or neuroendocrine cells expressing this receptor with opioid agonists. However, while exposing flies expressing the mu opioid receptor in the SIFamide neurons to opioid agonists was expected to induce male-male courtship behavior, this did not occur. Furthermore, flies which expressed the mu opioid receptor in the AKH or corazonin endocrine cells increased rather than decreased trehalose levels and this was independent of opioid agonists. When the mu opioid receptor is expressed in AKH endocrine cells whole body glycogen also increases, which is no longer the case if the expression of the AKH gene is suppressed by RNAi. It appears that mu opioid receptors expressed in AKH or corazonin endocrine cells are constitutively active and facilitate release of neurohormones. The simultaneous increase in both glycogen and trehalose in these flies suggested that they consumed more food. Indeed, when normally fed males are offered sucrose, those that express this receptor in AKH cells consumed more sucrose, suggesting that AKH increases the motivation to feed. These pharmacological effects of the mu opioid receptor are not limited to neuroendocrine cells; expressing it in the fat body also leads to an increase in trehalose. Thus in Drosophila the mu opioid receptors appear to change the base line activity in the cells in which it is expressed, not unlike to what has been found in transgenic mice expressing receptors activated solely by synthetic ligands with significant constitutive activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azza Sellami
- Université de Bordeaux 1, CNRS, CNIC UMR 5228, 33400 Talence, France
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Boerjan B, Verleyen P, Huybrechts J, Schoofs L, De Loof A. In search for a common denominator for the diverse functions of arthropod corazonin: a role in the physiology of stress? Gen Comp Endocrinol 2010; 166:222-33. [PMID: 19748506 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2009.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2009] [Accepted: 09/04/2009] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Corazonin (Crz) is an 11 amino acid C-terminally amidated neuropeptide that has been identified in most arthropods examined with the notable exception of beetles and an aphid. The Crz-receptor shares sequence similarity to the GnRH-AKH receptor family thus suggesting an ancestral function related to the control of reproduction and metabolism. In 1989, Crz was purified and identified as a potent cardioaccelerating agent in cockroaches (hence the Crz name based on "corazon", the Spanish word for "heart"). Since the initial assignment as a cardioacceleratory peptide, additional functions have been discovered, ranging from pigment migration in the integument of crustaceans and in the eye of locusts, melanization of the locust cuticle, ecdysis initiation and in various aspects of gregarization in locusts. The high degree of structural conservation of Crz, its well-conserved (immuno)-localization, mainly in specific neurosecretory cells in the pars lateralis, and its many functions, suggest that Crz is vital. Yet, Crz-deficient insects develop normally. Upon reexamining all known effects of Crz, a hypothesis was developed that the evolutionary ancient function of Crz may have been "to prepare animals for coping with the environmental stressors of the day". This function would then complement the role of pigment-dispersing factor (PDF), the prime hormonal effector of the clock, which is thought "to set a coping mechanism for the night".
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Affiliation(s)
- Bart Boerjan
- Functional Genomics and Proteomics, Department of Biology, K.U. Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
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Inosaki A, Yasuda A, Shinada T, Ohfune Y, Numata H, Shiga S. Mass spectrometric analysis of peptides in brain neurosecretory cells and neurohemal organs in the adult blowfly, Protophormia terraenovae. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2010; 155:190-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2009.10.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2009] [Revised: 10/27/2009] [Accepted: 10/27/2009] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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Veenstra JA. Does corazonin signal nutritional stress in insects? INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2009; 39:755-762. [PMID: 19815069 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2009.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2009] [Revised: 09/28/2009] [Accepted: 09/29/2009] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The undecapeptide corazonin, initially discovered from the American cockroach as a strong cardioaccelerator, is now known to be ubiquitously present in arthropods, although it is absent from some species, notably Coleoptera. The structure of its precursor is similar to the GnRH precursor, while it acts through a receptor related to the GnRH receptor; corazonin thus appears to be an arthropod homolog of GnRH. It is produced by neuroendocrine cells in the brain, as well as interneurons in the ventral nerve cord. These two cell types are generally present in insects; in most species there are also other neurons producing corazonin. Its function in insects has remained obscure; its cardioacceleratory effects are limited to a few cockroach species, while in other species different physiological effects have been described. Most spectacularly it induces changes associated with the gregarious phase in migratory locusts and in the silkworm it reduces the size of the cocoon formed. Corazonin is able to induce ecdysis in two moth species, however locusts and flies in which the corazonin gene is no longer expressed, ecdyse normally and, hence, it is not clear whether corazonin is essential for ecdysis. As the corazonin neuroendocrine cells in the brain express receptors for two midgut peptides, it seems likely that their activity is modulated by the midgut endocrine cells. I propose that in insects corazonin might be released under conditions of nutritional stress, which can explain several of the observed physiological effects of this neurohormone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan A Veenstra
- Université de Bordeaux, CNIC UMR 5228 CNRS, Talence, France.
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Yang YY, Wen CJ, Mishra A, Tsai CW, Lee HJ. Development of the circadian clock in the German cockroach, Blattella germanica. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2009; 55:469-478. [PMID: 19245873 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2009.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2008] [Revised: 01/31/2009] [Accepted: 02/02/2009] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The cell distribution and immunoreactivity (ir) against period (PER), pigment dispersing factor (PDF) and corazonin (CRZ), were compared between adults and nymphs in the central nervous system of the German cockroach. Although PER-ir cells in the optic lobes (OL) were expressed in the nymphs from the first instar, the links between major clock cells became more elaborated after second/third instar. A circadian rhythm of locomotion was initiated at the fourth/fifth instar. The results suggest that the clock was running from hatching, but the control network needed more time to develop. In addition, the putative downstream regulators, PDF-ir and CRZ-ir, are co-localized in various regions of the brain, indicating potential output routes of the circadian clock. CRZ-ir cells with typical morphology of neurosecretory cells in the dorsolateral protocerebrum send out three neural fibers to reach the ipsilateral corpora cardiaca (CC), the antennal lobe and two hemispheres of the protocerebrum. Based on co-localization with some PER-ir/PDF-ir cells, the CRZ-ir cells have the potential to serve as a bridge between circadian neural signals and endocrine regulation. Based on PDF's role in the regulation of locomotion, our results support the finding that the locomotor circadian rhythm is possibly controlled by a hormonal route.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yung-Yu Yang
- Department of Entomology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan
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Verleyen P, Chen X, Baron S, Preumont A, Hua YJ, Schoofs L, Clynen E. Cloning of neuropeptide-like precursor 1 in the gray flesh fly and peptide identification and expression. Peptides 2009; 30:522-30. [PMID: 19121352 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2008.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2008] [Revised: 12/02/2008] [Accepted: 12/02/2008] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The neuropeptide-like precursor 1 (NPLP1) was first identified in a peptidomics experiment on Drosophila melanogaster. Limited data on this novel neuropeptide precursor suggest a role in the regulation of ecdysis in holometabolous larvae. In this study, we characterized the NPLP1 precursor in the gray flesh fly, Neobellieria bullata, which is an excellent model for physiological assays and hence to discover the role of the NPLP1 peptides. Antisera against three of the D. melanogaster NPLP1 neuropeptides stained an identical set of neurons in the central nervous system of N. bullata compared to D. melanogaster. A novel approach was applied to identify the N. bullata NPLP1 orthologs. Using a combination of affinity chromatography, mass spectrometry, cDNA cloning and RACE experiments, we obtained almost the complete coding sequence of the NPLP1 mRNA. Three encoded NPLP1 peptides were identified in central nervous system extracts by mass spectrometry. Neither doses of 25-250pmol of synthetic Neb-MGYamide and Neb-PQNamide peptides, nor the NPLP1 antisera did affect the speed of retraction, contraction and tanning in the pupariation bioassay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Verleyen
- Research Group Functional Genomics and Proteomics, K.U. Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
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Comparative analysis of Pdf-mediated circadian behaviors between Drosophila melanogaster and D. virilis. Genetics 2009; 181:965-75. [PMID: 19153257 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.108.099069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
A group of small ventrolateral neurons (s-LN(v)'s) are the principal pacemaker for circadian locomotor rhythmicity of Drosophila melanogaster, and the pigment-dispersing factor (Pdf) neuropeptide plays an essential role as a clock messenger within these neurons. In our comparative studies on Pdf-associated circadian rhythms, we found that daily locomotor activity patterns of D. virilis were significantly different from those of D. melanogaster. Activities of D. virilis adults were mainly restricted to the photophase under light:dark cycles and subsequently became arrhythmic or weakly rhythmic in constant conditions. Such activity patterns resemble those of Pdf(01) mutant of D. melanogaster. Intriguingly, endogenous D. virilis Pdf (DvPdf) expression was not detected in the s-LN(v)-like neurons in the adult brains, implying that the Pdf(01)-like behavioral phenotypes of D. virilis are attributed in part to the lack of DvPdf in the s-LN(v)-like neurons. Heterologous transgenic analysis showed that cis-regulatory elements of the DvPdf transgene are capable of directing their expression in all endogenous Pdf neurons including s-LN(v)'s, as well as in non-Pdf clock neurons (LN(d)'s and fifth s-LN(v)) in a D. melanogaster host. Together these findings suggest a significant difference in the regulatory mechanisms of Pdf transcription between the two species and such a difference is causally associated with species-specific establishment of daily locomotor activity patterns.
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A large population of diverse neurons in the Drosophila central nervous system expresses short neuropeptide F, suggesting multiple distributed peptide functions. BMC Neurosci 2008; 9:90. [PMID: 18803813 PMCID: PMC2569041 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2202-9-90] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2008] [Accepted: 09/19/2008] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Insect neuropeptides are distributed in stereotypic sets of neurons that commonly constitute a small fraction of the total number of neurons. However, some neuropeptide genes are expressed in larger numbers of neurons of diverse types suggesting that they are involved in a greater diversity of functions. One of these widely expressed genes, snpf, encodes the precursor of short neuropeptide F (sNPF). To unravel possible functional diversity we have mapped the distribution of transcript of the snpf gene and its peptide products in the central nervous system (CNS) of Drosophila in relation to other neuronal markers. Results There are several hundreds of neurons in the larval CNS and several thousands in the adult Drosophila brain expressing snpf transcript and sNPF peptide. Most of these neurons are intrinsic interneurons of the mushroom bodies. Additionally, sNPF is expressed in numerous small interneurons of the CNS, olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) of the antennae, and in a small set of possibly neurosecretory cells innervating the corpora cardiaca and aorta. A sNPF-Gal4 line confirms most of the expression pattern. None of the sNPF immunoreactive neurons co-express a marker for the transcription factor DIMMED, suggesting that the majority are not neurosecretory cells or large interneurons involved in episodic bulk transmission. Instead a portion of the sNPF producing neurons co-express markers for classical neurotransmitters such as acetylcholine, GABA and glutamate, suggesting that sNPF is a co-transmitter or local neuromodulator in ORNs and many interneurons. Interestingly, sNPF is coexpressed both with presumed excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters. A few sNPF expressing neurons in the brain colocalize the peptide corazonin and a pair of dorsal neurons in the first abdominal neuromere coexpresses sNPF and insulin-like peptide 7 (ILP7). Conclusion It is likely that sNPF has multiple functions as neurohormone as well as local neuromodulator/co-transmitter in various CNS circuits, including olfactory circuits both at the level of the first synapse and at the mushroom body output level. Some of the sNPF immunoreactive axons terminate in close proximity to neurosecretory cells producing ILPs and adipokinetic hormone, indicating that sNPF also might regulate hormone production or release.
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Wen CJ, Lee HJ. Mapping the cellular network of the circadian clock in two cockroach species. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2008; 68:215-231. [PMID: 18618766 DOI: 10.1002/arch.20236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The German cockroach, Blattella germanica, and the double-striped cockroach, B. bisignata, are sibling species with a similar period sequence but a distinctive circadian rhythm in locomotion. The cell distribution of immunoreactivity (ir) against three clock-related proteins, Period (PER), Pigment Dispersing Factor (PDF), and Corazonin (CRZ), was compared between the species. The PER-ir cells tend to form clusters and are sprayed out in the central nervous system. Three major PER-ir cells are located in the optic lobes, which are the sites of the major circadian clock. They are interconnected with PER-ir axon bundles. Interestingly, the potential output signal of the circadian clock, PDF, is co-localized with PER in all three groups of cells. However, only two CRZ-ir cells and their axons are found in the optic lobes and they are not co-localized with PER-ir or PDF-ir cells and axons. Since only one circadian rhythm is expressed in locomotion, the time signals from both major clocks in optic lobes are coupled by connection with PDF-ir axons. A group of 3-4 PER-ir cells in the protocerebrum display typical characteristics of neurosecretary cells. In addition, there are numerous, small PER-ir and PDF-ir co-localized cells in the pars intercerebralis (PI), which have direct connections with the neurohemoorgan, corpora cardiaca, through PER-ir and PDF-ir axons. Based on these findings, the cellular connection shows a circadian control through the endocrine route. For the rest of central nervous system, only a few PER-ir and PDF-ir cells or axons are detected. This finding implies the circadian clock for locomotion is not located in subesophageal ganglion, thoracic or abdominal ganglia, but may use other neural messengers to pass on circadian signals. Since the overall distribution pattern of the clock cells are the same for B. germanica and B. bisignata, the possible explanation for the different expressions of locomotion between the species depends on genes downstream of per, pdf, and crz.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Jen Wen
- Department of Entomology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
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Závodská R, Wen CJ, Hrdý I, Sauman I, Lee HJ, Sehnal F. Distribution of corazonin and pigment-dispersing factor in the cephalic ganglia of termites. ARTHROPOD STRUCTURE & DEVELOPMENT 2008; 37:273-286. [PMID: 18394958 DOI: 10.1016/j.asd.2008.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2007] [Revised: 01/24/2008] [Accepted: 01/24/2008] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Distribution of neurones detectable with antisera to the corazonin (Crz) and the pigment-dispersing factor (PDF) was mapped in the workers or pseudergates of 10 species representing six out of seven termite families. All species contained two triads of Crz-immunoreactive (Crz-ir) neurones in the protocerebrum. Their fibres were linked to the opposite hemisphere, formed a network in the fronto-lateral protocerebrum, and projected to the corpora cardiaca (CC); in most species the fibres also supplied the deuto- and tritocerebrum and the frontal ganglion. Some species possessed additional Crz-ir perikarya in the protocerebrum and the suboesophageal ganglion (SOG). The PDF-ir somata were primarily located in the optic lobe (OL) and SOG. OL harboured a group (3 groups in Coptotermes) of 2-6 PDF-ir cells with processes extending to the medulla, connecting to the contralateral OL, forming 1-2 networks in the protocerebrum, and in most species running also to CC. Such a PDF-ir system associated with the OL was missing in Reticulitermes. Except for Mastotermes, the termites contained 1-2 PDF-ir cell pairs in the SOG and two species had additional perikarya in the protocerebrum. The results are consistent with the view of a monophyletic termite origin and demonstrate how the Crz-ir and PDF-ir systems diversified in the course of termite phylogeny.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radka Závodská
- Pedagogical Faculty, University of South Bohemia, Jeronýmova 10, 371 15 Ceské Budejovice, Czech Republic
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