Action of different ecdysteroids on the regulation of mRNAs for the ecdysone receptor, MHR3, dopa decarboxylase, and a larval cuticle protein in the larval epidermis of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta

miR-34 regulates larval growth and wing morphogenesis by directly modulating ecdysone signalling and cuticle protein in Bombyx mori

microRNAs (miRNA) are small non-coding RNAs that modulate the myriad biological activities by targeting genes, and many studies showed that miRNAs played a pivotal role in insect development. Here, we find that Bm-miRNA (miR-34) controls larval growth and wing morphology by targeting BmE74 and BmCPG4. Overexpression of miR-34 in the whole body caused a smaller body size, partially displays deformed wings and venation defects in adults. Ablation of miR-34 by transgenic CRISPR/Cas9 technology resulted in a severe developmental delay during the larval stage. Moreover, we confirmed that miR-34 directly targeted BmE74 and BmCPG4 by using a dual luciferase reporter assay in HEK293T cells. Remarkably, loss-of-function of BmCPG4 caused wing defects, which was similar to the phenotype of miR-34 overexpression in animals. In addition, our analysis revealed that ecdysone strongly inhibited miR-34 expression in vivo. Taken together, our study identifies miR-34 as a modulator that regulates larval growth and wing morphogenesis by directly modulating ecdysone signalling and cuticle protein in Bombyx mori.

Ecdysone oxidase and 3-dehydroecdysone-3β-reductase contribute to the synthesis of ecdysone during early embryonic development of the silkworm

Maternal ecdysteroids regulate a variety of cellular processes during early embryonic development of insects, yet little is known about the genes involved in the biosynthesis of these hormones. In this study, we found that ecdysone oxidase (EO) gene, which encodes an enzyme to catalyze ecdysone (or 20-hydroxyecdysone, 20E) to 3-dehydroecdysone (3DE), was highly expressed in the mature ovaries of the domestic silkworm, Bombyx mori. B. mori EO (BmEO) was localized in the cytoplasm around the yolk granules of oocyte. Furthermore, the down-regulated expression of the BmEO gene using RNA interference could not affect normal development of the female silkworm, but lower the 20E titer and hatching rate of its offspring. Rescue experiments by injecting the product (3DE) of BmEO can significantly elevate the 20E level and hatching rate of the BmEO RNAi offspring. Meanwhile, during embryonic stage, the down-regulating expression of 3DE-3β-reductase, which can reduce 3DE into ecdysone, also lowered the 20E titer. Taken together, our results prove that 3DE can be synthesized from ecdysone in maternal ovary yolk granules, and then the maternal 3DE is converted into active ecdysone during the early embryonic development of offspring. Thus, our findings reveal a new pathway to explain the origin of high 20E level before the formation the prothoracic gland in the silkworm.

Nuclear receptor HR3 controls locust molt by regulating chitin synthesis and degradation genes of Locusta migratoria

During growth and development of insects, the steroid hormone 20-Hydroxyecdysone (20E) regulates the molting process through activation of a series of genes including E74, E75 and HR3 by the 20E receptor EcR. Here, we analyzed the function of LmHR3 in the migratory locust Locusta migratoria. By sequence comparison, we first identified and characterized the putative nuclear receptor protein (LmHR3) based on L. migratoria transcriptome data. The full length cDNA is 2272 bp long encoding a protein of 455 amino acids that contains a DNA binding domain (zinc finger) and a ligand binding domain. Phylogenetic analyses showed that LmHR3 has a high homology with the ortholog from Blattaria. RT-qPCR results revealed that LmHR3 has a low level expression in the early days of 5th instar nymphs, and then increases and peaks at day 6, followed by a decrease to low levels before ecdysis. The LmHR3, hence, coincides with the profile of circulating 20E levels. Indeed, we show that transcription of LmHR3 is induced by 20E in vivo, and significantly suppressed by successfully knocking down expression of LmEcR. After injection of dsRNA for LmHR3 (dsLmHR3) at day 2 of earlier instar nymphs (3rd and 4th instar) and final instar nymphs (5th instar), none of the nymphs were able to molt normally, and eventually died. Chitin staining and ultra-structural analysis showed that both the synthesis of the new cuticle and the degradation of the old cuticle were blocked in the dsLmHR3 treated nymphs. Especially, chitin synthesis genes (LmUAP1 and LmCHS1) and chitinase genes (LmCHT5 and LmCHT10) were significantly down-regulated in the dsLmHR3 treatment group. Together, our results suggest that LmHR3 is involved in the control of chitin synthesis and degradation during L. migratoria molting.

Artificial miRNA-mediated silencing of ecdysone receptor (EcR) affects larval development and oogenesis in Helicoverpa armigera

The insect pests are real threat to farmers as they affect the crop yield to a great extent. The use of chemical pesticides for insect pest control has always been a matter of concern as they pollute the environment and are also harmful for human health. Bt (Bacillus thuringensis) technology helped the farmers to get rid of the insect pests, but experienced a major drawback due to the evolution of insects gaining resistance towards these toxins. Hence, alternative strategies are high on demand to control insect pests. RNA-based gene silencing is emerging as a potential tool to tackle with this problem. In this study, we have shown the use of artificial microRNA (amiRNA) to specifically target the ecdysone receptor (EcR) gene of Helicoverpa armigera (cotton bollworm), which attacks several important crops like cotton, tomato chickpea, pigeon pea, etc and causes huge yield losses. Insect let-7a precursor miRNA (pre-miRNA) backbone was used to replace the native miRNA with that of amiRNA. The precursor backbone carrying the 21 nucleotide amiRNA sequence targeting HaEcR was cloned in bacterial L4440 vector for in vitro insect feeding experiments. Larvae fed with Escherichia coli expressing amiRNA-HaEcR showed a reduction in the expression of target gene as well as genes involved in the ecdysone signaling pathway downstream to EcR and exhibited mortality and developmental defects. Stem-loop RT-PCR revealed the presence of amiRNA in the insect larvae after feeding bacteria expressing amiRNA-HaEcR, which was otherwise absent in controls. We also found a significant drop in the reproduction potential (oogenesis) of moths which emerged from treated larvae as compared to control. These results demonstrate the successful use of an insect pre-miRNA backbone to express amiRNA for gene silencing studies in insects. The method is cost effective and can be exploited as an efficient and alternative tool for insect pest management.

Insulin-like and testis ecdysiotropin neuropeptides are regulated by the circadian timing system in the brain during larval-adult development in the insect Rhodnius prolixus (Hemiptera)

Insulin-like peptides (ILPs) regulate numerous functions in insects including growth, development, carbohydrate metabolism and female reproduction. This paper reports the immunohistochemical localization of ILPs in brain neurons of Rhodnius prolixus and their intimate associations with the brain circadian clock system. In larvae, three groups of neurons in the protocerebrum are ILP-positive, and testis ecdysiotropin (TE) is co-localized in two of them. During adult development, the number of ILP groups increased to four. A blood meal initiates transport and release of ILPs, indicating that release is nutrient dependent. Both production and axonal transport of ILPs continue during adult development with clear cytological evidence of a daily rhythm that closely correlates with the daily rhythm of ILPs release from brains in vitro. The same phenomena were observed with TE previously. Double labeling for ILPs and pigment dispersing factor (PDF) (contained in the brain lateral clock cells, LNs) revealed intimate associations between axons of the ILP/TE cells and PDF-positive axons in both central brain and retrocerebral complex, revealing potential neuronal pathways for circadian regulation of ILPs and TE. Similar close associations were found previously between LN axons and axons of the brain neurons producing the neuropeptide prothoracicotropic hormone. Thus, the brain clock system controls rhythmicity in multiple brain neurohormones. It is suggested that rhythms in circulating ILPs and TE act in concert with known rhythms of circulating ecdysteroids in both larvae and adults to orchestrate the timing of cellular responses in diverse tissues of the animal, thereby generating internal temporal order within it.

A BTB domain-containing gene is upregulated by immune challenge

20-Hydroxyecdysone (20E) is an important hormone that regulates the development of insects. Although previous evidence revealed that 20E promotes innate immunity in insects, the mechanism involved is still unclear. In this study, the HaBBP gene from Helicoverpa armigera is cloned, which contains BTB (broad-complex, tramtrack, and bric-a-brac), a BACK (BTB and carboxyl-terminus kelch repeats), and PHR (PAM, highwire, and RPM) domains. RT-PCR analysis of HaBBP and western blot analysis of HaBBP show that the mRNA and protein level are higher in the fat body and hemocytes during the molting and metamorphic stages compared with the feeding stage. HaBBP was upregulated by 20E in hemocytes. Knockdown of the 20E receptor EcR-B1 and the heterodimeric partner ultraspiracle protein USP1 in an epidermal cell line (HaEpi) blocked the transcription of HaBBP. HaBBP is distributed in granulocytes and plasmatocytes. Immune stimulation by Escherichia coli caused the upregulation of HaBBP in both hemocytes and fat body. Thus, HaBBP is regulated by the 20E signaling pathway, and is likely involved in the insect innate immunity.

Developmental expression of mRNAs for epidermal and fat body proteins and hormonally regulated transcription factors in the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta

This paper provides a compilation of diagrammatic representations of the expression profiles of epidermal and fat body mRNAs during the last two larval instars and metamorphosis of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta. Included are those encoding insecticyanin, three larval cuticular proteins, dopa decarboxylase, moling, and the juvenile hormone-binding protein JP29 produced by the dorsal abdominal epidermis, and arylphorin and the methionine-rich storage proteins made by the fat body. The mRNA profiles of the ecdysteroid-regulated cascade of transcription factors in the epidermis during the larval molt and the onset of metamorphosis and in the pupal wing during the onset of adult development are also shown. These profiles are accompanied by a brief summary of the current knowledge about the regulation of these mRNAs by ecdysteroids and juvenile hormone based on experimental manipulations, both in vivo and in vitro.

Mode of action of methoprene in affecting female reproduction in the African malaria mosquito, Anopheles gambiae

BACKGROUND

One of the most studied actions of juvenile hormone (JH) is its ability to modulate ecdysteroid signaling during insect development and metamorphosis. Previous studies in mosquitoes showed that 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) regulates vitellogenin synthesis. However, the action of JH and its mimics, e.g. methoprene, on female reproduction of mosquitoes remains unknown.

RESULTS

Here, a major malaria vector, Anopheles gambiae Giles, was used as a model insect to study the action of methoprene on female reproduction. Ecdysteroid titers and expression profiles of ecdysone-regulated genes were determined before and after a blood meal. An ecdysteroid peak was detected at 12 h post blood meal (PBM). The maximum expression of ecdysone-regulated genes, such as ecdysone receptor (EcR), hormone receptor 3 (HR3) and vitellogenin (Vg) gene, coincided with the ecdysteroid peak. Interestingly, topical application of methoprene at 6 h PBM delayed ovarian development and egg maturation by suppressing the expression of ecdysone-regulated genes in female mosquitoes.

CONCLUSION

The data suggest that ecdysteroid titers are correlated with Vg synthesis, and methoprene affects vitellogenesis by modulating ecdysteroid action in A. gambiae.

Hsc70 binds to ultraspiracle resulting in the upregulation of 20-hydroxyecdsone-responsive genes in Helicoverpa armigera

To probe the specific functions of the chaperone protein Hsc70 in 20-hydroxyecdysone signaling, we report on the roles of the Hsc70 from Helicoverpa armigera. RT-PCR analysis revealed that the genes for HaEcRB1 and HaUSP1 were upregulated in 5th molting and metamorphic molting larvae, whereas HaHsc70 maintained a constitutive expression level throughout larval development. Silencing HaEcRB1, HaUSP1 or HaHsc70 by RNAi inhibited the expression of a set of 20E-responsive genes. Immunocytochemical assay demonstrated that HaHsc70 is located predominantly in the cytoplasm of unstimulated cells and partially translocated to the nucleus after stimulation by 20E. Knockdown of HaHsc70 by RNAi decreased the amount of both HaEcRB1 and HaUSP1 in the nucleus. HaHsc70 was capable of binding to HaUSP1 in pull-down assays. These data suggest that Hsc70 participates in the 20E signal transduction pathway via binding to USP1 and mediating the expression of EcRB1, USP1 and then a set of 20E-responsive genes.

Molecular cloning and characterization of a cDNA encoding a novel cuticle protein from the Chinese oak Silkmoth,Antheraea pernyi

In our research to identify gene involved in the cuticle protein, we cloned a novel cuticle protein gene, ApCP13, from the Chinese oak silkmoth, Antheraea pernyi, larvae cDNA library. The ApCP13 gene encodes a 120 amino acid polypeptide with a predicted molecular mass of 13 kDa and a pI of 4.01, and is intron-less gene. The ApCP13 contained a type-specific consensus sequence identifiable in other insect cuticle proteins and the deduced amino acid sequence of the ApCP13 cDNA is most homologous to another wild silkmoth, A. yamamai CP12 (86% protein sequence identity), followed by Bombyx mori LCP18 (35% protein sequence identity). Northern blot analysis revealed that the ApCP13 showed the epidermis-specific expression. This is the first report of cuticle protein gene in the wild silkmoth, A. pernyi.

The molecular mechanisms of cuticular melanization: the ecdysone cascade leading to dopa decarboxylase expression in Manduca sexta

Many insect developmental color changes are known to be regulated by both ecdysone and juvenile hormone. Yet the molecular mechanisms underlying this regulation have not been well understood. This review highlights the hormonal mechanisms involved in the regulation of two key enzymes [dopa decarboxylase (DDC) and phenoloxidase] necessary for insect cuticular melanization, and the molecular action of 20-hydroxyecdysone on various transcription factors leading to DDC expression at the end of a larval molt in Manduca sexta. In addition, the ecdysone cascade found in M. sexta is compared with that of other organisms.

Establishment of a new cell line from lepidopteran epidermis and hormonal regulation on the genes

When an insect molts, old cuticle on the outside of the integument is shed by apolysis and a new cuticle is formed under the old one. This process is completed by the epidermal cells which are controlled by 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) and juvenile hormone. To understand the molecular mechanisms of integument remolding and hormonal regulation on the gene expression, an epidermal cell line from the 5th instar larval integument of Helicoverpa armigera was established and named HaEpi. The cell line has been cultured continuously for 82 passages beginning on June 30, 2005 until now. Cell doubling time was 64 h. The chromosomes were granular and the chromosome mode was from 70 to 76. Collagenase I was used to detach the cells from the flask bottom. Non-self pathogen AcMNPV induced the cells to apoptosis. The cell line was proved to be an epidermal cell line based on its unique gene expression pattern. It responded to 20E and the non-steroidal ecdysone agonist RH-2485. Its gene expression could be knocked down using RNA interference. Various genes in the cell line were investigated based on their response to 20E. This new cell line represents a platform for investigating the 20E signaling transduction pathway, the immune response mechanism in lepidopteran epidermis and interactions of the genes.

The role of 20-hydroxyecdysone and juvenile hormone in pupal commitment of the epidermis of the silkworm, Bombyx mori

During the pupal metamorphosis in insects, cellular commitment for pupal differentiation must precede before its differentiation. The pupal commitment of Bombyx mori epidermis occurred from day 3 to day 6 last (5th) instar larvae in response to the gradual increase in ecdysteroid titer in the presence of a small amount of juvenile hormone (JH). Yet the concealed preparatory process of the commitment had begun in the newly synthesized 5th instar larval epidermis (approximately 6 h before the ecdysis) as a competence phase, in which pupal commitment in vitro was induced by 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) but inhibited by JH. This competence phase continued until day 2 5th instar, and the decrease and increase in cellular sensitivity to JH and 20E, respectively, occurred gradually during this period. In early day 3, autonomous pupal commitment began in vitro and 20E stimulated the commitment, but JH could only partially prevent the commitment in both cases. This apparent reversible to irreversible transition ended in early day 6 by the completion of pupal commitment, when the cells completely lost their sensitivity to JH and no longer expressed the larval cuticle protein gene 30. The expression of the transcription factor, broad, closely followed the commitment, so that we could use this gene expression as a molecular marker for pupal commitment. These results indicate that exposure to 20E and loss of the sensitivity of the epidermal cells to JH are required for the completion of pupal commitment, and suggest that the unusually long process over 3 days could be due to the presence of the detectable JH during the commitment.

Cloning and expression of the ecdysteroid receptor during ecdysis and reproduction in females of the soft tick, Ornithodoros moubata (Acari: Argasidae)

Molecular mechanisms of ecdysteroid regulation in development and reproduction have been thoroughly investigated in Diptera and Lepidoptera, but few studies report the molecular actions of ecdysteroids in hemimetabolous insects and more primitive arthropods. Ecdysteroids appear to be the main hormones regulating development and vitellogenesis in ticks. An ecdysteroid receptor that showed high homology with EcRs of other arthropods was isolated from Ornithodoros moubata (OmEcRA). OmEcR expression patterns coincided with ecdysteroid titres in the haemolymph during moulting and vitellogenesis and differed between mated and virgin females. Therefore, OmEcR appears to mediate the regulation of moulting and vitellogenesis by ecdysteroids in O. moubata females as seen in other arthropods.

The coordination of the sequential appearance of MHR4 and dopa decarboxylase during the decline of the ecdysteroid titer at the end of the molt

During the last larval molt in Manduca sexta, in response to an increasing, then decreasing ecdysteroid titer, a number of transcription factors such as E75B, MHR3, MHR4, and betaFTZ-F1 appear and disappear in the abdominal epidermis leading to dopa decarboxylase (DDC) expression. Messenger RNAs for both the 20E-induced transcription factors, MHR3 and E75B, are maximal near the peak of the ecdysteroid titer with MHR4 mRNA appearing as the titer declines followed by betaFTZ-F1 and DDC mRNAs. E75B and MHR4 mRNA were not expressed in Manduca GV1 cells, either during exposure to 20E or after its removal. When either MHR3 dsRNA was transfected or E75B was constitutively expressed in these cells, MHR4 mRNA appeared in response to 20E by 6h. E75B was found to form a heterodimer with MHR3 using the BacterioMatch II two-hybrid assay. We conclude that MHR3 apparently suppresses MHR4 expression in the presence of 20E; the appearance of E75B then removes MHR3 by dimerization, allowing MHR4 to be expressed. Because of significant basal activity of the ddc promoter in the GV1 cells, we could perform rescue experiments by adding various factors. Constitutive expression of either E75B or MHR4 in the cells suppressed the significant basal activity of the 3.2kb ddc promoter in the GV1 cells, but 20E had no effect on this activity. Thus, E75B and MHR4 are 20E-induced inhibitory factors that suppress ddc expression and therefore act as ecdysteroid-regulated timers to coordinate the onset of ddc expression at the end of the molt.

Sensory cell proliferation within the olfactory epithelium of developing adult Manduca sexta (Lepidoptera)

BACKGROUND

Insects detect a multitude of odors using a broad array of phenotypically distinct olfactory organs referred to as olfactory sensilla. Each sensillum contains one to several sensory neurons and at least three support cells; these cells arise from mitotic activities from one or a small group of defined precursor cells. Sensilla phenotypes are defined by distinct morphologies, and specificities to specific odors; these are the consequence of developmental programs expressed by associated neurons and support cells, and by selection and expression of subpopulations of olfactory genes encoding such proteins as odor receptors, odorant binding proteins, and odor degrading enzymes.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

We are investigating development of the olfactory epithelium of adult M. sexta, identifying events which might establish sensilla phenotypes. In the present study, antennal tissue was examined during the first three days of an 18 day development, a period when sensory mitotic activity was previously reported to occur. Each antenna develops as a cylinder with an outward facing sensory epithelium divided into approximately 80 repeat units or annuli. Mitotic proliferation of sensory cells initiated about 20-24 hrs after pupation (a.p.), in pre-existing zones of high density cells lining the proximal and distal borders of each annulus. These high density zones were observed as early as two hr. a.p., and expanded with mitotic activity to fill the mid-annular regions by about 72 hrs a.p. Mitotic activity initiated at a low rate, increasing dramatically after 40-48 hrs a.p.; this activity was enhanced by ecdysteroids, but did not occur in animals entering pupal diapause (which is also ecdysteroid sensitive).

CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE

Sensory proliferation initiates in narrow zones along the proximal and distal borders of each annulus; these zones rapidly expand to fill the mid-annular regions. These zones exist prior to any mitotic activity as regions of high density cells which form either at or prior to pupation. Mitotic sensitivity to ecdysteroids may be a regulatory mechanism coordinating olfactory development with the developmental choice of diapause entry.

hormone nuclear receptor (EcR) exhibits circadian cycling in certain tissues, but not others, during development in Rhodnius prolixus (Hemiptera)

The insect moulting hormones, viz. the ecdysteroids, regulate gene expression during development by binding to an intracellular protein, the ecdysteroid receptor (EcR). In the insect Rhodnius prolixus, circulating levels of ecdysteroids exhibit a robust circadian rhythm. This paper demonstrates associated circadian rhythms in the abundance and distribution of EcR in several major target tissues of ecdysteroids, but not in others. Quantitative analysis of immunofluorescence images obtained by confocal laser-scanning microscopy following the use of anti-EcR has revealed a marked daily rhythm in the nuclear abundance of EcR in cells of the abdominal epidermis, brain, fat body, oenocytes and rectal epithelium of Rhodnius. This EcR rhythm is synchronous with the rhythm of circulating hormone levels. It free-runs in continuous darkness for several cycles, showing that EcR nuclear abundance is under circadian control. Circadian control of a nuclear receptor has not been shown previously in any animal. We infer that the above cell types detect and respond to the temporal signals in the rhythmic ecdysteroid titre. In several cell types, the rhythm in cytoplasmic EcR peaks several hours prior to the EcR peak in the nucleus each day, thereby implying a daily migration of EcR from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. This finding shows that EcR is not a constitutive nuclear receptor, as has previously been assumed. In the brain, rhythmic nuclear EcR has been found in peptidergic neurosecretory cells, indicating a potential pathway for feedback regulation of the neuroendocrine system by ecdysteroids, and also in regions containing circadian clock neurons, suggesting that the circadian timing system in the brain is also sensitive to rhythmic ecdysteroid signals.

A cuticle protein gene from the Japanese oak silkmoth, Antheraea yamamai: gene structure and mRNA expression

A cuticle protein gene, AyCP12, from the Japanese oak silkmoth, Antheraea yamamai, was isolated and characterized. The gene spans 1107 bp and consists of one intron and two exons coding for a 112 amino acid polypeptide with a predicted molecular mass of 12,163 Da and a pI of 4.4. The AyCP12 protein contained a type-specific consensus sequence identifiable in other insect cuticle proteins and the deduced amino acid sequence of the AyCP12 cDNA is most homologous to another silkmoth, A. pernyi, cuticle protein ApCP13 (82% protein sequence identity). Northern blot analysis revealed that AyCP12 showed the epidermis-specific expression.

Ecdysteroid control of metamorphosis in the differentiating adult leg structures of Drosophila melanogaster

During insect metamorphosis, the steroid hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) is responsible for coordinating the differentiation of adult structures. Several structures of the Drosophila melanogaster adult leg, the six distalmost joints, the bristles, and the pretarsal claws, were examined to investigate how 20E controls their development in vitro. Joints, bristles, and claws were dependent on 20E for differentiation between 20-22 and 24-26 h after puparium formation (APF). After 26-28 h APF, differentiation became hormone independent. Tissue-specific markers in 20E-free cultures showed that the bristle and joint cells had not undergone any further morphogenetic progression. In contrast, the pretarsi underwent partial differentiation. The concentration of 20E required for differentiation was structure specific; tarsal joints required higher concentrations of 20E (greater than 400 ng 20 E/ml) than pretarsal claws, bristles, and other joints (greater than 40 ng 20E/ml). The 20E precursor ecdysone (E) was also able to induce differentiation at concentrations over 700 ng E/ml, but did not show any synergistic interactions with 20E. Lastly, leg structures had a finite ability to respond to 20E; tarsal joints lost competence to respond after 32-34 h APF, while the remaining structures became incompetent after 44-46 h APF.

Ligand-binding pocket of the ecdysone receptor

The ecdysone receptor (EcR) belongs to the superfamily of nuclear receptors (NRs) that are ligand-dependent transcription factors. Ecdysone receptor is present only in invertebrates and plays a central role in regulating the expression of a vast array of genes during development and reproduction. The functional entity is a heterodimer composed of EcR and the ultraspiracle protein (USP)-the orthologue of the vertebrate retinoid X receptor (RXR). Ecdysone receptor is the molecular target of ecdysteroids-the endogenous steroidal molting hormones found in arthropods and nonarthropod invertebrates. In addition, EcR is the target of the environmentally safe bisacylhydrazine insecticides used against pests, such as caterpillars, that cause severe damage to agriculture. The crystal structures of the ligand-binding domains (LBDs) of the EcR/USP heterodimer, complexed to the ecdysteroid ponasterone A (ponA) and to the lepidopteran specific bisacylhydrazine BYI06830 used in the agrochemical pest control, provide the first insight at atomic level for these important functional complexes. The EcR/USP heterodimer has a shape similar to that seen for the known vertebrate heterodimer complexes with a conserved main interface, but with features, that are specific to this invertebrate heterodimer. The two EcR-LBD structures in complex with steroidal and nonsteroidal ligands reveal substantial differences. The adaptability of EcR to its ligand results in two radically different and only partially overlapping ligand-binding pockets with different residues involved in ligand recognition. The concept brought by these structural studies of a ligand-dependent binding pocket has potential applications for other NRs.

Edysteroid receptor (EcR) shows marked differences in temporal patterns between tissues during larval-adult development in Rhodnius prolixus: correlations with haemolymph ecdysteroid titres

The presence of ecdysteroid receptor (EcR) in various tissues was studied throughout larval-adult development of the blood-sucking bug, Rhodnius prolixus, using an antibody to EcR that recognizes all isoforms. On Western blots, the antibody recognizes three peptides of approximate molecular masses of 70, 68 and 64 kDa, from epidermis and fat body of developing larvae, which contain high levels of haemolymph ecdysteroids. These peptides are absent from both unfed larvae and adults, which are devoid of ecdysteroids. In vitro treatment of epidermis and fat body from unfed larvae with 20E induces the appearance of all three EcR immunoreactive peptides. The stage-specific appearance and 20E inducibility of the peptides implies that they represent the native EcR(s) of Rhodnius. Confocal fluorescence analysis using this antibody revealed a great diversity of temporal profiles of EcR in various tissues during development. Developmental profiles of EcR were examined in abdominal epidermis, fat body, spermatocytes, brain (including the medial neurosecretory cells), prothoracic glands (PGs), rectal epithelium and Malpighian tubules. EcR fluorescence was confined to the nuclei in close association with chromatin. EcR was absent from tissues of unfed larvae or adults, supporting the results from Western blots. Different tissues develop EcR at different developmental times and in the presence of radically different concentrations of haemolymph ecdysteroids, retain EcR for different lengths of time and lose EcR at different concentrations of ecdysteroids. These results suggest that each tissue possesses a distinctive response mechanism to ecdysteroids. An exception to this, are the PGs, which exhibited no EcR fluorescence at any time during development.

The insect plasma membrane H+ V-ATPase: intra-, inter-, and supramolecular aspects

The plasma membrane H+ V-ATPase from the midgut of larval Manduca sexta, commonly called the tobacco hornworm, is the sole energizer of epithelial ion transport in this tissue, being responsible for the alkalinization of the gut lumen up to a pH of more than 11 and for any active ion movement across the epithelium. This minireview deals with those topics of our recent research on this enzyme that may contribute novel aspects to the biochemistry and physiology of V-ATPases. Our research approaches include intramolecular aspects such as subunit topology and the inhibition by macrolide antibiotics, intermolecular aspects such as the hormonal regulation of V-ATPase biosynthesis and the interaction of the V-ATPase with the actin cytoskeleton, and supramolecular aspects such as the interactions of V-ATPase, K+/H+ antiporter, and ion channels, which all function as an ensemble in the transepithelial movement of potassium ions.

Differential control of MHR3 promoter activity by isoforms of the ecdysone receptor and inhibitory effects of E75A and MHR3

MHR3 is an ecdysone-inducible transcription factor whose expression in both Manduca sexta epidermis and the Manduca GV1 cell line is induced by 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) in vitro. There are four putative ecdysone response elements (EcRE) in the 2.6-kb flanking region of the MHR3 promoter. The most proximal, EcRE1, is necessary for activation of the promoter by 20E in the GV1 cells because the mutation of EcRE1 caused the loss of responsiveness to 20E. Previous studies showed that EcR-B1/USP-1 bound only to EcRE1 and high levels of this complex increased the 20E-induced activation, whereas the presence of high USP-2 prevented this increased activation. When we expressed EcR-A alone or in combination with USP-1 under the control of Autographa californica baculovirus promoter (pIE1hr), the activation of the 2.6-kb promoter by 20E was reduced by about 50%. Moreover, when EcR-A was expressed together with both EcR-B1 and USP-1, it reduced the normal activation caused by EcR-B1 and USP-1 by 50%. Gel mobility shift assays showed no binding of EcR-A/USP-1 to EcRE1. The presence of EcR-A, however, reduced the binding of EcR-B1/USP-1 by about 50%. These findings suggest that EcR-A competes with EcR-B1 for binding of USP-1, leading to a decline in activity of the promoter. In addition, E75A, another ecdysone-induced transcription factor, and MHR3 itself suppressed MHR3 promoter activity by binding to the monomeric response element (MRE2). Therefore, MHR3 can be down-regulated both by itself and by E75A.

Molecular cloning of three cDNAs encoding putative larval cuticle protein expressed differentially after larval ecdysis from the mulberry longicorn beetle, Apriona germari

Three cDNAs encoding putative larval cuticle protein (LCP) were cloned from the mulberry longicorn beetle, Apriona germari. The three cDNA sequences were 309 bp, 396 bp and 408 bp in length, encoding 103, 132 and 136 amino acid residues, respectively. The predicted molecular masses for these LCPs were approximately 9.2 kDa (AgLCP9.2), 12.3 kDa (AgLCP12.3) and 12.6 kDa (AgLCP12.6). Pairwise identity among AgLCP9.2, AgLCP12.3 and AgLCP12.6 were relatively low. Each AgLCP contained a type-specific consensus sequence identifiable in other insect cuticle proteins. The deduced amino acid sequence of AgLCP9.2 is most similar to Bombyx mori LCP18 and those of AgLCP12.3 and AgLCP12.6 are both most similar to B. mori LCP17. Northern blot analysis revealed that the three AgLCPs showed epidermis-specific expression. The expression profile of AgLCPs after larval ecdysis revealed by Northern blot analysis that the high-level mRNA expression of AgLCPs was detected on the first day of larval ecdysis for AgLCP9.2, on the fifth day for AgLCP12.3 and from the first day of larval ecdysis to the fifth day after larval ecdysis for AgLCP12.6, demonstrating that AgLCP mRNAs are differentially expressed in epidermis after larval ecdysis.

Insights into the molecular basis of the hormonal control of molting and metamorphosis from Manduca sexta and Drosophila melanogaster

This short review summarizes our current knowledge about the role of transcription factors regulated by ecdysteroids and juvenile hormone (JH) in larval molting and metamorphosis in the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta, and Drosophila melanogaster. We show new evidence that EcR-A/USP-2 and E75A contribute to the down-regulation of MHR3 after the peak of ecdysteroid. Also, there is suggestive evidence that both MHR4 and betaFTZ-F1 may regulate the expression of dopa decarboxylase as the ecdysteroid titer declines. We summarize the regulation by JH of the Broad transcription factor that normally appears in the epidermis in the final larval instar and specifies pupal cuticle formation at the metamorphic molt. Premature expression of different Broad isoforms also is shown to cause precocious degeneration of the prothoracic glands as well as to prevent ecdysteroid release during its presence.

Shade is the Drosophila P450 enzyme that mediates the hydroxylation of ecdysone to the steroid insect molting hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone

The steroid 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) is the primary regulatory hormone that mediates developmental transitions in insects and other arthropods. 20E is produced from ecdysone (E) by the action of a P450 monooxygenase that hydroxylates E at carbon 20. The gene coding for this key enzyme of ecdysteroidogenesis has not been identified definitively in any insect. We show here that the Drosophila E-20-monooxygenase (E20MO) is the product of the shade (shd) locus (cytochrome p450, CYP314a1). When shd is transfected into Drosophila S2 cells, extensive conversion of E to 20E is observed, whereas in sorted homozygous shd embryos, no E20MO activity is apparent either in vivo or in vitro. Mutations in shd lead to severe disruptions in late embryonic morphogenesis and exhibit phenotypes identical to those seen in disembodied (dib) and shadow (sad) mutants, two other genes of the Halloween class that code for P450 enzymes that catalyze the final two steps in the synthesis of E from 2,22-dideoxyecdysone. Unlike dib and sad, shd is not expressed in the ring gland but is expressed in peripheral tissues such as the epidermis, midgut, Malpighian tubules, and fat body, i.e., tissues known to be major sites of E20MO activity in a variety of insects. However, the tissue in which shd is expressed does not appear to be important for developmental function because misexpression of shd in the embryonic mesoderm instead of the epidermis, the normal embryonic tissue in which shd is expressed, rescues embryonic lethality.

A novel gene in the takeout gene family is regulated by hormones and nutrients in Manduca larval epidermis

A novel gene, moling, was cloned from epidermal RNA of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta, using PCR-based suppression subtractive hybridization. moling belongs to a gene family that includes several lepidopteran hemolymph juvenile hormone (JH) binding proteins and takeout of Drosophila melanogaster. The mRNA first appears in the epidermis on day 0 of the fifth instar and rises to its peak expression by mid-day 2, then declines rapidly and is gone by the onset of wandering. moling is expressed exclusively in the last instar larval epidermis and not in the imaginal discs or any other tissues. Allatectomy early in the fourth instar induces precocious metamorphosis and causes the appearance of moling mRNA by 33 h. Allatectomy after the critical period for JH in the final larval molt had no effect on the timing of the onset of moling expression in the final instar but caused a more rapid up-regulation once begun. The JH mimic pyriproxifen given at the outset of the final instar suppressed the expression of moling mRNA to low levels, in both intact and allatectomized larvae. Starvation immediately after ecdysis to the fifth instar prevented the onset of expression. Thus, initiation of transcription requires both nutrient intake and decline in JH. Infusion of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) into ligated abdomens of day 2 fifth instar larvae and culture of the day 2 fifth instar larval abdominal epidermis with 20E in vitro both caused a rapid decline of moling mRNA. The slower and variable decline that occurred in mid-day 2 fifth instar larval epidermis in the ligated abdomens or when incubated in hormone-free medium indicated that the increase of 20E on day 2 had already initiated the decline of expression. The role of Moling may be to stabilize JH in the epidermal cell during the final intermolt when the JH esterase activity increases.

The Drosophila orphan nuclear receptor DHR38 mediates an atypical ecdysteroid signaling pathway

Ecdysteroid pulses trigger the major developmental transitions during the Drosophila life cycle. These hormonal responses are thought to be mediated by the ecdysteroid receptor (EcR) and its heterodimeric partner Ultraspiracle (USP). We provide evidence for a second ecdysteroid signaling pathway mediated by DHR38, the Drosophila ortholog of the mammalian NGFI-B subfamily of orphan nuclear receptors. DHR38 also heterodimerizes with USP, and this complex responds to a distinct class of ecdysteroids in a manner that is independent of EcR. This response is unusual in that it does not involve direct binding of ecdysteroids to either DHR38 or USP. X-ray crystallographic analysis of DHR38 reveals the absence of both a classic ligand binding pocket and coactivator binding site, features that seem to be common to all NGFI-B subfamily members. Taken together, these data reveal the existence of a separate structural class of nuclear receptors that is conserved from fly to humans.

E74 exhibits stage-specific hormonal regulation in the epidermis of the tobacco hornworm, manduca sexta

The transcription factor E74 is one of the early genes induced by ecdysteroids during metamorphosis of Drosophila melanogaster. Here, we report the cloning and hormonal regulation of E74 from the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta (MsE74). MsE74 is 98% identical to that of D. melanogaster within the DNA-binding ETS domain of the protein. The 5'-isoform-specific regions of MsE74A and MsE74B share significantly lower sequence similarity (30-40%). Developmental expression by Northern blot analysis reveals that, during the 5th larval instar, MsE74B expression correlates with pupal commitment on day 3 and is induced to maximal levels within 12h by low levels of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) and repressed by physiologically relevant levels of juvenile hormone I (JH I). Immunocytochemical analysis shows that MsE74B appears in the epidermis before the 20E-induced Broad transcription factor that is correlated with pupal commitment (Zhou and Riddiford, 2001). In contrast, MsE74A is expressed late in the larval and the pupal molts when the ecdysteroid titer has declined to low levels and in the adult molt just as the ecdysteroid titer begins to decline. This change in timing during the adult molt appears not to be due to the absence of JH as there was no change during the pupal molt of allatectomized animals. When either 4th or 5th instar larval epidermis was explanted and subjected to hormonal manipulations, MsE74A induction occurred only after exposure to 20E followed by its removal. Thus, MsE74B appears to have a similar role at the onset of metamorphosis in Manduca as it does in Drosophila, whereas MsE74A is regulated differently at pupation in Manduca than at pupariation in Drosophila.

Hormonal regulation of the expression of two storage proteins in the larval fat body of the greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella)

During larval development of the greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella, genes of storage proteins LHP76 and LHP82 are tissue- and stage-specifically expressed. In this study, hormonal regulation of this expression has been investigated in vivo. Messenger RNAs of the juvenile hormone (JH-suppressible) Lhp82 gene are present only during the feeding period of the final larval instar, suggesting that a high level of JH during earlier stages prevents its expression and that a small rise in JH titer observed on day 8 of the final larval instar is responsible for the rapid shut-off of its transcription. Application of 1micro g of JH analog (fenoxycarb) specifically inhibits expression of Lhp82, whereas Lhp76 mRNAs remain at the same level. 20-hydroxyecdysone (20HE) does not exert any inhibitory effects on transcription of Lhp genes when injected in a dose of 0.5 or 1.5 micro g per individual, regardless of larval age. However, the same dose of 20HE significantly lowers the rate of LHPs synthesis within the fat body and completely blocks secretion of LHPs into the hemolymph. Therefore, we propose that 20HE inhibits the synthesis of storage proteins and their secretion without altering the level of mRNAs.

Molecular cloning and characterization of a cDNA encoding a novel cuticle protein in the silkworm, Bombyx mori

We have cloned the full length of a novel cDNA named Bombyx mori cuticle protein that contains an AlaAlaProAla/Val-repeat (BMCPA) from a cDNA library of integument in the larval silkworm. Both a typical tandem repeat (A-A-P-A/V) for cuticle protein and a unique tandem repeat with Ser, Ala, Gly, Pro, Val, Tyr and Thr were observed in the predicted amino acid sequence of the cDNA encoding BMCPA. Approximately 80% of the amino acids in BMCPA were composed of Ser, Ala, Gly, Pro, Val and Tyr. Northern-hybridization analysis indicated that BMCPA mRNA is expressed only in the larval epidermis and that the expression pattern of the BMCPA gene in the developmental stage was observed mainly at the larval stage. We propose BMCPA may be a novel component of cuticle, and may play an important role in the integument of the larval silkworm.

Applying fenoxycarb at the penultimate instar triggers an additional ecdysteroid surge and induces perfect extra larval molting in the silkworm

When the juvenile hormone analog fenoxycarb was topically applied to the silkworm Bombyx mori at the beginning of the 3rd or 4th (penultimate) instar, an extra larval molt was induced. The 5th instar period was shortened to about 5 days and the extra 6th instar ranged from 8 to more than 20 days, depending on the dose applied. Starvation before fenoxycarb treatment strongly enhanced the incidence of extra molting up to 100%. When 1 ng was applied in the 4th instar after a 2-day starvation, most larvae underwent an extra molt, metamorphosed to pupae, then to fertile adults. Combining starvation and fenoxycarb application thus induces a perfect extra molt efficiently. In perfect extra molting larvae, profiles of total ecdysteroid titer during the 4th and 5th instars were similar to that during the 4th instar in the control, and the ecdysteroid profile during the extra 6th instar was similar to that during the control 5th (last) instar. At ecdysteroid peaks, 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) and ecdysone (E), generally regarded as the active molting hormone and its precursor, had similar titers in the 6th instar, whereas E was much less than 20E in the 4th and 5th instars in the extra molting larvae. E was also abundant only in the last larval instar in the control. These results suggest that both 20E and E contents are important for regulation of larval molt and metamorphosis in silkworms and that fenoxycarb triggers the extra molt by inducing an additional larval molt type of ecdysteroid surge before the last larval instar.

A protein from the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni, regulated by a bacterial infection is homologous to 3-dehydroecdysone 3beta-reductase

During the screening of immune-regulated genes from the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni, a 3-dehydroecdysone 3beta-reductase homologue (DERH) was cloned. In the course of development, 3-dehydroecdysone 3beta-reductase mediates the conversion of 3-dehydroecdysone (3dE) secreted from the prothoracic glands to ecdysone (E), which is subsequently converted to 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E), the major insect molting hormone. The cloned gene is upregulated in fat body during development and is strongly induced after the larva is challenged with bacteria. The gene codes for a 308 amino acid residue protein which shows 42.5% identity to Spodoptera littoralis 3-dehydroecdysone 3beta-reductase. Using the baculovirus expression system, the recombinant DERH was expressed. The purified protein mediates the reduction of 3-dehydromakisterone A to makisterone A, and requires NADPH as a cofactor. Western blots using an antiserum to T. ni DERH revealed the presence of the protein in larval hemolymph and integument. The data indicate that the protein is regulated developmentally and is induced after a challenge with bacteria. Immunohistochemical studies localized the enzyme exclusively in the epidermis and the cuticle.

Molecular cloning and induction of nuclear receptors from insect cell lines

Fragments of EcR and USP were cloned from two insect cell lines, Sf21 and High Five cells (derived respectively from Spodoptera frugiperda and Trichoplusia ni), using a PCR-based approach employing degenerate primers designed on the basis of conserved regions of nuclear receptors, together with 5'- and 3'-RACE. An additional orphan nuclear receptor, HR4 fragment, was cloned from High Five cells. Comparison of these fragments with Manduca sexta counterparts showed that the cloned SfEcR [ecdysone receptor (EcR) from Sf21 cells] had high similarity to MsEcR-B1, whereas the cloned SfUSP [ultraspiracle (USP) from Sf21 cells] and TnUSP (USP from High Five cells) matched more closely to MsUSP-2 than to MsUSP-1. The TnHR4 showed most similarity to a recently cloned Bombyx mori GRF. While EcR and USP were constitutively expressed in both cell lines, HR4 was barely detectable by Northern blot analysis in High Five cells. Treatment with 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) and agonist RH-5992 enhanced transcription of EcR in both cell lines, while the transcription of USP was suppressed in High Five cells. Such suppressed USP transcription was not observed in Sf21 cells. Transcription of TnEcR could also be enhanced by ecdysone and 3-dehydroecdysone, whereas transcription of SfEcR was unchanged with these two ecdysteroid compounds. Induction of HR4 transcription was also observed with 20E, RH-5992, ecdysone and 3-dehydroecdysone. The protein synthesis inhibitor, cycloheximide, superinduced expression of EcR and HR4 and restored the 20E/RH-5992-suppressed expression of TnUSP in the cells. Northern blot analysis also revealed that PCR, using degenerate USP primers, was able to amplify some other orphan nuclear receptors and their expression was inducible by 20E and RH-5992 and some of them were superinducible by cycloheximide.

Ecdysteroid-dependent expression of a novel cuticle protein gene BMCPG1 in the silkworm, Bombyx mori

When insects molt, the exoskeleton is renewed under the controls of insect hormones via the biosynthesis and degradation of cuticle proteins. To understand the hormonal control of cuticle formation, we used the differential display method to look for stage-specific cuticle genes, and identified a novel cDNA named Bombyx mori Cuticle Protein GlyGlyTyr-repeat 1 (BMCPG1). Expression of BMCPG1 mRNA peaked sharply immediately after a pulse of ecdysteroid during the fourth molt and pre-pupal stages, concurrent with the expression of genes for FTZF1 and dopa decarboxylase. BMCPG1 was expressed only in the epidermis, but not in any other tissue. We cultured the larval epidermis and found that BMCPG1 expression is not induced by the continuous presence of ecdysteroid. Removal of ecdysteroid from the medium, which constitutes a pulse treatment, is required for the induction of BMCPG1 transcription. These results explain well the stage-specific expression of BMCPG1 by ecdysteroid in vivo. Based on its expression patterns and unique structure, we propose that BMCPG1 may be a novel component of epicuticle of B. mori, and is probably involved in cross-linking of proteins via its GGY repeats.

Identification and characterization of genes abnormally expressed in wing-deficient mutant (flügellos) of the silkworm, Bombyx mori

The wing-deficient mutant, flügellos (fl), of the silkworm lacks four wings in the pupa and the adult, due to aberrant wing morphogenesis during metamorphosis. To elucidate the mechanisms of wing-specific deficiencies in the fl mutant, we used mRNA differential display and identified five genes abnormally expressed in the fl wing discs. Northern blot and RT-PCR analyses revealed that four genes were overexpressed, but the fifth one was not transcribed in the fl wing discs. The expression level of ribosome-associated protein p40 in the fl wing discs was elevated approximately 10 times compared to the wild-type (WT) discs. Another overexpressed gene CB10 encodes a novel wing-specific protein with a putative zinc-finger motif. Overexpression of two components of extracellular matrix, cuticle protein 18 (BMCP18) and a fibrillin-like protein AD10, may result in the abnormal wing morphogenesis in the fl mutant. In contrast, a novel member of multifunctional Ca2+-binding protein annexins, designated as annexin b13 (Anx b13), was expressed dominantly in the wing discs of WT but completely repressed in the fl tissues. Strong expression of Anx b13 in wing discs during the fourth and fifth instar indicates that ANX B13 plays an important role in wing morphogenesis.

Characterization of crab EcR and RXR homologs and expression during limb regeneration and oocyte maturation

We report here complete coding sequences for the Uca pugilator homologs of the ecdysteroid (UpEcR) and retinoid-X receptors (UpRXR). Library screenings recovered cDNA clones containing a unique amino terminal open-reading frame (A/B domain) for each gene, most similar to insect B1 EcR and USP1/RXR isoforms. Splicing variants in the UpRXR ligand-binding domain were also identified, in a region critical for folding of Drosophila and lepidopteran USP. UpEcR and UpRXR proteins were able to associate, and both are required for binding to an ecdysteroid HRE; these interactions were not hormone-dependent. Ribonuclease protection assays (RPA) were conducted using A/B domain and 'common' (C or E) domain probes on RNA isolated from various stages of regenerating limb buds and ovaries. For several of the limb bud and ovarian stages examined, the relative level of A/B domain sequence protected was significantly less than common domain suggesting alternative amino terminal isoforms other than those isolated through cloning. This is the first report of UpEcR and UpRXR transcription during ovarian maturation, implicating the ovary as a potential target for hormonal control in Crustacea.

Endocrine insights into the evolution of metamorphosis in insects

This review explores the roles of ecdysone and juvenile hormone (JH) in the evolution of complete metamorphosis and how metamorphosis, in turn, has impacted endocrine signaling. JH is a key player in the evolution of metamorphosis because it can act on embryos from more basal insect groups to suppress morphogenesis and cause premature differentiation, functions needed for transforming the transitional pronymphal stage of hemimetabolous insects into a functional larval stage. In the ancestral condition, imaginal-related growth is then delayed until JH finally disappears during the last larval instar. In the more derived groups of the Holometabola, selective tissues have escaped this JH suppression to form early-growing imaginal discs. We discuss how complete metamorphosis may have influenced the molecular aspects of both ecdysone and JH signaling.

Isolation and developmental expression of two nuclear receptors, MHR4 and betaFTZ-F1, in the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta

The cDNAs for two members of the nuclear receptor superfamily were isolated from the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta. The deduced amino acid sequence of MHR4 shows 93-95% identity in the DNA-binding domain and the first portion of the hinge (D) region with the germ cell nuclear factor (GCNF)-related factors (GRFs) of the silkworm, Bombyx mori, and the mealworm, Tenebrio molitor, and with a genomic sequence from the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. Northern blot hybridization showed that a 7.5 kb MHR4 mRNA appeared in Manduca abdominal epidermis just as the ecdysteroid titer began to decline during the larval molt, disappeared about 12 h later, then transiently reappeared shortly before larval ecdysis. During the pupal and adult molts, a similar pattern of expression was seen (the very end of the adult molt was not studied). At peak times of expression in the epidermis, MHR4 mRNA was also present in fat body and the central nervous system (CNS). The deduced amino acid sequence of Manduca FTZ-F1 is 100% and 96% identical to that of B. mori and Drosophila betaFTZ-F1, respectively, in the DNA-binding domain and the adjacent hinge region including the FTZ-F1 box. Northern blot analysis showed that the >9.5 kb betaFTZ-F1 mRNA appeared in Manduca epidermis during the decline of the ecdysteroid titer in the larval, pupal and adult molts as the first peak of MHR4 mRNA declined, then it disappeared in the larval and pupal molts before the second peak of MHR4 appeared. betaFTZ-F1 mRNA was also found in fat body and the CNS at the time of peak expression in the epidermis during the larval and pupal molts. Both MHR4 and betaFTZ-F1 mRNAs were found in the testis during the onset of spermatogenesis in the prepupal period.

Structural analysis of gene encoding cuticle protein BMCP18, and characterization of its putative transcription factor in the silkworm, Bombyx mori

BMCP18(2) is one of the major cuticle proteins identified in the larval cuticle of the silkworm, Bombyx mori. A genomic clone coding for BMCP18 was isolated from a B. mori genomic library, and its structure was analyzed. The BMCP18 gene consists of three exons interspersed by two introns. Bm1 element-like sequences were identified around this gene, suggesting possible involvement of this retroposon in the duplication of B. mori cuticle protein genes during evolution. A structural comparison of the BMCP18 gene and related cuticle protein genes of other lepidopteran species (MSCP14.6 and HCCP12) showed that the 5' upstream region of the BMCP18, MSCP14.6, and HCCP12 genes has a 12-bp identical sequence matching the recognition sequence for transcription factors COUP-TF and HNF-4. This implies that molecular mechanisms regulating expression of these cuticle protein genes are also conserved. mRNAs coding for Bmsvp, the B. mori homolog of Drosophila Seven-up, which is known as a homolog of vertebrate COUP-TF, and BmHNF-4, a homolog of vertebrate HNF-4, were detected in the larval epidermis. Bmsvp bound to the 12-bp sequence in vitro, suggesting that Bmsvp regulates the BMCP18 gene expression.

Regulation of transcription factors MHR4 and betaFTZ-F1 by 20-hydroxyecdysone during a larval molt in the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta

During the last larval molt in Manduca sexta, a number of transcription factors are sequentially expressed. Unlike E75A and MHR3, whose mRNAs are induced when the ecdysteroid titer increases, the expression of MHR4 mRNA occurs transiently at the onset of the decline of ecdysteroid titer followed by betaFTZ-F1 mRNA expression when the ecdysteroid titer becomes low. When day 2 fourth epidermis was exposed to 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) in vitro, MHR4 mRNA appeared between 12 and 21 h, peaked at 24 h, and then declined. Using the protein synthesis inhibitors cycloheximide and anisomycin both in vivo and in vitro, we found that the MHR4 transcript was directly induced by 20E and required the presence of 20E for its expression. The accumulation of MHR4 mRNA, however, did not occur until a 20E-induced inhibitory protein(s) disappeared. This control of MHR4 expression is unique among the ecdysone-induced transcription factors. When the epidermis was cultured with 20E, betaFTZ-F1 mRNA was not induced until after the removal of 20E as previously found for Drosophila and the silkworm Bombyx mori. The presence of juvenile hormone had no effect on accumulation of either transcript.

Hormonal regulation and patterning of the broad-complex in the epidermis and wing discs of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta

Expression of Manduca Broad-Complex (BR-C) mRNA in the larval epidermis is under the dual control of ecdysone and juvenile hormone (JH). Immunocytochemistry with antibodies that recognize the core, Z2, and Z4 domains of Manduca BR-C proteins showed that BR-C appearance not only temporally correlates with pupal commitment of the epidermis on day 3 of the fifth (final) larval instar, but also occurs in a strict spatial pattern within the abdominal segment similar to that seen for the loss of sensitivity to JH. Levels of Z2 and Z4 BR-C proteins shift with Z2 predominating at pupal commitment and Z4 dominant during early pupal cuticle synthesis. Both induction of BR-C mRNA in the epidermis by 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) and its suppression by JH were shown to be independent of new protein synthesis. For suppression JH must be present during the initial exposure to 20E. When JH was given 6 h after 20E, suppression was only seen in those regions that had not yet expressed BR-C. In the wing discs BR-C was first detected earlier 1.5 days after ecdysis, coincident with the pupal commitment of the wing. Our findings suggest that BR-C expression is one of the first molecular events underlying pupal commitment of both epidermis and wing discs.

Changes in glycosylation during Drosophila development. The influence of ecdysone on hemomucin isoforms

To explore a possible signal function of glycodeterminants and the tissue specificity of glycosylation in Drosophila melanogaster, hemomucin, a surface mucin previously isolated from cell lines was studied. It was shown to exist in two glycoforms with molecular masses of 100 and 105 kDa, respectively. The two forms differ by the presence of O-linked galactose, which was only detected in the larger glycoform using the beta-galactose specific peanut agglutinin (PNA). The 105 form was found in cell lines after addition of the cell cycle inhibitor taxol and after induction with ecdysone. When whole animal tissues were analyzed using PNA, dramatic changes were observed during development. We were able to identify a number of proteins, which showed strong PNA-staining in stages with a high ecdysone titer, while virtually no staining was detected in adults. This pattern was specific for PNA and was not observed with any of the other lectins employed in this study. Surprisingly, in contrast to our observation in cell lines, PNA staining of hemomucin was not observed in late third larval and pupal stages, which are known to produce high ecdysone titers. The only organ, in which significant amounts of the 105 form were detected, were the ovaries, where hemomucin is produced in follicle cells during the late phase of oogenesis and subsequently incorporated into the chorion.

Patterns of MHR3 expression in the epidermis during a larval molt of the tobacco hornworm Manduca sexta

MHR3, an ecdysone-induced transcription factor, was shown to appear in the abdominal epidermis of the tobacco hornworm Manduca sexta in a pattern-specific manner as the 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) titer rises for the larval molt. The crochet epidermis that forms the hooked setae on the proleg is first to show MHR3 mRNA and protein followed sequentially by the spiracle, the dorsal intrasegmental annuli, the interannular regions, and finally the trichogen and tormogen cells. The protein appears in the nuclei about 8 h before the onset of cuticle formation, is present during the outgrowth of the setae, and disappears after epicuticle formation. In vitro studies showed that MHR3 mRNA induction in the crochet epidermis by 20E was more sensitive (EC(50) = 10(-6) M; 50% induction by 2 h exposure to 4 x 10(-6) M 20E) and did not require protein synthesis for maximal accumulation compared to the dorsal epidermis. The ecdysone receptor complex is present in both tissues at the outset of the molt and therefore is not a determining factor in these responses. Thus, in addition to the ecdysone receptor complex, region-specific factors govern both sensitivity and timing of responsiveness of MHR3 to 20E to ensure that this transcription factor will be present when needed for its differentiative role.

Transcriptional activation of the Drosophila ecdysone receptor by insect and plant ecdysteroids

A number of insect ecdysteroids, plant ecdysteroids and juvenoids were assayed for their ability to activate Drosophila nuclear receptors in transfected tissue culture cells. Discrete modifications to 20-hydroxyecdysone, the apparent natural ligand for the ecdysone receptor (EcR), conferred dramatic changes on the transcriptional activity of this receptor, suggesting that other biologically relevant EcR ligands may exist. Conversely, none of the compounds tested had a significant effect on the activity of three Drosophila orphan nuclear receptors: DHR38, DHR78 or DHR96. Taken together, these results demonstrate the selectivity of EcR for a series of natural and synthetic ecdysone agonists and suggest that as yet untested compounds may be responsible for activating DHR38, DHR78 and DHR96.

The juvenile hormone analog pyriproxyfen affects ecdysteroid-dependent cuticle melanization and shifts the pupal ecdysteroid peak in the honey bee (Apis mellifera)

The control of the pupal melanization in the honey bee by ecdysteroids, and the modulation of these processes by a juvenile hormone analog were investigated by a combination of in vivo and in vitro experiments. Injection of 1-5 microg of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) into unpigmented pupae showed a dose- and stage-dependent effect. The higher the dose and the later the injection was performed, the more pronounced was the delay in cuticle pigmentation. This inhibition of cuticular melanization by artificially elevated ecdysteroid titers was corroborated by in vitro experiments, culturing integument from unpigmented, dark-eyed pupae for 1-4 days in the presence of 20E (2 or 5 microg/ml culture medium). Topical application (1 microg) of pyriproxyfen to unpigmented, white-eyed pupae had the opposite effect, leading to precocious and enhanced melanization of the pupal cuticle. In vitro incubation of integuments in the presence of this juvenile hormone analog (1 microg/ml) confirmed these results, showing that pyriproxyfen is apparently capable of triggering melanization. The in vivo mode of action of pyriproxyfen was further investigated by quantifying hemolymph ecdysteroids by radioimmunoassays. Topical application leads to a delay of the pupal ecdysteroid peak by 4 days. The pyriproxyfen-induced low ecdysteroid titers during early pupal development could account for precocious pigmentation by removing an inhibition on prophenoloxidase activation normally imposed by the elevated ecdysteroid titer during this phase.

Characterization and DNA-binding properties of GRF, a novel monomeric binding orphan receptor related to GCNF and betaFTZ-F1

A PCR approach has been used to isolate, from Bombyx mori, a cDNA encoding a novel orphan receptor (GRF) that is most closely related to Bombyx betaFTZ-F1 and to the vertebrate germ cell nuclear factor. The major GRF mRNA is detected in most tissues as an 8-kb transcript whose amount follows the circulating ecdysteroid concentration with a delay. The expression pattern of GRF is similar to that of the Bombyx homologue of the Drosophila early-late gene DHR3, and precedes that of betaFTZ-F1 in all stages and tissues examined. The GRF protein is thus likely to be required in many tissues, but in a temporally restricted manner suggesting that GRF has a well-defined function in the ecdysteroid-induced transcription cascade. The GRF protein binds in vitro to a single oestrogen receptor half-site AGGTCA preceded by a 5'-TCA extension, and is therefore a potential co-regulator of the orphan receptors betaFTZ-F1 and DHR39.