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Chouvenc T. Eusociality and the transition from biparental to alloparental care in termites. Funct Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.14183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Chouvenc
- Entomology and Nematology Department, Ft Lauderdale Research and Education Center University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, 3205 College Ave, Ft Lauderdale, FL 33314 USA
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2
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Khan Z, Khan MS, Bawazeer S, Bawazeer N, Suleman, Irfan M, Rauf A, Su XH, Xing LX. A comprehensive review on the documented characteristics of four Reticulitermes termites (Rhinotermitidae, Blattodea) of China. BRAZ J BIOL 2022; 84:e256354. [PMID: 35319619 DOI: 10.1590/1519-6984.256354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Termites are known as social insects worldwide. Presently in China 473 species, 44 genera and 4 families of termites have been reported. Of them, 111 Reticulitermes species are widely spread in different zones of China. The dispersion flight season of these Chinese Reticulitermes species are usually started from February to June, but in some regions different species are distributed, sharing their boundaries and having overlapping flight seasons. These reasons become important sources of hybridization between two different heterospecific populations of termites. It was confirmed that the fertilized eggs and unfertilized eggs of some Reticulitermes termites have the capacity of cleavage. While the unfertilized eggs of R. aculabialis, R. chinensis and R. labralis cleaved normally and the only R. aculabialis unfertilized eggs develop in embryos. While, the R. flaviceps and R. chinensis were observed with their abnormal embryonic development, and not hatching of eggs parthenogenetically. They were reported more threatening to Chinese resources as they propagate with parthenogenesis, hybridization and sexual reproduction. Eggshell and macrophiles of eggs play important roles in species identification and control. Although, they are severe pests and cause a wide range of damages to wooden structures and products in homes, buildings, building materials, trees, crops, and forests in China's Mainland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Z Khan
- Northwest University, College of Life Sciences, Xi'an, China.,University of Swabi, Zoology Department, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - M S Khan
- University of Swabi, Zoology Department, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - S Bawazeer
- Umm Al-Qura University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacognosy, Makkah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - N Bawazeer
- Minister of Interior General Directorate of Prison's Health, Pharmacy Department, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Suleman
- University of Swabi, Zoology Department, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - M Irfan
- Abdul Wali Khan University, Department of Botany, Mardan, Pakistan.,University of Swabi, Department of Botany, Swabi, Pakistan.,Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO, U.S.A
| | - A Rauf
- University of Swabi, Department of Chemistry, Anbar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - X-H Su
- Northwest University, College of Life Sciences, Xi'an, China.,Northwest University, Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Xi'an, China.,Northwest University, Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology, Xi'an, China
| | - L-X Xing
- Northwest University, College of Life Sciences, Xi'an, China.,Northwest University, Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Xi'an, China.,Northwest University, Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology, Xi'an, China
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3
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Korsa G, Masi C, Konwarh R, Tafesse M. Harnessing the potential use of cellulolytic Klebsiella oxytoca (M21WG) and Klebsiella sp. (Z6WG) isolated from the guts of termites (Isoptera). ANN MICROBIOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1186/s13213-021-01662-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
For many years, denim-heavy quality cotton twill colored with indigo colors and with a well-worn/faded look has held a lot of appeal. Machine damage, drainage system blockage, and other issues come with the conventional usage of pumice stones for “stone-washing” denims. In view of the abovementioned information, a range of works has been done to investigate the economic prospects of bacterial cellulase enzymes for use in industrial processes, including biopolishing in the textile sector. Ethiopia has excellent termite diversity to isolate bacterial gut-associated cellulose enzymes for biostoning applications. The main purpose of this study was, therfore, to decipher how to isolate and characterize cellulase enzymes from termite (Isoptera) gut bacteria with the intention of employing it for biostoning of textiles.
Purpose
To use cellulolytic enzymes of Klebsiella oxytoca (M21WG) and Klebsiella sp. (Z6WG) isolated from termite guts in biostoning of textiles and improving garment quality.
Methods
Cellulase enzyme-producing bacteria were isolated and screened from the guts of worker termites sampled from Meki and Zeway termite mounds in the Central Rift Valley region of Ethiopia. Bacterial screening, biochemical, morphological, and 16S rRNA sequence identification techniques were employed to characterize the bacterial strains. In addition, the production, optimization, and purification of the associated cellulase enzymes were employed, and the potential application of the enzymes for biostoning of a textile was demonstrated.
Result
The isolated M21WG was found to be 99% identical to the Klebsiella oxytoca (MT104573.1) strain, while the isolated Z6WG showed 97.3% identity to the Klebsiella sp. strain (MN629242.1). At an ideal pH of 7, a temperature of 37 °C, a 72-h incubation time, and a substrate concentration of 1.5% carboxymethylcellulose sodium, the maximum activity of the crude cellulase extract from these bacteria was assessed. These bacteria produced cellulase enzymes that were moderately efficient. Consequently, it was determined that the cellulase enzymes were effective for biostoning of denim cloth.
Conclusion
It was determined that Klebsiella oxytoca (M21WG) and Klebsiella sp. (Z6WG) could be used as a doorway to better understand harnessing the use of these cellulase-producing bacteria from termite (Isoptera) guts. In this study, it was also attempted to assess the effectiveness of the two bacterial isolates in biostoning in anticipation of their potential application in the textile realm.
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Gao F, Nan F, Feng J, Lv J, Liu Q, Liu X, Xie S. Comparative morphological, physiological, biochemical and genomic studies reveal novel genes of Dunaliella bioculata and D. quartolecta in response to salt stress. Mol Biol Rep 2021; 49:1749-1761. [PMID: 34813000 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-021-06984-9] [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: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Salinity is an essential abiotic stress in plants. Dunaliella is a genus of high-salt-tolerant microalgae. The present study aimed to compare the characterizations of D. bioculata and D. quartolecta at different levels and investigate novel genes response to salt stress. METHODS AND RESULTS High chlorophyll contents were detected in D. bioculata on the 35th d of salt stress, while high lipid and carotenoid contents were detected in D. quartolecta via morphological and biochemical analyses. Physiological analysis showed that D. quartolecta cells had a smaller increase in osmotic potential, a smaller decrease in the Na+/K+ ratio and photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm), and a lower relative conductivity than D. bioculata cells. The genomic lengths of D. quartolecta and D. bioculata were 396,013,629 bp (scaffold N50 = 1954 bp) and 427,667,563 bp (scaffold N50 = 3093 bp) via high-throughput sequencing and de novo assembly, respectively. Altogether, 25,751 and 26,620 genes were predicted in their genomes by annotation analysis with various biodatabases. The D. bioculata genome showed more segmental duplication events via collinearity analysis. More single nucleotide polymorphisms and insertion-deletion variants were detected in the D. bioculata genome. Both algae, which showed a close phylogenetic relationship, may undergo positive selection via bioinformatics analysis. A total of 382 and 85 novel genes were screened in D. bioculata and D. quartolecta, with 138 and 51 enriched KEGG pathways, respectively. Unlike the novel genes adh1, hprA and serA, the relative expression of livF and phbB in D. bioculata was markedly downregulated as salinity increased, as determined by qPCR analysis. The relative expression of leuB, asd, pstC and proA in D. quartolecta was markedly upregulated with the same salinity increase. CONCLUSION Dunaliella quartolecta is more halophilic than D. bioculata, with more effective responses to high salt stress based on the multiphase comparative data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Gao
- School of Life Science, Shanxi Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Regional Plants, Shanxi University, No. 92 Wucheng Road, Taiyuan, 030006, China
| | - Fangru Nan
- School of Life Science, Shanxi Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Regional Plants, Shanxi University, No. 92 Wucheng Road, Taiyuan, 030006, China
| | - Jia Feng
- School of Life Science, Shanxi Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Regional Plants, Shanxi University, No. 92 Wucheng Road, Taiyuan, 030006, China
| | - Junping Lv
- School of Life Science, Shanxi Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Regional Plants, Shanxi University, No. 92 Wucheng Road, Taiyuan, 030006, China
| | - Qi Liu
- School of Life Science, Shanxi Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Regional Plants, Shanxi University, No. 92 Wucheng Road, Taiyuan, 030006, China
| | - Xudong Liu
- School of Life Science, Shanxi Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Regional Plants, Shanxi University, No. 92 Wucheng Road, Taiyuan, 030006, China
| | - Shulian Xie
- School of Life Science, Shanxi Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Regional Plants, Shanxi University, No. 92 Wucheng Road, Taiyuan, 030006, China.
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Su X, Liu H, Yang X, Chen J, Zhang H, Xing L, Zhang X. Characterization of the transcriptomes and cuticular protein gene expression of alate adult, brachypterous neotenic and adultoid reproductives of Reticulitermes labralis. Sci Rep 2016; 6:34183. [PMID: 27690209 PMCID: PMC5044703 DOI: 10.1038/srep34183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2016] [Accepted: 09/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The separation of primary reproductive and secondary reproductive roles based on the differentiation of alate adults and neotenic reproductives is the most prominent characteristic of termites. To clarify the mechanism underlying this differentiation, we sequenced the transcriptomes of alate adults (ARs), brachypterous neotenics (BNs) and adultoid reproductives (ANs) from the last instar nymphs of Reticulitermes labralis. A total of 404,152,188 clean sequencing reads was obtained and 61,953 unigenes were assembled. Of the 54 identified cuticular protein (CP) genes of the reproductives, 22 were classified into the CPR family and 7 were classified into the CPG family. qRT-PCR analyses of the 6 CP genes revealed that the CP genes involved in exocuticle sclerotization were highly expressed in the ARs and RR-1 involved in soft endocuticle was highly expressed in the ARs and ANs. These results suggest that the alate adults might increase cuticular component deposition to adapt to new or changing environments and that the development of reproductive individuals into primary or secondary reproductives is controlled by the expression of cuticular protein genes involved in the hardening of the exocuticle. In addition, the AN caste is a transitional type between the BN and AR castes in the process of evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohong Su
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi'an, China.,Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Northwest University, Xi'an, China.,College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - He Liu
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiaojuan Yang
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jiaoling Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Honggui Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Lianxi Xing
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi'an, China.,Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Northwest University, Xi'an, China.,College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiaojing Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
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6
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Dedeine F, Weinert LA, Bigot D, Josse T, Ballenghien M, Cahais V, Galtier N, Gayral P. Comparative Analysis of Transcriptomes from Secondary Reproductives of Three Reticulitermes Termite Species. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0145596. [PMID: 26698123 PMCID: PMC4689415 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0145596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2015] [Accepted: 12/07/2015] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Termites are eusocial insects related to cockroaches that feed on lignocellulose. These insects are key species in ecosystems since they recycle a large amount of nutrients but also are pests, exerting major economic impacts. Knowledge on the molecular pathways underlying reproduction, caste differentiation or lignocellulose digestion would largely benefit from additional transcriptomic data. This study focused on transcriptomes of secondary reproductive females (nymphoid neotenics). Thirteen transcriptomes were used: 10 of Reticulitermes flavipes and R. grassei sequenced from a previous study, and two transcriptomes of R. lucifugus sequenced for the present study. After transcriptome assembly and read mapping, we examined interspecific variations of genes expressed by termites or gut microorganisms. A total of 18,323 orthologous gene clusters were detected. Functional annotation and taxonomic assignment were performed on a total of 41,287 predicted contigs in the three termite species. Between the termite species studied, functional categories of genes were comparable. Gene ontology (GO) terms analysis allowed the discovery of 9 cellulases and a total of 79 contigs potentially involved in 11 enzymatic activities used in wood metabolism. Altogether, results of this study illustrate the strong potential for the use of comparative interspecific transcriptomes, representing a complete resource for future studies including differentially expressed genes between castes or SNP analysis for population genetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franck Dedeine
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l’Insecte, UMR 7261, CNRS—Université François Rabelais, 37200, Tours, France
| | - Lucy A. Weinert
- Institut des Sciences de l’Evolution, UMR 5554, Université de Montpellier—CNRS—IRD—EPHE, Montpellier, France
| | - Diane Bigot
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l’Insecte, UMR 7261, CNRS—Université François Rabelais, 37200, Tours, France
| | - Thibaut Josse
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l’Insecte, UMR 7261, CNRS—Université François Rabelais, 37200, Tours, France
| | - Marion Ballenghien
- Institut des Sciences de l’Evolution, UMR 5554, Université de Montpellier—CNRS—IRD—EPHE, Montpellier, France
| | - Vincent Cahais
- Institut des Sciences de l’Evolution, UMR 5554, Université de Montpellier—CNRS—IRD—EPHE, Montpellier, France
| | - Nicolas Galtier
- Institut des Sciences de l’Evolution, UMR 5554, Université de Montpellier—CNRS—IRD—EPHE, Montpellier, France
| | - Philippe Gayral
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l’Insecte, UMR 7261, CNRS—Université François Rabelais, 37200, Tours, France
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7
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Oppenheim SJ, Baker RH, Simon S, DeSalle R. We can't all be supermodels: the value of comparative transcriptomics to the study of non-model insects. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2015; 24:139-54. [PMID: 25524309 PMCID: PMC4383654 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Insects are the most diverse group of organisms on the planet. Variation in gene expression lies at the heart of this biodiversity and recent advances in sequencing technology have spawned a revolution in researchers' ability to survey tissue-specific transcriptional complexity across a wide range of insect taxa. Increasingly, studies are using a comparative approach (across species, sexes and life stages) that examines the transcriptional basis of phenotypic diversity within an evolutionary context. In the present review, we summarize much of this research, focusing in particular on three critical aspects of insect biology: morphological development and plasticity; physiological response to the environment; and sexual dimorphism. A common feature that is emerging from these investigations concerns the dynamic nature of transcriptome evolution as indicated by rapid changes in the overall pattern of gene expression, the differential expression of numerous genes with unknown function, and the incorporation of novel, lineage-specific genes into the transcriptional profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara J Oppenheim
- Department of Entomology, Division of Invertebrates, Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural HistoryNew York, NY, USA
| | - Richard H Baker
- Department of Entomology, Division of Invertebrates, Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural HistoryNew York, NY, USA
| | - Sabrina Simon
- Biosystematics Group, Wageningen UniversityWageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Rob DeSalle
- Department of Entomology, Division of Invertebrates, Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural HistoryNew York, NY, USA
- Correspondence: Dr. Robert DeSalle, Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, 79th Street at Central Park West, New York, NY 10024, USA. Tel.: 212-769-5670; e-mail:
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8
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Harney E, Plaistow SJ, Paterson S. Transcriptional changes during Daphnia pulex development indicate that the maturation decision resembles a rate more than a threshold. J Evol Biol 2015; 28:944-58. [PMID: 25786891 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2014] [Revised: 03/04/2015] [Accepted: 03/12/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Maturation is a critical developmental process, and the age and size at which it occurs have important fitness consequences. Although maturation is remarkably variable, certain mechanisms, including a minimum size or state threshold, are proposed to underlie the process across a broad diversity of taxa. Recent evidence suggests that thresholds may themselves be developmentally plastic, and in the crustacean Daphnia pulex it is unclear whether maturation follows a threshold or is a gradual process more akin to a rate. Changes in gene expression across four instars before and during maturation were compared in a cDNA microarray experiment. Developmental stage was treated statistically both as a discontinuous and as a continuous variable, to determine whether genes showed gradual or discrete changes in expression. The continuous analysis identified a greater number of genes with significant differential expression (45) than the discontinuous analysis (11). The majority of genes, including those coding for histones, factors relating to transcription and cell cycle processes, and a putative developmental hormone showed continuous increases or decreases in expression from the first to the fourth instars that were studied, suggestive of a prolonged and gradual maturation process. Three genes coding for a fused vitellogenin/superoxide dismutase showed increases in expression following the second instar and coincided with the posited maturation threshold, but even their expression increased in a continuous fashion.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Harney
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
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9
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Scharf ME. Omic research in termites: an overview and a roadmap. Front Genet 2015; 6:76. [PMID: 25821456 PMCID: PMC4358217 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2015.00076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2014] [Accepted: 02/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Many recent breakthroughs in our understanding of termite biology have been facilitated by "omics" research. Omic science seeks to collectively catalog, quantify, and characterize pools of biological molecules that translate into structure, function, and life processes of an organism. Biological molecules in this context include genomic DNA, messenger RNA, proteins, and other biochemicals. Other permutations of omics that apply to termites include sociogenomics, which seeks to define social life in molecular terms (e.g., behavior, sociality, physiology, symbiosis, etc.) and digestomics, which seeks to define the collective pool of host and symbiont genes that collaborate to achieve high-efficiency lignocellulose digestion in the termite gut. This review covers a wide spectrum of termite omic studies from the past 15 years. Topics covered include a summary of terminology, the various kinds of omic efforts that have been undertaken, what has been revealed, and to a degree, what the results mean. Although recent omic efforts have contributed to a better understanding of many facets of termite and symbiont biology, and have created important new resources for many species, significant knowledge gaps still remain. Crossing these gaps can best be done by applying new omic resources within multi-dimensional (i.e., functional, translational, and applied) research programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael E Scharf
- Department of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN USA
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10
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Effects of caste on the expression of genes associated with septic injury and xenobiotic exposure in the Formosan subterranean termite. PLoS One 2014; 9:e105582. [PMID: 25141339 PMCID: PMC4139394 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0105582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2014] [Accepted: 07/22/2014] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
As social insects, termites live in densely populated colonies with specialized castes under conditions conducive to microbial growth and transmission. Furthermore, termites are exposed to xenobiotics in soil and their lignocellulose diet. Therefore, termites are valuable models for studying gene expression involved in response to septic injury, immunity and detoxification in relation to caste membership. In this study, workers and soldiers of the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus, were challenged by bacterial injection or by no-choice feeding with a sublethal concentration (0.5%) of phenobarbital. Constitutive and induced expression of six putative immune response genes (two encoding for lectin-like proteins, one for a ficolin-precursor, one for the Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule, one for a chitin binding protein, and one for the gram-negative binding protein 2) and four putative detoxification genes (two encoding for cytochrome P450s, one for glutathione S-transferase, and one for the multi antimicrobial extrusion protein), were measured via quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction and compared within and among 1) colonies, 2) treatment types and 3) castes via ANOVA. Eight genes were inducible by septic injury, feeding with phenobarbital or both. Colony origin had no effect on inducibility or differential gene expression. However, treatment type showed significant effects on the expression of the eight inducible genes. Caste effects on expression levels were significant in five of the eight inducible genes with constitutive and induced expression of most target genes being higher in workers than in soldiers.
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11
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Hussain A, Li YF, Cheng Y, Liu Y, Chen CC, Wen SY. Immune-related transcriptome of Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki workers: the defense mechanism. PLoS One 2013; 8:e69543. [PMID: 23874972 PMCID: PMC3712931 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0069543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2012] [Accepted: 06/14/2013] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Formosan subterranean termites, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki, live socially in microbial-rich habitats. To understand the molecular mechanism by which termites combat pathogenic microbes, a full-length normalized cDNA library and four Suppression Subtractive Hybridization (SSH) libraries were constructed from termite workers infected with entomopathogenic fungi (Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana), Gram-positive Bacillus thuringiensis and Gram-negative Escherichia coli, and the libraries were analyzed. From the high quality normalized cDNA library, 439 immune-related sequences were identified. These sequences were categorized as pattern recognition receptors (47 sequences), signal modulators (52 sequences), signal transducers (137 sequences), effectors (39 sequences) and others (164 sequences). From the SSH libraries, 27, 17, 22 and 15 immune-related genes were identified from each SSH library treated with M. anisopliae, B. bassiana, B. thuringiensis and E. coli, respectively. When the normalized cDNA library was compared with the SSH libraries, 37 immune-related clusters were found in common; 56 clusters were identified in the SSH libraries, and 259 were identified in the normalized cDNA library. The immune-related gene expression pattern was further investigated using quantitative real time PCR (qPCR). Important immune-related genes were characterized, and their potential functions were discussed based on the integrated analysis of the results. We suggest that normalized cDNA and SSH libraries enable us to discover functional genes transcriptome. The results remarkably expand our knowledge about immune-inducible genes in C. formosanus Shiraki and enable the future development of novel control strategies for the management of Formosan subterranean termites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abid Hussain
- Department of Entomology, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Yi-Feng Li
- Department of Entomology, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Yu Cheng
- Department of Entomology, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Entomology, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Chuan-Cheng Chen
- Department of Entomology, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Shuo-Yang Wen
- Department of Entomology, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
- * E-mail:
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12
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Hayashi Y, Shigenobu S, Watanabe D, Toga K, Saiki R, Shimada K, Bourguignon T, Lo N, Hojo M, Maekawa K, Miura T. Construction and characterization of normalized cDNA libraries by 454 pyrosequencing and estimation of DNA methylation levels in three distantly related termite species. PLoS One 2013; 8:e76678. [PMID: 24098800 PMCID: PMC3787108 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0076678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2013] [Accepted: 09/01/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In termites, division of labor among castes, categories of individuals that perform specialized tasks, increases colony-level productivity and is the key to their ecological success. Although molecular studies on caste polymorphism have been performed in termites, we are far from a comprehensive understanding of the molecular basis of this phenomenon. To facilitate future molecular studies, we aimed to construct expressed sequence tag (EST) libraries covering wide ranges of gene repertoires in three representative termite species, Hodotermopsis sjostedti, Reticulitermes speratus and Nasutitermes takasagoensis. We generated normalized cDNA libraries from whole bodies, except for guts containing microbes, of almost all castes, sexes and developmental stages and sequenced them with the 454 GS FLX titanium system. We obtained >1.2 million quality-filtered reads yielding >400 million bases for each of the three species. Isotigs, which are analogous to individual transcripts, and singletons were produced by assembling the reads and annotated using public databases. Genes related to juvenile hormone, which plays crucial roles in caste differentiation of termites, were identified from the EST libraries by BLAST search. To explore the potential for DNA methylation, which plays an important role in caste differentiation of honeybees, tBLASTn searches for DNA methyltransferases (dnmt1, dnmt2 and dnmt3) and methyl-CpG binding domain (mbd) were performed against the EST libraries. All four of these genes were found in the H. sjostedti library, while all except dnmt3 were found in R. speratus and N. takasagoensis. The ratio of the observed to the expected CpG content (CpG O/E), which is a proxy for DNA methylation level, was calculated for the coding sequences predicted from the isotigs and singletons. In all of the three species, the majority of coding sequences showed depletion of CpG O/E (less than 1), and the distributions of CpG O/E were bimodal, suggesting the presence of DNA methylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshinobu Hayashi
- Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Shuji Shigenobu
- NIBB Core Research Facilities, National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Japan
- Department of Basic Biology, School of Life Science, Graduate University for Advanced Studies, Okazaki, Japan
| | - Dai Watanabe
- Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Kouhei Toga
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Ryota Saiki
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Keisuke Shimada
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
- Ishikawa Museum of Natural History, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Thomas Bourguignon
- Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Nathan Lo
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Masaru Hojo
- Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Kiyoto Maekawa
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Toru Miura
- Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- * E-mail:
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Huang Q, Sun P, Zhou X, Lei C. Characterization of head transcriptome and analysis of gene expression involved in caste differentiation and aggression in Odontotermes formosanus (Shiraki). PLoS One 2012; 7:e50383. [PMID: 23209730 PMCID: PMC3510212 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0050383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2012] [Accepted: 10/19/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The subterranean termite Odontotermes formosanus (Shiraki) is a serious insect pest of trees and dams in China. To date, very little is known about genomic or transcriptomic data for caste differentiation and aggression in O. formosanus. Hence, studies on transcriptome and gene expression profiling are helpful to better understand molecular basis underlying caste differentiation and aggressive behavior in O. formosanus. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Using the Illumina sequencing, we obtained more than 57 million sequencing reads derived from the heads of O. formosanus. These reads were assembled into 116,885 unique sequences (mean size = 536 bp). Of the unigenes, 30,646 (26.22%) had significant similarity with proteins in the NCBI nonredundant protein database and Swiss-Prot database (E-value<10(-5)). Of these annotated unigenes, 10,409 and 9,009 unigenes were assigned to gene ontology categories and clusters of orthologous groups, respectively. In total, 19,611 (25.52%) unigenes were mapped onto 242 pathways using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes Pathway database (KEGG). A total of 11,661 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were predicted from the current transcriptome database. Moreover, we detected seven putative genes involved in caste differentiation and six putative genes involved in aggression. The qPCR analysis showed that there were significant differences in the expression levels of the three putative genes hexamerin 2, β-glycosidase and bicaudal D involved in caste differentiation and one putative gene Cyp6a20 involved in aggression among workers, soldiers and larvae of O. formosanus. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, this is the first study to characterize the complete head transcriptome of a higher fungus-cultivating termite using high-throughput sequencing. Our study has provided the comprehensive sequence resources available for elucidating molecular basis underlying caste differentiation and aggressive behavior in O. formosanus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuying Huang
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Pengdong Sun
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xuguo Zhou
- Department of Entomology, S-225 Agricultural Science Center N, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, United States of America
| | - Chaoliang Lei
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
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