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Oguchi K, Miura T. Body part-specific development in termite caste differentiation: crosstalk between hormonal actions and developmental toolkit genes. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2024; 63:101183. [PMID: 38428818 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2024.101183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
In social insects, interactions among colony members trigger caste differentiation with morphological modifications. During caste differentiation in termites, body parts and caste-specific morphologies are modified during postembryonic development under endocrine controls such as juvenile hormone (JH) and ecdysone. In addition to endocrine factors, developmental toolkit genes such as Hox- and appendage-patterning genes also contribute to the caste-specific body part modifications. These toolkits are thought to provide spatial information for specific morphogenesis. During social evolution, the complex crosstalks between physiological and developmental mechanisms should be established, leading to the sophisticated caste systems. This article reviews recent studies on these mechanisms underlying the termite caste differentiation and addresses implications for the evolution of caste systems in termites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kohei Oguchi
- Misaki Marine Biological Station, The University of Tokyo, Miura, Kanagawa 238-0225, Japan
| | - Toru Miura
- Misaki Marine Biological Station, The University of Tokyo, Miura, Kanagawa 238-0225, Japan.
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2
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Oguchi K, Koshikawa S, Miura T. Hormone-related genes heterochronically and modularly regulate neotenic differentiation in termites. Dev Biol 2022; 485:70-79. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2022.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Milacek M, Bittova L, Tumova S, Luksan O, Hanus R, Kyjakova P, Machara A, Marek A, Jindra M. Binding of de novo synthesized radiolabeled juvenile hormone (JH III) by JH receptors from the Cuban subterranean termite Prorhinotermes simplex and the German cockroach Blattella germanica. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 139:103671. [PMID: 34656795 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2021.103671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Juvenile hormone (JH) controls insect reproduction and development through an intracellular receptor complex comprising two bHLH-PAS proteins, the JH-binding Methoprene-tolerant (Met) and its partner Taiman (Tai). Many hemimetabolous insects including cockroaches strictly depend on JH for stimulation of vitellogenesis. In termites, the eusocial hemimetabolans, JH also regulates the development of caste polyphenism. Studies addressing the agonist ligand binding to recombinant JH receptors currently include three species belonging to two holometabolous insect orders, but none that would represent any of the hemimetabolous orders. Here, we examined JH receptors in two representatives of Blattodea, the cockroach Blattella germanica and the termite Prorhinotermes simplex. To test the JH-binding capacity of Met proteins from these species, we performed chemical synthesis and tritium labeling of the natural blattodean JH homolog, JH III. Our improved protocol increased the yield and specific activity of [10-3H]JH III relative to formerly available preparations. Met proteins from both species specifically bound [3H]JH III with high affinity, whereas Met variants mutated at a critical position within the ligand-binding domain were incapable of such binding. Furthermore, JH III and the synthetic JH mimic fenoxycarb stimulated dimerization between Met and Tai components of the respective JH receptors of both species. These data present primary evidence for agonist binding by JH receptors in any hemimetabolous species and provide a molecular basis for JH action in cockroaches and termites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matej Milacek
- Biology Center of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, 370 05, Czech Republic; Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, 370 05, Czech Republic
| | - Lenka Bittova
- Biology Center of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, 370 05, Czech Republic
| | - Sarka Tumova
- Biology Center of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, 370 05, Czech Republic
| | - Ondrej Luksan
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, 166 10, Czech Republic
| | - Robert Hanus
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, 166 10, Czech Republic
| | - Pavlina Kyjakova
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, 166 10, Czech Republic
| | - Ales Machara
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, 166 10, Czech Republic
| | - Ales Marek
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, 166 10, Czech Republic.
| | - Marek Jindra
- Biology Center of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, 370 05, Czech Republic; Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, 370 05, Czech Republic.
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4
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Korb J, Greiner C, Foget M, Geiler A. How Can Termites Achieve Their Unparalleled Postembryonic Developmental Plasticity? A Test for the Role of Intermolt-Specific High Juvenile Hormone Titers. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.619594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Termites are “social cockroaches” and amongst the most phenotypically plastic insects. The different castes (i.e., two types of reproductives, workers, and soldiers) within termite societies are all encoded by a single genome and present the result of differential postembryonic development. Besides the default progressive development into winged sexuals of solitary hemimetabolous insects, termites have two postembryonic, non-terminal molts (stationary and regressive; i.e., molts associated, respectively, with no change or reduction of size/morphological differentiation) which allow them to retain workers, and two terminal developmental types to become soldiers and replacement reproductives. Despite this unique plasticity, especially the mechanisms underlying the non-terminal development are poorly understood. In 1982, Nijhout and Wheeler proposed a model how this diversity might have evolved. They proposed that varying juvenile hormone (JH) titers at the start, mid-phase, and end of each intermolt period account for the developmental diversity. We tested this rarely addressed model in the lower termite Cryptotermes secundus using phase-specific pharmacological manipulations of JH titers. Our results partially support the Nijhout and Wheeler model. These data are supplemented with gene expression studies of JH-related genes that characterize different postembryonic developmental trajectories. Our study provides new insights into the evolution of the unique postembryonic developmental plasticity of termites that constitutes the foundation of their social life.
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Oguchi K, Maekawa K, Miura T. Regulatory Mechanisms Underlying the Differentiation of Neotenic Reproductives in Termites: Partial Release From Arrested Development. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.635552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Eusocial insects exhibit reproductive division of labor, in which only a part of colony members differentiates into reproductives. In termite colonies, the division of labors is performed among multiple types of individuals (i.e., castes), such as reproductives, workers, and soldiers to organize their society. Caste differentiation occurs according to extrinsic factors, such as social interactions, leading to developmental modifications during postembryonic development, and consequently, the caste ratio in a colony is appropriately coordinated. In particular, when the current reproductives die or become senescent, some immature individuals molt into supplementary reproductives, also known as “neotenics,” that take over the reproductive task in their natal colony. Neotenics exhibit variety of larval features, such as winglessness, and thus, immature individuals are suggested to differentiate by a partial release from arrested development, particularly in the reproductive organs. These neotenic features, which have long been assumed to develop via heterochronic regulation, provide us opportunities to understand the developmental mechanisms and evolutionary origin of the novel caste. This article overviews the accumulated data on the physiological and developmental mechanisms that regulate the neotenic differentiation in termites. Furthermore, the evolutionary trajectories leading to neotenic differentiation are discussed, namely the acquisition of a regulatory mechanism that enable the partial release from a developmentally arrested state.
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Waidele L, Korb J, Voolstra CR, Dedeine F, Staubach F. Ecological specificity of the metagenome in a set of lower termite species supports contribution of the microbiome to adaptation of the host. Anim Microbiome 2019; 1:13. [PMID: 33499940 PMCID: PMC7807685 DOI: 10.1186/s42523-019-0014-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Elucidating the interplay between hosts and their microbiomes in ecological adaptation has become a central theme in evolutionary biology. A textbook example of microbiome-mediated adaptation is the adaptation of lower termites to a wood-based diet, as they depend on their gut microbiome to digest wood. Lower termites have further adapted to different life types. Termites of the wood-dwelling life type never leave their nests and feed on a uniform diet. Termites of the foraging life type forage for food outside the nest and have access to other nutrients. Here we sought to investigate whether the microbiome that is involved in food substrate breakdown and nutrient acquisition might contribute to adaptation to these dietary differences. We reasoned that this should leave ecological imprints on the microbiome. Results We investigated the protist and bacterial microbiomes of a total of 29 replicate colonies from five termite species, covering both life types, using metagenomic shotgun sequencing. The microbiome of wood-dwelling species with a uniform wood diet was enriched for genes involved in lignocellulose degradation. Furthermore, metagenomic patterns suggest that the microbiome of wood-dwelling species relied primarily on direct fixation of atmospheric nitrogen, while the microbiome of foraging species entailed the necessary pathways to utilize nitrogen in the form of nitrate for example from soil. Conclusion Our findings are consistent with the notion that the microbiome of wood-dwelling species bears an imprint of its specialization on degrading a uniform wood diet, while the microbiome of the foraging species might reflect its adaption to access growth limiting nutrients from more diverse sources. This supports the idea that specific subsets of functions encoded by the microbiome can contribute to host adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Waidele
- Biologie I, University of Freiburg, Hauptstr. 1, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Judith Korb
- Biologie I, University of Freiburg, Hauptstr. 1, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | | | - Franck Dedeine
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte, UMR 7261, CNRS - Université de Tours, 37200, Tours, France
| | - Fabian Staubach
- Biologie I, University of Freiburg, Hauptstr. 1, 79104, Freiburg, Germany.
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7
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Cesar CS, Giacometti D, Costa-Leonardo AM, Casarin FE. Drywood Pest Termite Cryptotermes brevis (Blattaria: Isoptera: Kalotermitidae): a Detailed Morphological Study of Pseudergates. NEOTROPICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2019; 48:822-833. [PMID: 31197677 DOI: 10.1007/s13744-019-00687-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2018] [Accepted: 04/11/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The Kalotermitidae Cryptotermes brevis (Walker) presents colonies that lack a true worker caste. They have totipotent worker-like individuals named pseudergates. Few studies have characterized the morphology of immature instars, including pseudergates. In order to identify these instars and characterize the pseudergates, we conducted a comparison between morphometric and morphological variations among immature individuals of C. brevis colonies. Juvenile hormone analog (JHA) was used in the first instar nymphs to induce regressive molts and compare morphological differences between nymphs and pseudergates. Results showed the existence of three larval instars and four nymphal instars. These immatures were morphologically characterized. Individuals classified as third instar larvae presented white body, 10 to 12 antennal articles, absent or small non-pigmented compound eyes, and absence of wing buds. Pseudergates presented pigmented abdomen and sclerotized cuticle, 10 to 12 antennal articles, and absent or small compound eyes, and few specimens had large pigmented compound eyes and absence of wing buds. First instar nymphs had pigmented abdomen and sclerotized cuticle, 10 to 12 antennal articles, both large non-pigmented and pigmented compound eyes, the presence of wing buds. Bioassays using JHA on first instar nymphs resulted in a large percentage of nymph-soldier intercastes. We concluded that abdomen pigmentation and sclerotized cuticle are good characters to differentiate pseudergates from larvae and the absence of wing buds is a good character to differentiate pseudergates from nymphs. Our findings not only contribute to the basic biological and morphological information of this species but also help to identify correctly pseudergates in further studies that involve applied bioassays.
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Affiliation(s)
- C S Cesar
- Dept of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Lab de Termitologia, Federal Univ of São Paulo (UNIFESP), Diadema, SP, Brasil.
- Dept of Ecology, Univ of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
| | - D Giacometti
- Dept of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Lab de Termitologia, Federal Univ of São Paulo (UNIFESP), Diadema, SP, Brasil
| | - A M Costa-Leonardo
- Dept of Biological Sciences, Instituto de Biociências, São Paulo State Univ (UNESP), Rio Claro, SP, Brasil
| | - F E Casarin
- Dept of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Lab de Termitologia, Federal Univ of São Paulo (UNIFESP), Diadema, SP, Brasil
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8
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Xu QY, Du JL, Mu LL, Guo WC, Li GQ. Importance of Taiman in Larval-Pupal Transition in Leptinotarsa decemlineata. Front Physiol 2019; 10:724. [PMID: 31263425 PMCID: PMC6584964 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2019] [Accepted: 05/27/2019] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Insect Taiman (Tai) binds to methoprene-tolerant to form a heterodimeric complex, mediating juvenile hormone (JH) signaling to regulate larval development and to prevent premature metamorphosis. Tai also acts as a steroid receptor coactivator of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) receptor heterodimer, ecdysone receptor (EcR) and Ultraspiracle (USP), to control the differentiation of early germline cells and the migration of specific follicle cells and border cells in ovaries in several insect species. In holometabolous insects, however, whether Tai functions as the coactivator of EcR/USP to transduce 20E message during larval-pupal transition is unknown. In the present paper, we found that the LdTai mRNA levels were positively correlated with circulating JH and 20E titers in Leptinotarsa decemlineata; and ingestion of either JH or 20E stimulated the transcription of LdTai. Moreover, RNA interference (RNAi)-aided knockdown of LdTai at the fourth (final) instar stage repressed both JH and 20E signals, inhibited larval growth and shortened larval developing period. The knockdown caused 100% larval lethality due to failure of larval-pupal ecdysis. Under the apolysed larval cuticle, the LdTai RNAi prepupae possessed pupal thorax. In contrast, the process of tracheal ecdysis was uncompleted. Neither JH nor 20E rescued the aforementioned defectives in LdTai RNAi larvae. It appears that Tai mediates both JH and 20E signaling. Our results uncover a link between JH and 20E pathways during metamorphosis in L. decemlineata.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing-Yu Xu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests, Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jun-Li Du
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests, Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.,College of Agriculture, Anhui Science and Technology University, Fengyang, China
| | - Li-Li Mu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests, Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wen-Chao Guo
- Institute of Plant Protection, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Urumqi, China.,Key Laboratory of Intergraded Management of Harmful Crop Vermin of China North-Western Oasis, Ministry of Agriculture, Urumqi, China
| | - Guo-Qing Li
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests, Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
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9
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Jongepier E, Kemena C, Lopez-Ezquerra A, Belles X, Bornberg-Bauer E, Korb J. Remodeling of the juvenile hormone pathway through caste-biased gene expression and positive selection along a gradient of termite eusociality. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART B-MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2018; 330:296-304. [PMID: 29845724 DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.22805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2018] [Revised: 04/25/2018] [Accepted: 05/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The evolution of division of labor between sterile and fertile individuals represents one of the major transitions in biological complexity. A fascinating gradient in eusociality evolved among the ancient hemimetabolous insects, ranging from noneusocial cockroaches through the primitively social lower termites-where workers retain the ability to reproduce-to the higher termites, characterized by lifetime commitment to worker sterility. Juvenile hormone (JH) is a prime candidate for the regulation of reproductive division of labor in termites, as it plays a key role in insect postembryonic development and reproduction. We compared the expression of JH pathway genes between workers and queens in two lower termites (Zootermopsis nevadensis and Cryptotermes secundus) and a higher termite (Macrotermes natalensis) to that of analogous nymphs and adult females of the noneusocial cockroach Blattella germanica. JH biosynthesis and metabolism genes ranged from reproductive female-biased expression in the cockroach to predominantly worker-biased expression in the lower termites. Remarkably, the expression profile of JH pathway genes sets the higher termite apart from the two lower termites, as well as the cockroach, indicating that JH signaling has undergone major changes in this eusocial termite. These changes go beyond mere shifts in gene expression between the different castes, as we find evidence for positive selection in several termite JH pathway genes. Thus, remodeling of the JH pathway may have played a major role in termite social evolution, representing a striking case of convergent molecular evolution between the termites and the distantly related social hymenoptera.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelien Jongepier
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Carsten Kemena
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | | | - Xavier Belles
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva, CSIC-University Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Erich Bornberg-Bauer
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Judith Korb
- Evolutionary Biology & Ecology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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10
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Zhang W, Ma L, Xiao H, Liu C, Chen L, Wu S, Liang G. Identification and characterization of genes involving the early step of Juvenile Hormone pathway in Helicoverpa armigera. Sci Rep 2017; 7:16542. [PMID: 29185447 PMCID: PMC5707400 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-16319-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2017] [Accepted: 11/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Juvenile hormones (JHs) are crucial regulators for multiple physiological processes in insects. In the current study, 10 genes in mevalonate pathway involved in JH biosynthesis were identified from Helicoverpa armigera. Tissue-specific expression analysis showed that six genes were highly expressed in the head which contained the JH biosynthetic gland (corpora allata). Temporal expression pattern showed that 10 of 12 genes were highly transcribed in the late 2nd-instar when the in vivo JH titer reached the peak, indicating a tight correlation between JH titer and the transcription of JH synthetic pathway genes. Moreover, ingestion of methoprene, a JH analogue, significantly suppressed the transcription of nine JH biosynthetic genes and caused a feedback upregulation of the JH degradation enzyme. Particularly, the Acetoacetyl CoA thiolase (HaAce) and Farnesyl diphosphate synthase gene 4 (HaFpps4) showed high transcript abundance, and their temporal expressions keep pace with JH fluctuations. Further study by RNAi showed that knockdown of HaFpps4 caused the decrease of JH titer, led to a negative effect on the transcript levels of other genes in JH pathway, and resulted in molting disturbance in larvae. Altogether, these results contribute to our understanding of JH biosynthesis in H. armigera and provide target genes for pest control based on JH-dependent regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanna Zhang
- Institute of Entomology, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China.,State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Long Ma
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Bioprocess Engineering, Jiangxi Science & Technology Normal University, Nanchang, 330013, China
| | - Haijun Xiao
- Institute of Entomology, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China
| | - Chen Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Lin Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Shaolong Wu
- China Tobacco Midsouth Agricultural Experimental Station, Changsha, 410128, China
| | - Gemei Liang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China.
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11
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Santos AA, de Oliveira BMS, Melo CR, Lima APS, Santana EDR, Blank AF, Picanço MC, Araújo APA, Cristaldo PF, Bacci L. Sub-lethal effects of essential oil of Lippia sidoides on drywood termite Cryptotermes brevis (Blattodea: Termitoidea). ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2017; 145:436-441. [PMID: 28778042 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2017.07.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2017] [Revised: 07/18/2017] [Accepted: 07/24/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The drywood termite Cryptotermes brevis (Walker, 1853) (Kalotermitidae) is one of the most important wood structural pest in the world. Substances from the secondary metabolism of plants (e.g., essential oils) have been considered an environmentally safer form of control for urban pests, such as termites. In the present study, we analyzed the lethal and sub-lethal effects of essential oil of Lippia sidoides and its major components on C. brevis pseudergates in two routes of exposure (contact and fumigation). The essential oil of L. sidoides and thymol were more toxic to C. brevis pseudergates when applied by contact (LD50 = 9.33 and 8.20µgmg-1, respectively) and by fumigation (LC50 = 9.10 and 23.6µLL-1, respectively). In general, treatments changed the individual and collective behaviors of C. brevis pseudergates, as well as the displacement and walking speed. The essential oil of L. sidoides and its major components showed a high potential to control C. brevis pseudergates, due to the bioactivity in the two routes of exposure and the sub-lethal effects on the behavior and walking, important activities for the cohesion of C. brevis colonies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abraão Almeida Santos
- Departamento de Engenharia Agronômica, and Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Sergipe 49100-000, Brazil; Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais 36570-900, Brazil
| | - Bruna Maria Santos de Oliveira
- Departamento de Engenharia Agronômica, and Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Sergipe 49100-000, Brazil
| | - Carlisson Ramos Melo
- Departamento de Engenharia Agronômica, and Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Sergipe 49100-000, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Santana Lima
- Departamento de Engenharia Agronômica, and Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Sergipe 49100-000, Brazil
| | - Emile Dayara Rabelo Santana
- Departamento de Engenharia Agronômica, and Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Sergipe 49100-000, Brazil
| | - Arie Fitzgerald Blank
- Departamento de Engenharia Agronômica, and Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Sergipe 49100-000, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Coutinho Picanço
- Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais 36570-900, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Albano Araújo
- Departamento de Engenharia Agronômica, and Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Sergipe 49100-000, Brazil
| | - Paulo Fellipe Cristaldo
- Departamento de Engenharia Agronômica, and Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Sergipe 49100-000, Brazil
| | - Leandro Bacci
- Departamento de Engenharia Agronômica, and Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Sergipe 49100-000, Brazil.
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12
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Richards C, Otani S, Mikaelyan A, Poulsen M. Pycnoscelus surinamensis cockroach gut microbiota respond consistently to a fungal diet without mirroring those of fungus-farming termites. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0185745. [PMID: 28973021 PMCID: PMC5626473 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0185745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 08/21/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiotas of cockroaches and termites play important roles in the symbiotic digestion of dietary components, such as lignocellulose. Diet has been proposed as a primary determinant of community structure within the gut, acting as a selection force to shape the diversity observed within this “bioreactor”, and as a key factor for the divergence of the termite gut microbiota from the omnivorous cockroach ancestor. The gut microbiota in most termites supports primarily the breakdown of lignocellulose, but the fungus-farming sub-family of higher termites has become similar in gut microbiota to the ancestral omnivorous cockroaches. To assess the importance of a fungus diet as a driver of community structure, we compare community compositions in the guts of experimentally manipulated Pycnoscelus surinamensis cockroaches fed on fungus cultivated by fungus-farming termites. MiSeq amplicon analysis of gut microbiotas from 49 gut samples showed a step-wise gradient pattern in community similarity that correlated with an increase in the proportion of fungal material provided to the cockroaches. Comparison of the taxonomic composition of manipulated communities to that of gut communities of a fungus-feeding termite species showed that although some bacteria OTUs shared by P. surinamensis and the farming termites increased in the guts of cockroaches on a fungal diet, cockroach communities remained distinct from those of termites. These results demonstrate that a fungal diet can play a role in structuring gut community composition, but at the same time exemplifies how original community compositions constrain the magnitude of such change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Callum Richards
- Centre for Social Evolution, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen East, Denmark
| | - Saria Otani
- Centre for Social Evolution, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen East, Denmark
| | - Aram Mikaelyan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, VU Station B, Nashville, TN, United States of America
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, & Immunology, Vanderbilt University, VU Station B, Nashville, TN, United States of America
| | - Michael Poulsen
- Centre for Social Evolution, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen East, Denmark
- * E-mail:
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Korb J, Belles X. Juvenile hormone and hemimetabolan eusociality: a comparison of cockroaches with termites. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2017; 22:109-116. [PMID: 28805632 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2017.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2017] [Revised: 05/17/2017] [Accepted: 06/09/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Termites are social Dictyoptera that evolved eusociality independently from social Hymenoptera. They are characterized by unique developmental plasticity that is the basis of caste differentiation and social organization. As developmental plasticity is a result of endocrine regulation, in order to understand the evolution of termite sociality it is helpful to compare the endocrine underpinning of development between termites and cockroaches. Nijhout and Wheeler (1982) proposed that varying JH titers determine caste differentiation in termites. Based on current results, we extend this model by adding the importance of social interactions. High JH titers in the presence of soldiers lead to regressive development (decrease in body size, apparent regression in development), while an absence of soldiers induces (pre-)soldier differentiation. On the opposite side, low JH titers in colonies headed by reproductives result in progressive molts toward adults, while an absence of reproductives induces development of replacement reproductives. In cockroaches, transcription factors involved in JH signaling, including the adult specifier E93 (the co-called MEKRE93 pathway) regulate the morphogenetic transition between the nymph and the adult. In termites, we speculate that castes might be determined by social effects playing a modulatory action of JH in the MEKRE93 pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith Korb
- Evolutionary Biology & Ecology, University of Freiburg, Hauptstrasse 1, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Xavier Belles
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Passeig Marítim 37, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
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Glastad KM, Gokhale K, Liebig J, Goodisman MAD. The caste- and sex-specific DNA methylome of the termite Zootermopsis nevadensis. Sci Rep 2016; 6:37110. [PMID: 27848993 PMCID: PMC5111047 DOI: 10.1038/srep37110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2016] [Accepted: 10/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic inheritance plays an important role in mediating alternative phenotype in highly social species. In order to gain a greater understanding of epigenetic effects in societies, we investigated DNA methylation in the termite Zootermopsis nevadensis. Termites are the most ancient social insects, and developmentally distinct from highly-studied, hymenopteran social insects. We used replicated bisulfite-sequencing to investigate patterns of DNA methylation in both sexes and among castes of Z. nevadensis. We discovered that Z. nevadensis displayed some of the highest levels of DNA methylation found in insects. We also found strong differences in methylation between castes. Methylated genes tended to be uniformly and highly expressed demonstrating the antiquity of associations between intragenic methylation and gene expression. Differentially methylated genes were more likely to be alternatively spliced than not differentially methylated genes, and possessed considerable enrichment for development-associated functions. We further observed strong overrepresentation of multiple transcription factor binding sites and miRNA profiles associated with differential methylation, providing new insights into the possible function of DNA methylation. Overall, our results show that DNA methylation is widespread and associated with caste differences in termites. More generally, this study provides insights into the function of DNA methylation and the success of insect societies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karl M Glastad
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, USA.,School of Biology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Kaustubh Gokhale
- Department of Environmental Science Policy and Management, University of California, Berkley, 94720, USA
| | - Jürgen Liebig
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, USA
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15
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Identification of ten mevalonate enzyme-encoding genes and their expression in response to juvenile hormone levels in Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say). Gene 2016; 584:136-47. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2016.02.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2015] [Revised: 02/12/2016] [Accepted: 02/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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16
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Fu KY, Guo WC, Ahmat T, Li GQ. Knockdown of a nutrient amino acid transporter gene LdNAT1 reduces free neutral amino acid contents and impairs Leptinotarsa decemlineata pupation. Sci Rep 2015; 5:18124. [PMID: 26657797 PMCID: PMC4676043 DOI: 10.1038/srep18124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2015] [Accepted: 11/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
A Leptinotarsa decemlineata SLC6 NAT gene (LdNAT1) was cloned. LdNAT1 was highly expressed in the larval alimentary canal especially midgut. LdNAT1 mRNA levels were high right after the molt and low just before the molt. JH and a JH analog pyriproxyfen activated LdNAT1 expression. RNAi of an allatostatin gene LdAS-C increased JH and upregulated LdNAT1 transcription. Conversely, silencing of a JH biosynthesis gene LdJHAMT decreased JH and reduced LdNAT1 expression. Moreover, 20E and an ecdysteroid agonist halofenozide repressed LdNAT1 expression, whereas a decrease in 20E by RNAi of an ecdysteroidogenesis gene LdSHD and disruption of 20E signaling by knockdown of LdE75 and LdFTZ-F1 activated LdNAT1 expression. Thus, LdNAT1 responded to both 20E and JH. Moreover, knockdown of LdNAT1 reduced the contents of cysteine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, methionine, phenylalanine and serine in the larval bodies and increased the contents of these amino acids in the larval feces. Furthermore, RNAi of LdNAT1 inhibited insulin/target of rapamycin pathway, lowered 20E and JH titers, reduced 20E and JH signaling, retarded larval growth and impaired pupation. These data showed that LdNAT1 was involved in the absorption of several neutral amino acids critical for larval growth and metamorphosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai-Yun Fu
- Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Wen-Chao Guo
- Department of Plant Protection, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences; Urumqi 830091, China
| | - Tursun Ahmat
- Department of Plant Protection, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences; Urumqi 830091, China
| | - Guo-Qing Li
- Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
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Su XH, Xue W, Liu H, Chen JL, Zhang XJ, Xing LX, Liu MH. The development of adultoid reproductives and brachypterous neotenic reproductives from the last instar nymphs in Reticulitermes labralis (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae): a comparative study. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2015; 15:147. [PMID: 26494776 PMCID: PMC4622179 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/iev130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2015] [Accepted: 09/29/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Secondary reproductives develop primarily from nymphs. However, they have been rarely studied; in particular, the development of adultoid reproductives (AR) with floppy wings is still unclear. In this study, the change in juvenile hormone (JH) levels, vitellogenin gene expression, and oogenesis during the development of AR and brachypterous neotenic reproductives (BN) from the last instar nymphs of Reticulitermes labralis are investigated and compared. The results showed that the AR derived from the last instar nymphs by molting, and they were more similar to neotenic reproductives in morphology. In addition, the paired AR were not able to survive in the absence of workers. In R. labralis, the process of the last instar nymphs developing into AR and BN took an increase in JH level as a starting point. The JH level of the last instar nymphs molting into BN was approximately 1.5-fold higher than that of the AR. Additionally, The JHIII level of BN peaked on day 5, and that of AR peaked on day 10, which induced the onset of vitellogenesis in BN and AR, respectively. After molting, the vitellogenin gene expression levels of both BN and AR initially increased and then declined, and the expression levels in the BN were significantly higher than those in the AR. In addition, the oocytes of BN matured earlier than those of the AR, and the number of eggs laid by the BN was higher than the number laid by the AR. Our results demonstrate that, in R. labralis, the last instar nymphs can develop into AR, which are significantly different from BN in their development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Hong Su
- Biology Department, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Wei Xue
- Biology Department, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - He Liu
- Biology Department, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jiao Ling Chen
- Biology Department, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiao Jing Zhang
- Biology Department, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Lian Xi Xing
- Biology Department, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Ming Hua Liu
- Biology Department, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
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Korb J, Poulsen M, Hu H, Li C, Boomsma JJ, Zhang G, Liebig J. A genomic comparison of two termites with different social complexity. Front Genet 2015; 6:9. [PMID: 25788900 PMCID: PMC4348803 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2015.00009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2014] [Accepted: 01/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The termites evolved eusociality and complex societies before the ants, but have been studied much less. The recent publication of the first two termite genomes provides a unique comparative opportunity, particularly because the sequenced termites represent opposite ends of the social complexity spectrum. Zootermopsis nevadensis has simple colonies with totipotent workers that can develop into all castes (dispersing reproductives, nest-inheriting replacement reproductives, and soldiers). In contrast, the fungus-growing termite Macrotermes natalensis belongs to the higher termites and has very large and complex societies with morphologically distinct castes that are life-time sterile. Here we compare key characteristics of genomic architecture, focusing on genes involved in communication, immune defenses, mating biology and symbiosis that were likely important in termite social evolution. We discuss these in relation to what is known about these genes in the ants and outline hypothesis for further testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith Korb
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Institute of Biology I, University of FreiburgFreiburg, Germany
| | - Michael Poulsen
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, Centre for Social Evolution, University of CopenhagenCopenhagen, Denmark
| | - Haofu Hu
- China National Genebank, BGI-ShenzhenShenzhen, China
| | - Cai Li
- China National Genebank, BGI-ShenzhenShenzhen, China
- Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of CopenhagenCopenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jacobus J. Boomsma
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, Centre for Social Evolution, University of CopenhagenCopenhagen, Denmark
| | - Guojie Zhang
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, Centre for Social Evolution, University of CopenhagenCopenhagen, Denmark
- China National Genebank, BGI-ShenzhenShenzhen, China
| | - Jürgen Liebig
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State UniversityTempe, AZ, USA
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Meng QW, Liu XP, Lü FG, Fu KY, Guo WC, Li GQ. Involvement of a putative allatostatin in regulation of juvenile hormone titer and the larval development in Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say). Gene 2015; 554:105-13. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2014.10.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2014] [Revised: 09/12/2014] [Accepted: 10/18/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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20
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De Loof A, Boerjan B, Ernst UR, Schoofs L. The mode of action of juvenile hormone and ecdysone: towards an epi-endocrinological paradigm? Gen Comp Endocrinol 2013; 188:35-45. [PMID: 23454668 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2013.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2012] [Revised: 02/07/2013] [Accepted: 02/12/2013] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
In some insect species, two sites of juvenile hormone (JH) synthesis have been reported: the very well documented corpora allata that secrete JH for "general use", and the reproductive system, in particular the male accessory glands, in which the function of the sometimes huge amounts of JH (e.g. in Hyalophora cecropia) remains to be clarified. A recent finding in Schistocerca gregaria, namely that suppression of the ecdysteroid peak preceding a molt by RNAi of the Halloween genes spook, phantom and shade does not impede normal molting, challenges the (never experimentally proven) classical concept that such a peak is causally linked to a molt. Recent developments in epigenetic control of gene expression in both the honey bee and in locusts suggest that, in addition to the classical scheme of hormone-receptor (membrane- and/or nuclear) mode of action, there may be a third way. Upon combining these and other orphan data that do not fit in the commonly accepted textbook schemes, we here advance the working hypothesis that both JH and ecdysone might be important but overlooked players in epigenetic control of gene expression, in particular at extreme concentrations (peak values or total absence). In this review, we put forward how epi-endocrinology can complement classical arthropod endocrinology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnold De Loof
- Research Group of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, Bus 2465, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
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Bourguignon T, Šobotník J, Sillam-Dussès D, Jiroš P, Hanus R, Roisin Y, Miura T. Developmental pathways of Psammotermes hybostoma (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae): old pseudergates make up a new sterile caste. PLoS One 2012; 7:e44527. [PMID: 23028554 PMCID: PMC3444481 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0044527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2012] [Accepted: 08/03/2012] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ergonomic efficiency is in termites maximized by task partitioning among specialized castes. The isopteran caste systems can be classified as either (i) linear, when tasks are performed by pluripotent immatures (pseudergates), retaining the ability to develop into winged imagoes or (ii) bifurcated, with the presence of a true worker caste, which diverges early and permanently from the sexual (nymph/alate) line. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Here, we report on the ontogenetic potentialities of the highly polymorphic sand termite Psammotermes hybostoma. Beside numerous pluripotent pseudergates, constituting the main work force, some larger non-feeding apterous immatures, also occur. These individuals are unable to proceed to the winged imago stage, but store large amounts of fat and also give rise to large soldiers. Soldiers therefore originate from a wide range of apterous instars, consequently being highly polymorphic. CONCLUSIONS The caste system of P. hybostoma is essentially linear, as in other basal Rhinotermitidae, but is distinguished by the late bifurcation leading to large apterous immatures. Because these large worker-like individuals deviate late and do not perform worker tasks, they cannot be considered homologous to the true workers of Termitidae and advanced Rhinotermitidae, but they provide a novel example of the evolution of sterile immatures in termites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Bourguignon
- Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jan Šobotník
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Prague, Czech Republic
- Czech University of Life Sciences, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - David Sillam-Dussès
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Prague, Czech Republic
- Laboratoire Écologie et Évolution, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France
- IRD, UMR 211 BIOEMCO, IBIOS, Bondy, France
- Laboratoire d’Ethologie Expérimentale et Comparée, Université Paris 13, Villetaneuse, France
| | - Pavel Jiroš
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Robert Hanus
- Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Yves Roisin
- Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Toru Miura
- Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
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