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Matsumura K, Onuma T, Kondo S, Noguchi H, Uchiyama H, Yajima S, Sasaki K, Miyatake T. Transcriptomic comparison between populations selected for higher and lower mobility in the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum. Sci Rep 2024; 14:67. [PMID: 38167631 PMCID: PMC10762016 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50923-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Movement is an important behavior observed in a wide range of taxa. Previous studies have examined genes controlling movement using wing polymorphic insects and genes controlling wing size. However, few studies have investigated genes controlling movement activity rather than morphological traits. In the present study, we conducted RNA sequencing using populations with higher (WL) and lower (WS) mobility established by artificial selection in the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum and compared gene expression levels between selected populations with two replicate lines. As a result, we found significant differences between the selected populations in 677 genes expressed in one replicate line and 1198 genes expressed in another replicate line, of which 311 genes were common to the two replicate lines. Furthermore, quantitative PCR focusing on 6 of these genes revealed that neuropeptide F receptor gene (NpF) was significantly more highly expressed in the WL population than in the WS population, which was common to the two replicate lines. We discuss differences in genes controlling movement between walking activity and wing polymorphism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kentarou Matsumura
- Graduate School of Environment, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan.
| | - Takafumi Onuma
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Tamagawa University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shinji Kondo
- Center for Genome Informatics, Research Organization of Information and Systems, Joint Support-Center for Data Science Research, 1111 Yata, Mishima, Shizuoka, 411-8540, Japan
| | - Hideki Noguchi
- Center for Genome Informatics, Research Organization of Information and Systems, Joint Support-Center for Data Science Research, 1111 Yata, Mishima, Shizuoka, 411-8540, Japan
| | - Hironobu Uchiyama
- NODAI Genome Research Center, Tokyo University of Agriculture, 1-1-1 Sakuragaoka, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 156-8502, Japan
| | - Shunsuke Yajima
- NODAI Genome Research Center, Tokyo University of Agriculture, 1-1-1 Sakuragaoka, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 156-8502, Japan
- Department of Bioscience, Tokyo University of Agriculture, 1-1-1 Sakuragaoka, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 156-8502, Japan
| | - Ken Sasaki
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Tamagawa University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takahisa Miyatake
- Graduate School of Environment, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
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2
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Matsumura K, Miyatake T. Latitudinal cline of death-feigning behaviour in a beetle ( Tribolium castaneum). Biol Lett 2023; 19:20230028. [PMID: 36987613 PMCID: PMC10050934 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Death-feigning behaviour is a phenomenon in which a prey is rendered motionless due to stimulation or threat from a predator. This anti-predator defence mechanism has been observed across numerous animal taxa and is considered adaptive in nature. However, longer durations of death feigning can result in decreased opportunities for feeding and reproduction, and therefore is often associated with fitness costs as compared to environments without predators. Differences have also been observed in the frequencies and durations of death feigning within populations, and these differences are thought to be influenced by the balance between survival and other fitness costs. Furthermore, this balance is predicted to vary in response to changes in environmental conditions. In this study, we examined the death feigning in 38 populations of the red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum). Our results demonstrate that frequencies and durations of the death feigning in T. castaneum show geographical variations and a latitude cline, indicating that this behaviour is influenced by location as well as latitude. This study is the first to demonstrate the existence of a latitudinal cline in death feigning and suggests that death-feigning behaviour might have evolved in response to environmental factors that vary with latitude.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kentarou Matsumura
- Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8530, Japan
| | - Takahisa Miyatake
- Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8530, Japan
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3
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Matsumura K, Miyatake T. Polygene control and trait dominance in death-feigning syndrome in the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum. Behav Genet 2022; 52:298-305. [PMID: 35916953 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-022-10108-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Death-feigning behavior is an anti-predatory technique used in several animal taxa and often correlates with inhibited movements (i.e., death-feigning syndrome). We performed a reciprocal crossing among strains exhibiting a genetically longer (L-strain) and shorter (S-strain) duration of death feigning. Then, we investigated related heritable factors in F1 and F2 populations. We also evaluated movement activities, which negatively responded to artificial selection for death feigning in T. castaneum. Our results indicated that death feigning occurred more frequently and for shorter periods in the F1 population. However, in the F2 population, death feigning and movement exhibited continuous segregation. Although the distribution of each trait value in the F2 generation differed from that of the parental generation, no individuals transgressing the distribution of trait values in the parental generation emerged from the F2 generation. Besides, chi-square analysis of the observed death feigning and movement of F1 and F2 progenies rejected the hypothesis of mono-major gene inheritance. These results suggested that the death-feigning syndrome was polygenically controlled, indicating the usefulness of reciprocal crossing experiments in assessing the quantitative inheritance of behavioral traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kentarou Matsumura
- Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama University, 1-1-1 Tsushima-naka, 700-8530, Okayama, Japan.
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Kagawa University, Kagawa, Japan.
| | - Takahisa Miyatake
- Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama University, 1-1-1 Tsushima-naka, 700-8530, Okayama, Japan
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Carli G, Farabollini F. Defensive responses in invertebrates: Evolutionary and neural aspects. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2022; 271:1-35. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2022.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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5
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Carli G, Farabollini F. Tonic immobility as a survival, adaptive response and as a recovery mechanism. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2022; 271:305-329. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2022.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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6
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cDNA Cloning and Partial Characterization of the DJ-1 Gene from Tribolium castaneum. Antioxidants (Basel) 2021; 10:antiox10121970. [PMID: 34943073 PMCID: PMC8750249 DOI: 10.3390/antiox10121970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The DJ-1 gene is highly conserved across a wide variety of organisms and it plays a role in anti-oxidative stress mechanisms in cells. The red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, is widely used as a model insect species because it is easy to evaluate gene function in this species using RNA interference (RNAi). The T. castaneum DJ-1 (TcDJ-1) sequence is annotated in the T. castaneum genome database; however, the function and characteristics of the TcDJ-1 gene have not been elucidated. Here, we investigated the cDNA sequence of TcDJ-1 and partially characterized its function. First, we examined the TcDJ-1 amino acid sequence and found that it was highly conserved with sequences from other species. TcDJ-1 mRNA expression was higher in the early pupal and adult developmental stages. We evaluated oxidant tolerance in TcDJ-1 knockdown adults using paraquat and found that adults with TcDJ-1 knockdown exhibited increased sensitivity to paraquat. Our findings show that TcDJ-1 has an antioxidant function, as observed for DJ-1 from other insects. Therefore, these results suggest that TcDJ-1 protects against oxidative stress during metamorphosis.
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Tanaka K, Sasaki K, Matsumura K, Yajima S, Miyatake T. Genomic characterization between strains selected for death-feigning duration for avoiding attack of a beetle. Sci Rep 2021; 11:21816. [PMID: 34750398 PMCID: PMC8575940 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-00987-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Predator avoidance is an important behavior that affects the degree of adaptation of organisms. We compared the DNA variation of one of the predator-avoidance behaviors, the recently extensively studied "death-feigning behavior", between the long strain bred for feigning death for a long time and the short strain bred for feigning death for a short time. To clarify how the difference in DNA sequences between the long and short strains corresponds to the physiological characteristics of the death-feigning duration at the transcriptome level, we performed comprehensive and comparative analyses of gene variants in Tribolium castaneum strains using DNA-resequencing. The duration of death feigning involves many gene pathways, including caffeine metabolism, tyrosine metabolism, tryptophan metabolism, metabolism of xenobiotics by cytochrome P450, longevity regulating pathways, and circadian rhythm. Artificial selection based on the duration of death feigning results in the preservation of variants of genes in these pathways in the long strain. This study suggests that many metabolic pathways and related genes may be involved in the decision-making process of anti-predator animal behavior by forming a network in addition to the tyrosine metabolic system, including dopamine, revealed in previous studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keisuke Tanaka
- NODAI Genome Research Center, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ken Sasaki
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Tamagawa University, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Shunsuke Yajima
- NODAI Genome Research Center, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Bioscience, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takahisa Miyatake
- Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan.
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Wu L, Zhai X, Li L, Li Q, Liu F, Zhao H. Identification and Expression Profile of Chemosensory Genes in the Small Hive Beetle Aethina tumida. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12080661. [PMID: 34442228 PMCID: PMC8396569 DOI: 10.3390/insects12080661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Aethina tumida is a parasite and predator of honeybee causing severe loss to the bee industry. No effective and environmentally friendly methods are available to control this pest at present. Chemosensory genes play key roles in insect behavior which can potentially be used as targets for developing environmentally friendly pest control agents. In this study, the putative chemosensory genes in antennae and forelegs of A. tumida involved in olfaction or contact chemical communication of adults were investigated using RNA transcriptome sequencing and PCR methods. Based on transcriptomic data, unigenes encoding 38 odorant receptors (ORs), 24 ionotropic receptors (IRs), 14 gustatory receptors (GRs), 3 sensory neuron membrane proteins (SNMPs), 29 odorant binding proteins (OBPs), and 22 chemosensory proteins (CSPs) were identified. The analyses of tissue expression profiles revealed that genes encoding 38 ORs, 13 antennal IRs, 11 GRs, 1 SNMP, 24 OBPs, and 12 CSPs were predominately expressed in antennae. No significant differences in expression levels of these genes were found between males and females. Genes encoding 5 non-NMDA iGluRs, 3 GRs, 2 SNMPs, 5 OBPs, and 12 CSPs were predominately expressed in forelegs. RT-PCR assays for SNMPs, OBPs and CSPs further revealed that 3 OBPs (AtumOBP3, 26 and 28) and 3 CSPs (AtumCSP7, 8 and 21) were highly expressed in antennae. Our results enrich the gene inventory of A. tumida and facilitate the discovery of potential novel targets for developing new pest control measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lixian Wu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510260, China; (L.W.); (X.Z.); (L.L.); (Q.L.)
| | - Xin Zhai
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510260, China; (L.W.); (X.Z.); (L.L.); (Q.L.)
| | - Liangbin Li
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510260, China; (L.W.); (X.Z.); (L.L.); (Q.L.)
- College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Qiang Li
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510260, China; (L.W.); (X.Z.); (L.L.); (Q.L.)
- College of Animal Science, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu 030801, China
| | - Fang Liu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510260, China; (L.W.); (X.Z.); (L.L.); (Q.L.)
- Correspondence: (F.L.); (H.Z.)
| | - Hongxia Zhao
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510260, China; (L.W.); (X.Z.); (L.L.); (Q.L.)
- Correspondence: (F.L.); (H.Z.)
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9
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Peinkhofer C, Martial C, Cassol H, Laureys S, Kondziella D. The evolutionary origin of near-death experiences: a systematic investigation. Brain Commun 2021; 3:fcab132. [PMID: 34240053 PMCID: PMC8260963 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcab132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Near-death experiences are known from all parts of the world, various times and
numerous cultural backgrounds. This universality suggests that near-death
experiences may have a biological origin and purpose. Adhering to a
preregistered protocol, we investigate the hypothesis that thanatosis, aka
death-feigning, a last-resort defense mechanism in animals, is the evolutionary
origin of near-death experiences. We first show that thanatosis is a highly
preserved survival strategy occurring at all major nodes in a cladogram ranging
from insects to humans. We then show that humans under attack by animal, human
and ‘modern’ predators can experience both thanatosis and
near-death experiences, and we further show that the phenomenology and the
effects of the two overlap. In summary, we build a line of evidence suggesting
that thanatosis is the evolutionary foundation of near-death experiences and
that their shared biological purpose is the benefit of survival. We propose that
the acquisition of language enabled humans to transform these events from
relatively stereotyped death-feigning under predatory attacks into the rich
perceptions that form near-death experiences and extend to non-predatory
situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Costanza Peinkhofer
- Department of Neurology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark
| | - Charlotte Martial
- Coma Science Group, GIGA-Consciousness, University of Liège, Liège 4000, Belgium
| | - Helena Cassol
- Coma Science Group, GIGA-Consciousness, University of Liège, Liège 4000, Belgium
| | - Steven Laureys
- Coma Science Group, GIGA-Consciousness, University of Liège, Liège 4000, Belgium
| | - Daniel Kondziella
- Department of Neurology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark
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10
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Matsumura K. Relationship between death-feigning behavior and population density in a beetle. J ETHOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10164-021-00713-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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11
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Matsumura K, Yumise K, Fujii Y, Hayashi T, Miyatake T. Anti-predator behaviour depends on male weapon size. Biol Lett 2020; 16:20200601. [PMID: 33353520 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2020.0601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Tonic immobility and escape are adaptive anti-predator tactics used by many animals. Escape requires movement, whereas tonic immobility does not. If anti-predator tactics relate to weapon size, males with larger weapons may adopt tonic immobility, whereas males with smaller weapons may adopt escape. However, no study has investigated the relationship between weapon size and anti-predator tactics. In this study, we investigated the relationship between male weapon size and tonic immobility in the beetle Gnathocerus cornutus. The results showed that tonic immobility was more frequent in males with larger weapons. Although most studies of tonic immobility in beetles have focused on the duration, rather than the frequency, tonic immobility duration was not affected by weapon size in G. cornutus. Therefore, this study is the first, to our knowledge, to suggest that the male weapon trait affects anti-predator tactics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kota Yumise
- Faculty of Agriculture, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
| | - Yui Fujii
- Faculty of Agriculture, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
| | - Toma Hayashi
- Faculty of Agriculture, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
| | - Takahisa Miyatake
- Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
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12
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Ishihara R, Matsumura K, Jones JE, Yuhao J, Fujisawa R, Nagaya N, Miyatake T. Arousal from death feigning by vibrational stimuli: comparison of Tribolium species. J ETHOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10164-020-00680-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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13
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Uchiyama H, Sasaki K, Hinosawa S, Tanaka K, Matsumura K, Yajima S, Miyatake T. Transcriptomic comparison between beetle strains selected for short and long durations of death feigning. Sci Rep 2019; 9:14001. [PMID: 31570743 PMCID: PMC6768993 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-50440-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2019] [Accepted: 08/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The molecular basis of death feigning, an antipredator behavior that has received much attention recently, was analyzed. We compared the gene expression profiles of strains with different behaviors, i.e., different durations of death feigning, in the beetle Tribolium castaneum. Beetles artificially selected for short (S) and long (L) durations of death feigning for many generations were compared thoroughly by RNA sequencing. We identified 518 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the strains. The strains also showed divergence in unexpected gene expression regions. As expected from previous physiological studies, genes associated with the metabolic pathways of tyrosine, a precursor of dopamine, were differentially expressed between the S and L strains; these enzyme-encoding genes were expressed at higher levels in the L strain than in the S strain. We also found that several genes associated with insulin signaling were expressed at higher levels in the S strain than in the L strain. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis showed that the relative expression levels of Tchpd (encoding 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase, Hpd) and Tcnat (encoding N-acetyltransferase, Nat) were significantly higher in the L strain than in the S strain, suggesting the influence of these enzymes on the supply of dopamine and duration of death feigning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hironobu Uchiyama
- NODAI Genome Research Center, Tokyo University of Agriculture, 1-1-1 Sakuragaoka, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 156-8502, Japan
| | - Ken Sasaki
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Tamagawa University, Machida, Tokyo, 194-8610, Japan
| | - Shogo Hinosawa
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Tamagawa University, Machida, Tokyo, 194-8610, Japan
| | - Keisuke Tanaka
- NODAI Genome Research Center, Tokyo University of Agriculture, 1-1-1 Sakuragaoka, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 156-8502, Japan
| | - Kentarou Matsumura
- Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama University, 1-1-1 Tsushina-naka, Kita-ku, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan
| | - Shunsuke Yajima
- NODAI Genome Research Center, Tokyo University of Agriculture, 1-1-1 Sakuragaoka, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 156-8502, Japan.,Department of Bioscience, Tokyo University of Agriculture, 1-1-1 Sakuragaoka, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 156-8502, Japan
| | - Takahisa Miyatake
- Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama University, 1-1-1 Tsushina-naka, Kita-ku, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan.
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Matsumura T, Taya H, Matsumoto H, Hayakawa Y. Repeated phenotypic selection for cuticular blackness of armyworm larvae decreased stress resistance. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 117:103889. [PMID: 31136741 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2019.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2019] [Revised: 05/23/2019] [Accepted: 05/24/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Armyworm Mythimna separata larvae show changes in cuticle darkening depending on population densities and are roughly categorized into two phenotypes, a pale brown solitary type and black-colored gregarious type. Although the color difference in both larval types is apparent, it remains ambiguous whether any change in physiological traits accompanies the cuticle darkening. To answer this query, we repeated genetic selection of the blackness phenotype over one hundred generations in our laboratory colony and produced a black-colored (BL) strain. Comparison between non-selected control (CTL) and BL strains revealed an increased fecundity and adult life span in the BL strain compared with the CTL strain. In contrast, BL strain larvae were found to be significantly more sensitive to heat stress than those in the CTL strain. Hemolymph reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were higher in the BL strain than in the CTL strain under both non-stress and heat stress conditions. Antioxidant activities of the hemolymph were not significantly different between the two strains under non-stress condition, but the activities increased to higher levels in the CTL strain than those in the BL strain after heat stress. Activities and gene expression levels of antioxidant enzymes such as catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the fat body were significantly higher in CTL strain larvae than in BL strain larvae after heat treatment. Thermal stress tolerance of the offspring of crossings between the two strains showed a tolerance level almost equivalent to the maternal one: the cross between CTL females and BL males produced offspring with the higher tolerance compared with the oppositely crossed offspring. Expression levels of the antioxidant enzyme genes of the former offspring were found to be similar to those of CTL strain. These results indicate a trade-off between reproductive activity and stress resistance: the BL strain had acquired high reproductivity but had lost stress tolerance through repeated genetic selection. Furthermore, the present genetic analyses demonstrated that the phenotype of stress tolerance is derived from the maternal parent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Matsumura
- The United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima 890-0065, Japan
| | - Hikaru Taya
- Department of Applied Biological Sciences, Saga University, Saga 840-8502, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Matsumoto
- Department of Applied Biological Sciences, Saga University, Saga 840-8502, Japan
| | - Yoichi Hayakawa
- The United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima 890-0065, Japan; Department of Applied Biological Sciences, Saga University, Saga 840-8502, Japan.
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Responses to relaxed and reverse selection in strains artificially selected for duration of death-feigning behavior in the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum. J ETHOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10164-018-0548-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Divergent lines selected artificially for many generations make it possible to answer two questions: (1) whether genetic variation still exists within the selected population; and (2) whether the selection itself is costly for the selected strain. In previous studies, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum was divergently selected artificially for duration of death-feigning, and strains selected for longer (L-strain) and shorter (S-strain) durations of death-feigning have been established (Miyatake et al. 2004, 2008). Because the selection experiments have been conducted for more than 27 generations, genetic variation may be eroded. Furthermore, because another previous study reported physiological costs to L-strains, the L-strains selected artificially for longer duration of death-feigning may have suffered more costs than the S-strains. In the present study, therefore, we relaxed the selection pressure after the 27th or 30th generation of S- and L-strains. We also carried out reverse selection during the most recent eight generations of S- and L-strains. The results showed that each strain clearly responded to relaxation of selection and reverse selection, suggesting that (1) additive genetic variation still existed in both strains after long-term selection, and (2) selection for shorter and longer duration of death-feigning was costly. These results suggest that anti-predator behavior is controlled by many loci, and longer or shorter duration of death-feigning is costly in a laboratory without predators.
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16
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A review of thanatosis (death feigning) as an anti-predator behaviour. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2018; 72:22. [PMID: 29386702 PMCID: PMC5769822 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-017-2436-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2017] [Revised: 12/18/2017] [Accepted: 12/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Abstract Thanatosis—also known as death-feigning and, we argue more appropriately, tonic immobility (TI)—is an under-reported but fascinating anti-predator strategy adopted by diverse prey late on in the predation sequence, and frequently following physical contact by the predator. TI is thought to inhibit further attack by predators and reduce the perceived need of the predator to subdue prey further. The behaviour is probably present in more taxa than is currently described, but even within well-studied groups the precise taxonomic distribution is unclear for a number of practical and ethical reasons. Here we synthesise the key studies investigating the form, function, evolutionary and ecological costs and benefits of TI. This review also considers the potential evolutionary influence of certain predator types in the development of the strategy in prey, and the other non-defensive contexts in which TI has been suggested to occur. We believe that there is a need for TI to be better appreciated in the scientific literature and outline potentially profitable avenues for investigation. Future use of technology in the wild should yield useful developments for this field of study. Significance statement Anti-predatory defences are crucial to many aspects of behavioural ecology. Thanatosis (often called death-feigning) has long been an under-appreciated defence, despite being taxonomically and ecologically widespread. We begin by providing much-needed clarification on both terminology and definition. We demonstrate how apparently disparate observations in the recent literature can be synthesised through placing the behaviour within a cost-benefit framework in comparison to alternative behavioural choices, and how aspects of the ecology differentially affect costs and benefits. Extending this, we provide novel insights into why the evolution of thanatosis can be understood in terms of coevolution between predators and prey. We offer further novel hypotheses, and discuss how these can be tested, focussing on how emerging technologies can be of great use in developing our understanding of thanatosis in free-living animals.
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Wexler Y, Scharf I. Distinct effects of two separately applied stressors on behavior in the red flour beetle. Behav Processes 2017; 145:86-92. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2017.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2017] [Revised: 10/16/2017] [Accepted: 10/17/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Schrag LG, Cao X, Herrera AI, Wang Y, Jiang H, Prakash O. Solution Structure and Expression Profile of an Insect Cytokine: Manduca sexta Stress Response Peptide-2. Protein Pept Lett 2017; 24:3-11. [PMID: 27903232 DOI: 10.2174/0929866524666161121142840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2016] [Revised: 11/08/2016] [Accepted: 11/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Manduca sexta stress response peptide-2 (SRP2) is predicted to be a 25-residue peptide (FGVKDGKCPSGRVRRLGICVPDDDY), which may function as an insect cytokine to regulate immune responses. Produced as an inactive precursor, endogenous proSRP2 is probably converted to active SRP2 by limited proteolysis in response to invading pathogens, along with prophenoloxidase and pro-Spätzle activation. In addition to immunity, SRP2 may control head morphogenesis or other developmental processes in the lepidopteran insect. We have examined the profiles of SRP2 gene expression in terms of immune induction capacity, tissue specificity, and developmental changes. To gain insights into its functions, we chemically synthesized SRP2, injected the peptide solution into naïve larvae, and detected significant up-regulation of several antimicrobial peptide genes. We determined the 3D molecular structure in solution of SRP2 by two-dimensional 1H-1H NMR spectroscopy. SRP2 has an ordered structure, which is composed of two short β-strands at regions R12 - R15 and I18 - V20, one type-I' β-turn at region R15 - I18, and a half turn at region C8 - S10 in its welldefined core stabilized by a covalent disulfide bond between C8 and C19. The secondary and tertiary structures are further stabilized by hydrogen bonds. Possible relationships between the structure and function are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Haobo Jiang
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Om Prakash
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State Universities, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
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Tabunoki H, Gorman MJ, Dittmer NT, Kanost MR. Superoxide dismutase 2 knockdown leads to defects in locomotor activity, sensitivity to paraquat, and increased cuticle pigmentation in Tribolium castaneum. Sci Rep 2016; 6:29583. [PMID: 27387523 PMCID: PMC4937408 DOI: 10.1038/srep29583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2016] [Accepted: 06/23/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Insects can rapidly adapt to environmental changes through physiological responses. The red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum is widely used as a model insect species. However, the stress-response system of this species remains unclear. Superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2) is a crucial antioxidative enzyme that is found in mitochondria. T. castaneum SOD2 (TcSOD2) is composed of 215 amino acids, and has an iron/manganese superoxide dismutase domain. qRT-PCR experiments revealed that TcSOD2 was present through all developmental stages. To evaluate TcSOD2 function in T. castaneum, we performed RNAi and also assessed the phenotype and antioxidative tolerance of the knockdown of TcSOD2 by exposing larvae to paraquat. The administration of paraquat resulted in significantly higher 24-h mortality in TcSOD2 knockdown larval groups than in the control groups. The TcSOD2 knockdown adults moved significantly more slowly, had lower ATP content, and exhibited a different body color from the control groups. We found that TcSOD2 dsRNA treatment in larvae resulted in increased expression of tyrosinase and laccase2 mRNA after 10 days. This is the first report showing that TcSOD2 has an antioxidative function and demonstrates that T. castaneum may use an alternative antioxidative system when the SOD2-based system fails.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroko Tabunoki
- Department of Science of Biological Production, Graduate School of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 3-5-8 Saiwai-cho, Fuchu, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, 141 Chalmers Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506-3702, USA
| | - Maureen J Gorman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, 141 Chalmers Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506-3702, USA
| | - Neal T Dittmer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, 141 Chalmers Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506-3702, USA
| | - Michael R Kanost
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, 141 Chalmers Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506-3702, USA
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Body size, not maladaptive gene flow, explains death-feigning behaviour in Timema cristinae stick insects. Evol Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-016-9832-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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