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Scieuzo C, Nardiello M, Salvia R, Pezzi M, Chicca M, Leis M, Bufo SA, Vinson SB, Rao A, Vogel H, Falabella P. Ecdysteroidogenesis and development in Heliothis virescens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae): Focus on PTTH-stimulated pathways. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2018; 107:57-67. [PMID: 29454612 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2018.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2017] [Revised: 02/09/2018] [Accepted: 02/12/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Post-embryonic development and molting in insects are regulated by endocrine changes, including prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH)-stimulated ecdysone secretion by the prothoracic glands (PGs). In Lepidoptera, two pathways are potentially involved in PTTH-stimulated ecdysteroidogenesis, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B/target of rapamycin (PI3K/Akt/TOR). We investigated the potential roles of both these pathways in Heliothis virescens ecdysteroidogenesis. We identified putative proteins belonging to MAPK and PI3K/Akt/TOR signaling cascades, using transcriptomic analyses of PGs from last (fifth) instar larvae. Using western blots, we measured the phosphorylation of 4E-BP and S6K proteins, the main targets of TOR, following the in vitro exposure of PGs to brain extract containing PTTH (hereafter referred to as PTTH) and/or the inhibitors of MAPK (U0126), PI3K (LY294002) or TOR (rapamycin). Next, we measured ecdysone production, under the same experimental conditions, by enzyme immunoassay (EIA). We found that in Heliothis virescens last instar larvae, both pathways modulated PTTH-stimulated ecdysteroidogenesis. Finally, we analyzed the post-embryonic development of third and fourth instar larvae fed on diet supplemented with rapamycin, in order to better understand the role of the TOR pathway in larval growth. When rapamycin was added to the diet of larvae, the onset of molting was delayed, the growth rate was reduced and abnormally small larvae/pupae with high mortality rates resulted. In larvae fed on diet supplemented with rapamycin, the growth of PGs was suppressed, and ecdysone production and secretion were inhibited. Overall, the in vivo and in vitro results demonstrated that, similarly to Bombyx mori, MAPK and PI3K/Akt/TOR pathways are involved in PTTH signaling-stimulated ecdysteroidogenesis, and indicated the important role of TOR protein in H. virescens systemic growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Scieuzo
- Department of Sciences, University of Basilicata, Via dell'Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy
| | - Marisa Nardiello
- Department of Sciences, University of Basilicata, Via dell'Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy
| | - Rosanna Salvia
- Department of Sciences, University of Basilicata, Via dell'Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy
| | - Marco Pezzi
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Via Luigi Borsari 46, Ferrara 44121, Italy
| | - Milvia Chicca
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Via Luigi Borsari 46, Ferrara 44121, Italy
| | - Marilena Leis
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Via Luigi Borsari 46, Ferrara 44121, Italy
| | - Sabino A Bufo
- Department of Sciences, University of Basilicata, Via dell'Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy
| | - S Bradleigh Vinson
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, 370 Olsen Blvd, College Station, TX 77843-2475, USA
| | - Asha Rao
- Department of Biology, 3258 Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
| | - Heiko Vogel
- Department of Entomology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Straße 8, D-07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Patrizia Falabella
- Department of Sciences, University of Basilicata, Via dell'Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy.
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Yang B, Huang W, Zhang J, Xu Q, Zhu S, Zhang Q, Beerntsen BT, Song H, Ling E. Analysis of gene expression in the midgut of Bombyx mori during the larval molting stage. BMC Genomics 2016; 17:866. [PMID: 27809786 PMCID: PMC5096333 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-016-3162-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2016] [Accepted: 10/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Insects can be models for understanding human intestinal infection and pathology. Molting, a special period during which the old insect cuticle is shed and a new one is produced, is crucial for insect development. Holometabolous insects may experience several larva-to-larva moltings to become larger, a pupal molt and adult eclosion to become adults. During the larval molts, they stop feeding and become quiescent. Although the molting larvae become quiescent, it is not known if changes in microbiome, physiology, development and immunity of midguts occur. Results Transcriptome analysis indicated that functions such as metabolism, digestion, and transport may become reduced due to the downregulated expression of many associated genes. During the molting stage, midguts harbor less microflora and DNA synthesis decreases. Both ecdysone and juvenile hormone in the larval midgut likely degrade after entering the larva-to-larva molting stage. However, at 12 h after ecdysis, the feeding larvae of 5th instars that were injected with 20-hydroxyecdysone entered a molting-like stage, during which changes in midgut morphology, DNA synthesis, gene expression, and microflora exhibited the same patterns as observed in the actual molting state. Conclusion This study is important for understanding insect midgut physiology, development and immunity during a special development stage when no food is ingested. Although the molting larva becomes immobile and quiescent, we demonstrate that numerous changes occur in midgut morphology, physiology, metabolism and microbiome during this period. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-016-3162-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing Yang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Wuren Huang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Qiuyun Xu
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Shoulin Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Qiaoli Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Brenda T Beerntsen
- Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA
| | - Hongsheng Song
- College of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China.
| | - Erjun Ling
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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Rauschenbach IY, Gruntenko NE, Chentsova NA, Adonyeva NV, Alekseev AA. Role of ecdysone 20-monooxygenase in regulation of 20-hydroxyecdysone levels by juvenile hormone and biogenic amines in Drosophila. J Comp Physiol B 2007; 178:27-32. [PMID: 17703313 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-007-0196-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2007] [Revised: 07/18/2007] [Accepted: 07/24/2007] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The effects of increased levels of dopamine (feeding flies with dopamine precursor, L: -dihydroxyphenylalanine) and octopamine (feeding flies with octopamine) on ecdysone 20-monooxygenase activity in young (2 days old) wild type females (the strain wt) of Drosophila virilis have been studied. L: -dihydroxyphenylalanine and octopamine feeding increases ecdysone 20-monooxygenase activity by a factor of 1.6 and 1.7, respectively. Ecdysone 20-monooxygenase activity in the young (1 day old) octopamineless females of the strain Tbetah ( nM18 ), in females of the strain P845 (precursor of Tbetah ( nM18 ) strain) and in wild type females (Canton S) of Drosophila melanogaster have been measured. The absence of octopamine leads to a considerable decrease in the enzyme activity. We have also studied the effects of juvenile hormone application on ecdysone 20-monooxygenase activity in 2-day-old wt females of D. virilis and demonstrated that an increase in juvenile hormone titre leads to an increase in the enzyme activity. We discuss the supposition that ecdysone 20-monooxygenase occupies a key position in the regulation of 20-hydroxyecdysone titre under the conditions that lead to changes in juvenile hormone titre and biogenic amine levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inga Yu Rauschenbach
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Division of Russian Academy of Sciences, Lavrentjev ave., 10, Novosibirsk , 630090, Russia.
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Rharrabe K, Alla S, Maria A, Sayah F, Lafont R. Diversity of detoxification pathways of ingested ecdysteroids among phytophagous insects. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2007; 65:65-73. [PMID: 17523174 DOI: 10.1002/arch.20191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
The metabolic pathways of ingested ecdysteroids have been investigated in three insect species, the aphid Myzus persicae and two Lepidoptera, Plodia interpunctella and Ostrinia nubilalis. M. persicae produces mainly a 22-glucoside conjugate, whereas P. interpunctella eliminates a mixture of 20E and its 3-oxo and 3-epi derivatives, both in free form and as conjugates with various fatty acids. O. nubilalis only produces fatty acyl ester conjugates. These data point out the great diversity of detoxification mechanisms used by phytophagous insects in order to overcome the potential harmful effects of ecdysteroids present in their food.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kacem Rharrabe
- Université Abdelmalek Essaadi, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, CEEM-Laboratoire de Biologie Appliquée et Sciences de l'Environnement, Tangier, Morocco
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