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Zhu C, Lu X, Cai T, Zhu K, Shi L, Chen Y, Wang T, Yang Y, Tu D, Fu Q, Huang J, Zhen Y. Firefly toxin lucibufagins evolved after the origin of bioluminescence. PNAS NEXUS 2024; 3:pgae215. [PMID: 38919269 PMCID: PMC11197309 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
Fireflies were believed to originally evolve their novel bioluminescence as warning signals to advertise their toxicity to predators, which was later adopted in adult mating. Although the evolution of bioluminescence has been investigated extensively, the warning signal hypothesis of its origin has not been tested. In this study, we test this hypothesis by systematically determining the presence or absence of firefly toxin lucibufagins (LBGs) across firefly species and inferring the time of origin of LBGs. We confirm the presence of LBGs in the subfamily Lampyrinae, but more importantly, we reveal the absence of LBGs in other lineages, including the subfamilies of Luciolinae, Ototretinae, and Psilocladinae, two incertae sedis lineages, and the Rhagophthalmidae family. Ancestral state reconstructions for LBGs based on firefly phylogeny constructed using genomic data suggest that the presence of LBGs in the common ancestor of the Lampyrinae subfamily is highly supported but unsupported in more ancient nodes, including firefly common ancestors. Our results suggest that firefly LBGs probably evolved much later than the evolution of bioluminescence. We thus conclude that firefly bioluminescence did not originally evolve as direct warning signals for toxic LBGs and advise that future studies should focus on other hypotheses. Moreover, LBG toxins are known to directly target and inhibit the α subunit of Na+, K+-ATPase (ATPα). We further examine the effects of amino acid substitutions in firefly ATPα on its interactions with LBGs. We find that ATPα in LBG-containing fireflies is relatively insensitive to LBGs, which suggests that target-site insensitivity contributes to LBG-containing fireflies' ability to deal with their own toxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengqi Zhu
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences and Research Center for Industries of the Future, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
- Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Xiaoli Lu
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences and Research Center for Industries of the Future, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
- Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Tianlong Cai
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Kangli Zhu
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Lina Shi
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences and Research Center for Industries of the Future, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
- Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Yinjuan Chen
- Instrumentation and Service Center for Molecular Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310030, China
| | - Tianyu Wang
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences and Research Center for Industries of the Future, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
- Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Yaoming Yang
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences and Research Center for Industries of the Future, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
- Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Dandan Tu
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences and Research Center for Industries of the Future, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
- Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Qi Fu
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences and Research Center for Industries of the Future, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
- Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Jing Huang
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences and Research Center for Industries of the Future, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
- Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Ying Zhen
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences and Research Center for Industries of the Future, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
- Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
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Amaral DT, Bonatelli IAS. Opsin diversity and evolution in the Elateroidea superfamily: Insights from transcriptome data. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 33:112-123. [PMID: 37837289 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
Vision plays a vital biological role in organisms, which depends on the visual pigment molecules (opsin plus chromophore). The expansion or reduction of spectral channels in the organisms is determined by distinct opsin classes and copy numbers resulting from duplication or loss. Within Coleoptera, the superfamily Elateroidea exhibits a great diversity of morphological and physiological characteristics, such as bioluminescence, making this group an important model for opsin studies. While molecular and physiological studies have been conducted in Lampyridae and Elateridae, other families remain unexplored. Here, we reused transcriptome datasets from Elateroidea species, including members of Elateridae, Lampyridae, Phengodidae, Rhagophthalmidae, Cantharidae, and Lycidae, to detect the diversity of putative opsin genes in this superfamily. In addition, we tested the signature of sites under positive selection in both ultraviolet (UV)- and long-wavelength (LW)-opsin classes. Although the visual system in Elateroidea is considered simple, we observed events of duplication in LW- and UV-opsin, as well as the absence of UV-opsin in distinct families, such as larval Phengodidae individuals. We detected different copies of LW-opsins that were highly expressed in the eyes of distinct tribes of fireflies, indicating the possible selection of each copy during the evolution of the sexual mating to avoid spectrum overlapping. In Elateridae, we found that the bioluminescent species had a distinct LW-opsin copy compared with the non-bioluminescent species, suggesting events of duplication and loss. The signature of positive selection showed only one residue associated with the chromophore binding site in the Elateroidea, which may produce a bathochromic shift in the wavelength absorption spectra in this family. Overall, this study brings important content and fills gaps regarding opsin evolution in Elateroidea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danilo T Amaral
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC), São Paulo, Brazil
- Programa de Pós Graduação em Biotecnociências, Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Isabel A S Bonatelli
- Departamento de Ecologia e Biologia Evolutiva, Químicas e Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Instituto de Ciências Ambientais, Diadema, Brazil
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Ohira A, Nakamori T, Matsumoto S, Bessho-Uehara M, Kato T, Oba Y. Contribution to the taxonomy of Lobellini (Collembola: Neanurinae) and investigations on luminous Collembola from Japan. Zootaxa 2023; 5325:63-89. [PMID: 38220925 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5325.1.4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
Lobella sauteri was redescribed based on the lectotype and specimens obtained from the type locality Bugenji, Yokohama, Kanagawa, as the true identity of the luminous Collembola, Lobella sp. Lobella sauteri has morphological traits characteristic of the genus currently called Telobella. As L. sauteri is the type species of Lobella, the genus Telobella was synonymised with Lobella according to the principle of priority, and the genus Lobella was redefined to include both the species previously assigned to Telobella and those previously assigned to Lobella. A new species Lobella monstrum sp. nov. was described and new combinations were proposed for certain species in Lobellini. Light-emitting capacity was confirmed in L. sauteri and newly reported in Lobella yambaru comb. nov. Vitronura giselae and Vitronura kunigamiensis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsuko Ohira
- Tamarokuto Science Center; 5-10-64 Shibakubocho; Nishi-tokyo; Tokyo 188-0014; Japan.
| | - Taizo Nakamori
- Graduate School of Environmental and Information Sciences; Yokohama National University; 79-7 Tokiwadai; Hodogaya; Yokohama; Kanagawa 240-8501; Japan.
| | - Sachi Matsumoto
- Graduate School of Environmental and Information Sciences; Yokohama National University; 79-7 Tokiwadai; Hodogaya; Yokohama; Kanagawa 240-8501; Japan.
| | - Manabu Bessho-Uehara
- Institute for Advanced Research; Nagoya University; Furo; Chikusa; Nagoya; Aichi 464-8601; Japan; Graduate School of Science; Nagoya University; Furo; Chikusa; Nagoya; Aichi 464-8601; Japan.
| | - Takumi Kato
- Graduate School of Science; Nagoya University; Furo; Chikusa; Nagoya; Aichi 464-8601; Japan.
| | - Yuichi Oba
- Department of Environmental Biology; Chubu University; Matsumoto; Kasugai; Aichi 487-8501; Japan.
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Catalan A, Höhna S, Lower SE, Duchen P. Inferring the demographic history of the North American firefly Photinus pyralis. J Evol Biol 2022; 35:1488-1499. [PMID: 36168726 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.14094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The firefly Photinus pyralis inhabits a wide range of latitudinal and ecological niches, with populations living from temperate to tropical habitats. Despite its broad distribution, its demographic history is unknown. In this study, we modelled and inferred different demographic scenarios for North American populations of P. pyralis, which were collected from Texas to New Jersey. We used a combination of ABC techniques (for multi-population/colonization analyses) and likelihood inference (dadi, StairwayPlot2, PoMo) for single-population demographic inference, which proved useful with our RAD data. We uncovered that the most ancestral North American population lays in Texas, which further colonized the Central region of the US and more recently the North Eastern coast. Our study confidently rejects a demographic scenario where the North Eastern populations colonized more southern populations until reaching Texas. To estimate the age of divergence between of P. pyralis, which provides deeper insights into the history of the entire species, we assembled a multi-locus phylogenetic data covering the genus Photinus. We uncovered that the phylogenetic node leading to P. pyralis lies at the end of the Miocene. Importantly, modelling the demographic history of North American P. pyralis serves as a null model of nucleotide diversity patterns in a widespread native insect species, which will serve in future studies for the detection of adaptation events in this firefly species, as well as a comparison for future studies of other North American insect taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Catalan
- Division of Evolutionary Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Sebastian Höhna
- GeoBio-Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany.,Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Paleontology & Geobiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Sarah E Lower
- Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA, USA
| | - Pablo Duchen
- Institute for Organismal and Molecular Evolutionary Biology, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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Riley WB, Rosa SP, Lima da Silveira LF. A comprehensive review and call for studies on firefly larvae. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12121. [PMID: 34616609 PMCID: PMC8459732 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) are commonly recognized by adult traits, such as a soft exoskeleton, lanterns and associated glow and flash patterns, but their larval stage is far less appreciated. However, fireflies spend most of their lives as larvae, and adults of most species rely solely on resources previously obtained. Therefore, studying the immature stages is imperative towards a comprehensive understanding of fireflies. This paper reviews and indicates key gaps in the biology of firefly larvae based on available literature. METHODOLOGY We reviewed the literature on firefly larvae to identify key issues and important taxonomic, geographic, and subject biases and gaps. RESULTS We found 376 papers that included information on firefly larvae. Only 139 species in 47 genera across eight of eleven lampyrid subfamilies have been studied during larval stages. These numbers reveal a staggering gap, since 94% of species and over half of the genera of fireflies were never studied in a crucial stage of their life cycle. Most studies on firefly larvae focus on two subfamilies (Luciolinae and Lampyrinae) in four zoogeographic regions (Sino-Japanese, Oriental, Nearctic, and Palearctic), whereas the other subfamilies and regions remain largely unstudied. These studies mainly dealt with morphology and behavior, other subjects remaining greatly understudied by comparison, including habitats, life cycle, physiology and interactions. CONCLUSIONS Together, these literature biases and gaps highlight how little is known about firefly larvae, and warmly invite basic and applied research, in the field and in the lab, to overcome these limitations and improve our understanding of firefly biology to better preserve them.
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Affiliation(s)
- William B. Riley
- Department of Biology, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC, United States of America
| | - Simone Policena Rosa
- Instituto de Recursos Naturais, Universidade Federal de Itajubá, Itajubá, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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Li YD, Kundrata R, Tihelka E, Liu Z, Huang D, Cai C. Cretophengodidae, a new Cretaceous beetle family, sheds light on the evolution of bioluminescence. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20202730. [PMID: 33468008 PMCID: PMC7893276 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.2730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Bioluminescent beetles of the superfamily Elateroidea (fireflies, fire beetles, glow-worms) are the most speciose group of terrestrial light-producing animals. The evolution of bioluminescence in elateroids is associated with unusual morphological modifications, such as soft-bodiedness and neoteny, but the fragmentary nature of the fossil record discloses little about the origin of these adaptations. We report the discovery of a new bioluminescent elateroid beetle family from the mid-Cretaceous of northern Myanmar (ca 99 Ma), Cretophengodidae fam. nov. Cretophengodes azari gen. et sp. nov. belongs to the bioluminescent lampyroid clade, and would appear to represent a transitional fossil linking the soft-bodied Phengodidae + Rhagophthalmidae clade and hard-bodied elateroids. The fossil male possesses a light organ on the abdomen which presumably served a defensive function, documenting a Cretaceous radiation of bioluminescent beetles coinciding with the diversification of major insectivore groups such as frogs and stem-group birds. The discovery adds a key branch to the elateroid tree of life and sheds light on the evolution of soft-bodiedness and the historical biogeography of elateroid beetles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Da Li
- State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, and Centre for Excellence in Life and Palaeoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, People's Republic of China
- School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China
| | - Robin Kundrata
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, 77900 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Erik Tihelka
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Zhenhua Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, People's Republic of China
- Australian National Insect Collection, CSIRO National Research Collections Australia, GPO Box 1700, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
| | - Diying Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, and Centre for Excellence in Life and Palaeoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, People's Republic of China
| | - Chenyang Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, and Centre for Excellence in Life and Palaeoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, People's Republic of China
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
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Cusick KD, Widder EA. Bioluminescence and toxicity as driving factors in harmful algal blooms: Ecological functions and genetic variability. HARMFUL ALGAE 2020; 98:101850. [PMID: 33129462 DOI: 10.1016/j.hal.2020.101850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2019] [Revised: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Dinoflagellates are an ecologically important group of marine microbial eukaryotes with a remarkable array of adaptive strategies. It is ironic that two of the traits for which dinoflagellates are best known, toxin production and bioluminescence, are rarely linked when considering the ecological significance of either. Although dinoflagellate species that form some of the most widespread and frequent harmful algal blooms (HABs) are bioluminescent, the molecular and eco-evolutionary associations between these two traits has received little attention. Here, the major themes of biochemistry and genetics, ecological functions, signaling mechanisms, and evolution are addressed, with parallels and connections drawn between the two. Of the 17 major classes of dinoflagellate toxins, only two are produced by bioluminescent species: saxitoxin (STX) and yessotoxin. Of these, STX has been extensively studied, including the identification of the STX biosynthetic genes. While numerous theories have been put forward as to the eco-evolutionary roles of both bioluminescence and toxicity, a general consensus is that both function as grazing deterrents. Thus, both bioluminescence and toxicity may aid in HAB initiation as they alleviate grazing pressure on the HAB species. A large gap in our understanding is the genetic variability among natural bloom populations, as both toxic and non-toxic strains have been isolated from the same geographic location. The same applies to bioluminescence, as there exist both bioluminescent and non-bioluminescent strains of the same species. Recent evidence demonstrating that blooms are not monoclonal events necessitates a greater level of understanding as to the genetic variability of these traits among sub-populations as well as the mechanisms by which cells acquire or lose the trait, as sequence analysis of STX+ and STX- species indicate the key gene required for toxicity is lost rather than gained. While the extent of genetic variability for both bioluminescence and toxicity among natural HAB sub-populations remains unknown, it is an area that needs to be explored in order to gain greater insights into the molecular mechanisms and environmental parameters driving HAB evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen D Cusick
- University of Maryland Baltimore County, Department of Biological Sciences, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250, United States.
| | - Edith A Widder
- Ocean Research and Conservation Association, 1420 Seaway Dr, Fort Pierce, FL 34949, United States.
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Charlton HR, Merritt DJ. Carbon dioxide-induced bioluminescence increase in Arachnocampa larvae. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb225151. [PMID: 32611789 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.225151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Arachnocampa larvae utilise bioluminescence to lure small arthropod prey into their web-like silk snares. The luciferin-luciferase light-producing reaction occurs in a specialised light organ composed of Malpighian tubule cells in association with a tracheal mass. The accepted model for bioluminescence regulation is that light is actively repressed during the non-glowing period and released when glowing through the night. The model is based upon foregoing observations that carbon dioxide (CO2) - a commonly used insect anaesthetic - produces elevated light output in whole, live larvae as well as isolated light organs. Alternative anaesthetics were reported to have a similar light-releasing effect. We set out to test this model in Arachnocampa flava larvae by exposing them to a range of anaesthetics and gas mixtures. The anaesthetics isoflurane, ethyl acetate and diethyl ether did not produce high bioluminescence responses in the same way as CO2 Ligation and dissection experiments localised the CO2 response to the light organ rather than it being a response to general anaesthesia. Exposure to hypoxia through the introduction of nitrogen gas combined with CO2 exposures highlighted that continuity between the longitudinal tracheal trunks and the light organ tracheal mass is necessary for recovery of the CO2-induced light response. The physiological basis of the CO2-induced bioluminescence increase remains unresolved, but is most likely related to access of oxygen to the photocytes. The results suggest that the repression model for bioluminescence control can be rejected. An alternative is proposed based on neural upregulation modulating bioluminescence intensity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David John Merritt
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
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9
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Song W, Lee SI, Jablonski PG. Evolution of switchable aposematism: insights from individual-based simulations. PeerJ 2020; 8:e8915. [PMID: 32309047 PMCID: PMC7153555 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.8915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 03/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Some defended prey animals can switch on their normally hidden aposematic signals. This switching may occur in reaction to predators’ approach (pre-attack signals) or attack (post-attack signals). Switchable aposematism has been relatively poorly studied, but we can expect that it might bring a variety of benefits to an aposmetic organism. First, the switching could startle the predators (deimatism). Second, it could facilitate aversive learning. Third, it could minimize exposure or energetic expense, as the signal can be switched off. These potential benefits might offset costs of developing, maintaining and utilizing the switchable traits. Here we focused on the third benefit of switchability, the cost-saving aspect, and developed an individual-based computer simulation of predators and prey. In 88,128 model runs, we observed evolution of permanent, pre-attack, or post-attack aposematic signals of varying strength. We found that, in general, the pre-attack switchable aposematism may require moderate predator learning speed, high basal detectability, and moderate to high signal cost. On the other hand, the post-attack signals may arise under slow predator learning, low basal detectability and high signal cost. When predator population turnover is fast, it may lead to evolution of post-attack aposematic signals that are not conforming to the above tendency. We also suggest that a high switching cost may exert different selection pressure on the pre-attack than the post-attack switchable strategies. To our knowledge, these are the first theoretical attempts to systematically explore the evolution of switchable aposematism relative to permanent aposematism in defended prey. Our simulation model is capable of addressing additional questions beyond the scope of this article, and we open the simulation software, program manual and source code for free public use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Woncheol Song
- Laboratory of Behavioral Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Sang-im Lee
- School of Undergraduate Studies, Daegu-Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Piotr G. Jablonski
- Laboratory of Behavioral Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
- Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
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10
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Viljakainen L, Borshagovski AM, Saarenpää S, Kaitala A, Jurvansuu J. Identification and characterisation of common glow-worm RNA viruses. Virus Genes 2020; 56:236-248. [PMID: 31900852 PMCID: PMC7093385 DOI: 10.1007/s11262-019-01724-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The common glow-worms (Lampyris noctiluca) are best known for emission of green light by their larvae and sexually active adult females. However, both their DNA and RNA viruses remain unknown. Glow-worms are virologically interesting, as they are non-social and do not feed as adults, and hence their viral transmission may be limited. We identified viral sequences from 11 different virus taxa by the RNA-sequencing of two Finnish populations of adult glow-worms. The viruses represent nine different virus families and have negative, positive, or double-stranded RNA genomes. We also found a complete retroviral genome. Similar viral sequences were found from the sequencing data of common eastern firefly of North America, a species belonging to the same family (Lampyridae) as that of the common glow-worm. On average, an individual glow-worm had seven different RNA virus types and most of them appeared to establish a stable infection since they were found from glow-worms during two consecutive years. Here we present the characterization of load, prevalence, and interactions for each virus. Most of the glow-worm RNA viruses seem to be transmitted vertically, which may reflect the biology of glow-worms as non-social capital breeders, i.e., they invest stored resources in reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lumi Viljakainen
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, University of Oulu, Pentti Kaiteran katu 1, 90014, Oulu, Finland
| | - Anna-Maria Borshagovski
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, University of Oulu, Pentti Kaiteran katu 1, 90014, Oulu, Finland
| | - Sami Saarenpää
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, University of Oulu, Pentti Kaiteran katu 1, 90014, Oulu, Finland
| | - Arja Kaitala
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, University of Oulu, Pentti Kaiteran katu 1, 90014, Oulu, Finland
| | - Jaana Jurvansuu
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, University of Oulu, Pentti Kaiteran katu 1, 90014, Oulu, Finland.
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Duchatelet L, Pinte N, Tomita T, Sato K, Mallefet J. Etmopteridae bioluminescence: dorsal pattern specificity and aposematic use. ZOOLOGICAL LETTERS 2019; 5:9. [PMID: 30873292 PMCID: PMC6402137 DOI: 10.1186/s40851-019-0126-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2018] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the darkness of the ocean, an impressive number of taxa have evolved the capability to emit light. Many mesopelagic organisms emit a dim ventral glow that matches with the residual environmental light in order to camouflage themselves (counterillumination function). Sharks use their luminescence mainly for this purpose. Specific lateral marks have been observed in Etmopteridae sharks (one of the two known luminous shark families) suggesting an inter/intraspecific recognition. Conversely, dorsal luminescence patterns are rare within these deep-sea organisms. RESULTS Here we report evidence that Etmopterus spinax, Etmopterus molleri and Etmopterus splendidus have dorsal luminescence patterns. These dorsal patterns consist of specific lines of luminous organs, called photophores, on the rostrum, dorsal area and at periphery of the spine. This dorsal light seems to be in contrast with the counterilluminating role of ventral photophores. However, skin photophores surrounding the defensive dorsal spines show a precise pattern supporting an aposematism function for this bioluminescence. Using in situ imaging, morphological and histological analysis, we reconstructed the dorsal light emission pattern on these species, with an emphasis on the photogenic skin associated with the spine. Analyses of video footage validated, for the first time, the defensive function of the dorsal spines. Finally, we did not find evidence that Etmopteridae possess venomous spine-associated glands, present in Squalidae and Heterondontidae, via MRI and CT scans. CONCLUSION This work highlights for the first time a species-specific luminous dorsal pattern in three deep-sea lanternsharks. We suggest an aposematic use of luminescence to reveal the presence of the dorsal spines. Despite the absence of venom apparatus, the defensive use of spines is documented for the first time in situ by video recordings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurent Duchatelet
- Marine Biology Laboratory, Earth and Life Institute, Catholic University of Louvain, Place Croix du Sud 3, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Nicolas Pinte
- Marine Biology Laboratory, Earth and Life Institute, Catholic University of Louvain, Place Croix du Sud 3, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Taketeru Tomita
- Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, 424 Ishikawa, Motobu-cho, Okinawa prefecture 905-0206 Japan
- Zoological Laboratory, Okinawa Churashima Research Center, 888 Ishikawa, Motobu-cho, Okinawa 905-0206 Japan
| | - Keiichi Sato
- Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, 424 Ishikawa, Motobu-cho, Okinawa prefecture 905-0206 Japan
| | - Jérôme Mallefet
- Marine Biology Laboratory, Earth and Life Institute, Catholic University of Louvain, Place Croix du Sud 3, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
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12
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Fallon TR, Lower SE, Chang CH, Bessho-Uehara M, Martin GJ, Bewick AJ, Behringer M, Debat HJ, Wong I, Day JC, Suvorov A, Silva CJ, Stanger-Hall KF, Hall DW, Schmitz RJ, Nelson DR, Lewis SM, Shigenobu S, Bybee SM, Larracuente AM, Oba Y, Weng JK. Firefly genomes illuminate parallel origins of bioluminescence in beetles. eLife 2018; 7:e36495. [PMID: 30324905 PMCID: PMC6191289 DOI: 10.7554/elife.36495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2018] [Accepted: 08/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Fireflies and their luminous courtships have inspired centuries of scientific study. Today firefly luciferase is widely used in biotechnology, but the evolutionary origin of bioluminescence within beetles remains unclear. To shed light on this long-standing question, we sequenced the genomes of two firefly species that diverged over 100 million-years-ago: the North American Photinus pyralis and Japanese Aquatica lateralis. To compare bioluminescent origins, we also sequenced the genome of a related click beetle, the Caribbean Ignelater luminosus, with bioluminescent biochemistry near-identical to fireflies, but anatomically unique light organs, suggesting the intriguing hypothesis of parallel gains of bioluminescence. Our analyses support independent gains of bioluminescence in fireflies and click beetles, and provide new insights into the genes, chemical defenses, and symbionts that evolved alongside their luminous lifestyle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy R Fallon
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical ResearchCambridgeUnited States
- Department of BiologyMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
| | - Sarah E Lower
- Department of Molecular Biology and GeneticsCornell UniversityIthacaUnited States
- Department of BiologyBucknell UniversityLewisburgUnited States
| | - Ching-Ho Chang
- Department of BiologyUniversity of RochesterRochesterUnited States
| | - Manabu Bessho-Uehara
- Department of Environmental BiologyChubu UniversityKasugaiJapan
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural SciencesNagoya UniversityNagoyaJapan
- Monterey Bay Aquarium Research InstituteMoss LandingUnited States
| | - Gavin J Martin
- Department of BiologyBrigham Young UniversityProvoUnited States
| | - Adam J Bewick
- Department of GeneticsUniversity of GeorgiaAthensUnited States
| | - Megan Behringer
- Biodesign Center for Mechanisms of EvolutionArizona State UniversityTempeUnited States
| | - Humberto J Debat
- Center of Agronomic Research, National Institute of Agricultural TechnologyCórdobaArgentina
| | - Isaac Wong
- Department of BiologyUniversity of RochesterRochesterUnited States
| | - John C Day
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH)WallingfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Anton Suvorov
- Department of BiologyBrigham Young UniversityProvoUnited States
| | - Christian J Silva
- Department of BiologyUniversity of RochesterRochesterUnited States
- Department of Plant SciencesUniversity of California DavisDavisUnited States
| | | | - David W Hall
- Department of GeneticsUniversity of GeorgiaAthensUnited States
| | | | - David R Nelson
- Department of Microbiology Immunology and BiochemistryUniversity of Tennessee HSCMemphisUnited States
| | - Sara M Lewis
- Department of BiologyTufts UniversityMedfordUnited States
| | - Shuji Shigenobu
- NIBB Core Research FacilitiesNational Institute for Basic BiologyOkazakiJapan
| | - Seth M Bybee
- Department of BiologyBrigham Young UniversityProvoUnited States
| | | | - Yuichi Oba
- Department of Environmental BiologyChubu UniversityKasugaiJapan
| | - Jing-Ke Weng
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical ResearchCambridgeUnited States
- Department of BiologyMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
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13
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Hanley KA, Widder EA. Bioluminescence in Dinoflagellates: Evidence that the Adaptive Value of Bioluminescence in Dinoflagellates is Concentration Dependent. Photochem Photobiol 2017; 93:519-530. [DOI: 10.1111/php.12713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2016] [Accepted: 11/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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14
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Total evidence phylogeny and the evolution of adult bioluminescence in fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae). Mol Phylogenet Evol 2016; 107:564-575. [PMID: 27998815 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2016.12.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2016] [Revised: 12/10/2016] [Accepted: 12/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Fireflies are some of the most captivating organisms on the planet. They have a rich history as subjects of scientific study, especially in relation to their bioluminescent behavior. Yet, the phylogenetic relationships of fireflies are still poorly understood. Here, we present the first total evidence approach to reconstruct lampyrid phylogeny using both a molecular matrix from six loci and an extensive morphological matrix. Using this phylogeny we test the hypothesis that adult bioluminescence evolved after the origin of the firefly clade. The ancestral state of adult bioluminescence is recovered as non-bioluminescent with one to six gains and five to ten subsequent losses. The monophyly of the family, as well as the subfamilies is also tested. Ototretinae, Cyphonocerinae, Luciolinae (incl. Pristolycus), Amydetinae, "cheguevarinae" sensu Jeng 2008, and Photurinae are highly supported as monophyletic. With the exception of four taxa, Lampyrinae is also recovered as monophyletic with high support. Based on phylogenetic and morphological data Lamprohiza, Phausis, and Lamprigera are transferred to Lampyridae incertae sedis.
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15
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Effects of directionality, signal intensity, and short-wavelength components on iridescent warning signal efficacy. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-016-2141-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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16
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Jones RS, Fenton A, Speed MP. "Parasite-induced aposematism" protects entomopathogenic nematode parasites against invertebrate enemies. Behav Ecol 2015; 27:645-651. [PMID: 27004015 PMCID: PMC4797382 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arv202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2015] [Revised: 10/26/2015] [Accepted: 10/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Parasites can manipulate their hosts to ward off predators, by making them glow, become smelly, and toxic. We show this experimentally. Odors protect young infections particularly well. Aposematism is a well-known strategy in which prey defend themselves from predation by pairing defenses such as toxins, with warning signals that are often visually conspicuous color patterns. Here, we examine the possibility that aposematism can be induced in a host by colonies of infectious parasites in order to protect the parasites from the consequences of attacks on the host. Earlier studies show that avian predators are reluctant to feed on carcasses of host prey that are infected with the entomopathogenic nematode, Heterorhabditis bacteriophora. As the age of infection increases, the parasites kill and preserve the host and subsequently cause its color to change, becoming bright pink then red. Nematode colonies in dead hosts may also be vulnerable, however, to nocturnally active foragers that do not use vision in prey detection. Here, then we test a novel hypothesis that the nematode parasites also produce a warning odor, which functions to repel nocturnally active predators (in this case, the beetle Pterostichus madidus). We show that beetles decrease their feeding on infected insect prey as the age of infection increases and that olfactory cues associated with the infections are effective mechanisms for deterring beetle predation, even at very early stages of infection. We propose that “parasite-induced aposematism” from the nematodes serves to replace the antipredator defenses of the recently killed host. Because sessile carcasses are exposed to a greater range of predators than the live hosts, several alternative defense mechanisms are required to protect the colony, hence aposematic signals are likely diverse in such “parasite-induced aposematism.”
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca S Jones
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool , Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZB, Merseyside , UK
| | - Andy Fenton
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool , Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZB, Merseyside , UK
| | - Michael P Speed
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool , Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZB, Merseyside , UK
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17
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Oba Y, Schultz DT. Eco-evo bioluminescence on land and in the sea. ADVANCES IN BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING/BIOTECHNOLOGY 2014; 144:3-36. [PMID: 25084993 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-662-43385-0_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
This review discusses the evolution of bioluminescence organisms that inhabit various environments based on the current understanding of their unique ecologies and biochemistries. As shown here, however, there are still many unanswered questions regarding the functions and mechanisms of bioluminescence, which should be investigated in further studies. To facilitate future research in this field, we introduce our recent attempt, the bioluminescent organism DNA barcode initiative. This genetic reference library will provide resources for other scientists to efficiently identify unstudied bioluminescent organisms, focus their biochemical and genetic research goals, and will generally promote bioluminescence as a field of scientific study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuichi Oba
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan,
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18
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Oba Y, Furuhashi M, Bessho M, Sagawa S, Ikeya H, Inouye S. Bioluminescence of a firefly pupa: involvement of a luciferase isotype in the dim glow of pupae and eggs in the Japanese firefly, Luciola lateralis. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2013; 12:854-63. [DOI: 10.1039/c3pp25363e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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19
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Rivers TJ, Morin JG. The relative cost of using luminescence for sex and defense: light budgets in cypridinid ostracods. J Exp Biol 2012; 215:2860-8. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.072017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
SUMMARY
Luminescent signals can be used by animals for a number of purposes, including courtship and defense, sometimes by the same individual. However, the relative costs of producing these different behaviors are largely unknown. In the marine ostracod Photeros annecohenae, males utilize extracellular luminescence for complex courtship displays, and both males and females luminesce as a predation defense. We compared the relative luminescent output of courtship with that of defensive displays and also with respect to their total luminescent stores. Courtship displays are relatively inexpensive compared with defensive displays, with an average defensive display releasing 50 times more luminescence than the average courtship display. Furthermore, in order to completely exhaust its stores, a male would have to produce 450 typical courtship displays or approximately 10 average defensive displays. Both courtship pulses and defensive displays show first-order decay kinetics, yet courtship pulses decay three times faster than defensive displays, suggesting that there is differential release of the luciferin, luciferase and mucus in order to control the reaction kinetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trevor J. Rivers
- Department of Biology, Bowdoin College, 6500 College Station, Brunswick, ME 04011, USA
| | - James G. Morin
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
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20
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Long SM, Lewis S, Jean-Louis L, Ramos G, Richmond J, Jakob EM. Firefly flashing and jumping spider predation. Anim Behav 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2011.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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21
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Oba Y, Branham MA, Fukatsu T. The Terrestrial Bioluminescent Animals of Japan. Zoolog Sci 2011; 28:771-89. [DOI: 10.2108/zsj.28.771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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22
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Oba Y, Yoshida M, Shintani T, Furuhashi M, Inouye S. Firefly luciferase genes from the subfamilies Psilocladinae and Ototretinae (Lampyridae, Coleoptera). Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2011; 161:110-6. [PMID: 22008901 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2011.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2011] [Revised: 10/03/2011] [Accepted: 10/05/2011] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Firefly luciferase genes have been isolated from approximately 20 species of Lampyrinae, Luciolinae, and Photurinae. These are mostly nocturnal luminescent species that use light signals for sexual communication. In this study, we isolated three cDNAs for firefly luciferase from Psilocladinae (Cyphonocerus ruficollis) and Ototretinae (Drilaster axillaris and Stenocladius azumai), which are diurnal non-luminescent or weakly luminescent species that may use pheromones for communication. The amino acid sequences deduced from the three cDNAs showed 81-89% identities to each other and 60-81% identities with known firefly luciferases. The three purified recombinant proteins showed luminescence and fatty acyl-CoA synthetic activities, as observed in other firefly luciferases. The emission maxima by the three firefly luciferases (λmax, 545-546nm) were shorter than those by known luciferases from the nocturnal fireflies (λmax, 550-568nm). These results suggest that the primary structures and enzymatic properties of luciferases are conserved in Lampyridae, but the luminescence colors were red-shifted in nocturnal species compared to diurnal species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuichi Oba
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan.
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23
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Oba Y, Mori N, Yoshida M, Inouye S. Identification and characterization of a luciferase isotype in the Japanese firefly, Luciola cruciata, involving in the dim glow of firefly eggs. Biochemistry 2010; 49:10788-95. [PMID: 21090686 DOI: 10.1021/bi1016342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
We isolated the cDNA of a luciferase isotype (LcLuc2) from the Japanese firefly, Luciola cruciata (Lampyridae, Coleoptera). The gene product of LcLuc2 (LcLuc2) showed 59% amino acid identity with firefly luciferase LcLuc1, which was previously identified in L. cruciata. The recombinant LcLuc2 showed both luminescence activity and fatty acyl-CoA synthetic activity comparable to those of LcLuc1. The spectral maxima of the luminescence by LcLuc1 and LcLuc2 were 554 and 543 nm, respectively. Reverse transcription-PCR analysis showed that the transcripts of LcLuc1 were abundant in the lanterns of larva, adult male, and adult female, whereas both LcLuc1 and LcLuc2 were expressed in eggs. The luminescence spectra of the lantern extracts from larva, adult male, and adult female were in good agreement with that of recombinant LcLuc1. On the other hand, the emission maximum of the extract from eggs was between those of LcLuc1 and LcLuc2. These results suggest that L. cruciata possesses two luciferases: LcLuc1 is responsible for the major luminescence in larva and adult, whereas LcLuc1 and LcLuc2 are responsible for the dim glow in firefly eggs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuichi Oba
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan.
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24
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Abstract
Bioluminescence spans all oceanic dimensions and has evolved many times--from bacteria to fish--to powerfully influence behavioral and ecosystem dynamics. New methods and technology have brought great advances in understanding of the molecular basis of bioluminescence, its physiological control, and its significance in marine communities. Novel tools derived from understanding the chemistry of natural light-producing molecules have led to countless valuable applications, culminating recently in a related Nobel Prize. Marine organisms utilize bioluminescence for vital functions ranging from defense to reproduction. To understand these interactions and the distributions of luminous organisms, new instruments and platforms allow observations on individual to oceanographic scales. This review explores recent advances, including the chemical and molecular, phylogenetic and functional, community and oceanographic aspects of bioluminescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven H D Haddock
- Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss Landing, California 95039, USA.
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25
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Structure and function of the eversible organs of several genera of larval firefly (Coleoptera: Lampyridae). CHEMOECOLOGY 2009. [DOI: 10.1007/s00049-009-0016-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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26
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Lewis SM, Cratsley CK. Flash signal evolution, mate choice, and predation in fireflies. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ENTOMOLOGY 2008; 53:293-321. [PMID: 17877452 DOI: 10.1146/annurev.ento.53.103106.093346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 139] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Many key advances in our understanding of firefly biology and signaling have been made over the past two decades. Here we review this recent research, which includes new phylogenetic results that shed light on the evolution of courtship signal diversity within the family Lampyridae, new insights into firefly flash control, and the discovery of firefly nuptial gifts. We present a comprehensive overview of sexual selection in lampyrids, including evidence from Photinus fireflies that females choose their mates on the basis of male flash signals, and discuss the importance of examining both precopulatory and postcopulatory sexual selection in this group. Finally, we review recent findings on firefly chemical defenses, and discuss their implications for flash signal evolution in response to generalist predators as well as specialist predatory fireflies. This review provides new insight into how firefly flash signals have been shaped by the dual evolutionary processes of sexual selection (mate choice) and natural selection (predation), and proposes several exciting directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara M Lewis
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA.
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27
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Bocakova M, Bocak L, Hunt T, Teraväinen M, Vogler AP. Molecular phylogenetics of Elateriformia (Coleoptera): evolution of bioluminescence and neoteny. Cladistics 2007. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1096-0031.2007.00164.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
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28
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Sagegami-Oba R, Takahashi N, Oba Y. The evolutionary process of bioluminescence and aposematism in cantharoid beetles (Coleoptera: Elateroidea) inferred by the analysis of 18S ribosomal DNA. Gene 2007; 400:104-13. [PMID: 17629422 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2007.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2007] [Revised: 05/27/2007] [Accepted: 06/01/2007] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Cantharoid beetles are distinctive for their leathery soft elytra and conspicuous color or bioluminescence, and many of the members are equipped with chemical defenses. Thus, the vivid coloration of Cantharidae and Lycidae and the bioluminescence in Lampyridae and Phengodidae appear to be aposematic signals. However, the evolutionary aspect of their aposematism is not well understood, because the classification of the families remains controversial. In this study, we performed molecular phylogenetic analyses of species from cantharoid families, based on nucleotide sequence comparisons of nuclear 18S ribosomal DNA. The results shows that the luminous species Rhagophthalmus ohbai, which had sometimes been classified in Lampyridae, is excluded from a lampyrid clade and associates with the taxa of Phengodidae. The molecular data also suggests that four major subfamilies of Cantharidae (Cantharinae, Chauliognathinae, Malthininae, and Silinae) form a clade. The six subfamilies of Lampyridae are grouped and classified into two sublineages: Amydetinae+Lampyrinae+Photurinae and Cyphonocerinae+Luciolinae+Ototretinae. Genera Drilaster and Stenocladius are the members of Ototretinae in Lampyridae. These results conform to traditional taxonomy but disagree with more recent cladistic analyses. Based on these findings, we propose an evolutionary process of bioluminescence and aposematism in cantharoids: the clades of Cantharidae, Lampyridae, Lycidae, and Phengodidae have evolved aposematic coloration; subsequently Lampyridae and Phengodidae acquired bioluminescence; and these four major cantharoid families achieved their current adaptive diversities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reiko Sagegami-Oba
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
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29
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De Cock R. Larval and Adult Emission Spectra of Bioluminescence in Three European Firefly Species¶. Photochem Photobiol 2007. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-1097.2004.tb00018.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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30
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De Cock R, Matthysen E. Sexual communication by pheromones in a firefly, Phosphaenus hemipterus (Coleoptera: Lampyridae). Anim Behav 2005. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2005.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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31
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Branham MA, Wenzel JW. The origin of photic behavior and the evolution of sexual communication in fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae). Cladistics 2005; 19:1-22. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1096-0031.2003.tb00404.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
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32
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De Cock R. Larval and Adult Emission Spectra of Bioluminescence in Three European Firefly Species¶. Photochem Photobiol 2004; 79:339-42. [PMID: 15137510 DOI: 10.1562/2003-11-11-ra.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
We studied the spectral characteristics of the larvae of three sympatric Belgian species of fireflies, Lampyris noctiluca, Phosphaenus hemipterus and Lamprohiza splendidula. An in vivo spectral study was performed to compare bioluminescence spectra. The emission spectrum of a laboratory reared female L. noctiluca was recorded by a different, more exact method. The mean peak wavelength (lambdamax = 546 nm) and shapes of the unimodal emission spectra are visually similar for the larvae of all three species. The emission spectrum of the adult female L. noctiluca peaked in the same range as the larval bioluminescence between 546 and 551 nm. The bandwidth at half-maximum intensity was slightly greater for larval L. noctiluca (77 +/- 4 nm) compared with P. hemipterus (70 +/- 10 nm). The bandwidth of larval L. splendidula (77 +/- 8 nm) was not different compared with the other larvae, whereas the females' bandwidth was somewhat narrower (68 nm). The ecological significance of the color of bioluminescence and conservancy of green emission in larval fireflies and other luminescent beetle larvae is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphaël De Cock
- Laboratory of Animal Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
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