1
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Asinof SK, Card GM. Neural Control of Naturalistic Behavior Choices. Annu Rev Neurosci 2024; 47:369-388. [PMID: 38724026 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-neuro-111020-094019] [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] [Indexed: 08/09/2024]
Abstract
In the natural world, animals make decisions on an ongoing basis, continuously selecting which action to undertake next. In the lab, however, the neural bases of decision processes have mostly been studied using artificial trial structures. New experimental tools based on the genetic toolkit of model organisms now make it experimentally feasible to monitor and manipulate neural activity in small subsets of neurons during naturalistic behaviors. We thus propose a new approach to investigating decision processes, termed reverse neuroethology. In this approach, experimenters select animal models based on experimental accessibility and then utilize cutting-edge tools such as connectomes and genetically encoded reagents to analyze the flow of information through an animal's nervous system during naturalistic choice behaviors. We describe how the reverse neuroethology strategy has been applied to understand the neural underpinnings of innate, rapid decision making, with a focus on defensive behavioral choices in the vinegar fly Drosophila melanogaster.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel K Asinof
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, Virginia, USA
| | - Gwyneth M Card
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Neuroscience, and Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA;
- Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, Virginia, USA
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2
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Guo L, Wang J, Yu D, Zhang Y, Zhang H, Guo Y. Expression and Functional Analysis of the Smo Protein in Apis mellifera. INSECTS 2024; 15:555. [PMID: 39057287 PMCID: PMC11277047 DOI: 10.3390/insects15070555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2024] [Revised: 07/14/2024] [Accepted: 07/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
Smoothened (Smo) is a critical component regulating the Hedgehog signaling pathway. However, whether Smo is associated with the modulation of olfactory recognition capabilities of bees remains unclear. In this study, we amplified Smo from Apis mellifera. The coding sequence of Smo was 2952 bp long, encoded 983 amino acids. Smo was most highly expressed in the antennae. Cyclopamine (200 μg/mL) significantly reduced but purmorphamine (800 μg/mL) significantly increased Smo expression (p < 0.05). OR152 and OR2 expression in the cyclopamine group significantly decreased, whereas OR152 expression in the purmorphamine group significantly increased (p < 0.05). A significant decrease in the relative values of electroantennography was observed in the cyclopamine group exposed to neral. Behavioral tests indicated a significant decrease in the attractive rates of neral, VUAA1, linalool, and methyl heptenone in the cyclopamine group. Conversely, the selection rates of linalool and methyl heptenone in the purmorphamine group significantly increased. Our findings indicate that Smo may play a role in modulating olfactory receptors in bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Guo
- College of Animal Science, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, China; (L.G.); (J.W.); (D.Y.); (Y.Z.); (H.Z.)
| | - Jue Wang
- College of Animal Science, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, China; (L.G.); (J.W.); (D.Y.); (Y.Z.); (H.Z.)
| | - Diandian Yu
- College of Animal Science, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, China; (L.G.); (J.W.); (D.Y.); (Y.Z.); (H.Z.)
| | - Yu Zhang
- College of Animal Science, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, China; (L.G.); (J.W.); (D.Y.); (Y.Z.); (H.Z.)
| | - Huiman Zhang
- College of Animal Science, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, China; (L.G.); (J.W.); (D.Y.); (Y.Z.); (H.Z.)
| | - Yuan Guo
- College of Horticulture, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taiyuan 030031, China
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3
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Rahman-Soad A, Bittner N, Hilker M. Pine Response to Sawfly Pheromones: Effects on Sawfly's Oviposition and Larval Growth. INSECTS 2024; 15:458. [PMID: 38921172 PMCID: PMC11203435 DOI: 10.3390/insects15060458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
Insect pheromones have been intensively studied with respect to their role in insect communication. However, scarce knowledge is available on the impact of pheromones on plant responses, and how these in turn affect herbivorous insects. A previous study showed that exposure of pine (Pinus sylvestris) to the sex pheromones of the pine sawfly Diprion pini results in enhanced defenses against the eggs of this sawfly; the egg survival rate on pheromone-exposed pine needles was lower than that on unexposed pine. The long-lasting common evolutionary history of D. pini and P. sylvestris suggests that D. pini has developed counter-adaptations to these pine responses. Here, we investigated by behavioral assays how D. pini copes with the defenses of pheromone-exposed pine. The sawfly females did not discriminate between the odor of pheromone-exposed and unexposed pine. However, when they had the chance to contact the trees, more unexposed than pheromone-exposed trees received eggs. The exposure of pine to the pheromones did not affect the performance of larvae and their pupation success. Our findings indicate that the effects that responses of pine to D. pini sex pheromones exert on the sawfly eggs and sawfly oviposition behavior do not extend to effects on the larvae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asifur Rahman-Soad
- Applied Zoology/Animal Ecology, Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, 12163 Berlin, Germany; (A.R.-S.); (N.B.)
| | - Norbert Bittner
- Applied Zoology/Animal Ecology, Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, 12163 Berlin, Germany; (A.R.-S.); (N.B.)
- Institute of Translational Genomics, Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Monika Hilker
- Applied Zoology/Animal Ecology, Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, 12163 Berlin, Germany; (A.R.-S.); (N.B.)
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4
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Fonseca PM, Robe LJ, Carvalho TL, Loreto ELS. Characterization of the chemoreceptor repertoire of a highly specialized fly with comparisons to other Drosophila species. Genet Mol Biol 2024; 47:e20220383. [PMID: 38885260 PMCID: PMC11182316 DOI: 10.1590/1678-4685-gmb-2022-0383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
To explore the diversity of scenarios in nature, animals have evolved tools to interact with different environmental conditions. Chemoreceptors are an important interface component and among them, olfactory receptors (ORs) and gustatory receptors (GRs) can be used to find food and detect healthy resources. Drosophila is a model organism in many scientific fields, in part due to the diversity of species and niches they occupy. The contrast between generalists and specialists Drosophila species provides an important model for studying the evolution of chemoreception. Here, we compare the repertoire of chemoreceptors of different species of Drosophila with that of D. incompta, a highly specialized species whose ecology is restricted to Cestrum flowers, after reporting the preferences of D. incompta to the odor of Cestrum flowers in olfactory tests. We found evidence that the chemoreceptor repertoire in D. incompta is smaller than that presented by species in the Sophophora subgenus. Similar patterns were found in other non-Sophophora species, suggesting the presence of underlying phylogenetic trends. Nevertheless, we also found autapomorphic gene losses and detected some genes that appear to be under positive selection in D. incompta, suggesting that the specific lifestyle of these flies may have shaped the evolution of individual genes in each of these gene families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Mesquita Fonseca
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Instituto de Biociências, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Lizandra Jaqueline Robe
- Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade Animal, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Tuane Letícia Carvalho
- Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade Animal, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Elgion Lucio Silva Loreto
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Instituto de Biociências, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
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5
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Ellis KE, Bervoets S, Smihula H, Ganguly I, Vigato E, Auer TO, Benton R, Litwin-Kumar A, Caron SJC. Evolution of connectivity architecture in the Drosophila mushroom body. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4872. [PMID: 38849331 PMCID: PMC11161526 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48839-4] [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: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Brain evolution has primarily been studied at the macroscopic level by comparing the relative size of homologous brain centers between species. How neuronal circuits change at the cellular level over evolutionary time remains largely unanswered. Here, using a phylogenetically informed framework, we compare the olfactory circuits of three closely related Drosophila species that differ in their chemical ecology: the generalists Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila simulans and Drosophila sechellia that specializes on ripe noni fruit. We examine a central part of the olfactory circuit that, to our knowledge, has not been investigated in these species-the connections between projection neurons and the Kenyon cells of the mushroom body-and identify species-specific connectivity patterns. We found that neurons encoding food odors connect more frequently with Kenyon cells, giving rise to species-specific biases in connectivity. These species-specific connectivity differences reflect two distinct neuronal phenotypes: in the number of projection neurons or in the number of presynaptic boutons formed by individual projection neurons. Finally, behavioral analyses suggest that such increased connectivity enhances learning performance in an associative task. Our study shows how fine-grained aspects of connectivity architecture in an associative brain center can change during evolution to reflect the chemical ecology of a species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sven Bervoets
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, USA
| | - Hayley Smihula
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, USA
| | - Ishani Ganguly
- Center for Theoretical Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, USA
| | - Eva Vigato
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, USA
| | - Thomas O Auer
- Center for Integrative Genomics, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Richard Benton
- Center for Integrative Genomics, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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6
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Ye D, Walsh JT, Junker IP, Ding Y. Changes in the cellular makeup of motor patterning circuits drive courtship song evolution in Drosophila. Curr Biol 2024; 34:2319-2329.e6. [PMID: 38688283 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.04.020] [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: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
How evolutionary changes in genes and neurons encode species variation in complex motor behaviors is largely unknown. Here, we develop genetic tools that permit a neural circuit comparison between the model species Drosophila melanogaster and the closely related species D. yakuba, which has undergone a lineage-specific loss of sine song, one of the two major types of male courtship song in Drosophila. Neuroanatomical comparison of song-patterning neurons called TN1 across the phylogeny demonstrates a link between the loss of sine song and a reduction both in the number of TN1 neurons and the neurites supporting the sine circuit connectivity. Optogenetic activation confirms that TN1 neurons in D. yakuba have lost the ability to drive sine song, although they have maintained the ability to drive the singing wing posture. Single-cell transcriptomic comparison shows that D. yakuba specifically lacks a cell type corresponding to TN1A neurons, the TN1 subtype that is essential for sine song. Genetic and developmental manipulation reveals a functional divergence of the sex determination gene doublesex in D. yakuba to reduce TN1 number by promoting apoptosis. Our work illustrates the contribution of motor patterning circuits and cell type changes in behavioral evolution and uncovers the evolutionary lability of sex determination genes to reconfigure the cellular makeup of neural circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dajia Ye
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Justin T Walsh
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ian P Junker
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Yun Ding
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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7
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Tang R, Guo H, Chen JQ, Huang C, Kong XX, Cao L, Wan FH, Han RC. Tandemly expanded OR17b in Himalaya ghost moth facilitates larval food allocation via olfactory reception of plant-derived tricosane. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 268:131503. [PMID: 38663697 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.131503] [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: 02/18/2024] [Revised: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/30/2024]
Abstract
Herbivorous insects utilize intricate olfactory mechanisms to locate food plants. The chemical communication of insect-plant in primitive lineage offers insights into evolutionary milestones of divergent olfactory modalities. Here, we focus on a system endemic to the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau to unravel the chemical and molecular basis of food preference in ancestral Lepidoptera. We conducted volatile profiling, neural electrophysiology, and chemotaxis assays with a panel of host plant organs to identify attractants for Himalaya ghost moth Thitarodes xiaojinensis larvae, the primitive host of medicinal Ophiocordyceps sinensis fungus. Using a DREAM approach based on odorant induced transcriptomes and subsequent deorphanization tests, we elucidated the odorant receptors responsible for coding bioactive volatiles. Contrary to allocation signals in most plant-feeding insects, T. xiaojinensis larvae utilize tricosane from the bulbil as the main attractant for locating native host plant. We deorphanized a TxiaOR17b, an indispensable odorant receptor resulting from tandem duplication of OR17, for transducing olfactory signals in response to tricosane. The discovery of this ligand-receptor pair suggests a survival strategy based on food location via olfaction in ancestral Lepidoptera, which synchronizes both plant asexual reproduction and peak hatch periods of insect larvae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Tang
- 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
| | - Hao Guo
- College of Life Science, Institute of life Science and Green Development, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, China
| | - Jia-Qi Chen
- 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
| | - Cong Huang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Xiang-Xin Kong
- 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
| | - Li Cao
- 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
| | - Fang-Hao Wan
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518120, China; College of Plant Health and Medicine, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China
| | - Ri-Chou Han
- 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.
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8
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Farnworth MS, Montgomery SH. Evolution of neural circuitry and cognition. Biol Lett 2024; 20:20230576. [PMID: 38747685 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0576] [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: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Neural circuits govern the interface between the external environment, internal cues and outwardly directed behaviours. To process multiple environmental stimuli and integrate these with internal state requires considerable neural computation. Expansion in neural network size, most readily represented by whole brain size, has historically been linked to behavioural complexity, or the predominance of cognitive behaviours. Yet, it is largely unclear which aspects of circuit variation impact variation in performance. A key question in the field of evolutionary neurobiology is therefore how neural circuits evolve to allow improved behavioural performance or innovation. We discuss this question by first exploring how volumetric changes in brain areas reflect actual neural circuit change. We explore three major axes of neural circuit evolution-replication, restructuring and reconditioning of cells and circuits-and discuss how these could relate to broader phenotypes and behavioural variation. This discussion touches on the relevant uses and limitations of volumetrics, while advocating a more circuit-based view of cognition. We then use this framework to showcase an example from the insect brain, the multi-sensory integration and internal processing that is shared between the mushroom bodies and central complex. We end by identifying future trends in this research area, which promise to advance the field of evolutionary neurobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max S Farnworth
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol , Bristol, UK
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9
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Jiang NJ, Dong X, Veit D, Hansson BS, Knaden M. Elevated ozone disrupts mating boundaries in drosophilid flies. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2872. [PMID: 38605003 PMCID: PMC11009341 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47117-7] [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: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Animals employ different strategies to establish mating boundaries between closely related species, with sex pheromones often playing a crucial role in identifying conspecific mates. Many of these pheromones have carbon-carbon double bonds, making them vulnerable to oxidation by certain atmospheric oxidant pollutants, including ozone. Here, we investigate whether increased ozone compromises species boundaries in drosophilid flies. We show that short-term exposure to increased levels of ozone degrades pheromones of Drosophila melanogaster, D. simulans, D. mauritiana, as well as D. sechellia, and induces hybridization between some of these species. As many of the resulting hybrids are sterile, this could result in local population declines. However, hybridization between D. simulans and D. mauritiana as well as D. simulans and D. sechellia results in fertile hybrids, of which some female hybrids are even more attractive to the males of the parental species. Our experimental findings indicate that ozone pollution could potentially induce breakdown of species boundaries in insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan-Ji Jiang
- Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Straße 8, D-07745, Jena, Germany
- Next Generation Insect Chemical Ecology, Max Planck Centre, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Straße 8, D-07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Xinqi Dong
- Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Straße 8, D-07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Daniel Veit
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll Straße 8, D-07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Bill S Hansson
- Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Straße 8, D-07745, Jena, Germany
- Next Generation Insect Chemical Ecology, Max Planck Centre, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Straße 8, D-07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Markus Knaden
- Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Straße 8, D-07745, Jena, Germany.
- Next Generation Insect Chemical Ecology, Max Planck Centre, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Straße 8, D-07745, Jena, Germany.
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10
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Chen Q, Liu Q, Chen Y, Du L, Zhu X, Yang Y, Zhao J, Wang Z, Song L, Li J, Ren B. Functional Characterization of the Niemann-Pick C2 Protein BdioNPC2b in the Parasitic Wasp Baryscapus dioryctriae (Chalcidodea: Eulophidae). JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2024; 72:7735-7748. [PMID: 38546111 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c09095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Reverse chemical ecology has been widely applied for the functional characterization of olfactory proteins in various arthropods, but few related studies have focused on parasitic wasps. Here, the odorant carrier Niemann-Pick C2 protein of Baryscapus dioryctriae (BdioNPC2b) was studied in vitro and in vivo. Ligand binding analysis revealed that BdioNPC2b most strongly bound to 2-butyl-2-octenal and which compound could elicit an EAG response and attracted B. dioryctriae adults. Moreover, this odorant attractant significantly improved the reproductive efficiency of B. dioryctriae compared to that of the control. Then, the relationship between BdioNPC2b and 2-butyl-2-octenal was validated by RNAi, and site-directed mutagenesis revealed the involvement of three key residues of BdioNPC2b in binding to 2-butyl-2-octenal through hydrogen bonding. Our findings provide not only a deeper understanding of the olfactory function of NPC2 in wasps but also useful information for improving the performance of the parasitoid B. dioryctriae as a biological control agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Chen
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Jilin Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Jilin Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Qingxin Liu
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Jilin Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Yuanxu Chen
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Jilin Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Lin Du
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Jilin Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Xiaoyan Zhu
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Jilin Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Yi Yang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Jilin Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Jingyi Zhao
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Jilin Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Zizhuo Wang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Jilin Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Liwen Song
- Research Institute of Forest Protection, Jilin Provincial Academy of Forestry Sciences, Changchun 130033, China
| | - Jing Li
- Research Institute of Forest Protection, Jilin Provincial Academy of Forestry Sciences, Changchun 130033, China
| | - Bingzhong Ren
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Jilin Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Jilin Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
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11
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Rode NO, Meslin C. A sweet tooth makes a fly a pest. Trends Ecol Evol 2024; 39:315-317. [PMID: 38493056 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2024.03.002] [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: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
The major insect pest of soft and stone fruits, the spotted-wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii, has evolved a greater preference for laying eggs on ripe fruits over fermented ones. In a recent study, Cavey et al. found that higher responsiveness to low sugar concentrations has had an important role in this evolutionary shift in egg-laying behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas O Rode
- CBGP, University of Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, Institut Agro, IRD, Montpellier, France.
| | - Camille Meslin
- Sorbonne Université, Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement, CNRS, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Université Paris-Est-Créteil-Val-de-Marne, Université Paris Cité, Institut d'Ecologie et des Sciences de l'Environnement de Paris, Versailles, France.
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12
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Sullivan LF, Barker MS, Felix PC, Vuong RQ, White BH. Neuromodulation and the toolkit for behavioural evolution: can ecdysis shed light on an old problem? FEBS J 2024; 291:1049-1079. [PMID: 36223183 PMCID: PMC10166064 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16650] [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: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
The geneticist Thomas Dobzhansky famously declared: 'Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution'. A key evolutionary adaptation of Metazoa is directed movement, which has been elaborated into a spectacularly varied number of behaviours in animal clades. The mechanisms by which animal behaviours have evolved, however, remain unresolved. This is due, in part, to the indirect control of behaviour by the genome, which provides the components for both building and operating the brain circuits that generate behaviour. These brain circuits are adapted to respond flexibly to environmental contingencies and physiological needs and can change as a function of experience. The resulting plasticity of behavioural expression makes it difficult to characterize homologous elements of behaviour and to track their evolution. Here, we evaluate progress in identifying the genetic substrates of behavioural evolution and suggest that examining adaptive changes in neuromodulatory signalling may be a particularly productive focus for future studies. We propose that the behavioural sequences used by ecdysozoans to moult are an attractive model for studying the role of neuromodulation in behavioural evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis F Sullivan
- Section on Neural Function, Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Matthew S Barker
- Section on Neural Function, Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Princess C Felix
- Section on Neural Function, Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Richard Q Vuong
- Section on Neural Function, Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Benjamin H White
- Section on Neural Function, Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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13
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Takagi S, Sancer G, Abuin L, Stupski SD, Arguello JR, Prieto-Godino LL, Stern DL, Cruchet S, Alvarez-Ocana R, Wienecke CFR, van Breugel F, Jeanne JM, Auer TO, Benton R. Sensory neuron population expansion enhances odor tracking without sensitizing projection neurons. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.09.15.556782. [PMID: 37745467 PMCID: PMC10515935 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.15.556782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
The evolutionary expansion of sensory neuron populations detecting important environmental cues is widespread, but functionally enigmatic. We investigated this phenomenon through comparison of homologous neural pathways of Drosophila melanogaster and its close relative Drosophila sechellia , an extreme specialist for Morinda citrifolia noni fruit. D. sechellia has evolved species-specific expansions in select, noni-detecting olfactory sensory neuron (OSN) populations, through multigenic changes. Activation and inhibition of defined proportions of neurons demonstrate that OSN population increases contribute to stronger, more persistent, noni-odor tracking behavior. These sensory neuron expansions result in increased synaptic connections with their projection neuron (PN) partners, which are conserved in number between species. Surprisingly, having more OSNs does not lead to greater odor-evoked PN sensitivity or reliability. Rather, pathways with increased sensory pooling exhibit reduced PN adaptation, likely through weakened lateral inhibition. Our work reveals an unexpected functional impact of sensory neuron expansions to explain ecologically-relevant, species-specific behavior.
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14
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Ding SS, Fox JL, Gordus A, Joshi A, Liao JC, Scholz M. Fantastic beasts and how to study them: rethinking experimental animal behavior. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb247003. [PMID: 38372042 PMCID: PMC10911175 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.247003] [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] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Humans have been trying to understand animal behavior at least since recorded history. Recent rapid development of new technologies has allowed us to make significant progress in understanding the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying behavior, a key goal of neuroethology. However, there is a tradeoff when studying animal behavior and its underlying biological mechanisms: common behavior protocols in the laboratory are designed to be replicable and controlled, but they often fail to encompass the variability and breadth of natural behavior. This Commentary proposes a framework of 10 key questions that aim to guide researchers in incorporating a rich natural context into their experimental design or in choosing a new animal study system. The 10 questions cover overarching experimental considerations that can provide a template for interspecies comparisons, enable us to develop studies in new model organisms and unlock new experiments in our quest to understand behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyu Serena Ding
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Jessica L. Fox
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Andrew Gordus
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Abhilasha Joshi
- Departments of Physiology and Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - James C. Liao
- Department of Biology, The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL 32080, USA
| | - Monika Scholz
- Max Planck Research Group Neural Information Flow, Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behavior – caesar, 53175 Bonn, Germany
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15
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Chen Q, Zhu X, Kang G, Yu Q, Liu Q, Du L, Yang Y, He X, Zhao Y, Zhang J, Hu Y, Ren B. Identification and functional characterization of female antennae-biased odorant receptor 23 involved in acetophenone detection of the Indian meal moth Plodia interpunctella. INSECT SCIENCE 2024; 31:59-78. [PMID: 37464967 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13220] [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: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
The Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), a globally distributed storage pest, relies on odors that are emitted from stored foods to select a suitable substrate for oviposition. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the chemical communication between P. interpunctella and its host remains elusive. In this study, 130 chemosensory genes were identified from the transcriptomes of 7 P. interpunctella tissues, and the quantitative expression levels of all 56 P. interpunctella odorant receptor genes (PintORs) were validated using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The functional characteristics of 5 PintORs with female antennae-biased expression were investigated using 2-electrode voltage clamp recordings in Xenopus laevis oocytes. PintOR23 was found to be specifically tuned to acetophenone. Acetophenone could elicit a significant electrophysiological response and only attracted mated females when compared with males and virgin females. In addition, molecular docking predicted that the hydrogen bonding sites, TRP-335 and ALA-167, might play key roles in the binding of PintOR23 to acetophenone. Our study provides valuable insights into the olfactory mechanism of oviposition substrate detection and localization in P. interpunctella and points toward the possibility of developing eco-friendly odorant agents to control pests of stored products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Chen
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- Jilin Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Xiaoyan Zhu
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- Jilin Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Guoqing Kang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- Jilin Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Qiling Yu
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- Jilin Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Qingxin Liu
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- Jilin Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Lin Du
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- Jilin Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Yi Yang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- Jilin Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Xinyu He
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- Jilin Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Ying Zhao
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- Jilin Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Junjie Zhang
- Engineering Research Center of Natural Enemies, Institute of Biological Control, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
| | - Ying Hu
- Engineering Research Center of Natural Enemies, Institute of Biological Control, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
| | - Bingzhong Ren
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- Jilin Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
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16
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Ye D, Walsh JT, Junker IP, Ding Y. Changes in the cellular makeup of motor patterning circuits drive courtship song evolution in Drosophila. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.23.576861. [PMID: 38328135 PMCID: PMC10849698 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.23.576861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
How evolutionary changes in genes and neurons encode species variation in complex motor behaviors are largely unknown. Here, we develop genetic tools that permit a neural circuit comparison between the model species Drosophila melanogaster and the closely-related species D. yakuba, who has undergone a lineage-specific loss of sine song, one of the two major types of male courtship song in Drosophila. Neuroanatomical comparison of song patterning neurons called TN1 across the phylogeny demonstrates a link between the loss of sine song and a reduction both in the number of TN1 neurons and the neurites serving the sine circuit connectivity. Optogenetic activation confirms that TN1 neurons in D. yakuba have lost the ability to drive sine song, while maintaining the ability to drive the singing wing posture. Single-cell transcriptomic comparison shows that D. yakuba specifically lacks a cell type corresponding to TN1A neurons, the TN1 subtype that is essential for sine song. Genetic and developmental manipulation reveals a functional divergence of the sex determination gene doublesex in D. yakuba to reduce TN1 number by promoting apoptosis. Our work illustrates the contribution of motor patterning circuits and cell type changes in behavioral evolution, and uncovers the evolutionary lability of sex determination genes to reconfigure the cellular makeup of neural circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dajia Ye
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Justin T Walsh
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ian P Junker
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Yun Ding
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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17
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Chen R, Ai D, Wang G, Wang B. Comparative transcriptome analysis of the antenna and proboscis reveals feeding state-dependent chemosensory genes in Eupeodes corollae. Open Biol 2024; 14:230208. [PMID: 38195061 PMCID: PMC10776234 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.230208] [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: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024] Open
Abstract
The physiological state of an insect can affect its olfactory system. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the effect of nutrition-dependent states on odour-guided behaviours in hoverflies remains unclear. In this study, comparative transcriptome analysis of the antenna and proboscis from Eupeodes corollae under different feeding states was conducted. Compared with the previously published antennal transcriptome, a total of 32 novel chemosensory genes were identified, including 4 ionotropic receptors, 17 gustatory receptors, 9 odorant binding proteins and 2 chemosensory proteins. Analysis of differences in gene expression between different feeding states in male and female antennae and proboscises revealed that the expression levels of chemosensory genes were impacted by feeding state. For instance, the expression levels of EcorOBP19 in female antennae, EcorOBP6 in female proboscis, and EcorOR6, EcorOR14, EcorIR5 and EcorIR84a in male antennae were significantly upregulated after feeding. On the other hand, the expression levels of EcorCSP7 in male proboscis and EcorOR40 in male antennae were significantly downregulated. These findings suggest that nutritional state plays a role in the adaptation of hoverflies' olfactory system to food availability. Overall, our study provides important insights into the plasticity and adaptation of chemosensory systems in hoverflies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruipeng Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Dong Ai
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Guirong Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, People's Republic of China
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518120, People’s Republic of China
| | - Bing Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, People's Republic of China
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18
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Guo JM, Wei ZQ, Hou JH, He Y, Luan XP, Zhang YY, Liu XL, Zhang XT, Zhang J, Yan Q, Dong SL. Ionotropic Receptor IR75q.2 Mediates Avoidance Reaction to Nonanoic Acid in the Fall Armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae). JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2023; 71:20602-20612. [PMID: 38088835 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c05704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
Ionotropic receptors (IRs) play an important role in olfaction, but little is known in nondrosophila insects. Here, we report in vitro and in vivo functional characterization of IR75q.2 in the invasive moth pest Spodoptera frugiperda. First, 13 IRs (including four coreceptor IRs) were found specifically or highly expressed in adult antennae. Second, these IRs were tested for responding profiles to 59 odorants using the Xenopus oocyte expression system, showing that only SfruIR75q.2 responded to 8-10C fatty acids and their corresponding aldehydes, with SfruIR8a as the only coreceptor. Third, the three acids (especially nonanoic acid) showed repellent effects on moth's behavior and oviposition, but the repellence significantly reduced to the insects with IR75q.2 knockout by CRISPR/Cas9. Taken together, our study reveals the function of SfruIR75q.2 in perception of acid and aldehyde odorants and provides the first in vivo evidence for olfactory function of an odor-specific IR in Lepidoptera.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Meng Guo
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education/College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Zhi-Qiang Wei
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education/College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Jing-Hao Hou
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education/College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yu He
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education/College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Xuan-Pu Luan
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education/College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yun-Ying Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education/College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Xiao-Long Liu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education/College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Xiao-Tong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education/College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Jin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education/College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Qi Yan
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education/College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Shuang-Lin Dong
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education/College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
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19
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Ellis KE, Domagala DM, Caron SJC. Mapping Kenyon cell inputs in Drosophila using dye electroporation. STAR Protoc 2023; 4:102478. [PMID: 37864788 PMCID: PMC10616406 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2023.102478] [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: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Here, we describe a technique for charting the inputs of individual Kenyon cells in the Drosophila brain. In this technique, a single Kenyon cell per brain hemisphere is photo-labeled to visualize its claw-like dendritic terminals; a dye-filled electrode is used to backfill the projection neuron connected to each claw. This process can be repeated in hundreds of brains to build a connectivity matrix. Statistical analyses of such a matrix can reveal connectivity patterns such as random input and biased connectivity. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Hayashi et al. (2022).1.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Drue Marie Domagala
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
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20
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Mo BT, Guo H, Li GC, Cao LL, Gong XL, Huang LQ, Wang CZ. Discovery of Insect Attractants Based on the Functional Analyses of Female-Biased Odorant Receptors and Their Orthologs in Two Closely Related Species. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2023; 71:19408-19421. [PMID: 38039319 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c05368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
Olfaction plays an instrumental role in host plant selection by phytophagous insects. Helicoverpa assulta and Helicoverpa armigera are two closely related moth species with different host plant ranges. In this study, we first comparatively analyzed the function of 11 female-biased odorant receptors (ORs) and their orthologs in the two species by the Drosophila T1 neuron expression system and then examined the electroantennography responses of the two species to the most effective OR ligands. Behavioral assays using a Y-tube olfactometer indicate that guaiene, the primary ligand of HassOR21-2 and HarmOR21-2, only attracts the females, while benzyl acetone, the main ligand of HassOR35 and HarmOR35, attracts both sexes of the two species. Oviposition preference experiments further confirm that guaiene and benzyl acetone are potent oviposition attractants for the mated females of both species. These findings deepen our understanding of the olfactory coding mechanisms of host plant selection in herbivorous insects and provide valuable attractants for managing pest populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bao-Tong Mo
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, P. R. China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Hao Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, P. R. China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Guo-Cheng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, P. R. China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Lin-Lin Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, P. R. China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Xin-Lin Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, P. R. China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Ling-Qiao Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, P. R. China
| | - Chen-Zhu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, P. R. China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
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21
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Wu JN, Cai CX, Liu WB, Ai D, Cao S, Wang B, Wang GR. Mutagenesis of Odorant Receptor Coreceptor Orco Reveals the Odorant-Detected Behavior of the Predator Eupeodes corollae. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17284. [PMID: 38139113 PMCID: PMC10744098 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242417284] [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: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The successful mating of the hoverfly and the search for prey aphids are of great significance for biological control and are usually mediated by chemical cues. The odorant receptor co-receptor (Orco) genes play a crucial role in the process of insect odor perception. However, the function of Orco in the mating and prey-seeking behaviors of the hoverfly remains relatively unexplored. In this study, we characterized the Orco gene from the hoverfly, Eupeodes corollae, a natural enemy insect. We used the CRISPR/Cas9 technique to knock out the Orco gene of E. corollae, and the EcorOrco-/- homozygous mutant was verified by the genotype analysis. Fluorescence in situ hybridization showed that the antennal ORN of EcorOrco-/- mutant lack Orco staining. Electroantennogram (EAG) results showed that the adult mutant almost lost the electrophysiological response to 15 odorants from three types. The two-way choice assay and the glass Y-tube olfactometer indicated that both the larvae and adults of hoverflies lost their behavioral preference to the aphid alarm pheromone (E)-β-farnesene (EBF). In addition, the mating assay results showed a significant decrease in the mating rate of males following the knock out of the EcorOrco gene. Although the mating of females was not affected, the amount of eggs being laid and the hatching rate of the eggs were significantly reduced. These results indicated that the EcorOrco gene was not only involved in the detection of semiochemicals in hoverflies but also plays a pivotal role in the development of eggs. In conclusion, our results expand the comprehension of the chemoreceptive mechanisms in the hoverflies and offers valuable insights for the advancement of more sophisticated pest management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Nan Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; (J.-N.W.); (C.-X.C.); (W.-B.L.); (D.A.); (S.C.)
| | - Chen-Xi Cai
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; (J.-N.W.); (C.-X.C.); (W.-B.L.); (D.A.); (S.C.)
| | - Wen-Biao Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; (J.-N.W.); (C.-X.C.); (W.-B.L.); (D.A.); (S.C.)
| | - Dong Ai
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; (J.-N.W.); (C.-X.C.); (W.-B.L.); (D.A.); (S.C.)
| | - Song Cao
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; (J.-N.W.); (C.-X.C.); (W.-B.L.); (D.A.); (S.C.)
| | - Bing Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; (J.-N.W.); (C.-X.C.); (W.-B.L.); (D.A.); (S.C.)
| | - Gui-Rong Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; (J.-N.W.); (C.-X.C.); (W.-B.L.); (D.A.); (S.C.)
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518120, China
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22
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Li M, Chen DS, Junker IP, Szorenyi F, Chen GH, Berger AJ, Comeault AA, Matute DR, Ding Y. Ancestral neural circuits potentiate the origin of a female sexual behavior. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.05.570174. [PMID: 38106147 PMCID: PMC10723342 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.05.570174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Courtship interactions are remarkably diverse in form and complexity among species. How neural circuits evolve to encode new behaviors that are functionally integrated into these dynamic social interactions is unknown. Here we report a recently originated female sexual behavior in the island endemic Drosophila species D. santomea, where females signal receptivity to male courtship songs by spreading their wings, which in turn promotes prolonged songs in courting males. Copulation success depends on this female signal and correlates with males' ability to adjust his singing in such a social feedback loop. Functional comparison of sexual circuitry across species suggests that a pair of descending neurons, which integrates male song stimuli and female internal state to control a conserved female abdominal behavior, drives wing spreading in D. santomea. This co-option occurred through the refinement of a pre-existing, plastic circuit that can be optogenetically activated in an outgroup species. Combined, our results show that the ancestral potential of a socially-tuned key circuit node to engage the wing motor program facilitates the expression of a new female behavior in appropriate sensory and motivational contexts. More broadly, our work provides insights into the evolution of social behaviors, particularly female behaviors, and the underlying neural mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minhao Li
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Dawn S Chen
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ian P Junker
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Fabianna Szorenyi
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Guan Hao Chen
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Arnold J Berger
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Aaron A Comeault
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Current address: School of Environmental and Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, UK
| | - Daniel R Matute
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Yun Ding
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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23
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Cavey M, Charroux B, Travaillard S, Manière G, Berthelot-Grosjean M, Quitard S, Minervino C, Detailleur B, Grosjean Y, Prud’homme B. Increased sugar valuation contributes to the evolutionary shift in egg-laying behavior of the fruit pest Drosophila suzukii. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002432. [PMID: 38079457 PMCID: PMC10735178 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Behavior evolution can promote the emergence of agricultural pests by changing their ecological niche. For example, the insect pest Drosophila suzukii has shifted its oviposition (egg-laying) niche from fermented fruits to ripe, non-fermented fruits, causing significant damage to a wide range of fruit crops worldwide. We investigate the chemosensory changes underlying this evolutionary shift and ask whether fruit sugars, which are depleted during fermentation, are important gustatory cues that direct D. suzukii oviposition to sweet, ripe fruits. We show that D. suzukii has expanded its range of oviposition responses to lower sugar concentrations than the model D. melanogaster, which prefers to lay eggs on fermented fruit. The increased response of D. suzukii to sugar correlates with an increase in the value of sugar relative to a fermented strawberry substrate in oviposition decisions. In addition, we show by genetic manipulation of sugar-gustatory receptor neurons (GRNs) that sugar perception is required for D. suzukii to prefer a ripe substrate over a fermented substrate, but not for D. melanogaster to prefer the fermented substrate. Thus, sugar is a major determinant of D. suzukii's choice of complex substrates. Calcium imaging experiments in the brain's primary gustatory center (suboesophageal zone) show that D. suzukii GRNs are not more sensitive to sugar than their D. melanogaster counterparts, suggesting that increased sugar valuation is encoded in downstream circuits of the central nervous system (CNS). Taken together, our data suggest that evolutionary changes in central brain sugar valuation computations are involved in driving D. suzukii's oviposition preference for sweet, ripe fruit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthieu Cavey
- Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, IBDM, Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, Campus de Luminy Case 907, Marseille, France
| | - Bernard Charroux
- Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, IBDM, Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, Campus de Luminy Case 907, Marseille, France
| | - Solène Travaillard
- Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, IBDM, Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, Campus de Luminy Case 907, Marseille, France
| | - Gérard Manière
- Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l’Alimentation, CNRS, INRAe, Institut Agro, Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France
| | - Martine Berthelot-Grosjean
- Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l’Alimentation, CNRS, INRAe, Institut Agro, Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France
| | - Sabine Quitard
- Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, IBDM, Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, Campus de Luminy Case 907, Marseille, France
| | - Caroline Minervino
- Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, IBDM, Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, Campus de Luminy Case 907, Marseille, France
| | - Brice Detailleur
- Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, IBDM, Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, Campus de Luminy Case 907, Marseille, France
| | - Yaël Grosjean
- Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l’Alimentation, CNRS, INRAe, Institut Agro, Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France
| | - Benjamin Prud’homme
- Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, IBDM, Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, Campus de Luminy Case 907, Marseille, France
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24
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Pírez N, Klappenbach M, Locatelli FF. Experience-dependent tuning of the olfactory system. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 60:101117. [PMID: 37741614 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2023.101117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2023]
Abstract
Insects rely on their sense of smell to navigate complex environments and make decisions regarding food and reproduction. However, in natural settings, the odors that convey this information may come mixed with environmental odors that can obscure their perception. Therefore, recognizing the presence of informative odors involves generalization and discrimination processes, which can be facilitated when there is a high contrast between stimuli, or the internal representation of the odors of interest outcompetes that of concurrent ones. The first two layers of the olfactory system, which involve the detection of odorants by olfactory receptor neurons and their encoding by the first postsynaptic partners in the antennal lobe, are critical for achieving such optimal representation. In this review, we summarize evidence indicating that experience-dependent changes adjust these two levels of the olfactory system. These changes are discussed in the context of the advantages they provide for detection of informative odors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolás Pírez
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias, CONICET, C1428EHA Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Martín Klappenbach
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias, CONICET, C1428EHA Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Fernando F Locatelli
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias, CONICET, C1428EHA Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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25
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Depetris-Chauvin A, Galagovsky D, Keesey IW, Hansson BS, Sachse S, Knaden M. Evolution at multiple processing levels underlies odor-guided behavior in the genus Drosophila. Curr Biol 2023; 33:4771-4785.e7. [PMID: 37804828 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.09.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023]
Abstract
Olfaction is a fundamental sense guiding animals to their food. How the olfactory system evolves and influences behavior is still poorly understood. Here, we selected five drosophilid species, including Drosophila melanogaster, inhabiting different ecological niches to compare their olfactory systems at multiple levels. We first identified ecologically relevant natural food odorants from every species and established species-specific odorant preferences. To compare odor coding in sensory neurons, we analyzed the antennal lobe (AL) structure, generated glomerular atlases, and developed GCaMP transgenic lines for all species. Although subsets of glomeruli showed distinct tuning profiles, odorants inducing species-specific preferences were coded generally similarly. Species distantly related or occupying different habitats showed more evident differences in odor coding, and further analysis revealed that changes in olfactory receptor (OR) sequences partially explain these differences. Our results demonstrate that genetic distance in phylogeny and ecological niche occupancy are key determinants in the evolution of ORs, AL structures, odor coding, and behavior. Interestingly, changes in odor coding among species could not be explained by evolutionary changes at a single olfactory processing level but rather are a complex phenomenon based on changes at multiple levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Depetris-Chauvin
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, 07745 Jena, Germany; Research Group Olfactory Coding, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Diego Galagovsky
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Ian W Keesey
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Bill S Hansson
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Silke Sachse
- Research Group Olfactory Coding, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, 07745 Jena, Germany.
| | - Markus Knaden
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, 07745 Jena, Germany.
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Kaleem Ullah RM, Jia B, Liang S, Sikandar A, Gao F, Wu H. Uncovering the Chemosensory System of a Subterranean Termite, Odontotermes formosanus (Shiraki) (Isoptera: Termitidae): Revealing the Chemosensory Genes and Gene Expression Patterns. INSECTS 2023; 14:883. [PMID: 37999082 PMCID: PMC10672159 DOI: 10.3390/insects14110883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
Termites are eusocial insects. Chemical signals between colony members are crucial to the smooth running of colony operations, but little is known about their olfactory system and the roles played by various chemosensory genes in this process. Chemosensory genes are involved in basic olfactory perception in insects. Odontotermes formosanus (Shiraki) is one of the most damaging pests to agricultural crops, forests, and human-made structures. To better understand the olfactory system and the genes involved in olfactory processing in O. formosanus, we produced a transcriptome of worker termites. In this study, we identified 13 OforOBPs, 1 OforCSP, 15 OforORs, 9 OforGRs, and 4 OforSNMPs. Multiple sequence alignments were used in the phylogenetic study, which included data from other termite species and a wide variety of insect species. Moreover, we also investigated the mRNA expression levels using qRT-PCR. The significantly high expression levels of OforCSP1, OforOBP2, OforOR1, and OforSNMP1 suggest that these genes may play important roles in olfactory processing in termite social behavior, including caste differentiation, nestmate and non-nestmate discrimination, and the performance of colony operations among members. Our research establishes a foundation for future molecular-level functional studies of chemosensory genes in O. formosanus, which might lead to the identification of novel targets for termite integrated pest management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rana Muhammad Kaleem Ullah
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agric-Environment and Agric-Products Safety, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; (R.M.K.U.); (A.S.); (F.G.)
| | - Bao Jia
- Nanning Institute of Termite Control, Nanning 530023, China; (B.J.); (S.L.)
| | - Sheng Liang
- Nanning Institute of Termite Control, Nanning 530023, China; (B.J.); (S.L.)
| | - Aatika Sikandar
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agric-Environment and Agric-Products Safety, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; (R.M.K.U.); (A.S.); (F.G.)
| | - Fukun Gao
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agric-Environment and Agric-Products Safety, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; (R.M.K.U.); (A.S.); (F.G.)
| | - Haiyan Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agric-Environment and Agric-Products Safety, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; (R.M.K.U.); (A.S.); (F.G.)
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27
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Dey M, Brown E, Charlu S, Keene A, Dahanukar A. Evolution of fatty acid taste in drosophilids. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113297. [PMID: 37864792 PMCID: PMC10697176 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113297] [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: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Comparative studies of related but ecologically distinct species can reveal how the nervous system evolves to drive behaviors that are particularly suited to certain environments. Drosophila melanogaster is a generalist that feeds and oviposits on most overripe fruits. A sibling species, D. sechellia, is an obligate specialist of Morinda citrifolia (noni) fruit, which is rich in fatty acids (FAs). To understand evolution of noni taste preference, we characterized behavioral and cellular responses to noni-associated FAs in three related drosophilids. We find that mixtures of sugar and noni FAs evoke strong aversion in the generalist species but not in D. sechellia. Surveys of taste sensory responses reveal noni FA- and species-specific differences in at least two mechanisms-bitter neuron activation and sweet neuron inhibition-that correlate with shifts in noni preference. Chemoreceptor mutant analysis in D. melanogaster predicts that multiple genetic changes account for evolution of gustatory preference in D. sechellia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manali Dey
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Elizabeth Brown
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Sandhya Charlu
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Alex Keene
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Anupama Dahanukar
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA; Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA; Department of Molecular, Cell & Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
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28
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Merenciano M, Aguilera L, González J. Two-step CRISPR-Cas9 protocol for transposable element deletion in D. melanogaster natural populations. STAR Protoc 2023; 4:102501. [PMID: 37590151 PMCID: PMC10440348 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2023.102501] [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: 02/26/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
We present a protocol for generating a precise deletion, without altering the genetic background of the strain, of a transposable element (TE) in a natural population of Drosophila melanogaster using two steps of CRISPR-Cas9 homology-directed repair. We describe steps for replacing the TE by a fluorescent marker and for subsequent marker removal using single-guide RNAs, repair plasmids, and microinjection. We also detail steps for screening the deletion of the TE and generating a homozygous mutant strain. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Merenciano and Gonzalez.1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam Merenciano
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, CSIC, UPF, 08003 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Laura Aguilera
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, CSIC, UPF, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Josefa González
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, CSIC, UPF, 08003 Barcelona, Spain.
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29
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Ellis KE, Bervoets S, Smihula H, Ganguly I, Vigato E, Auer TO, Benton R, Litwin-Kumar A, Caron SJC. Evolution of connectivity architecture in the Drosophila mushroom body. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.10.528036. [PMID: 36798335 PMCID: PMC9934700 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.10.528036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
Brain evolution has primarily been studied at the macroscopic level by comparing the relative size of homologous brain centers between species. How neuronal circuits change at the cellular level over evolutionary time remains largely unanswered. Here, using a phylogenetically informed framework, we compare the olfactory circuits of three closely related Drosophila species that differ radically in their chemical ecology: the generalists Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila simulans that feed on fermenting fruit, and Drosophila sechellia that specializes on ripe noni fruit. We examine a central part of the olfactory circuit that has not yet been investigated in these species - the connections between the projection neurons of the antennal lobe and the Kenyon cells of the mushroom body, an associative brain center - to identify species-specific connectivity patterns. We found that neurons encoding food odors - the DC3 neurons in D. melanogaster and D. simulans and the DL2d neurons in D. sechellia - connect more frequently with Kenyon cells, giving rise to species-specific biases in connectivity. These species-specific differences in connectivity reflect two distinct neuronal phenotypes: in the number of projection neurons or in the number of presynaptic boutons formed by individual projection neurons. Finally, behavioral analyses suggest that such increased connectivity enhances learning performance in an associative task. Our study shows how fine-grained aspects of connectivity architecture in an associative brain center can change during evolution to reflect the chemical ecology of a species.
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30
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Baier F, Reinhard K, Tong V, Murmann J, Farrow K, Hoekstra HE. The neural basis of defensive behaviour evolution in Peromyscus mice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.04.547734. [PMID: 37461474 PMCID: PMC10350006 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.04.547734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Evading imminent predator threat is critical for survival. Effective defensive strategies can vary, even between closely related species. However, the neural basis of such species-specific behaviours is still poorly understood. Here we find that two sister species of deer mice (genus Peromyscus) show different responses to the same looming stimulus: P. maniculatus, which occupy densely vegetated habitats, predominantly dart to escape, while the open field specialist, P. polionotus, pause their movement. This difference arises from species-specific escape thresholds, is largely context-independent, and can be triggered by both visual and auditory threat stimuli. Using immunohistochemistry and electrophysiological recordings, we find that although visual threat activates the superior colliculus in both species, the role of the dorsal periaqueductal gray (dPAG) in driving behaviour differs. While dPAG activity scales with running speed and involves both excitatory and inhibitory neurons in P. maniculatus, the dPAG is largely silent in P. polionotus, even when darting is triggered. Moreover, optogenetic activation of excitatory dPAG neurons reliably elicits darting behaviour in P. maniculatus but not P. polionotus. Together, we trace the evolution of species-specific escape thresholds to a central circuit node, downstream of peripheral sensory neurons, localizing an ecologically relevant behavioural difference to a specific region of the complex mammalian brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Baier
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology, Department of Organismic & Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Center for Brain Science, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Present address: Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Katja Reinhard
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Present address: Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati, Trieste, Italy
| | - Victoria Tong
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology, Department of Organismic & Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Center for Brain Science, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Julie Murmann
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, Leuven, Belgium
- Present address: Institute of Science & Technology Austria, Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Karl Farrow
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- VIB, Leuven, Belgium
- imec, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Hopi E. Hoekstra
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology, Department of Organismic & Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Center for Brain Science, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
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31
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Steele TJ, Lanz AJ, Nagel KI. Olfactory navigation in arthropods. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2023; 209:467-488. [PMID: 36658447 PMCID: PMC10354148 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-022-01611-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Revised: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Using odors to find food and mates is one of the most ancient and highly conserved behaviors. Arthropods from flies to moths to crabs use broadly similar strategies to navigate toward odor sources-such as integrating flow information with odor information, comparing odor concentration across sensors, and integrating odor information over time. Because arthropods share many homologous brain structures-antennal lobes for processing olfactory information, mechanosensors for processing flow, mushroom bodies (or hemi-ellipsoid bodies) for associative learning, and central complexes for navigation, it is likely that these closely related behaviors are mediated by conserved neural circuits. However, differences in the types of odors they seek, the physics of odor dispersal, and the physics of locomotion in water, air, and on substrates mean that these circuits must have adapted to generate a wide diversity of odor-seeking behaviors. In this review, we discuss common strategies and specializations observed in olfactory navigation behavior across arthropods, and review our current knowledge about the neural circuits subserving this behavior. We propose that a comparative study of arthropod nervous systems may provide insight into how a set of basic circuit structures has diversified to generate behavior adapted to different environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theresa J Steele
- Neuroscience Institute, NYU School of Medicine, 435 E 30th St., New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Aaron J Lanz
- Neuroscience Institute, NYU School of Medicine, 435 E 30th St., New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Katherine I Nagel
- Neuroscience Institute, NYU School of Medicine, 435 E 30th St., New York, NY, 10016, USA.
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32
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Zhang Y, Han HB, Li YY, Xu LB, Hao LF, Wang H, Wang WH, Gao SJ, Lin KJ. Functional Characterization of Pheromone Receptors in the Beet Webworm, Loxostege sticticalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). INSECTS 2023; 14:584. [PMID: 37504590 PMCID: PMC10380584 DOI: 10.3390/insects14070584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Lepidopteran insects mainly rely on sex pheromones to complete sexual communications. Pheromone receptors (PRs) are expressed on the olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) of the sensilla trichodea and play an essential role in sexual communication. Despite extensive investigations into the mechanisms of peripheral recognition of sex pheromones in Lepidoptera, knowledge about these mechanisms in L. sticticalis remains limited. In this study, five candidate LstiPRs were analyzed in a phylogenetic tree with those of other Lepidopteran insects. Electroantennography (EAG) assays showed that the major sex pheromone component E11-14:OAc elicited a stronger antennal response than other compounds in male moths. Moreover, two types of neurons in sensilla trichodea were classified by single sensillum recordings, of which the "a" neuron specifically responded to E11-14:OAc. Five candidate PRs were functionally assayed by the heterologous expression system of Xenopus oocytes, and LstiPR2 responded to the major sex pheromone E11-14:OAc. Our findings suggest that LstiPR2 is a PR sensitive to L. sticticalis's major sex pheromone compound, E11-14:OAc. Furthermore, this study offers valuable insights into the sexual communication behavior of L. sticticalis, forming a foundation for further analysis of the species' central nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Biohazard Monitoring, Green Prevention and Control for Artificial Grassland, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Grassland Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hohhot 010010, China
| | - Hai-Bin Han
- Key Laboratory of Biohazard Monitoring, Green Prevention and Control for Artificial Grassland, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Grassland Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hohhot 010010, China
| | - Yan-Yan Li
- Research Center for Grassland Entomology, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010020, China
| | - Lin-Bo Xu
- Key Laboratory of Biohazard Monitoring, Green Prevention and Control for Artificial Grassland, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Grassland Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hohhot 010010, China
| | - Li-Fen Hao
- Key Laboratory of Biohazard Monitoring, Green Prevention and Control for Artificial Grassland, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Grassland Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hohhot 010010, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Key Laboratory of Biohazard Monitoring, Green Prevention and Control for Artificial Grassland, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Grassland Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hohhot 010010, China
| | - Wen-He Wang
- Forest Farm of Baichengzi of Alukeerqin Banner, Chifeng 024000, China
| | - Shu-Jing Gao
- Key Laboratory of Biohazard Monitoring, Green Prevention and Control for Artificial Grassland, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Grassland Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hohhot 010010, China
| | - Ke-Jian Lin
- Key Laboratory of Biohazard Monitoring, Green Prevention and Control for Artificial Grassland, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Grassland Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hohhot 010010, China
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Cury KM, Axel R. Flexible neural control of transition points within the egg-laying behavioral sequence in Drosophila. Nat Neurosci 2023; 26:1054-1067. [PMID: 37217726 PMCID: PMC10244180 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01332-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Innate behaviors are frequently comprised of ordered sequences of component actions that progress to satisfy essential drives. Progression is governed by specialized sensory cues that induce transitions between components within the appropriate context. Here we have characterized the structure of the egg-laying behavioral sequence in Drosophila and found significant variability in the transitions between component actions that affords the organism an adaptive flexibility. We identified distinct classes of interoceptive and exteroceptive sensory neurons that control the timing and direction of transitions between the terminal components of the sequence. We also identified a pair of motor neurons that enact the final transition to egg expulsion. These results provide a logic for the organization of innate behavior in which sensory information processed at critical junctures allows for flexible adjustments in component actions to satisfy drives across varied internal and external environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin M Cury
- The Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Richard Axel
- The Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
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Álvarez-Ocaña R, Shahandeh MP, Ray V, Auer TO, Gompel N, Benton R. Odor-regulated oviposition behavior in an ecological specialist. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3041. [PMID: 37236992 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38722-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Colonization of a novel ecological niche can require, or be driven by, evolution of an animal's behaviors promoting their reproductive success. We investigated the evolution and sensory basis of oviposition in Drosophila sechellia, a close relative of Drosophila melanogaster that exhibits extreme specialism for Morinda citrifolia noni fruit. D. sechellia produces fewer eggs than other drosophilids and lays these almost exclusively on noni substrates. We show that visual, textural and social cues do not explain this species-specific preference. By contrast, we find that loss of olfactory input in D. sechellia, but not D. melanogaster, essentially abolishes egg-laying, suggesting that olfaction gates gustatory-driven noni preference. Noni odors are detected by redundant olfactory pathways, but we discover a role for hexanoic acid and the cognate Ionotropic receptor 75b (Ir75b) in odor-evoked oviposition. Through receptor exchange in D. melanogaster, we provide evidence for a causal contribution of odor-tuning changes in Ir75b to the evolution of D. sechellia's oviposition behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Álvarez-Ocaña
- Center for Integrative Genomics, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Michael P Shahandeh
- Center for Integrative Genomics, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Vijayaditya Ray
- Evolutionary Ecology, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität München, Fakultät für Biologie, Biozentrum, Grosshaderner Strasse 2, 82152, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Thomas O Auer
- Center for Integrative Genomics, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nicolas Gompel
- Evolutionary Ecology, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität München, Fakultät für Biologie, Biozentrum, Grosshaderner Strasse 2, 82152, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Richard Benton
- Center for Integrative Genomics, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Wang Q, Dicke M, Haverkamp A. Sympatric Pieris butterfly species exhibit a high conservation of chemoreceptors. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1155405. [PMID: 37252192 PMCID: PMC10210156 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1155405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Sensory processes have often been argued to play a central role in the selection of ecological niches and in the formation of new species. Butterflies are among the best studied animal groups with regards to their evolutionary and behavioral ecology and thereby offer an attractive system to investigate the role of chemosensory genes in sympatric speciation. We focus on two Pieris butterflies with overlapping host-plant ranges: P. brassicae and P. rapae. Host-plant choice in lepidopterans is largely based on their olfactory and gustatory senses. Although the chemosensory responses of the two species have been well characterized at the behavioral and physiological levels, little is known about their chemoreceptor genes. Here, we compared the chemosensory genes of P. brassicae and P. rapae to investigate whether differences in these genes might have contributed to their evolutionary separation. We identified a total of 130 and 122 chemoreceptor genes in the P. brassicae genome and antennal transcriptome, respectively. Similarly, 133 and 124 chemoreceptors were identified in the P. rapae genome and antennal transcriptome. We found some chemoreceptors being differentially expressed in the antennal transcriptomes of the two species. The motifs and gene structures of chemoreceptors were compared between the two species. We show that paralogs share conserved motifs and orthologs have similar gene structures. Our study therefore found surprisingly few differences in the numbers, sequence identities and gene structures between the two species, indicating that the ecological differences between these two butterflies might be more related to a quantitative shift in the expression of orthologous genes than to the evolution of novel receptors as has been found in other insects. Our molecular data supplement the wealth of behavioral and ecological studies on these two species and will thereby help to better understand the role of chemoreceptor genes in the evolution of lepidopterans.
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Laursen WJ, Budelli G, Tang R, Chang EC, Busby R, Shankar S, Gerber R, Greppi C, Albuquerque R, Garrity PA. Humidity sensors that alert mosquitoes to nearby hosts and egg-laying sites. Neuron 2023; 111:874-887.e8. [PMID: 36640768 PMCID: PMC10023463 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.12.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
To reproduce and to transmit disease, female mosquitoes must obtain blood meals and locate appropriate sites for egg laying (oviposition). While distinct sensory cues drive each behavior, humidity contributes to both. Here, we identify the mosquito's humidity sensors (hygrosensors). Using generalizable approaches designed to simplify genetic analysis in non-traditional model organisms, we demonstrate that the ionotropic receptor Ir93a mediates mosquito hygrosensation as well as thermosensation. We further show that Ir93a-dependent sensors drive human host proximity detection and blood-feeding behavior, consistent with the overlapping short-range heat and humidity gradients these targets generate. After blood feeding, gravid females require Ir93a to seek high humidity associated with preferred egg-laying sites. Reliance on Ir93a-dependent sensors to promote blood feeding and locate potential oviposition sites is shared between the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae and arbovirus vector Aedes aegypti. These Ir93a-dependent systems represent potential targets for efforts to control these human disease vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Willem J Laursen
- Department of Biology and Volen Center for Complex Systems, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
| | - Gonzalo Budelli
- Department of Biology and Volen Center for Complex Systems, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
| | - Ruocong Tang
- Department of Biology and Volen Center for Complex Systems, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
| | - Elaine C Chang
- Department of Biology and Volen Center for Complex Systems, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
| | - Rachel Busby
- Department of Biology and Volen Center for Complex Systems, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
| | - Shruti Shankar
- Department of Biology and Volen Center for Complex Systems, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
| | - Rachel Gerber
- Department of Biology and Volen Center for Complex Systems, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
| | - Chloe Greppi
- Department of Biology and Volen Center for Complex Systems, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
| | - Rebecca Albuquerque
- Department of Biology and Volen Center for Complex Systems, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
| | - Paul A Garrity
- Department of Biology and Volen Center for Complex Systems, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453, USA.
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Walker WB, Mori BA, Cattaneo AM, Gonzalez F, Witzgall P, Becher PG. Comparative transcriptomic assessment of the chemosensory receptor repertoire of Drosophila suzukii adult and larval olfactory organs. COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY. PART D, GENOMICS & PROTEOMICS 2023; 45:101049. [PMID: 36528931 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbd.2022.101049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The spotted wing Drosophila, Drosophila suzukii, has emerged within the past decade as an invasive species on a global scale, and is one of the most economically important pests in fruit and berry production in Europe and North America. Insect ecology, to a strong degree, depends on the chemosensory modalities of smell and taste. Extensive research on the sensory receptors of the olfactory and gustatory systems in Drosophila melanogaster provide an excellent frame of reference to better understand the fundamentals of the chemosensory systems of D. suzukii. This knowledge may enhance the development of semiochemicals for sustainable management of D. suzukii, which is urgently needed. Here, using a transcriptomic approach we report the chemosensory receptor expression profiles in D. suzukii female and male antennae, and for the first time, in larval heads including the dorsal organ that houses larval olfactory sensory neurons. In D. suzukii adults, we generally observed a lack of sexually dimorphic expression levels in male and female antennae. While there was generally conservation of antennal expression of odorant and ionotropic receptor orthologues for D. melanogaster and D. suzukii, gustatory receptors showed more distinct species-specific profiles. In larval head tissues, for all three receptor gene families, there was also a greater degree of species-specific gene expression patterns. Analysis of chemosensory receptor repertoires in the pest species, D. suzukii relative to those of the genetic model D. melanogaster enables comparative studies of the chemosensory, physiology, and ecology of D. suzukii.
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Affiliation(s)
- William B Walker
- Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden; USDA-ARS Temperate Tree Fruit and Vegetable Research Unit, 5230 Konnowac Pass Road, Wapato, WA 98951, USA.
| | - Boyd A Mori
- Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden; Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, 4-10 Agriculture/Forestry Centre, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2P5, Canada.
| | - Alberto M Cattaneo
- Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden.
| | - Francisco Gonzalez
- Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden; Department of Research and Development, ChemTica Internacional S.A., Apdo. 640-3100, Santo Domingo, Heredia, Costa Rica.
| | - Peter Witzgall
- Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden.
| | - Paul G Becher
- Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden.
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Reisenman CE, Wong J, Vedagarbha N, Livelo C, Scott K. Taste adaptations associated with host specialization in the specialist Drosophila sechellia. J Exp Biol 2023; 226:jeb244641. [PMID: 36637369 PMCID: PMC10088416 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.244641] [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: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Chemosensory-driven host plant specialization is a major force mediating insect ecological adaptation and speciation. Drosophila sechellia, a species endemic to the Seychelles islands, feeds and oviposits on Morinda citrifolia almost exclusively. This fruit is harmless to D. sechellia but toxic to other Drosophilidae, including the closely related generalists D. simulans and D. melanogaster, because of its high content of fatty acids. While several olfactory adaptations mediating D. sechellia's preference for its host have been uncovered, the role of taste has been much less examined. We found that D. sechellia has reduced taste and feeding aversion to bitter compounds and host fatty acids that are aversive to D. melanogaster and D. simulans. The loss of aversion to canavanine, coumarin and fatty acids arose in the D. sechellia lineage, as its sister species D. simulans showed responses akin to those of D. melanogaster. Drosophila sechellia has increased taste and feeding responses towards M. citrifolia. These results are in line with D. sechellia's loss of genes that encode bitter gustatory receptors (GRs) in D. melanogaster. We found that two GR genes which are lost in D. sechellia, GR39a.a and GR28b.a, influence the reduction of aversive responses to some bitter compounds. Also, D. sechellia has increased appetite for a prominent host fatty acid compound that is toxic to its relatives. Our results support the hypothesis that changes in the taste system, specifically a reduction of sensitivity to bitter compounds that deter generalist ancestors, contribute to the specialization of D. sechellia for its host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina E. Reisenman
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-3200, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-3200, USA
- Essig Museum of Entomology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Joshua Wong
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-3200, USA
| | - Namrata Vedagarbha
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-3200, USA
| | | | - Kristin Scott
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-3200, USA
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Johny J, Diallo S, Lukšan O, Shewale M, Kalinová B, Hanus R, Große-Wilde E. Conserved orthology in termite chemosensory gene families. Front Ecol Evol 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.1065947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Termites are eusocial insects known to use a variety of pheromones in tasks necessary for maintenance of their societies. As such, olfaction and pheromone communication in termites has been an object of intense study; trail-following pheromones (TFPs) and sex-pairing pheromones (SPPs), for example, have been identified in many termite species. In contrast, the molecular basis of olfactory detection is understudied in the group. Here, we present chemosensory genes of three species of termites belonging to three distinct lineages, Neotermes cubanus (Kalotermitidae), Prorhinotermes simplex (Rhinotermitidae), and Inquilinitermes inquilinus (Termitidae). Using antennal transcriptome screening of termite workers, we identified the chemosensory genes, which allowed us to perform phylogenetic analysis. We found a comparatively large repertoires of odorant receptors (ORs), gustatory receptors (GRs), ionotropic receptors (IRs), odorant binding proteins (OBPs), chemosensory proteins (CSPs), and sensory neuron membrane proteins (SNMPs). The evolutionary analysis of termite chemosensory genes revealed Isoptera-specific expansions with a 1:1 orthologous pattern, indicating the existence of conserved olfactory functions. Our findings on basal eusocial insects will further enhance our understanding of the molecular underpinnings of eusociality and the evolution of olfactory communication in termites.
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40
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Abstract
Among the many wonders of nature, the sense of smell of the fly Drosophila melanogaster might seem, at first glance, of esoteric interest. Nevertheless, for over a century, the 'nose' of this insect has been an extraordinary system to explore questions in animal behaviour, ecology and evolution, neuroscience, physiology and molecular genetics. The insights gained are relevant for our understanding of the sensory biology of vertebrates, including humans, and other insect species, encompassing those detrimental to human health. Here, I present an overview of our current knowledge of D. melanogaster olfaction, from molecules to behaviours, with an emphasis on the historical motivations of studies and illustration of how technical innovations have enabled advances. I also highlight some of the pressing and long-term questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Benton
- Center for Integrative Genomics, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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41
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Dornburg A, Mallik R, Wang Z, Bernal MA, Thompson B, Bruford EA, Nebert DW, Vasiliou V, Yohe LR, Yoder JA, Townsend JP. Placing human gene families into their evolutionary context. Hum Genomics 2022; 16:56. [PMID: 36369063 PMCID: PMC9652883 DOI: 10.1186/s40246-022-00429-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Following the draft sequence of the first human genome over 20 years ago, we have achieved unprecedented insights into the rules governing its evolution, often with direct translational relevance to specific diseases. However, staggering sequence complexity has also challenged the development of a more comprehensive understanding of human genome biology. In this context, interspecific genomic studies between humans and other animals have played a critical role in our efforts to decode human gene families. In this review, we focus on how the rapid surge of genome sequencing of both model and non-model organisms now provides a broader comparative framework poised to empower novel discoveries. We begin with a general overview of how comparative approaches are essential for understanding gene family evolution in the human genome, followed by a discussion of analyses of gene expression. We show how homology can provide insights into the genes and gene families associated with immune response, cancer biology, vision, chemosensation, and metabolism, by revealing similarity in processes among distant species. We then explain methodological tools that provide critical advances and show the limitations of common approaches. We conclude with a discussion of how these investigations position us to gain fundamental insights into the evolution of gene families among living organisms in general. We hope that our review catalyzes additional excitement and research on the emerging field of comparative genomics, while aiding the placement of the human genome into its existentially evolutionary context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Dornburg
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, UNC-Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA.
| | - Rittika Mallik
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, UNC-Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | - Zheng Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Moisés A Bernal
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Brian Thompson
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Elspeth A Bruford
- Department of Haematology, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, UK
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton, UK
| | - Daniel W Nebert
- Department of Environmental Health, Center for Environmental Genetics, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, P.O. Box 670056, Cincinnati, OH, 45267, USA
- Department of Pediatrics and Molecular Developmental Biology, Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Vasilis Vasiliou
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Laurel R Yohe
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, UNC-Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | - Jeffrey A Yoder
- Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Jeffrey P Townsend
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, UNC-Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
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Wang Y, Fang G, Xu P, Gao B, Liu X, Qi X, Zhang G, Cao S, Li Z, Ren X, Wang H, Cao Y, Pereira R, Huang Y, Niu C, Zhan S. Behavioral and genomic divergence between a generalist and a specialist fly. Cell Rep 2022; 41:111654. [DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Revised: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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Roberts RJV, Pop S, Prieto-Godino LL. Evolution of central neural circuits: state of the art and perspectives. Nat Rev Neurosci 2022; 23:725-743. [DOI: 10.1038/s41583-022-00644-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Cramer JF, Miller ET, Ko MC, Liang Q, Cockburn G, Nakagita T, Cardinale M, Fusani L, Toda Y, Baldwin MW. A single residue confers selective loss of sugar sensing in wrynecks. Curr Biol 2022; 32:4270-4278.e5. [PMID: 35985327 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.07.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Sensory receptors evolve, and changes to their response profiles can directly impact sensory perception and affect diverse behaviors, from mate choice to foraging decisions.1-3 Although receptor sensitivities can be highly contingent on changes occurring early in a lineage's evolutionary history,4 subsequent shifts in a species' behavior and ecology may exert selective pressure to modify and even reverse sensory receptor capabilities.5-7 Neither the extent to which sensory reversion occurs nor the mechanisms underlying such shifts is well understood. Using receptor profiling and behavioral tests, we uncover both an early gain and an unexpected subsequent loss of sugar sensing in woodpeckers, a primarily insectivorous family of landbirds.8,9 Our analyses show that, similar to hummingbirds10 and songbirds,4 the ancestors of woodpeckers repurposed their T1R1-T1R3 savory receptor to detect sugars. Importantly, whereas woodpeckers seem to have broadly retained this ability, our experiments demonstrate that wrynecks (an enigmatic ant-eating group sister to all other woodpeckers) selectively lost sugar sensing through a novel mechanism involving a single amino acid change in the T1R3 transmembrane domain. The identification of this molecular microswitch responsible for a sensory shift in taste receptors provides an example of the molecular basis of a sensory reversion in vertebrates and offers novel insights into structure-function relationships during sensory receptor evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia F Cramer
- Evolution of Sensory Systems Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Eliot T Miller
- Macaulay Library, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Meng-Ching Ko
- Evolution of Sensory Systems Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Qiaoyi Liang
- Evolution of Sensory Systems Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Glenn Cockburn
- Evolution of Sensory Systems Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Tomoya Nakagita
- Department of Agricultural Chemistry, School of Agriculture, Meiji University, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 214-8571, Japan; Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8577, Japan
| | - Massimiliano Cardinale
- Department of Aquatic Resources, Institute of Marine Research, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 453 30 Lysekil, Sweden
| | - Leonida Fusani
- Austrian Ornithological Centre, Konrad-Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1160 Wien, Austria; Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, 1160 Wien, Austria
| | - Yasuka Toda
- Department of Agricultural Chemistry, School of Agriculture, Meiji University, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 214-8571, Japan
| | - Maude W Baldwin
- Evolution of Sensory Systems Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany.
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Winkler IS, Kirk-Spriggs AH, Bayless KM, Soghigian J, Meier R, Pape T, Yeates DK, Carvalho AB, Copeland RS, Wiegmann BM. Phylogenetic resolution of the fly superfamily Ephydroidea-Molecular systematics of the enigmatic and diverse relatives of Drosophilidae. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0274292. [PMID: 36197946 PMCID: PMC9534441 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0274292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The schizophoran superfamily Ephydroidea (Diptera: Cyclorrhapha) includes eight families, ranging from the well-known vinegar flies (Drosophilidae) and shore flies (Ephydridae), to several small, relatively unusual groups, the phylogenetic placement of which has been particularly challenging for systematists. An extraordinary diversity in life histories, feeding habits and morphology are a hallmark of fly biology, and the Ephydroidea are no exception. Extreme specialization can lead to "orphaned" taxa with no clear evidence for their phylogenetic position. To resolve relationships among a diverse sample of Ephydroidea, including the highly modified flies in the families Braulidae and Mormotomyiidae, we conducted phylogenomic sampling. Using exon capture from Anchored Hybrid Enrichment and transcriptomics to obtain 320 orthologous nuclear genes sampled for 32 species of Ephydroidea and 11 outgroups, we evaluate a new phylogenetic hypothesis for representatives of the superfamily. These data strongly support monophyly of Ephydroidea with Ephydridae as an early branching radiation and the placement of Mormotomyiidae as a family-level lineage sister to all remaining families. We confirm placement of Cryptochetidae as sister taxon to a large clade containing both Drosophilidae and Braulidae-the latter a family of honeybee ectoparasites. Our results reaffirm that sampling of both taxa and characters is critical in hyperdiverse clades and that these factors have a major influence on phylogenomic reconstruction of the history of the schizophoran fly radiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac S. Winkler
- Department of Biology, Cornell College, Mount Vernon, Iowa, United States of America
| | | | - Keith M. Bayless
- Australian National Insect Collection, CSIRO National Research Collection, Australia (NRCA), Acton, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - John Soghigian
- Department of Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Rudolf Meier
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Thomas Pape
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - David K. Yeates
- Australian National Insect Collection, CSIRO National Research Collection, Australia (NRCA), Acton, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - A. Bernardo Carvalho
- Departamento de Genética, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Robert S. Copeland
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Brian M. Wiegmann
- Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
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Frey T, Kwadha CA, Haag F, Pelletier J, Wallin EA, Holgersson E, Hedenström E, Bohman B, Bengtsson M, Becher PG, Krautwurst D, Witzgall P. The human odorant receptor OR10A6 is tuned to the pheromone of the commensal fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. iScience 2022; 25:105269. [PMID: 36300000 PMCID: PMC9589189 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105269] [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: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 04/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
All living things speak chemistry. The challenge is to reveal the vocabulary, the odorants that enable communication across phylogenies and to translate them to physiological, behavioral, and ecological function. Olfactory receptors (ORs) interface animals with airborne odorants. Expression in heterologous cells makes it possible to interrogate single ORs and to identify cognate ligands. The cosmopolitan, anthropophilic strain of the vinegar fly Drosophila melanogaster depends on human resources and housing for survival. Curiously, humans sense the pheromone (Z)-4-undecenal (Z4-11Al) released by single fly females. A screening of all human ORs shows that the most highly expressed OR10A6 is tuned to Z4-11Al. Females of an ancestral African fly strain release a blend of Z4-11Al and Z4-9Al that produces a different aroma, which is how we distinguish these fly strains by nose. That flies and humans sense Z4-11Al via dedicated ORs shows how convergent evolution shapes communication channels between vertebrate and invertebrate animals. Humans sense the sex pheromone Z411-Al released by single Drosophila melanogaster females The most highly expressed human olfactory receptor OR10A6 is tuned to Z411-Al An African fly strain emits two aldehydes, which we distinguish from Z411-Al by nose Convergent evolution shapes chemical communication between phylogenies
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Frey
- Leibniz-Institut für Lebensmittel-Systembiologie an der Technischen Universität München, Lise-Meitner Strasse 34, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Charles A. Kwadha
- Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 190, 234 22 Lomma, Sweden
| | - Franziska Haag
- Leibniz-Institut für Lebensmittel-Systembiologie an der Technischen Universität München, Lise-Meitner Strasse 34, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Julien Pelletier
- Leibniz-Institut für Lebensmittel-Systembiologie an der Technischen Universität München, Lise-Meitner Strasse 34, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Erika A. Wallin
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Mid Sweden University, Holmgatan 10, 85170 Sundsvall, Sweden
| | | | - Erik Hedenström
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Mid Sweden University, Holmgatan 10, 85170 Sundsvall, Sweden
| | - Björn Bohman
- Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 190, 234 22 Lomma, Sweden
| | - Marie Bengtsson
- Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 190, 234 22 Lomma, Sweden
| | - Paul G. Becher
- Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 190, 234 22 Lomma, Sweden
| | - Dietmar Krautwurst
- Leibniz-Institut für Lebensmittel-Systembiologie an der Technischen Universität München, Lise-Meitner Strasse 34, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Peter Witzgall
- Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 190, 234 22 Lomma, Sweden,Corresponding author
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Yohe LR, Fabbri M, Lee D, Davies KTJ, Yohe TP, Sánchez MKR, Rengifo EM, Hall RP, Mutumi G, Hedrick BP, Sadier A, Simmons NB, Sears KE, Dumont E, Rossiter SJ, Bhullar BAS, Dávalos LM. Ecological constraints on highly evolvable olfactory receptor genes and morphology in neotropical bats. Evolution 2022; 76:2347-2360. [PMID: 35904467 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Although evolvability of genes and traits may promote specialization during species diversification, how ecology subsequently restricts such variation remains unclear. Chemosensation requires animals to decipher a complex chemical background to locate fitness-related resources, and thus the underlying genomic architecture and morphology must cope with constant exposure to a changing odorant landscape; detecting adaptation amidst extensive chemosensory diversity is an open challenge. In phyllostomid bats, an ecologically diverse clade that evolved plant visiting from a presumed insectivorous ancestor, the evolution of novel food detection mechanisms is suggested to be a key innovation, as plant-visiting species rely strongly on olfaction, supplementarily using echolocation. If this is true, exceptional variation in underlying olfactory genes and phenotypes may have preceded dietary diversification. We compared olfactory receptor (OR) genes sequenced from olfactory epithelium transcriptomes and olfactory epithelium surface area of bats with differing diets. Surprisingly, although OR evolution rates were quite variable and generally high, they are largely independent of diet. Olfactory epithelial surface area, however, is relatively larger in plant-visiting bats and there is an inverse relationship between OR evolution rates and surface area. Relatively larger surface areas suggest greater reliance on olfactory detection and stronger constraint on maintaining an already diverse OR repertoire. Instead of the typical case in which specialization and elaboration are coupled with rapid diversification of associated genes, here the relevant genes are already evolving so quickly that increased reliance on smell has led to stabilizing selection, presumably to maintain the ability to consistently discriminate among specific odorants-a potential ecological constraint on sensory evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurel R Yohe
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, 06511, USA.,Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, 11794, USA.,Deaprtment of Bioinformatics and Genomics, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina, 28223, USA.,North Carolina Research Campus, Kannapolis, North Carolina, 28081, USA
| | - Matteo Fabbri
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, 06511, USA.,Negaunee Integrative Research Center, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, Illinois, 60605, USA
| | - Daniela Lee
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, 06511, USA.,Harvard School of Medicine, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02115, USA
| | - Kalina T J Davies
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, E1 4NS, United Kingdom
| | | | - Miluska K R Sánchez
- Escuela Profesional de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional de Piura, Piura, 20004, Peru
| | - Edgardo M Rengifo
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Interunidades em Ecologia Aplicada, Escola Superior de Agricultura 'Luiz de Queiroz', Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura, Universidade de São Paulo, Piracicaba, 13416-970, Brazil.,Centro de Investigación Biodiversidad Sostenible (BioS), Lima, 15073, Peru
| | - Ronald P Hall
- School of Natural Sciences, University of California, Merced, Merced, California, 95344, USA
| | - Gregory Mutumi
- School of Natural Sciences, University of California, Merced, Merced, California, 95344, USA
| | - Brandon P Hedrick
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 14853, USA
| | - Alexa Sadier
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, 90095, USA
| | - Nancy B Simmons
- Department of Mammalogy, American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York, 10024, USA
| | - Karen E Sears
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, 90095, USA
| | - Elizabeth Dumont
- School of Natural Sciences, University of California, Merced, Merced, California, 95344, USA
| | - Stephen J Rossiter
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, E1 4NS, United Kingdom
| | - Bhart-Anjan S Bhullar
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, 06511, USA.,Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, 06511, USA
| | - Liliana M Dávalos
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, 11794, USA.,Center for Inter-Disciplinary Environmental Research, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, 11794, USA
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48
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Yin N, Xiao H, Yang A, Wu C, Liu N. Genome-Wide Analysis of Odorant and Gustatory Receptors in Six Papilio Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae). INSECTS 2022; 13:779. [PMID: 36135480 PMCID: PMC9500883 DOI: 10.3390/insects13090779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The chemical interactions of insects and host plants are shaping the evolution of chemosensory receptor gene families. However, the correlation between host range and chemoreceptor gene repertoire sizes is still elusive in Papilionidae. Here, we addressed the issue of whether host plant diversities are correlated with the expansions of odorant (ORs) or gustatory (GRs) receptors in six Papilio butterflies. By combining genomics, transcriptomics and bioinformatics approaches, 381 ORs and 328 GRs were annotated in the genomes of a generalist P. glaucus and five specialists, P. xuthus, P. polytes, P. memnon, P. machaon and P. dardanus. Orthologous ORs or GRs in Papilio had highly conserved gene structure. Five Papilio specialists exhibited a similar frequency of intron lengths for ORs or GRs, but which was different from those in the generalist. Phylogenetic analysis revealed 60 orthologous OR groups, 45 of which shared one-to-one relationships. Such a single gene in each butterfly also occurred in 26 GR groups. Intriguingly, bitter GRs had fewer introns than other GRs and clustered into a large clade. Focusing on the two chemoreceptor gene families in P. xuthus, most PxutORs (52/58) were expressed in antennae and 31 genes in reproductive tissues. Eleven out of 28 foretarsus-expressed PxutGRs were female-biased genes, as strong candidates for sensing oviposition stimulants. These results indicate that the host range may not shape the large-scale expansions of ORs and GRs in Papilio butterflies and identify important molecular targets involved in olfaction, oviposition or reproduction in P. xuthus.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Naiyong Liu
- Correspondence: ; Tel./Fax: +86-871-63862665
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Renou M. Is the evolution of insect odorscapes under anthropic pressures a risk for herbivorous insect invasions? CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2022; 52:100926. [PMID: 35489680 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2022.100926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Olfaction is directly involved in the insect capacity to exploit new habitats by guiding foraging behaviors. We searched in the literature whether some traits of olfactory systems and behaviors are associated with invasiveness and the impact of anthropogenic activities thereof. Human activities dramatically modify habitats and alter insect odorscapes. Air pollution, for instance, decreases lifetime and active range of semiochemicals. Plasticity and behavioral adaptability of invasive species are decisive by allowing host shifts and adaptative responses to new habitats. Changes in biophysical environments also impact on the use of semiochemicals in biocontrol. Although no evidence for a unique ensemble of olfactory traits associated with invasiveness was found, a growing number of case studies reveal characteristics with risk-predicting value, opening the paths to better invasion-control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michel Renou
- INRAE, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, IRD, UPEC, Université de Paris, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris, 78026 Versailles, France.
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50
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Peach DA, Matthews BJ. Sensory mechanisms for the shift from phytophagy to haematophagy in mosquitoes. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2022; 52:100930. [PMID: 35580800 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2022.100930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The Culicomorpha are an infraorder of several families of blood-feeding flies, including mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae). Here we discuss the evolutionary origins of blood-feeding within the Culicomorpha and review literature that suggests this behaviour may have evolved from ancestral plant-feeding or a combination of plant-feeding and insect-feeding. Sialomic and life-history evidence suggest that plant-feeding, concurrent or not with insect-feeding, is parsimonious as an ancestral diet for Culicomorpha. We review the chemical parsimony observed between vertebrate headspace odours, floral headspace odours, and honeydew headspace odours, which are behaviourally attractive to many of the Culicomorpha. We also review the sensory and neural mechanisms involved in changes in olfactory attraction and we propose this observed chemical parsimony as a hypothesis for an associative mechanism which may have led to the development of blood-feeding from plant-feeding that is consistent with a 'path of least resistance' for the sensory changes necessary to undergo host shifts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Ah Peach
- The University of British Columbia, Department of Zoology, 4200-6270 University Blvd, Vancouver, BC V6T1Z4, Canada.
| | - Benjamin J Matthews
- The University of British Columbia, Department of Zoology, 4200-6270 University Blvd, Vancouver, BC V6T1Z4, Canada.
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