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Rosa ME, Oliveira RS, de Faria Barbosa R, Hyslop S, Dal Belo CA. Recent advances on the influence of fipronil on insect behavior. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2024; 65:101251. [PMID: 39147324 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2024.101251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 07/31/2024] [Accepted: 08/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
Fipronil, a pesticide widely used to control agricultural and household insect pests, blocks insect GABAA and glutamate (GluCl) ionotropic receptors, resulting in uncontrolled hyperexcitation and paralysis that eventually leads to death. The use of fipronil is controversial because unintentional exposure to this compound may contribute to the ongoing global decline of insect pollinator populations. Although the sublethal effects of fipronil have been linked to aberrant behavior and impaired olfactory learning in insects, the precise mechanisms involved in these responses remain unclear. In this article, we highlight recent studies that have investigated the interaction among different pathways involved in the ability of fipronil to modulate insect behavior, with particular emphasis on the role of GABAergic neurotransmission in fine-tuning the integration of sensorial responses and insect behavior. Recent findings suggest that fipronil can also cause functional alterations that affect synaptic organization and the availability of metal ions in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria E Rosa
- Laboratório de Neurobiologia e Toxinologia (LANETOX), Centro Interdisciplinar de Pesquisas em Biotecnologia (CIPBiotec), Universidade Federal do Pampa (UNIPAMPA), Campus São Gabriel, Rua Aluízio Barros Macedo, S/N, BR 290, Km 423, 97307-020, São Gabriel, RS, Brazil
| | - Raquel S Oliveira
- Departamento de Medicina Translacional (Área de Farmacologia), Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Rua Vital Brazil, 80, Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz, 13083-888, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Renata de Faria Barbosa
- Departamento Multidisciplinar, Escola Paulista de Política, Economia e Negócios (EPPEN), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua General Newton Estilac Leal, 932, Pestana, 06190-170, Osasco, SP, Brazil
| | - Stephen Hyslop
- Departamento de Medicina Translacional (Área de Farmacologia), Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Rua Vital Brazil, 80, Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz, 13083-888, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Cháriston A Dal Belo
- Laboratório de Neurobiologia e Toxinologia (LANETOX), Centro Interdisciplinar de Pesquisas em Biotecnologia (CIPBiotec), Universidade Federal do Pampa (UNIPAMPA), Campus São Gabriel, Rua Aluízio Barros Macedo, S/N, BR 290, Km 423, 97307-020, São Gabriel, RS, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica Toxicológica (PPGBtox), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Prédio 18, Cidade Universitária, Bairro Camobi, 97105-900, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil; Departamento Multidisciplinar, Escola Paulista de Política, Economia e Negócios (EPPEN), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua General Newton Estilac Leal, 932, Pestana, 06190-170, Osasco, SP, Brazil.
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Gong LL, Ma YF, Zhang MQ, Feng HY, Zhou YY, Zhao YQ, Hull JJ, Dewer Y, He M, He P. The melanin pigment gene black mediates body pigmentation and courtship behaviour in the German cockroach Blattella germanica. BULLETIN OF ENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2024; 114:271-280. [PMID: 38623047 DOI: 10.1017/s0007485324000166] [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: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Genes involved in melanin production directly impact insect pigmentation and can affect diverse physiology and behaviours. The role these genes have on sex behaviour, however, is unclear. In the present study, the crucial melanin pigment gene black was functionally characterised in an urban pest, the German cockroach, Blattella germanica. RNAi knockdown of B. germanica black (Bgblack) had no effect on survival, but did result in black pigmentation of the thoraxes, abdomens, heads, wings, legs, antennae, and cerci due to cuticular accumulation of melanin. Sex-specific variation in the pigmentation pattern was apparent, with females exhibiting darker coloration on the abdomen and thorax than males. Bgblack knockdown also resulted in wing deformation and negatively impacted the contact sex pheromone-based courtship behaviour of males. This study provides evidence for black function in multiple aspects of B. germanica biology and opens new avenues of exploration for novel pest control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lang-Lang Gong
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, PR China
| | - Yun-Feng Ma
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, PR China
| | - Meng-Qi Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, PR China
| | - Hong-Yan Feng
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, PR China
| | - Yang-Yuntao Zhou
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, PR China
| | - Ya-Qin Zhao
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, PR China
| | - J Joe Hull
- USDA-ARS Arid Land Agricultural Research Center, Maricopa AZ, 85138, USA
| | - Youssef Dewer
- Phytotoxicity Research Department, Central Agricultural Pesticide Laboratory, Agricultural Research Center, 7 Nadi El-Seid Street, Dokki 12618, Giza, Egypt
| | - Ming He
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, PR China
| | - Peng He
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, PR China
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Ma YF, Gong LL, Zhang MQ, Liu XZ, Guo H, Hull JJ, Long GJ, Wang H, Dewer Y, Zhang F, He M, He P. Two Antenna-Enriched Carboxylesterases Mediate Olfactory Responses and Degradation of Ester Volatiles in the German Cockroach Blattella germanica. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2023; 71:4789-4801. [PMID: 36920281 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.2c08488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Insects have evolved an extremely sensitive olfactory system that is essential for a series of physiological and behavioral activities. Some carboxylesterases (CCEs) comprise a major subfamily of odorant-degrading enzymes (ODEs) playing a crucial role in odorant signal inactivation to maintain the odorant receptor sensitivity. In this study, 93 CCEs were annotated in the genome of the German cockroach Blattella germanica, a serious urban pest. Phylogenetic and digital tissue expression pattern analyses identified two antenna-enriched CCEs, BgerCCE021e3 and BgerCCE021d1, as candidate ODEs. RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated knockdown of BgerCCE021e3 and BgerCCE021d1 resulted in partial anosmia with experimental insects exhibiting reduced attraction to ester volatile resources and slower olfactory responses than controls. Furthermore, enzymatic conversion of geranyl acetate by crude male antennal extracts from BgerCCE021e3 and BgerCCE021d1 RNAi insects was also significantly reduced. Our results provide evidence for CCE function in German cockroach olfaction and provide a basis for further exploring behavioral inhibitors that target olfactory-related CCEs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Feng Ma
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, P. R. China
| | - Lang-Lang Gong
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, P. R. China
| | - Meng-Qi Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, P. R. China
| | - Xuan-Zheng Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, P. R. China
| | - Huan Guo
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, P. R. China
| | - J Joe Hull
- Pest Management and Biocontrol Research Unit, US Arid Land Agricultural Research Center, USDA Agricultural Research Services, Maricopa, Arizona 85138 United States
| | - Gui-Jun Long
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, P. R. China
| | - Hong Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, P. R. China
| | - Youssef Dewer
- Phytotoxicity Research Department, Central Agricultural Pesticide Laboratory, Agricultural Research Center, 7 Nadi El-Seid Street, Dokki 12618, Giza, Egypt
| | - Fan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Research, College of Life Science, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014, People's Republic of China
| | - Ming He
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, P. R. China
| | - Peng He
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, P. R. China
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Ashbrook AR, Mikaelyan A, Schal C. Comparative Efficacy of a Fungal Entomopathogen with a Broad Host Range against Two Human-Associated Pests. INSECTS 2022; 13:774. [PMID: 36135475 PMCID: PMC9505452 DOI: 10.3390/insects13090774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The ability of a fungal entomopathogen to infect an insect depends on a variety of factors, including strain, host, and environmental conditions. Similarly, an insect’s ability to prevent fungal infection is dependent on its biology, environment, and evolutionary history. Synanthropic pests have adapted to thrive in the indoor environment, yet they arose from divergent evolutionary lineages and occupy different feeding guilds. The hematophagous bed bug (Cimex lectularius) and omnivorous German cockroach (Blattella germanica) are highly successful indoors, but have evolved different physiological and behavioral adaptations to cope with the human-built environment, some of which also reduce the efficacy of fungal biopesticides. In order to gain greater insight into the host barriers that prevent or constrain fungal infection in bed bugs and German cockroaches, we tested different doses of Beauveria bassiana GHA through surface contact, topical application, feeding, and injection. Bed bugs were generally more susceptible to infection by B. bassiana with the mode of delivery having a significant impact on infectivity. The German cockroach was highly resilient to infection, requiring high doses of fungal conidia (>8.8 × 104) delivered by injection into the hemocoel to cause mortality. Mortality occurred much faster in both insect species after exposure to surfaces dusted with dry conidia than surfaces treated with conidia suspended in water or oil. These findings highlight the importance of developing innovative delivery techniques to enhance fungal entomopathogens against bed bugs and cockroaches.
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Zhu S, Liu Y, Liao M, Yang Y, Bai Y, Li N, Li S, Luan Y, Chen N. Evaluation of Reference Genes for Transcriptional Profiling in Two Cockroach Models. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12121880. [PMID: 34946836 PMCID: PMC8701133 DOI: 10.3390/genes12121880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The German cockroach, Blattella germanica, and the American cockroach, Periplaneta americana are the most common and synanthropic household pests of interest to public health. While they have increasingly served as model systems in hemimetabolous insects for studying many biological issues, there is still a lack of stable reference gene evaluation for reliable quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) outputs and functional genomics. Here, we evaluated the expression variation of common insect reference genes, including the historically used actin, across various tissues and developmental stages, and also under experimental treatment conditions in these two species by using three individual algorithms (geNorm, BestKeeper, and NormFinder) and a comprehensive program (RefFinder). RPL32 in B. germanica and EF1α in P. americana showed the overall lowest variation among all examined samples. Based on the stability rankings by RefFinder, the optimal but varied reference genes under specific conditions were selected for qPCR normalization. In addition, the combination of RPL32 and EF1α was recommended for all the tested tissues and stages in B. germanica, whereas the combination of multiple reference genes was unfavorable in P. americana. This study provides a condition-specific resource of reference gene selection for accurate gene expression profiling and facilitating functional genomics in these two important cockroaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shen Zhu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China; (S.Z.); (Y.L.); (M.L.); (Y.Y.); (Y.B.); (N.L.); (S.L.); (Y.L.)
- Guangmeiyuan R&D Center, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, South China Normal University, Meizhou 514000, China
| | - Yongjun Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China; (S.Z.); (Y.L.); (M.L.); (Y.Y.); (Y.B.); (N.L.); (S.L.); (Y.L.)
| | - Mingtao Liao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China; (S.Z.); (Y.L.); (M.L.); (Y.Y.); (Y.B.); (N.L.); (S.L.); (Y.L.)
| | - Yang Yang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China; (S.Z.); (Y.L.); (M.L.); (Y.Y.); (Y.B.); (N.L.); (S.L.); (Y.L.)
| | - Yu Bai
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China; (S.Z.); (Y.L.); (M.L.); (Y.Y.); (Y.B.); (N.L.); (S.L.); (Y.L.)
| | - Na Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China; (S.Z.); (Y.L.); (M.L.); (Y.Y.); (Y.B.); (N.L.); (S.L.); (Y.L.)
- Guangmeiyuan R&D Center, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, South China Normal University, Meizhou 514000, China
| | - Sheng Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China; (S.Z.); (Y.L.); (M.L.); (Y.Y.); (Y.B.); (N.L.); (S.L.); (Y.L.)
- Guangmeiyuan R&D Center, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, South China Normal University, Meizhou 514000, China
| | - Yunxia Luan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China; (S.Z.); (Y.L.); (M.L.); (Y.Y.); (Y.B.); (N.L.); (S.L.); (Y.L.)
- Guangmeiyuan R&D Center, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, South China Normal University, Meizhou 514000, China
| | - Nan Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China; (S.Z.); (Y.L.); (M.L.); (Y.Y.); (Y.B.); (N.L.); (S.L.); (Y.L.)
- Guangmeiyuan R&D Center, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, South China Normal University, Meizhou 514000, China
- Correspondence:
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Mizutani H, Tagai K, Habe S, Takaku Y, Uebi T, Kimura T, Hariyama T, Ozaki M. Antenna Cleaning Is Essential for Precise Behavioral Response to Alarm Pheromone and Nestmate-Non-Nestmate Discrimination in Japanese Carpenter Ants ( Camponotus japonicus). INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12090773. [PMID: 34564213 PMCID: PMC8471180 DOI: 10.3390/insects12090773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Grooming is a common behavior in animals. It serves the function of removing foreign materials and excessive amounts of self-secreted materials from the body’s surface. Social insects, such as honeybees or ants, use various types of pheromones, some of which propagate information about the environment to conspecific individuals, for chemical communication. The individuals that receive such information can respond with suitable behaviors to protect themselves and their society. Hence, grooming is important for the maintenance of the correct performance of their sensory organs on antennae for pheromone perception. Here, we experimentally limited self-grooming of the antennae in workers of the Japanese carpenter ant (Camponotus japonicus) by removing a pair of antennal cleaning apparatuses from the forelegs and investigated their behavioral change in response to exposure to the alarm pheromone or to encounters with nestmates or non-nestmates. Comparisons between self-grooming-nonlimited and self-grooming-limited ants showed that the self-grooming-limited ants gradually exhibited decreased locomotion activity in their fight-or-flight response to the alarm pheromone and experienced increased failure in nestmate and non-nestmate discrimination. Thus, the results of the present study suggest that antennal sensory system maintenance supports social communication, which is indispensable not only to the individual workers but also to the survival of their society. Abstract Self-grooming of the antennae is frequently observed in ants. This antennal maintenance behavior is presumed to be essential for effective chemical communication but, to our knowledge, this has not yet been well studied. When we removed the antenna-cleaning apparatuses of the Japanese carpenter ant (C. japonicus) to limit the self-grooming of the antennae, the worker ants demonstrated the self-grooming gesture as usual, but the antennal surface could not be sufficiently cleaned. By using scanning electron microscopy with NanoSuit, we observed the ants’ antennae for up to 48 h and found that the antennal surfaces gradually became covered with self-secreted surface material. Concurrently, the self-grooming-limited workers gradually lost their behavioral responsiveness to undecane—the alarm pheromone. Indeed, their locomotive response to the alarm pheromone diminished for up to 24 h after the antenna cleaner removal operation. In addition, the self-grooming-limited workers exhibited less frequent aggressive behavior toward non-nestmate workers, and 36 h after the operation, approximately half of the encountered non-nestmate workers were accepted as nestmates. These results suggest that the antennal sensing system is affected by excess surface material; hence, their proper function is prevented until they are cleaned.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hitomi Mizutani
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Kobe University, Nada-ku, Kobe 657-8501, Japan;
| | - Kazuhiro Tagai
- School of Human Science and Environment, University of Hyogo, Himeji, Hyogo 670-0092, Japan; (K.T.); (T.K.)
| | - Shunya Habe
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto 616-8354, Japan;
| | - Yasuharu Takaku
- Preeminent Medical Photonics Education and Research Center, Institute for NanoSuit Research & NanoSuit Inc., Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu 431-3192, Japan; (Y.T.); (T.H.)
| | - Tatsuya Uebi
- KYOUSEI Science Center for Life and Nature, Nara Women’s University, Nara 630-8263, Japan;
| | - Toshifumi Kimura
- School of Human Science and Environment, University of Hyogo, Himeji, Hyogo 670-0092, Japan; (K.T.); (T.K.)
| | - Takahiko Hariyama
- Preeminent Medical Photonics Education and Research Center, Institute for NanoSuit Research & NanoSuit Inc., Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu 431-3192, Japan; (Y.T.); (T.H.)
| | - Mamiko Ozaki
- KYOUSEI Science Center for Life and Nature, Nara Women’s University, Nara 630-8263, Japan;
- Department of Chemical Science and Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kobe University, Nada-ku, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
- Morphogenetic Signaling Team, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-742-20-3687
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Modulation of fatty acid elongation in cockroaches sustains sexually dimorphic hydrocarbons and female attractiveness. PLoS Biol 2021; 19:e3001330. [PMID: 34314414 PMCID: PMC8315507 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Insect cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) serve as important intersexual signaling chemicals and generally show variation between the sexes, but little is known about the generation of sexually dimorphic hydrocarbons (SDHCs) in insects. In this study, we report the molecular mechanism and biological significance that underlie the generation of SDHC in the German cockroach Blattella germanica. Sexually mature females possess more C29 CHCs, especially the contact sex pheromone precursor 3,11-DimeC29. RNA interference (RNAi) screen against the fatty acid elongase family members combined with heterologous expression of the genes in yeast revealed that both BgElo12 and BgElo24 were involved in hydrocarbon (HC) production, but BgElo24 is of wide catalytic activities and is able to provide substrates for BgElo12, and only the female-enriched BgElo12 is responsible for sustaining female-specific HC profile. Repressing BgElo12 masculinized the female CHC profile, decreased contact sex pheromone level, and consequently reduced the sexual attractiveness of female cockroaches. Moreover, the asymmetric expression of BgElo12 between the sexes is modulated by sex differentiation cascade. Specifically, male-specific BgDsx represses the transcription of BgElo12 in males, while BgTra is able to remove this effect in females. Our study reveals a novel molecular mechanism responsible for the formation of SDHCs and also provide evidences on shaping of the SDHCs by sexual selection, as females use them to generate high levels of contact sex pheromone. Sexual dimorphism of body waxes is prevalent in insects; this study reveals that the sex-differentiation pathway regulates fatty acid elongation, ensuring production of the sexually dimorphic cuticular hydrocarbons needed for high levels of sex pheromone and sexual attractiveness in female cockroaches.
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He P, Ma YF, Wang MM, Wang H, Dewer Y, Abd El-Ghany NM, Chen GL, Yang GQ, Zhang F, He M. Silencing the odorant coreceptor (Orco) disrupts sex pheromonal communication and feeding responses in Blattella germanica: toward an alternative target for controlling insect-transmitted human diseases. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2021; 77:1674-1682. [PMID: 33205592 DOI: 10.1002/ps.6187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The German cockroach, Blattella germanica, is one of the most severe pests of urban and rural areas. High-throughput genetic screening approaches indicate that the olfactory system of this pest is extremely powerful because it has an extensive array of olfactory receptor genes compared with many other insect species. Several of these genes have been identified previously, but their functions have not yet been characterized. RESULTS This study describes the sequence of five transcriptomes of B. germanica adult male antennae, female antennae, maxillary palps, legs, and fifth-instar nymph antennae to investigate expression patterns of odorant receptors (ORs). Approximately 90% of ORs were found to be the most highly expressed genes in adult or nymph antennae. Additionally, every OR requires an odorant co-receptor (Orco) to become fully functional, and this was selected and successfully inhibited by injection of the corresponding double-stranded (ds)RNA targeting the Orco. A strong RNA interference (RNAi) effect was observed in which > 75% of Orco messenger RNA (mRNA) was clearly suppressed after 72 h of treatment. Olfactory behavioral assays showed that Orco-impaired B. germanica respond more slowly and show less attraction to one volatile sex pheromone and food resources compared with a control group. CONCLUSION The results show that Orco plays a pivotal role in both sex pheromone and food-seeking olfactory processes, and provide an alternative genetic technique for controlling this urban pest species by olfactory disruption. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng He
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang, P. R. China
| | - Yun-Feng Ma
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang, P. R. China
| | - Mei-Mei Wang
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang, P. R. China
| | - Hong Wang
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang, P. R. China
| | - Youssef Dewer
- Bioassay Research Department, Central Agricultural Pesticide Laboratory, Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt
| | - Nesreen M Abd El-Ghany
- Pests and Plant Protection Department, Agricultural and Biological Division, National Research Centre, Giza, Egypt
| | - Guang-Lei Chen
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang, P. R. China
| | - Gui-Qing Yang
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang, P. R. China
| | - Fan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Research, College of Life Science, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, P. R. China
| | - Ming He
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang, P. R. China
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Hatano E, Wada-Katsumata A, Schal C. Environmental decomposition of olefinic cuticular hydrocarbons of Periplaneta americana generates a volatile pheromone that guides social behaviour. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20192466. [PMID: 32097587 PMCID: PMC7062030 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.2466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Once emitted, semiochemicals are exposed to reactive environmental factors that may alter them, thus disrupting chemical communication. Some species, however, might have adapted to detect environmentally mediated breakdown products of their natural chemicals as semiochemicals. We demonstrate that air, water vapour and ultraviolet (UV) radiation break down unsaturated cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) of Periplaneta americana (American cockroach), resulting in the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In behavioural assays, nymphs strongly avoided aggregating in shelters exposed to the breakdown VOCs from cuticular alkenes. The three treatments (air, water vapour, UV) produced the same VOCs, but at different time-courses and ratios. Fourteen VOCs from UV-exposed CHCs elicited electrophysiological responses in nymph antennae; 10 were identified as 2-nonanone, 1-pentanol, 1-octanol, 1-nonanol, tetradecanal, acetic acid, propanoic acid, butanoic acid, pentanoic acid and hexanoic acid. When short-chain fatty acids were tested as a mix and a blend of the alcohols and aldehyde was tested as a second mix, nymphs exhibited no preference for control or treated shelters. However, nymphs avoided shelters that were exposed to VOCs from the complete 10-compound mix. Conditioned shelters (occupied by cockroaches with faeces and CHCs deposited on the shelters), which are normally highly attractive to nymphs, were also avoided after UV exposure, confirming that breakdown products from deposited metabolites, including CHCs, mediate this behaviour. Our results demonstrate that common environmental agents degrade CHCs into behaviourally active volatile compounds that potentially may serve as necromones or epideictic pheromones, mediating group dissolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Hatano
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
- W. M. Keck Center for Behavioural Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Ayako Wada-Katsumata
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
- W. M. Keck Center for Behavioural Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Coby Schal
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
- W. M. Keck Center for Behavioural Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
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