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Anjum AA, Lin MJ, Jin L, Li GQ. A critical role for the nuclear protein Akirin in larval development in Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 38783592 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Akirin is a nuclear protein that controls development in vertebrates and invertebrates. The function of Akirin has not been assessed in any Coleopteran insects. We found that high levels of akirin transcripts in Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata, a serious Coleopteran potato defoliator (hereafter Hvakirin), were present at prepupal, pupal and adult stages, especially in larval foregut and fat body. RNA interference (RNAi) targeting Hvakirin impaired larval development. The Hvakirin RNAi larvae arrested development at the final larval instar stage. They remained as stunted larvae, gradually blackened and finally died. Moreover, the remodelling of gut and fat body was inhibited in the Hvakirin depleted larvae. Two layers of cuticles, old and newly formed, were noted in the dsegfp-injected animals. In contrast, only a layer of cuticle was found in the dsakirin-injected beetles, indicating the arrest of larval development. Furthermore, the expression of three transforming growth factor-β cascade genes (Hvsmox, Hvmyo and Hvbabo), a 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) receptor gene (HvEcR) and six 20E response genes (HvHR3, HvHR4, HvE75, HvBrC, HvE93 and Hvftz-f1) was significantly repressed, consistent with decreased 20E signalling. Conversely, the transcription of a juvenile hormone (JH) biosynthesis gene (Hvjhamt), a JH receptor gene (HvMet) and two JH response genes (HvKr-h1 and HvHairy) was greatly enhanced. Our findings suggest a critical role of Akirin in larval development in H. vigintioctopunctata.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad Ali Anjum
- Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests/State & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Green Pesticide Invention and Application, Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Meng-Jiao Lin
- Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests/State & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Green Pesticide Invention and Application, Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Lin Jin
- Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests/State & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Green Pesticide Invention and Application, Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Guo-Qing Li
- Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests/State & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Green Pesticide Invention and Application, Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
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Guo Z, Bai Y, Zhang X, Guo L, Zhu L, Sun D, Sun K, Xu X, Yang X, Xie W, Wang S, Wu Q, Crickmore N, Zhou X, Zhang Y. RNA m 6 A Methylation Suppresses Insect Juvenile Hormone Degradation to Minimize Fitness Costs in Response to A Pathogenic Attack. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2307650. [PMID: 38087901 PMCID: PMC10853702 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202307650] [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: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Bioinsecticides and transgenic crops based on the bacterial pathogen Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) can effectively control diverse agricultural insect pests, nevertheless, the evolution of resistance without obvious fitness costs has seriously eroded the sustainable use of these Bt products. Recently, it has been discovered that an increased titer of juvenile hormone (JH) favors an insect host (Plutella xylostella) to enhance fitness whilst resisting the Bt pathogen, however, the underlying regulatory mechanisms of the increased JH titer are obscure. Here, the involvement of N6 -methyladenosine (m6 A) RNA modification in modulating the availability of JH in this process is defined. Specifically, it is found that two m6 A methyltransferase subunit genes, PxMettl3 and PxMettl14, repress the expression of a key JH-degrading enzyme JH esterase (JHE) to induce an increased JH titer, mitigating the fitness costs associated with a robust defense against the Bt pathogen. This study identifies an as-yet uncharacterized m6 A-mediated epigenetic regulator of insect hormones for maintaining fitness during pathogen defense and unveils an emerging Bt resistance-related m6 A methylation atlas in insects, which further expands the functional landscape of m6 A modification and showcases the pivotal role of epigenetic regulation in host-pathogen interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaojiang Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable BiobreedingDepartment of Plant ProtectionInstitute of Vegetables and FlowersChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijing100081China
| | - Yang Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable BiobreedingDepartment of Plant ProtectionInstitute of Vegetables and FlowersChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijing100081China
| | - Xinyi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable BiobreedingDepartment of Plant ProtectionInstitute of Vegetables and FlowersChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijing100081China
| | - Le Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable BiobreedingDepartment of Plant ProtectionInstitute of Vegetables and FlowersChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijing100081China
| | - Liuhong Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable BiobreedingDepartment of Plant ProtectionInstitute of Vegetables and FlowersChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijing100081China
| | - Dan Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable BiobreedingDepartment of Plant ProtectionInstitute of Vegetables and FlowersChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijing100081China
| | - Kaiyue Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable BiobreedingDepartment of Plant ProtectionInstitute of Vegetables and FlowersChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijing100081China
| | - Xudan Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable BiobreedingDepartment of Plant ProtectionInstitute of Vegetables and FlowersChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijing100081China
| | - Xin Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable BiobreedingDepartment of Plant ProtectionInstitute of Vegetables and FlowersChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijing100081China
| | - Wen Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable BiobreedingDepartment of Plant ProtectionInstitute of Vegetables and FlowersChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijing100081China
| | - Shaoli Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable BiobreedingDepartment of Plant ProtectionInstitute of Vegetables and FlowersChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijing100081China
| | - Qingjun Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable BiobreedingDepartment of Plant ProtectionInstitute of Vegetables and FlowersChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijing100081China
| | - Neil Crickmore
- School of Life SciencesUniversity of SussexBrightonBN1 9QGUK
| | - Xuguo Zhou
- Department of EntomologyUniversity of KentuckyLexingtonKentucky40546‐0091USA
| | - Youjun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable BiobreedingDepartment of Plant ProtectionInstitute of Vegetables and FlowersChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijing100081China
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Xu X, Pu S, Jiang M, Hu X, Wang Q, Yu J, Chu J, Wei G, Wang L. Knockout of nuclear receptor HR38 gene impairs pupal-adult development in silkworm Bombyx mori. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 33:29-40. [PMID: 37738573 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12876] [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: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
Nuclear receptors are ligand-regulated transcription factors that play important role in regulating insect metamorphosis through the ecdysone signalling pathway. In this study, we investigated the nuclear receptor HR38 gene in Bombyx mori (BmHR38), belonging to the NR4A subfamily. BmHR38 mRNA was highly expressed in the head and epidermis at the pupal stage. The expression of the BmHR38 gene was influenced by different doses of 20E at different times. A BmHR38 deletion mutant silkworm was generated using the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/Cas9 system. Compared with the wild-type B. mori, the BmHR38 deletion mutant resulted in abnormal development during the pupal stage, leading to either failed eclosion or the formation of abnormal adult wings. After silencing of BmHR38 in the pupal stage, the phenotype of pupa or moth had no significant change, but it did result in reduced egg production. The mRNA levels of USP, E75 and E74 were significantly increased, while the transcript levels of FTZ-F1 were suppressed after RNA interference. Furthermore, interference with BmHR38 also inhibited the expressions of chitin metabolism genes, including Chs1, Chs2, Chi, Chi-h and CDA. Our results suggest that BmHR38 is essential for pupal development and pupa-adult metamorphosis in B. mori by regulating the expression of NRs and chitin metabolism genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyue Xu
- Anhui Key Laboratory of Resource Insect Biology and Innovative Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Shangkun Pu
- Anhui Key Laboratory of Resource Insect Biology and Innovative Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Mouzhen Jiang
- Anhui Key Laboratory of Resource Insect Biology and Innovative Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Xiaoxuan Hu
- Anhui Key Laboratory of Resource Insect Biology and Innovative Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Qing Wang
- Anhui Key Laboratory of Resource Insect Biology and Innovative Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Jun Yu
- Anhui Key Laboratory of Resource Insect Biology and Innovative Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Jianghong Chu
- Anhui Key Laboratory of Resource Insect Biology and Innovative Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Guoqing Wei
- Anhui Key Laboratory of Resource Insect Biology and Innovative Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Anhui Key Laboratory of Resource Insect Biology and Innovative Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
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Zhang X, Zhang J, Wu K, Yang H, Cheng T, Liu C. Identification and Functions of JHE 6 Specifically Expressed in Bombyx mori Silk Gland. INSECTS 2023; 14:908. [PMID: 38132582 PMCID: PMC10743834 DOI: 10.3390/insects14120908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Juvenile hormone esterase (JHE) is the specific enzyme that degrades juvenile hormone (JH) and regulates the JH titer in insects. JH also regulates the development of the silk gland and the synthesis and secretion of silk proteins in Bombyx mori. Here, we identified nine possible JHE family members, Bmjhe1-9. Notably, Bmjhe6 is specifically expressed in the silk gland. Using semi-quantitative, quantitative real-time RT-PCR and Western blot, it was confirmed that Bmjhe6 was specifically expressed in the middle silk gland (MSG) with high levels in the anterior region of the MSG (A-MSG). The immunofluorescence localization analysis revealed that Bmjhe6 is produced within cells, secreted into the gland lumen, and co-transported with silk proteins into the anterior silk gland (ASG). In vitro hormone induction experiments demonstrated that Bmjhe6 responds to a JH analog, increasing its expression after 12-24 h, whereas 20-hydroxyecdysone inhibited it. In addition, Bmjhe6 knockdown using dsBmjhe6 injections accelerated larval development, resulting in increased larval body and silk gland weight. This induced disordered sericin genes (Ser2, Ser3) expression, and key genes in the JH synthesis pathway (BmKr-h1 and BmMet1) were significantly upregulated along with the transcription factors (SGF-1 and Sage). These results indicate that Bmjhe6 plays an important role in silk gland growth and silk protein synthesis by modulating JH signal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (X.Z.); (J.Z.); (K.W.); (H.Y.); (T.C.)
| | - Jikailang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (X.Z.); (J.Z.); (K.W.); (H.Y.); (T.C.)
| | - Keli Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (X.Z.); (J.Z.); (K.W.); (H.Y.); (T.C.)
| | - Hongguo Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (X.Z.); (J.Z.); (K.W.); (H.Y.); (T.C.)
| | - Tingcai Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (X.Z.); (J.Z.); (K.W.); (H.Y.); (T.C.)
| | - Chun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (X.Z.); (J.Z.); (K.W.); (H.Y.); (T.C.)
- Jinfeng Laboratory, Chongqing 401329, China
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Palli SR. Juvenile hormone receptor Methoprene tolerant: Functions and applications. VITAMINS AND HORMONES 2023; 123:619-644. [PMID: 37718000 DOI: 10.1016/bs.vh.2023.03.002] [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] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
During the past 15years, after confirming Methoprene tolerant (Met) as a juvenile hormone (JH) receptor, tremendous progress has been made in understanding the function of Met in supporting JH signal transduction. Met role in JH regulation of development, including metamorphosis, reproduction, diapause, cast differentiation, behavior, im`munity, sleep and epigenetic modifications, have been elucidated. Met's Heterodimeric partners involved in performing some of these functions were discovered. The availability of JH response elements (JHRE) and JH receptor allowed the development of screening assays in cell lines and yeast. These screening assays facilitated the identification of new chemicals that function as JH agonists and antagonists. These new chemicals and others that will likely be discovered in the near future by using JH receptor and JHRE will lead to highly effective species-specific environmentally friendly insecticides for controlling pests and disease vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subba Reddy Palli
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States.
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Wang SS, Wang LL, Pu YX, Liu JY, Wang MX, Zhu J, Shen ZY, Shen XJ, Tang SM. Exorista sorbillans (Diptera: Tachinidae) parasitism shortens host larvae growth duration by regulating ecdysone and juvenile hormone titers in Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae). JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2023; 23:7187155. [PMID: 37256698 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/iead034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The tachinid fly, Exorista sorbillans, is a notorious ovolarviparous endoparasitoid of the silkworm, Bombyx mori, causing severe damage to silkworm cocoon industry. Silkworm larvae show typically precocious wandering behavior after being parasitized by E. sorbillans; however, the underlying molecular mechanism remains unexplored. Herein, we investigated the changes in the levels of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) and juvenile hormone (JH) titer, and they both increased in the hemolymph of parasitized silkworms. Furthermore, we verified the expression patterns of related genes, which showed an upregulation of 20E signaling and biosynthesis genes but a significant downregulation of ecdysone oxidase (EO), a 20E inactivation enzyme, in parasitized silkworms. In addition, related genes of the JH signaling were activated in parasitized silkworms, while related genes of the JH degradation pathway were suppressed, resulting in an increase in JH titer. Notably, the precocious wandering behavior of parasitized silkworms was partly recoverable by silencing the transcriptions of BmCYP302A1 or BmCYP307A1 genes. Our findings suggest that the developmental duration of silkworm post parasitism could be shortened by regulation of 20E and JH titers, which may help silkworm to resist the E. sorbillans infestation. These findings provide a basis for deeper insight into the interplay between silkworms and E. sorbillans and may serve as a reference for the development of a novel approach to control silkworm myiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan-Shan Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212100, China
| | - Lei-Lei Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212100, China
| | - Yue-Xia Pu
- Guangxi General Station for Sericulture Technology Popularization, Nanning, Guangxi 530007, China
| | - Ji-Yin Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212100, China
| | - Mei-Xian Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212100, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212100, China
| | - Juan Zhu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212100, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212100, China
| | - Zhong-Yuan Shen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212100, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212100, China
| | - Xing-Jia Shen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212100, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212100, China
| | - Shun-Ming Tang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212100, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212100, China
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Li J, Kong Y, Sun L, Tang Y, Sun X, Qin S, Li M. Overexpression of Ultrabithorax Changes the Development of Silk Gland and the Expression of Fibroin Genes in Bombyx mori. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24076670. [PMID: 37047645 PMCID: PMC10095271 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24076670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Ultrabithorax (Ubx) is a member of the Hox gene group involved in cell fate decisions, cell proliferation and organ identity. Its function has been extensively researched in Drosophila melanogaster but little is known about it in Lepidoptera. To uncover the function of Ubx in the development of lepidopterans, we constructed the Ubx overexpression (UbxOE) strain based on the Nistari strain of Bombyx mori. The UbxOE strain showed a small body size, transparent intersegmental membrane and abnormal posterior silk gland (PSG). In the current study, we focused on the effect of Ubx overexpression on the posterior silk gland. As the major protein product of PSG, the mRNA expression of fibroin heavy chain (Fib-H) and fibroin light chain (Fib-L) was upregulated three times in UbxOE, but the protein expression of Fib-H and Fib-L was not significantly different. We speculated that the overexpression of Ubx downregulated the expression of Myc and further caused abnormal synthesis of the spliceosome and ribosome. Abnormalities of the spliceosome and ribosome affected the synthesis of protein in the PSG and changed its morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiashuang Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212018, China
| | - Yunhui Kong
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212018, China
| | - Lingling Sun
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212018, China
| | - Yaling Tang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212018, China
| | - Xia Sun
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212018, China
- The Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Zhenjiang 212018, China
| | - Sheng Qin
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212018, China
- The Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Zhenjiang 212018, China
| | - Muwang Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212018, China
- The Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Zhenjiang 212018, China
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Borovsky D, Van Ekert E, Buytaert E, Peeters T, Rougé P. Cloning and characterization of Aedes aegypti juvenile hormone epoxide hydrolases (JHEHs). ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 112:e21977. [PMID: 36254855 DOI: 10.1002/arch.21977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Juvenile hormone epoxide hydrolase (JHEH) plays an important role in the metabolism of juvenile hormone III (JH III) in insects. To study the role that JHEH plays in female Aedes aegypti JHEH 1, 2, and 3 complementary DNA (cDNAs) were cloned and sequenced. Northern blot analyses show that the three transcripts are expressed in the head thorax, the gut, the ovaries, and the fat body of females. Molecular modeling shows that the enzyme is a homodimer that binds JH III acid (JH IIIA) at the catalytic groove better than JH III. The cDNA of JHEH 1 and 2 are very similar indicating close relationship. Knocking down of jheh 1, 2, and 3 in adult female and larval Ae. aegypti using double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) did not affect egg development or caused adult mortality. Larvae that were fed bacterial cells expressing dsRNA against jheh 1, 2, and 3 grew normally. Treating blood-fed female Ae. aegypti with [12-3 H](10R) JH III and analyzing the metabolites by C18 reversed phase chromatography showed that JHEH preferred substrate is not JH III but JH IIIA. Genomic analysis of jheh 1, 2, and 3 indicate that jheh 1 and 2 are transcribed from a 1.53 kb DNA whereas jheh 3 is transcribed from a 10.9 kb DNA. All three genes are found on chromosome two at distinct locations. JHEH 2 was expressed in bacterial cells and purified by Ni affinity chromatography. Sequencing of the recombinant protein by MS/MS identified JHEH 2 as the expressed recombinant protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dov Borovsky
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | | | | | - Tom Peeters
- Open BioLab Brussels, Erasmushogeschool, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Pierre Rougé
- Faculte des Sciences Pharmaceutiques, Toulouse, France
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Sarkar S, Kalia VK. Silencing of juvenile hormone epoxide hydrolase gene in Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) by oral delivery of double-stranded RNA. Biologia (Bratisl) 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11756-022-01150-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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10
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Zhu GH, Gaddelapati SC, Jiao Y, Koo J, Palli SR. CRISPR-Cas9 Genome Editing Uncovers the Mode of Action of Methoprene in the Yellow Fever Mosquito, Aedes aegypti. CRISPR J 2022; 5:813-824. [PMID: 36374965 PMCID: PMC9805843 DOI: 10.1089/crispr.2022.0066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Methoprene, a juvenile hormone (JH) analog, is widely used for insect control, but its mode of action is not known. To study methoprene action in the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, the E93 (ecdysone-induced transcription factor) was knocked out using the CRISPR-Cas9 system. The E93 mutant pupae retained larval tissues similar to methoprene-treated insects. These insects completed pupal ecdysis and died as pupa. In addition, the expression of transcription factors, broad complex and Krüppel homolog 1 (Kr-h1), increased and that of programmed cell death (PCD) and autophagy genes decreased in E93 mutants. These data suggest that methoprene functions through JH receptor, methoprene-tolerant, and induces the expression of Kr-h1, which suppresses the expression of E93, resulting in a block in PCD and autophagy of larval tissues. Failure in the elimination of larval tissues and the formation of adult structures results in their death. These results answered long-standing questions on the mode of action of methoprene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guan-Heng Zhu
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Sharath Chandra Gaddelapati
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Yaoyu Jiao
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Jinmo Koo
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Subba Reddy Palli
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA.,Address correspondence to: Subba Reddy Palli, Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546, USA.
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Xu K, Lan H, He C, Wei Y, Lu Q, Cai K, Yu D, Yin X, Li Y, Lv J. Toxicological effects of trace amounts of pyriproxyfen on the midgut of non-target insect silkworm. PESTICIDE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 188:105266. [PMID: 36464371 DOI: 10.1016/j.pestbp.2022.105266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 10/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Pyriproxyfen is an insect growth regulator that is widely used in public health and pest control in agriculture. Our previous studies have shown that trace amounts of pyriproxyfen in the environment can cause serious toxic effects in the non-target insect silkworm, including failing to pupate, metamorphose and spin cocoons. However, it is unknown why pyriproxyfen not only has no lethal effects on fifth instar larvae but also tend to increase their body weight. The midgut is the main digestive organs of the silkworm, our results showed that the residual of pyriproxyfen in the silkworm at 24 h after 1 × 10-4 mg/L pyriproxyfen treatment caused severe damage to the midgut microvilli, goblet cells, and nuclei of the silkworm, but body weight and digestibility of the larval were both increased. In addition, pyriproxyfen significantly (p < 0.05) increased the activities of digestive enzymes (α-amylase, trehalase, trypsin and lipase) in the midgut of silkworm. However, it caused down-regulation of ecdysone synthesis-related genes at the end of the fifth instar silkworm, decreased ecdysone titer, and prolonged larval instar. At the same time, pyriproxyfen also activated transcription of detoxification enzymes-related genes such as the cytochrome P450 enzyme genes Cyp9a22 and Cyp15C1, the carboxylesterase genes CarE-8 and CarE-11, and the glutathione S-transferase gene GSTo2. This study elucidated a novel toxicological effect of pyriproxyfen to insects, which not only expands the understanding of the effects of juvenile hormone pesticides on lepidopteran insects but also provides a reference for exploring the ecological security of non-target organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaizun Xu
- College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi 530004, PR China; Guangxi Key Laboratory for Agro-Environment and Agric-Product Safety, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Plant Science Education, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi 530004, PR China; Sericulture Institute of Guangxi University, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi 530004, PR China.
| | - Huangli Lan
- College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi 530004, PR China
| | - Chunhui He
- College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi 530004, PR China
| | - Yuting Wei
- College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi 530004, PR China
| | - Qingyu Lu
- College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi 530004, PR China
| | - Kunpei Cai
- College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi 530004, PR China
| | - Dongliang Yu
- College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi 530004, PR China
| | - Xingcan Yin
- College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi 530004, PR China
| | - Yizhe Li
- College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi 530004, PR China
| | - Jiachen Lv
- Guangxi Aquatic and Animal Husbandry School, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, PR China
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12
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Li GY, Liu XJ, Fang GQ, Yang J, Zhan S, Li MW. Functional characterization of a low-density lipoprotein receptor in the lepidopteran model, Bombyx mori. INSECT SCIENCE 2022; 29:1262-1274. [PMID: 35411705 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The growth and development of metabolous insects are mainly regulated by ecdysone and juvenile hormone. As a member of the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) family, megalin (mgl) is involved in the lipoprotein transport of cholesterol which is an essential precursor for the synthesis of ecdysone. Despite extensive studies in mammals, the function of mgl is still largely unknown in insects. In this study, we characterize the function of mgl in the silkworm Bombyx mori, the model species of Lepidoptera. We find that mgl is broadly present in the genomes of lepidopteran species and evolved with divergence between lepidopterans and Drosophila. The expression pattern suggests a ubiquitous role of mgl in the growth and development in the silkworm. We further perform clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR) / CRISPR-associated protein 9-based mutagenesis of Bmmgl and find that both the development and the silk production of the silkworm are seriously affected by the disruption of Bmmgl. Our results not only explore the function of mgl in Lepidoptera but also add to our understanding of how cholesterol metabolism is involved in the development of insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gui-Yun Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiao-Jing Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Gang-Qi Fang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shuai Zhan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Mu-Wang Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
- The Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
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13
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BmSuc1 Affects Silk Properties by Acting on Sericin1 in Bombyx mori. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23179891. [PMID: 36077290 PMCID: PMC9456260 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23179891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BmSuc1, a novel animal-type β-fructofuranosidase (β-FFase, EC 3.2.1.26) encoding gene, was cloned and identified for the first time in the silkworm, Bombyx mori. BmSuc1 was specifically and highly expressed in the midgut and silk gland of Bombyx mori. Until now, the function of BmSuc1 in the silk gland was unclear. In this study, it was found that the expression changes of BmSuc1 in the fifth instar silk gland were consistent with the growth rate of the silk gland. Next, with the aid of the CRISPR/Cas9 system, the BmSuc1 locus was genetically mutated, and homozygous mutant silkworm strains with truncated β-FFase (BmSUC1) proteins were established. BmSuc1 mutant larvae exhibited stunted growth and decreased body weight. Interestingly, the molecular weight of part of Sericin1 (Ser1) in the silk gland of the mutant silkworms was reduced. The knockout of BmSuc1 reduced the sericin content in the silkworm cocoon shell, and the mechanical properties of the mutant line silk fibers were also negatively affected. These results reveal that BmSUC1 is involved in the synthesis of Ser1 protein in silk glands and helps to maintain the homeostasis of silk protein content in silk fibers and the mechanical properties of silk fibers, laying a foundation for the study of BmSUC1 regulation of silk protein synthesis in silk glands.
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14
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Gao X, Zhang J, Wu P, Shu R, Zhang H, Qin Q, Meng Q. Conceptual framework for the insect metamorphosis from larvae to pupae by transcriptomic profiling, a case study of Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). BMC Genomics 2022; 23:591. [PMID: 35963998 PMCID: PMC9375380 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08807-y] [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: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Insect metamorphosis from larvae to pupae is one of the most important stages of insect life history. Relatively comprehensive information related to gene transcription profiles during lepidopteran metamorphosis is required to understand the molecular mechanism underlying this important stage. We conducted transcriptional profiling of the brain and fat body of the cotton bollworm Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) during its transition from last instar larva into pupa to explore the physiological processes associated with different phases of metamorphosis. RESULTS During metamorphosis, the differences in gene expression patterns and the number of differentially expressed genes in the fat body were found to be greater than those in the brain. Each stage had a specific gene expression pattern, which contributed to different physiological changes. A decrease in juvenile hormone levels at the feeding stage is associated with increased expression levels of two genes (juvenile hormone esterase, juvenile hormone epoxide hydrolase). The expression levels of neuropeptides were highly expressed at the feeding stage and the initiation of the wandering stage and less expressed at the prepupal stage and the initiation of the pupal stage. The transcription levels of many hormone (or neuropeptide) receptors were specifically increased at the initiation of the wandering stage in comparison with other stages. The expression levels of many autophagy-related genes in the fat body were found to be gradually upregulated during metamorphosis. The activation of apoptosis was probably related to enhanced expression of many key genes (Apaf1, IAP-binding motif 1 like, cathepsins, caspases). Active proliferation might be associated with enhanced expression levels in several factors (JNK pathway: jun-D; TGF-β pathway: decapentaplegic, glass bottom boat; insulin pathway: insulin-like peptides from the fat body; Wnt pathway: wntless, TCF/Pangolin). CONCLUSIONS This study revealed several vital physiological processes and molecular events of metamorphosis and provided valuable information for illustrating the process of insect metamorphosis from larvae to pupae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinxin Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jihong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Peipei Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ruihao Shu
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Institute of Edible Fungi, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Huan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qilian Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qian Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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15
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Borovsky D, Breyssens H, Buytaert E, Peeters T, Laroye C, Stoffels K, Rougé P. Cloning and Characterization of Drosophila melanogaster Juvenile Hormone Epoxide Hydrolases (JHEH) and Their Promoters. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12070991. [PMID: 35883546 PMCID: PMC9313241 DOI: 10.3390/biom12070991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Juvenile hormone epoxide hydrolase (JHEH) plays an important role in the metabolism of JH III in insects. To study the control of JHEH in female Drosophila melanogaster, JHEH 1, 2 and 3 cDNAs were cloned and sequenced. Northern blot analyses showed that the three transcripts are expressed in the head thorax, the gut, the ovaries and the fat body of females. Molecular modeling shows that the enzyme is a homodimer that binds juvenile hormone III acid (JH IIIA) at the catalytic groove better than JH III. Analyses of the three JHEH promoters and expressing short promoter sequences behind a reporter gene (lacZ) in D. melanogaster cell culture identified a JHEH 3 promoter sequence (626 bp) that is 10- and 25-fold more active than the most active promoter sequences of JHEH 2 and JHEH 1, respectively. A transcription factor (TF) Sp1 that is involved in the activation of JHEH 3 promoter sequence was identified. Knocking down Sp1 using dsRNA inhibited the transcriptional activity of this promoter in transfected D. melanogaster cells and JH III and 20HE downregulated the JHEH 3 promoter. On the other hand, JH IIIA and farnesoic acid did not affect the promoter, indicating that JH IIIA is JHEH's preferred substrate. A transgenic D. melanogaster expressing a highly activated JHEH 3 promoter behind a lacZ reporter gene showed promoter transcriptional activity in many D. melanogaster tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dov Borovsky
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
- Correspondence:
| | - Hilde Breyssens
- Zoological Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (H.B.); (E.B.); (T.P.); (C.L.); (K.S.)
| | - Esther Buytaert
- Zoological Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (H.B.); (E.B.); (T.P.); (C.L.); (K.S.)
| | - Tom Peeters
- Zoological Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (H.B.); (E.B.); (T.P.); (C.L.); (K.S.)
- Open BioLab Brussels, Erasmushogeschool Brussels, 1210 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Carole Laroye
- Zoological Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (H.B.); (E.B.); (T.P.); (C.L.); (K.S.)
| | - Karolien Stoffels
- Zoological Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (H.B.); (E.B.); (T.P.); (C.L.); (K.S.)
| | - Pierre Rougé
- Faculte des Sciences Pharmaceutiques, 31400 Tolouse, France;
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16
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Inui T, Sezutsu H, Daimon T. MicroRNA let-7 is required for hormonal regulation of metamorphosis in the silkworm, Bombyx mori. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 145:103784. [PMID: 35533806 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2022.103784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The heterochronic microRNA let-7, which was first identified in Caenorhabditis elegans, controls the timing of developmental programs, and let-7 triggers the onset of the juvenile-adult transition in bilaterians. The expression of let-7 is strongly induced during the last larval stage of C. elegans and is highly expressed in the late last instar larvae/nymphs of the fly Drosophila melanogaster and the cockroach Blattella germanica. In the silkworm Bombyx mori, the expression of let-7 remarkably increases in the corpus cardiacum-corpus allatum complex (CC-CA) at the beginning of the last larval instar and is maintained at high levels during this instar. To determine the biological function of let-7 in B. mori, we generated a let-7 knockout line and a transgenic UAS-let-7 line. The let-7 knockout larvae were developmentally arrested in the prepupal stage and became pupal-adult intermediates after apolysis. When let-7 was ubiquitously overexpressed under the transcriptional control of an Actin3-GAL4 driver, developmental timing and growth of larvae were severely impaired in the penultimate (L4) instar, and these larvae underwent precocious metamorphosis from L4. Furthermore, our results showed that reception and signaling of ecdysteroids and juvenile hormones (JHs) normally occurred in the absence of let-7, whereas the biosynthesis of ecdysone and JHs were affected by disruption and overexpression of let-7. Together, the present study demonstrates that let-7 is required for the coordination of the biosynthesis of ecdysone and JH to ensure the developmental transition during the metamorphosis of B. mori.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomohiro Inui
- Department of Applied Biosciences, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa Oiwakecho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
| | - Hideki Sezutsu
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Owashi 1-2, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8634, Japan
| | - Takaaki Daimon
- Department of Applied Biosciences, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa Oiwakecho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan.
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17
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Wang X, Yi XL, Hou CX, Wang XY, Sun X, Zhang ZJ, Qin S, Li MW. Map-based cloning and functional analysis revealed ABCC2 is responsible for Cry1Ac toxin resistance in Bombyx mori. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 110:e21886. [PMID: 35307854 DOI: 10.1002/arch.21886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Bt toxins are parasporal crystals produced by Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). They have specific killing activity against various insects and have been widely used to control agricultural pests. However, their widespread use has developed the resistance of many target insects. To maintain the sustainable use of Bt products, the resistance mechanism of insects to Bt toxins must be fully clarified. In this study, Bt-resistant and Bt-susceptible silkworm strains were used to construct genetic populations, and the genetic pattern of silkworm resistance to Cry1Ac toxin was determined. Sequence-tagged site molecular marker technology was used to finely map the resistance gene and to draw a molecular genetic linkage map, and the two closest markers were T1590 and T1581, indicating the resistance gene located in the 155 kb genetic region. After analyzing the sequence of the predicted gene in the genetic region, an ATP binding cassette transporter (ABCC2) was identified as the candidate gene. Molecular modeling and protein-protein docking result showed that a tyrosine insertion in the mutant ABCC2 might be responsible for the interaction between Cry1Ac and ABCC2. Moreover, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing technology was used to knockout ABCC2 gene. The homozygous mutant ABCC2 silkworm was resistant to Cry1Ac toxin, which indicated ABCC2 is the key gene that controls silkworm resistance to Cry1Ac toxin. The results have laid the foundation for elucidating the molecular resistance mechanism of silkworms to Cry1Ac toxin and could provide a theoretical basis for the biological control of lepidopteran pests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiao-Li Yi
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Cheng-Xiang Hou
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xue-Yang Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xia Sun
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhong-Jie Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Sheng Qin
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Mu-Wang Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
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18
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CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Disruption of the lef8 and lef9 to Inhibit Nucleopolyhedrovirus Replication in Silkworms. Viruses 2022; 14:v14061119. [PMID: 35746591 PMCID: PMC9227026 DOI: 10.3390/v14061119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Revised: 05/08/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) is a pathogen that causes severe disease in silkworms. In a previous study, we demonstrated that by using the CRISPR/Cas9 system to disrupt the BmNPV ie-1 and me53 genes, transgenic silkworms showed resistance to BmNPV infection. Here, we used the same strategy to simultaneously target lef8 and lef9, which are essential for BmNPV replication. A PCR assay confirmed that double-stranded breaks were induced in viral DNA at targeted sequences in BmNPV-infected transgenic silkworms that expressed small guide RNAs (sgRNAs) and Cas9. Bioassays and qPCR showed that replication of BmNPV and mortality were significantly reduced in the transgenic silkworms in comparison with the control groups. Microscopy showed degradation of midgut cells in the BmNPV-infected wild type silkworms, but not in the transgenic silkworms. These results demonstrated that transgenic silkworms using the CRISPR/Cas9 system to disrupt BmNPV lef8 and lef9 genes could successfully prevent BmNPV infection. Our research not only provides more alternative targets for the CRISPR antiviral system, but also aims to provide new ideas for the application of virus infection research and the control of insect pests.
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19
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He Q, Zhang Y. Kr-h1, a Cornerstone Gene in Insect Life History. Front Physiol 2022; 13:905441. [PMID: 35574485 PMCID: PMC9092015 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.905441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Insect life cycle is coordinated by hormones and their downstream effectors. Krüppel homolog1 (Kr-h1) is one of the crucial effectors which mediates the actions of the two critical hormones of insects, the juvenile hormone (JH) and 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E). It is a transcription factor with a DNA-binding motif of eight C2H2 zinc fingers which is found to be conserved among insect orders. The expression of Kr-h1 is fluctuant during insect development with high abundance in juvenile instars and lower levels in the final instar and pupal stage, and reappearance in adults, which is governed by the coordination of JH, 20E, and miRNAs. The dynamic expression pattern of Kr-h1 is closely linked to its function in the entire life of insects. Over the past several years, accumulating studies have advanced our understanding of the role of Kr-h1 during insect development. It acts as a universal antimetamorphic factor in both hemimetabolous and holometabolous species by directly inhibiting the transcription of 20E signaling genes Broad-Complex (Br-C) and Ecdysone induced protein 93F (E93), and steroidogenic enzyme genes involved in ecdysone biosynthesis. Meanwhile, it promotes vitellogenesis and ovarian development in the majority of studied insects. In addition, Kr-h1 regulates insect behavioral plasticity and caste identity, neuronal morphogenesis, maturation of sexual behavior, as well as embryogenesis and metabolic homeostasis. Hence, Kr-h1 acts as a cornerstone regulator in insect life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianyu He
- Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology and Recycling of Argo-Waste in Cold Region, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, China
| | - Yuanxi Zhang
- Daqing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau, Daqing, China
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20
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Xu X, Chen J, Du X, Yao L, Wang Y. CRISPR/Cas9 Mediated Disruption of Seminal Fluid Protein Sfp62 Induces Male Sterility in Bombyx mori. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11040561. [PMID: 35453761 PMCID: PMC9024854 DOI: 10.3390/biology11040561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary In gamogenetic animals, seminal fluid proteins are essential for male fertility. In this study, we investigated the function of the seminal fluid protein Sfp62 by using the CRISPR/Cas9 system in lepidopteran model insect Bombyx mori. Sfp62 mutation led to male sterility and can be inherited stably. The mutation did not affect growth and developmental nor female fertility. These data indicate that Sfp62 is an ideal target for sterile insect technology (SIT), in which genetically modified insects are released on a large scale to mate with wild-type insects in order to reduce or even eradicate the target pests. The determining factors for the effective implementation of SIT include the strong competitiveness of the modified individuals and multi-generational effects resulting from the mutation. Sfp62 meets these criteria and is therefore a promising target for biological pest control. Abstract Seminal fluid proteins provide factors necessary for development, storage, and activation of sperm. Altered expression of seminal fluid proteins can lead to defect in male infertility. We investigated the function of seminal fluid protein Sfp62 in the model lepidopteran insect Bombyx mori using CRISPR/Cas9 mediated mutagenesis. The knockout of BmSfp62 gene led to male sterility but has no effect on female fertility. The mutation did not affect growth and development of the silkworm of both sexes. Motility of sperm in male mutants was decreased and the mRNA expression levels of other genes encoding seminal fluid proteins were altered in BmSfp62 mutants compared to the wild-type controls. The male sterility caused by mutation of BmSfp62 was stably inherited. As the proteins encoded by Sfp62 genes are conserved among lepidopteran species, Sfp62 is a potential target for the biological management of lepidopteran pests.
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21
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Cai R, Tao G, Zhao P, Xia Q, He H, Wang Y. POU-M2 promotes juvenile hormone biosynthesis by directly activating the transcription of juvenile hormone synthetic enzyme genes in Bombyx mori. Open Biol 2022; 12:220031. [PMID: 35382568 PMCID: PMC8984382 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.220031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Juvenile hormone (JH) plays a key role in preventing larval precocious metamorphosis, maintaining larval state, controlling adult sexual development and promoting insect egg maturation. Genetic studies have shown that POU factor ventral veins lacking regulates JH synthesis to control the timing of insect metamorphosis. However, how POU factor regulates JH synthesis is largely unknown. Here, we found POU-M2 was highly expressed in corpora allata (CA) and specifically localized in the nucleus of CA. The overexpression of POU-M2 promoted the expression of JH synthase genes and kr-h1 and enhanced the activity of JH synthase genes promoter. Further, POU-M2 promoted the transcription of JH acid O-methyltransferase (JHAMT) by directly binding to the key cis-regulatory elements -207, -249 and -453 within the proximal regions of JHAMT promoter. Both the POU domain and homeodomain were vital for the activation of POU-M2 on JHAMT transcription. Our study reveals the mechanism by which POU-M2 regulates JHAMT transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Gang Tao
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Ping Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sericultural Science, Chongqing Engineering and Technology Research Center for Novel Silk Materials, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Qingyou Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sericultural Science, Chongqing Engineering and Technology Research Center for Novel Silk Materials, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Huawei He
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sericultural Science, Chongqing Engineering and Technology Research Center for Novel Silk Materials, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Soft-Matter Material Chemistry and Function Manufacturing, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yejing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sericultural Science, Chongqing Engineering and Technology Research Center for Novel Silk Materials, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
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22
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Qian X, Chen K, Chen L, Song H, Zhang Z. Presenilin is involved in larval-pupal metamorphosis development of Bombyx mori. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 109:e21855. [PMID: 34811799 DOI: 10.1002/arch.21855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Disruption of the presenilin (ps) genes are the major genetic cause of familial Alzheimer's disease. The silkworm, Bombyx mori (B. mori), is an important model insect. The ps homologue gene in B. mori was identified and characterized. However, the role of ps in B. mori was poorly understood. Here, we found that Bmps was ubiquitously expressed in all the tested tissues during metamorphosis. In the current study, loss-of-function analysis of Bmps was performed by the binary transgenic CRISPR/cas9 system. Compared with the wild type, the developmental time of ∆Bmps animals were significantly delayed. In addition, ∆Bmps showed abnormal appendage including antenna, leg, wing and eye during pupal and adult stages. RNA-seq analysis indicated that apoptosis and proliferation related pathways were affected in ∆Bmps. Moreover, the Hippo pathway was affected by Bmps depletion in brain and wing disc. Our results suggest that PS is essential for maintaining the dynamic balance of apoptosis and proliferation during metamorphosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoran Qian
- School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Kai Chen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, The Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lijuan Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongsheng Song
- School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhongjie Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
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23
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Hutfilz C. Endocrine Regulation of Lifespan in Insect Diapause. Front Physiol 2022; 13:825057. [PMID: 35242054 PMCID: PMC8886022 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.825057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Diapause is a physiological adaptation to conditions that are unfavorable for growth or reproduction. During diapause, animals become long-lived, stress-resistant, developmentally static, and non-reproductive, in the case of diapausing adults. Diapause has been observed at all developmental stages in both vertebrates and invertebrates. In adults, diapause traits weaken into adaptations such as hibernation, estivation, dormancy, or torpor, which represent evolutionarily diverse versions of the traditional diapause traits. These traits are regulated through modifications of the endocrine program guiding development. In insects, this typically includes changes in molting hormones, as well as metabolic signals that limit growth while skewing the organism's energetic demands toward conservation. While much work has been done to characterize these modifications, the interactions between hormones and their downstream consequences are incompletely understood. The current state of diapause endocrinology is reviewed here to highlight the relevance of diapause beyond its use as a model to study seasonality and development. Specifically, insect diapause is an emerging model to study mechanisms that determine lifespan. The induction of diapause represents a dramatic change in the normal progression of age. Hormones such as juvenile hormone, 20-hydroxyecdysone, and prothoracicotropic hormone are well-known to modulate this plasticity. The induction of diapause-and by extension, the cessation of normal aging-is coordinated by interactions between these pathways. However, research directly connecting diapause endocrinology to the biology of aging is lacking. This review explores connections between diapause and aging through the perspective of endocrine signaling. The current state of research in both fields suggests appreciable overlap that will greatly contribute to our understanding of diapause and lifespan determination.
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24
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Xu X, Wang Y, Chen J, Du X, Yao L, Xu J, Zhang Y, Huang Y, Wang Y. Mutation of Serine protease 1 Induces Male Sterility in Bombyx mori. Front Physiol 2022; 13:828859. [PMID: 35222089 PMCID: PMC8867212 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.828859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Serine proteases are important in reproduction, embryonic development, cell differentiation, apoptosis, and immunity. The genes encoding some serine proteases are essential for male fertility in both humans and rodents and are functionally conserved among metazoan. For example, the Serine protease 1 (Ser1) gene determines male reproductive success in the model lepidopteran insect Bombyx mori. In this study, we explored the function of BmSer1 through transgenic CRISPR/Cas9 technology-mediated mutations in silkworm. We found that the mutation of BmSer1 gene resulted in male sterility but had no effect on female fertility. Male mutants produce normal eupyrene sperm bundles, but the sperm bundles do not dissociate into single sperm. Male sterility caused by the BmSer1 gene mutation was inherited stably through female individuals. Therefore, the serine protease encoded by BmSer1 is essential for male reproductive success in lepidopterans and is a potential target gene for biological reproductive regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Xu
- Institute of Sericulture and Tea, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yaohui Wang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jine Chen
- Institute of Sericulture and Tea, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xin Du
- Institute of Sericulture and Tea, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lusong Yao
- Institute of Sericulture and Tea, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jun Xu
- Institute of Sericulture and Tea, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yongping Huang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Yongping Huang,
| | - Yongqiang Wang
- Institute of Sericulture and Tea, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
- Yongqiang Wang,
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25
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Xu X, Wang YH, Liu ZL, Wang YQ, He L, Li K, Huang YP. Disruption of egg-specific protein causes female sterility in Bombyx mori. INSECT SCIENCE 2022; 29:128-138. [PMID: 33629486 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Yolk proteins are the main source of nutrients during embryonic and early larval development in oviparous animals. Therefore, vitellogenesis is crucial for reproduction. The silkworm, Bombyx mori, is a model lepidopteran insect in which there are three yolk proteins: vitellin, 30-kDa protein, and egg-specific protein (Esp). In this study, we explored the gene function of Esp through transgenic clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR) / CRISPR-associated protein 9 technology-mediated mutations in the silkworm. We found that Esp mutation resulted in female sterility but had no effect on male fertility. Female mutants could lay eggs after mating, but the eggs were smaller and lighter colored than those laid by wild-type females. The most important finding is that the eggs laid by female mutants did not hatch. Furthermore, we observed stable inheritance of female sterility caused by Esp mutation through successive generations. Thus, Esp encodes a yolk protein that is crucial for female reproductive success and is a potential target for pest control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Xu
- Institute of Sericulture and Tea Research, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, China
| | - Yao-Hui Wang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Zu-Lian Liu
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yong-Qiang Wang
- Institute of Sericulture and Tea Research, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, China
| | - Lin He
- School of Life Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, China
| | - Kai Li
- School of Life Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, China
| | - Yong-Ping Huang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
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26
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Chen T, Diao Y, Xu R, Sheng N, Liu F, Xie Q, Su S, Ma K, Li X. Cloning and expression analysis of juvenile hormone epoxide hydrolase-like ( EsJHEH-like) from Eriocheir sinensis, and its potential roles in methyl farnesoate metabolism. INVERTEBR REPROD DEV 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/07924259.2021.2019843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tiantian Chen
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
- College of Fisheries and Life Science, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yingzhu Diao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Ruihan Xu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Na Sheng
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Fan Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Qiming Xie
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Shiping Su
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Keyi Ma
- College of Fisheries and Life Science, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xilei Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
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27
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Zhang Z, Liu X, Yu Y, Yang F, Li K. The receptor tyrosine kinase torso regulates ecdysone homeostasis to control developmental timing in Bombyx mori. INSECT SCIENCE 2021; 28:1582-1590. [PMID: 33205532 PMCID: PMC9291747 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Insect growth and development are precisely controlled by hormone homeostasis. The prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH) receptor, Torso, is a member of the receptor tyrosine kinase family in insects. Activation of Torso by PTTH triggers biosynthesis and release of the steroid hormone in the prothoracic gland (PG). Although numbers of genes functioning in steroid hormone synthesis and metabolism have been identified in insects, the PTTH transduction pathway via its receptor Torso is poorly understood. In the current study, we describe a loss-of-function analysis of Torso in the silkworm, Bombyx mori, by targeted gene disruption using the transgenic CRISPR/Cas9 (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/RNA-guided Cas9 nucleases) system. Depletion of B. mori Torso (BmTorso) did not eventually affect larval ecdysis and metamorphosis processes. Instead, BmTorso deficiency resulted in significant extension of developing time during larval and pupal stages with increased pupa and cocoon sizes. The ecdysteriod titers in the hemolymph of BmTorso mutants sharpy declined. Transcriptional levels of genes involved in ecdysone biosynthesis and ecdysteroid signaling pathways were significantly reduced in BmTorso-deficient animals. Additionally, RNA-Seq analysis revealed that genes involved in the longevity pathway and protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum pathway were affected after BmTorso deletion. These results indicate that Torso is critical for maintaining steroid hormone homeostasis in insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhong‐Jie Zhang
- School of Life ScienceEast China Normal UniversityShanghai200062China
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary BiologyCenter for Excellence in Molecular Plant SciencesShanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and EcologyChinese Academy of SciencesShanghai200032China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic InteractionsUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Xiao‐Jing Liu
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary BiologyCenter for Excellence in Molecular Plant SciencesShanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and EcologyChinese Academy of SciencesShanghai200032China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic InteractionsUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Ye Yu
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary BiologyCenter for Excellence in Molecular Plant SciencesShanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and EcologyChinese Academy of SciencesShanghai200032China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic InteractionsUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Fang‐Ying Yang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary BiologyCenter for Excellence in Molecular Plant SciencesShanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and EcologyChinese Academy of SciencesShanghai200032China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic InteractionsUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Kai Li
- School of Life ScienceEast China Normal UniversityShanghai200062China
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28
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Zhu GH, Albishi NM, Chen X, Brown RL, Palli SR. Expanding the Toolkit for Genome Editing in a Disease Vector, Aedes aegypti: Transgenic Lines Expressing Cas9 and Single Guide RNA Induce Efficient Mutagenesis. CRISPR J 2021; 4:846-853. [PMID: 33450159 PMCID: PMC8742270 DOI: 10.1089/crispr.2020.0052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas9 mediated genome editing methods are being used for the analysis of gene function. However, it is hard to identify gene knockout mutants for genes whose knockout does not cause distinct phenotypes. To overcome this issue in the disease vector, Aedes aegypti, a transgenic Cas9/single guide RNA (sgRNA) method, was used to knock out the eye marker gene, kynurenine 3-monooxygenase (kmo), and the juvenile hormone receptor, Methoprene-tolerant (Met). PiggyBac transformation vectors were prepared to express sgRNAs targeting kmo and Met under the control of the U6 promoter. Transgenic Ae. aegypti expressing kmo-sgRNA or Met-sgRNA under the control of the U6 promoter and enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) under the control of the hr5ie1 promoter were produced. The U6-sgRNA adults were mated with AAEL010097-Cas9 adults. The progeny were screened, and the insects expressing eGFP and DsRed were selected and evaluated for mutations in target genes. About 77% and 78% of the progeny that were positive for both eGFP and DsRed in kmo-sgRNA and Met-sgRNA groups, respectively, showed mutations in their target genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guan-Heng Zhu
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Najla M. Albishi
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Xien Chen
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Rachel L. Brown
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Subba Reddy Palli
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
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29
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Yang F, Zhang Z, Hu B, Yu Y, Tan A. A CCCH zinc finger gene regulates doublesex alternative splicing and male development in Bombyx mori. INSECT SCIENCE 2021; 28:1253-1261. [PMID: 33029871 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Recent identification of a Piwi-interacting RNA (piRNA)-initiated sex determination cascade in the silkworm, Bombyx mori, provides novel insights into high diversity of insect sex determination pathways. In this system, the W-chromosome-derived Fem piRNA is the primary sex determination signal. A CCCH-type zinc finger gene Masculinizer (Masc), which is targeted by Fem piRNA-PIWI complex in female animals, is indispensable for male-specific splicing of B. mori doublesex (Bmdsx). Although many genes involved in this cascade have been identified, the regulatory mechanisms of silkworm sex determination remain to be elucidated. Here we show that another CCCH-type zinc finger gene, Bmznf-2, is a masculinization factor in B. mori. Bmznf-2 shows testis-abundant expression and loss of Bmznf-2 function via clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats / single-guide RNA-mediated mutagenesis results in feminized differentiation and appearance of the female-specific splicing variants of Bmdsx transcripts in males. In contrast, there is no phenotypic consequence in mutant females. In mutant males, relative messenger RNA expression levels of female-dominant genes such as vitellogenin and sex-specific storage protein 1 are significantly elevated while several male-dominant genes are significantly down-regulated. Furthermore, male mutants show delayed developmental timing, smaller body sizes of larvae and malformation of moth wings. Our data thus reveal that Bmznf-2 plays an indispensable role in silkworm male sexual differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangying Yang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Zhongjie Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Bo Hu
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Ye Yu
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Anjiang Tan
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
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30
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Zhang L, Li X, Li T, Xiong R, Li Y, Yan D, Chen P. Farnesoic acid methyltransferase 6 (BmFAMeT6) interrelates with moltinism of dominant trimolter in silkworm, Bombyx mori. Biologia (Bratisl) 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s11756-021-00707-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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31
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Yokoi K, Tsubota T, Jouraku A, Sezutsu H, Bono H. Reference Transcriptome Data in Silkworm Bombyx mori. INSECTS 2021; 12:519. [PMID: 34205145 PMCID: PMC8228281 DOI: 10.3390/insects12060519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Herein, we performed RNA-seq analysis of ten major tissues/subparts of silkworm larvae. The sequences were mapped onto the reference genome assembly and the reference transcriptome data were successfully constructed. The reference data provided a nearly complete sequence for sericin-1, a major silk gene with a complex structure. We also markedly improved the gene model for other genes. The transcriptomic expression was investigated in each tissue and a number of transcripts were identified that were exclusively expressed in tissues such as the testis. Transcripts strongly expressed in the midgut formed tight genomic clusters, suggesting that they originated from tandem gene duplication. Transcriptional factor genes expressed in specific tissues or the silk gland subparts were also identified. We successfully constructed reference transcriptome data in the silkworm and found that a number of transcripts showed unique expression profiles. These results will facilitate basic studies on the silkworm and accelerate its applications, which will contribute to further advances in lepidopteran and entomological research as well as the practical use of these insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kakeru Yokoi
- Insect Genome Research and Engineering Unit, Division of Applied Genetics, Institute of Agrobiological Sciences (NIAS), National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634, Japan;
- Research Center for Agricultural Information Technology (RCAIT), National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Kintetsu Kasumigaseki Building Kasumigaseki 3-5-1, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0013, Japan
| | - Takuya Tsubota
- Transgenic Silkworm Research Unit, Division of Biotechnology, Institute of Agrobiological Sciences (NIAS), National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634, Japan; (T.T.); (H.S.)
| | - Akiya Jouraku
- Insect Genome Research and Engineering Unit, Division of Applied Genetics, Institute of Agrobiological Sciences (NIAS), National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634, Japan;
| | - Hideki Sezutsu
- Transgenic Silkworm Research Unit, Division of Biotechnology, Institute of Agrobiological Sciences (NIAS), National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634, Japan; (T.T.); (H.S.)
| | - Hidemasa Bono
- Database Center for Life Science (DBCLS), Joint Support-Center for Data Science Research, Research Organization of Information and Systems, 1111 Yata, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan;
- Program of Biomedical Science, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, 3-10-23 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima City, Hiroshima 739-0046, Japan
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32
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Li X, Chen T, Xu R, Huang M, Huang J, Xie Q, Liu F, Su S, Ma K. Identification, characterization and mRNA transcript abundance profiles of the carboxylesterase (CXE5) gene in Eriocheir sinensis suggest that it may play a role in methyl farnesoate degradation. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2021; 256:110630. [PMID: 34062270 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2021.110630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The sesquiterpenoid methyl farnesoate (MF) is a de-epoxidized form of insect juvenile hormone (JH) III in crustaceans, and its precise titer plays important roles in regulating many critical physiological processes, including reproduction and ovarian maturation. Understanding the synthetic and degradation pathways of MF is equally important for determining how to maintain MF titers at appropriate levels and thus for potential applications in crab aquaculture. Although the synthetic pathway of MF has been well established, little is known about MF degradation. Previous research proposed that specific carboxylesterases (CXEs) that degrade MF in crustaceans are conserved from those of JH III. In this study, we identified a novel Es-CXE5 gene from Eriocheir sinensis. The Es-CXE5 protein contains some conserved motifs, including catalytic triad and oxyanion hole, which are characteristics of the biologically active CXE family. The phylogenetic analysis showed that Es-CXE5 belongs to the hormone/semiochemical processing group of the CXE family. Moreover, Tissue and stage-specific expression results suggested that Es-CXE5 expression in hepatopancreas was highest and associated with the hemolymph MF titer. Furthermore, Es-CXE5 mRNA transcripts were detected in both in vitro and in vivo experiments and ESA experiment in the hepatopancreas and ovary. The results of this study showed that Es-CXE5 mRNA abundance in the hepatopancreas was notably induced by MF addition but had no effect on the ovary. Taken together, our results suggest that Es-CXE5 may degrade MF in the hepatopancreas and may thus be involved in ovarian development in E. sinensis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xilei Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China.
| | - Tiantian Chen
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Ruihan Xu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Mengting Huang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Jiawei Huang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Qiming Xie
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Fan Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Shiping Su
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Keyi Ma
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Aquaculture (Shanghai Ocean University), Shanghai 201306, China.
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Naruse S, Ogino M, Nakagawa T, Yasuno Y, Jouraku A, Shiotsuki T, Shinada T, Miura K, Minakuchi C. Ovicidal activity of juvenile hormone mimics in the bean bug, Riptortus pedestris. JOURNAL OF PESTICIDE SCIENCE 2021; 46:60-67. [PMID: 33746547 PMCID: PMC7953026 DOI: 10.1584/jpestics.d20-075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Insect juvenile hormone (JH) mimics (JHMs) are known to have ovicidal effects if applied to adult females or eggs. Here, we examined the effects of exogenous JHMs on embryonic development of the bean bug, Riptortus pedestris. The expression profiles of JH early response genes and JH biosynthetic enzymes indicated that JH titer was low for the first 3 days of the egg stage and increased thereafter. Application of JH III skipped bisepoxide (JHSB3) or JHM on Day 0 eggs when JH titer was low caused reduced hatchability, and the embryos mainly arrested in mid- or late embryonic stage. Application of JHMs on Day 5 eggs also resulted in an arrest, but this was less effective compared with Day 0 treatment. Interestingly, ovicidal activity of synthetic JHMs was much lower than that of JHSB3. This study will contribute to developing novel insecticides that are selective among insect species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shouya Naruse
- Applied Entomology Laboratory, Graduate School of Bio-Agricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Furocho, Chikusa, Nagoya 464–8601, Japan
| | - Mayuko Ogino
- Applied Entomology Laboratory, Graduate School of Bio-Agricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Furocho, Chikusa, Nagoya 464–8601, Japan
| | - Takao Nakagawa
- Applied Entomology Laboratory, Graduate School of Bio-Agricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Furocho, Chikusa, Nagoya 464–8601, Japan
| | - Yoko Yasuno
- Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, Osaka 558–8585, Japan
| | - Akiya Jouraku
- National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Tsukuba 305–8634, Japan
| | - Takahiro Shiotsuki
- National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Tsukuba 305–8634, Japan
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Science, Shimane University, Matsue 690–8504, Japan
| | - Tetsuro Shinada
- Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, Osaka 558–8585, Japan
| | - Ken Miura
- Applied Entomology Laboratory, Graduate School of Bio-Agricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Furocho, Chikusa, Nagoya 464–8601, Japan
| | - Chieka Minakuchi
- Applied Entomology Laboratory, Graduate School of Bio-Agricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Furocho, Chikusa, Nagoya 464–8601, Japan
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:
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Martín D, Chafino S, Franch-Marro X. How stage identity is established in insects: the role of the Metamorphic Gene Network. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2021; 43:29-38. [PMID: 33075581 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2020.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Revised: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Proper formation of adult insects requires the integration of spatial and temporal regulatory axes. Whereas spatial information confers identity to each tissue, organ and appendage, temporal information specifies at which stage of development the animal is. Regardless of the type of post-embryonic development, either hemimetabolous or holometabolous, temporal specificity is achieved through interactions between the temporal identity genes Kr-h1, E93 and Br-C, whose sequential expression is controlled by the two major developmental hormones, 20-hydroxyecdysone and Juvenile hormone. Given the intimate regulatory connection between these three factors to specify life stage identity, we dubbed the regulatory axis that comprises these genes as the Metamorphic Gene Network (MGN). In this review, we survey the molecular mechanisms underlying the control by the MGN of stage identity and progression in hemimetabolous and holometabolous insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Martín
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Silvia Chafino
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Baldiri Reixac, 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xavier Franch-Marro
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003 Barcelona, Spain.
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Approaches and Tools to Study the Roles of Juvenile Hormones in Controlling Insect Biology. INSECTS 2020; 11:insects11120858. [PMID: 33287115 PMCID: PMC7761706 DOI: 10.3390/insects11120858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary The juvenile hormones (JHs) play critical roles during insect development and reproduction. The numerous effects of JHs have generated multiple basic scientific questions, as well as prospects for the development of insecticidal endocrine disruptors. There is an increasing need for methods to identify and quantify endogenous JHs. The low titers and difficulties in working with these lipophilic compounds have often hindered the study of JH biology. In this article, we review the existing information on the detection and quantification of JH from insect samples, the development of approaches to manipulate JH titers, and the use of next-generation tools to modulate JH homeostasis. Abstract The juvenile hormones (JHs) are a group of sesquiterpenoids synthesized by the corpora allata. They play critical roles during insect development and reproduction. To study processes that are controlled by JH, researchers need methods to identify and quantify endogenous JHs and tools that can be used to increase or decrease JH titers in vitro and in vivo. The lipophilic nature of JHs, coupled with the low endogenous titers, make handling and quantification challenging. JH titers in insects can easily be increased by the topical application of JH analogs, such as methoprene. On the other hand, experimentally reducing JH titers has been more difficult. New approaches to modulate JH homeostasis have been established based on advances in RNA interference and CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing. This review will summarize current advances in: (1) the detection and quantification of JHs from insect samples; (2) approaches to manipulating JH titers; and (3) next-generation tools to modulate JH homeostasis.
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He LL, Shin SH, Wang Z, Yuan I, Weschler R, Chiou A, Koyama T, Nijhout HF, Suzuki Y. Mechanism of threshold size assessment: Metamorphosis is triggered by the TGF-beta/Activin ligand Myoglianin. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2020; 126:103452. [PMID: 32822817 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2020.103452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 08/02/2020] [Accepted: 08/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Although the mechanisms that control growth are now well understood, the mechanism by which animals assess their body size remains one of the great puzzles in biology. The final larval instar of holometabolous insects, after which growth stops and metamorphosis begins, is specified by a threshold size. We investigated the mechanism of threshold size assessment in the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta. The threshold size was found to change depending on the amount of exposure to poor nutrient conditions whereas hypoxia treatment consistently led to a lower threshold size. Under these various conditions, the mass of the muscles plus integuments was correlated with the threshold size. Furthermore, the expression of myoglianin (myo) increased at the threshold size in both M. sexta and Tribolium castaneum. Knockdown of myo in T. castaneum led to larvae that underwent supernumerary larval molts and stayed in the larval stage permanently even after passing the threshold size. We propose that increasing levels of Myo produced by the growing tissues allow larvae to assess their body size and trigger metamorphosis at the threshold size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorrie L He
- Department of Biological Sciences, 106 Central St., Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA, 02481, USA
| | - Sara H Shin
- Department of Biological Sciences, 106 Central St., Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA, 02481, USA
| | - Zhou Wang
- Department of Biological Sciences, 106 Central St., Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA, 02481, USA
| | - Isabelle Yuan
- Department of Biological Sciences, 106 Central St., Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA, 02481, USA
| | - Ruthie Weschler
- Department of Biological Sciences, 106 Central St., Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA, 02481, USA
| | - Allison Chiou
- Department of Biological Sciences, 106 Central St., Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA, 02481, USA
| | - Takashi Koyama
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Rua da Quinta Grande, 6, 2780-156, Oeiras, Portugal; Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Yuichiro Suzuki
- Department of Biological Sciences, 106 Central St., Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA, 02481, USA.
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You L, Zhang F, Huang S, Merchant A, Zhou X, Li Z. Over-expression of RNA interference (RNAi) core machinery improves susceptibility to RNAi in silkworm larvae. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2020; 29:353-362. [PMID: 32086963 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Revised: 01/18/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
RNA interference (RNAi), one of the strategies that organisms use to defend against invading viruses, is an important tool for functional genomic analysis. In insects, the efficacy of RNAi varies amongst taxa. Lepidopteran insects are, in large part, recalcitrant to RNAi. The overall goal of this study is to overcome such insensitivity in lepidopterans to RNAi. We hypothesize that over-expression of core RNAi machinery enzymes can improve RNAi efficacy in traditionally recalcitrant species. A transgenic Bombyx mori strain, Baculovirus Immediate-Early Gene, ie1, promoter driven expression of silkworm Dicer2 coding sequence (IE1-BmDicer2), which over-expresses BmDicer2, was generated by piggyBac transposon-mediated transgenesis. Two indexes, the ratio of animals that showed a silencing phenotype and the duration of silencing, were used to evaluate silencing efficiency. Significant knockdown of target gene expression was observed at 48 h postinjection at both the transcriptional and translational levels. Furthermore, we coexpressed B. mori Argonaute 2 BmAgo2)and BmDicer 2 and found that 22% of the animals (n = 18) showed an obvious silencing effect even at 72 h, suggesting that coexpression of these two RNAi core machinery enzymes further increased the susceptibility of B. mori to injected double-stranded RNAs. This study offers a new strategy for functional genomics research in RNAi-refractory insect taxa in general and for lepidopterans in particular.
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Affiliation(s)
- L You
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - F Zhang
- School of Life Science, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - S Huang
- Agricultrual and Medical Biotechnology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - A Merchant
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - X Zhou
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Z Li
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
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Liu ZL, Xu J, Ling L, Yang DH, Chen SQ, Huang YP. MicroRNA-2738 regulates gene expression in the sex determination pathway in Bombyx mori. INSECT SCIENCE 2020; 27:646-654. [PMID: 31131541 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2019] [Revised: 04/28/2019] [Accepted: 05/04/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of short, non-coding transcripts that bind to 3'-untranslated regions to trigger messenger RNA degradation or translational inhibition. Here we explored how miRNAs regulate sex determination in Bombyx mori, a lepidopteran model insect. Genes known to be involved in sex determination, BmPSI, Bmdsx, and BmMasc, are predicted targets of the species-specific miR-2738. Using a dual luciferase reporter assay in HEK293T cells, we confirmed that miR-2738 suppressed transcription of BmPSI, Bmdsx, and BmMasc. The levels of BmPSI and BmMasc were significantly down-regulated in B. mori miR-2738 overexpression. In contrast, the genetic disruption of miR-2738 using the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 transgenic system increased the levels of BmPSI and BmMasc transcripts, whereas splicing of Bmdsx was unaltered by miR-2738 depletion or overexpression. Taken together, this study implicates miR-2738 as a minor regulator of sex determination genes in the silkworm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zu-Lian Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, CAS, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun Xu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, CAS, Shanghai, China
| | - Lin Ling
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, CAS, Shanghai, China
| | - De-Hong Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, CAS, Shanghai, China
| | - Shu-Qing Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, CAS, Shanghai, China
| | - Yong-Ping Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, CAS, Shanghai, China
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Chafino S, Ureña E, Casanova J, Casacuberta E, Franch-Marro X, Martín D. Upregulation of E93 Gene Expression Acts as the Trigger for Metamorphosis Independently of the Threshold Size in the Beetle Tribolium castaneum. Cell Rep 2020; 27:1039-1049.e2. [PMID: 31018122 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.03.094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Revised: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Body size in holometabolous insects is determined by the size at which the juvenile larva undergoes metamorphosis to the pupal stage. To undergo larva-pupa transition, larva must reach a critical developmental checkpoint, the threshold size (TS); however, the molecular mechanisms through which the TS cues this transition remain to be fully characterized. Here, we use the flour beetle Tribolium castaneum to characterize the molecular mechanisms underlying entry into metamorphosis. We found that T. castaneum reaches a TS at the beginning of the last larval instar, which is associated with the downregulation of TcKr-h1 and the upregulation of TcE93 and TcBr-C. Unexpectedly, we found that while there is an association between TS and TcE93 upregulation, it is the latter that constitutes the molecular trigger for metamorphosis initiation. In light of our results, we evaluate the interactions that control the larva-pupa transition and suggest alternative models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Chafino
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Enric Ureña
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi Casanova
- Institut de Biologia Molecular de Barcelona (CSIC), Baldiri Reixac, 4, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona, (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Baldiri Reixac, 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elena Casacuberta
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xavier Franch-Marro
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - David Martín
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003 Barcelona, Spain.
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Zhang R, Zhang Z, Huang Y, Qian A, Tan A. A single ortholog of teashirt and tiptop regulates larval pigmentation and adult appendage patterning in Bombyx mori. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2020; 121:103369. [PMID: 32243904 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2020.103369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Revised: 03/07/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Two paralogous genes, teashirt (tsh) and tiptop (tio), encode zinc-finger transcription factors and play important roles in insect growth and development. In the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, tsh promotes trunk segmental identities and contributes to the patterning of other tissues during the embryonic stage. During the adult stage, tsh contributes to the specification and patterning of appendages, including the leg, wing and eye. While tio acts redundantly with tsh, flies lacking tio function are viable without deleterious phenotypes. This gene pair is present in the genomes of all Drosophila species but only as a single homologue in several other insect species. In Oncopeltus fasciatus and Tribolium castaneum, tsh/tio has been functionally characterized as specifying the identity of the leg during the adult stage. However, in lepidopteran insects which include large numbers of pests in agriculture and forestry, as well as the major silk producer silkworm Bombyx mori, the biological functions of tsh/tio are still poorly understood. In the current study, we performed functional analysis of tsh/tio by using both CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutagenesis and transposon-mediated ectopic expression in B. mori. The results show that loss of tsh/tio function affected pigmentation during the larval stage and appendage pattering during the adult stage. RNA-seq analysis and subsequent q-RT-PCR analysis revealed that depletion of tsh/tio significantly elevated the expression of the kynurenine 3-monooxygenase gene, as well as melanin synthase-related genes during the larval stage. Furthermore, ubiquitous ectopic expression of tsh/tio induces developmental retardation and eventually larval lethality. These data reveal evolutionarily conserved functions of tsh/tio in controlling adult appendage patterning, as well as the novel function of regulating larval pigmentation in B. mori, providing novel insights into how tsh/tio regulates insect growth and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ru Zhang
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710072, China; Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Zhongjie Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yongping Huang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Airong Qian
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710072, China
| | - Anjiang Tan
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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Sun X, Zhang K, Qin S, Zhang G, Li M. Transcriptomic analysis at the first instar larval stage of nonmolting Bombyx mori mutant (a42). ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 104:e21663. [PMID: 32073185 DOI: 10.1002/arch.21663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2019] [Revised: 01/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The life cycle of the holometabolous insect Bombyx mori (Linnaeus) consists of the embryo, larva, pupa, and adult stages with six larval molts. Ecdysone and juvenile hormones play important roles in the growth and development of the silkworms. The a42 silkworm mutant is recessive and homozygous lethal by exhibiting a dark-colored and small body size and fails to molt to second instar. We compared the gene expression of a42 mutants with normal individuals at the first larval molting stage to elucidate the physiological influence of the a42 mutation on the growth and development of silkworms. The transcriptomic sequencing results revealed that 1,411 genes are differentially expressed in a42 mutants, compared with wild-type control silkworms, in which 791 genes are upregulated and 620 genes are downregulated. Gene Ontology/Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) assigned to biological pathways, such as pentose and glucoronate interconversions, glycerolipid metabolism, folate biosynthesis, amino sugar, and nucleotide sugar metabolism. Two hydroxylases of phenylalanine hydroxylase (BmPAH) and tyrosine hydroxylase (BmTh) are upregulated in a42 mutants. The influence of a42 mutation on these DEGs reveals that melanin metabolism plays an important role during the molting process in silkworms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Sun
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
- The Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Kaixiang Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Sheng Qin
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
- The Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Guozheng Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
- The Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Muwang Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
- The Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
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Xu X, Bi H, Wang Y, Li X, Xu J, Liu Z, He L, Li K, Huang Y. Disruption of the ovarian serine protease (Osp) gene causes female sterility in Bombyx mori and Spodoptera litura. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2020; 76:1245-1255. [PMID: 31595658 DOI: 10.1002/ps.5634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2019] [Revised: 09/13/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2018] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Precise regulation of oogenesis is crucial to female reproduction. Seventy percent of pests belong to lepidopteran species, so it would be interesting to explore the highly conserved genes involved in oogenesis that do not affect growth and development in the lepidopteran model, Bombyx mori. This can provide potential target genes for pest control and promote the development of insect sterility technology. RESULTS In lepidopteran species, ovarian serine protease (Osp), which encodes a member of the serine protease family, is essential for oogenesis. In this study, we used transgenic CRISPR/Cas9 technology to obtain Osp mutants in the model lepidopteran insect Bombyx mori and in the lepidopteran agricultural pest Spodoptera litura. Sequence analysis of mutants revealed an array of deletions in Osp loci in both species. We found that the deletion of Osp resulted in female sterility, whereas male fertility was not affected. Although B. mori and S. litura mutant females mated normally, they laid fewer eggs than wild-type females and eggs did not hatch. CONCLUSION Osp is crucial for female reproductive success in two species of Lepidoptera. As the Osp gene is highly conserved in insect species, this gene is a potential molecular target for genetic-based pest management. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Xu
- School of Life Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Honglun Bi
- School of Life Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yaohui Wang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaowei Li
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun Xu
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Zulian Liu
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Lin He
- School of Life Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Kai Li
- School of Life Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yongping Huang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
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Yu Y, Liu X, Ma X, Zhang Z, Wang T, Sun F, Hou C, Li M. A palmitoyltransferase Approximated gene Bm-app regulates wing development in Bombyx mori. INSECT SCIENCE 2020; 27:2-13. [PMID: 29943911 PMCID: PMC7379679 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2018] [Revised: 05/21/2018] [Accepted: 05/27/2018] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The silkworm Bombyx mori is an important lepidopteran model insect in which many kinds of natural mutants have been identified. However, molecular mechanisms of most of these mutants remain to be explored. Here we report the identification of a gene Bm-app is responsible for the silkworm minute wing (mw) mutation which exhibits exceedingly small wings during pupal and adult stages. Compared with the wild type silkworm, relative messenger RNA expression of Bm-app is significantly decreased in the u11 mutant strain which shows mw phenotype. A 10 bp insertion in the putative promoter region of the Bm-app gene in mw mutant strain was identified and the dual luciferase assay revealed that this insertion decreased Bm-app promoter activity. Furthermore, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/RNA-guided Cas9 nucleases-mediated depletion of the Bm-app induced similar wing defects which appeared in the mw mutant, demonstrating that Bm-app controls wing development in B. mori. Bm-app encodes a palmitoyltransferase and is responsible for the palmitoylation of selected cytoplasmic proteins, indicating that it is required for cell mitosis and growth during wing development. We also discuss the possibility that Bm-app regulates wing development through the Hippo signaling pathway in B. mori.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Yu
- School of BiotechnologyJiangsu University of Science and TechnologyZhenjiangJiangsuChina
| | - Xiao‐Jing Liu
- School of BiotechnologyJiangsu University of Science and TechnologyZhenjiangJiangsuChina
| | - Xiao Ma
- School of BiotechnologyJiangsu University of Science and TechnologyZhenjiangJiangsuChina
| | - Zhong‐Jie Zhang
- School of BiotechnologyJiangsu University of Science and TechnologyZhenjiangJiangsuChina
| | - Tai‐Chu Wang
- Sericultural Research InstituteAnhui Academy of Agricultural SciencesHefeiChina
| | - Fan Sun
- Sericultural Research InstituteAnhui Academy of Agricultural SciencesHefeiChina
| | - Cheng‐Xiang Hou
- School of BiotechnologyJiangsu University of Science and TechnologyZhenjiangJiangsuChina
- Sericultural Research InstituteChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesZhenjiangJiangsuChina
| | - Mu‐Wang Li
- School of BiotechnologyJiangsu University of Science and TechnologyZhenjiangJiangsuChina
- Sericultural Research InstituteChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesZhenjiangJiangsuChina
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Naruse S, Washidu Y, Miura K, Shinoda T, Minakuchi C. Methoprene-tolerant is essential for embryonic development of the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 121:104017. [PMID: 31972216 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2020.104017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2019] [Revised: 12/27/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Insect juvenile hormone (JH) is well known to regulate post-embryonic development and reproduction in concert with ecdysteroids in a variety of insect species. In contrast, our knowledge on the role of JH in embryonic development is limited and inconsistent. Preceding studies indicate that JH biosynthesis or JH signaling genes are dispensable in holometabolous Drosophila melanogaster and Bombyx mori, while essential in hemimetabolous Blattella germanica. In the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, we performed functional analyses of key factors in JH signaling, i.e. the JH receptor Methoprene-tolerant (Met) and the early JH-response gene Krüppel homolog 1 (Kr-h1) using parental RNA interference. Knockdown of Met resulted in a significant reduction in hatching rates and survival rates in the first and second larval instars. Meanwhile, knockdown of Kr-h1 caused no significant effect on hatching or survival. The unhatched embryos under Met knockdown developed up to the late embryonic stage, but their body shape was flat and tubby compared with the controls. Attempts to suppress JH biosynthesis by parental RNA interference of JH biosynthetic enzymes were unsuccessful due to insufficient knockdown efficiency. These results suggested that Met but not Kr-h1 is essential for the embryonic development of T. castaneum, although involvement of JH still remains to be examined. Taken together, the function of Met in embryonic development seems to be diverse among insect species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shouya Naruse
- Applied Entomology Laboratory, Graduate School of Bio-Agricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Furocho, Chikusa, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
| | - Yumiko Washidu
- Applied Entomology Laboratory, Graduate School of Bio-Agricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Furocho, Chikusa, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
| | - Ken Miura
- Applied Entomology Laboratory, Graduate School of Bio-Agricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Furocho, Chikusa, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
| | - Tetsuro Shinoda
- National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 1-2 Ohwashi, Tsukuba 305-8634, Japan; Faculty of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Fukushima University, 1 Kanayagawa, Fukushima 960-1296, Japan
| | - Chieka Minakuchi
- Applied Entomology Laboratory, Graduate School of Bio-Agricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Furocho, Chikusa, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan; National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 1-2 Ohwashi, Tsukuba 305-8634, Japan.
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Xu X, Wang Y, Bi H, Xu J, Liu Z, Niu C, He L, James AA, Li K, Huang Y. Mutation of the seminal protease gene, serine protease 2, results in male sterility in diverse lepidopterans. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2020; 116:103243. [PMID: 31541694 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2019.103243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Revised: 09/04/2019] [Accepted: 09/14/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Sterile insect technology (SIT) is an environmentally friendly method for pest control. As part of our efforts to develop a strategy that results in engineered male-sterile strains with minimum effects on viability and mating competition, we used CRISPR/Cas9 technology to disrupt Ser2, which encodes a seminal fluid protein, in the model lepidopteran insect, Bombyx mori, and an important agricultural pest, Plutella xylostella. Disruption of Ser2 resulted in dominant heritable male sterility. Wild-type females mated with Ser2-deficient males laid eggs normally, but the eggs did not hatch. We detected no differences in other reproductive behaviors in the mutant males. These results support the conclusion that Ser2 gene is necessary for male reproductive success in diverse lepidopterans. Targeting Ser2 gene has the potential to form the basis for a new strategy for pest control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Xu
- School of Life Science, East China Normal University, 200241, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200032, Shanghai, China
| | - Yaohui Wang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200032, Shanghai, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Insect Resource Application and Sustainable Pest Control, College of Plant Science & Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070, Wuhan, China
| | - Honglun Bi
- School of Life Science, East China Normal University, 200241, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200032, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun Xu
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200032, Shanghai, China
| | - Zulian Liu
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200032, Shanghai, China
| | - Changying Niu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Insect Resource Application and Sustainable Pest Control, College of Plant Science & Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070, Wuhan, China
| | - Lin He
- School of Life Science, East China Normal University, 200241, Shanghai, China.
| | - Anthony A James
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics and Molecular Biology & Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697-3900, USA
| | - Kai Li
- School of Life Science, East China Normal University, 200241, Shanghai, China.
| | - Yongping Huang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200032, Shanghai, China.
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Xia J, Xu H, Yang Z, Pan H, Yang X, Guo Z, Yang F, Guo L, Sun X, Wang S, Wu Q, Xie W, Zhang Y. Genome-Wide Analysis of Carboxylesterases (COEs) in the Whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius). Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20204973. [PMID: 31600879 PMCID: PMC6829539 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20204973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2019] [Revised: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 10/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The whitefly (Bemisia tabaci), an important invasive pest that causes severe damage to crops worldwide, has developed resistance to a variety of insecticides. Carboxylesterases (COEs) are important multifunctional enzymes involved in the growth, development, and xenobiotic metabolism of insects. However, systematic studies on the COEs of B. tabaci are scarce. Here, 42 putative COEs in different functional categories were identified in the Mediterranean species of B. tabaci (B. tabaci MED) based on a genome database and neighbor-joining phylogeny. The expression patterns of the COEs were affected by the development of B. tabaci. The expression levels of six COEs were positively correlated with the concentration of imidacloprid to which B. tabaci adults were exposed. The mortality of B. tabaci MED adults fed dsBTbe5 (67.5%) and dsBTjhe2 (58.4%) was significantly higher than the adults fed dsEGFP (41.1%) when treated with imidacloprid. Our results provide a basis for functional research on COEs in B. tabaci and provide new insight into the imidacloprid resistance of B. tabaci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jixing Xia
- Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
| | - Haifeng Xu
- Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
| | - Zezhong Yang
- Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
| | - Huipeng Pan
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Innovation and Application of Guangdong Province, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
| | - Xin Yang
- Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
| | - Zhaojiang Guo
- Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
| | - Fengshan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Heilongjiang Province, College of Life Sciences, Heilongjiang University, Harbin 150080, China.
| | - Litao Guo
- Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
| | - Xiaodong Sun
- Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
| | - Shaoli Wang
- Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
| | - Qingjun Wu
- Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
| | - Wen Xie
- Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
| | - Youjun Zhang
- Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
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Knockout of juvenile hormone receptor, Methoprene-tolerant, induces black larval phenotype in the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:21501-21507. [PMID: 31570611 PMCID: PMC6815201 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1905729116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Juvenile hormone (JH) analogs are used to control mosquitoes. However, both larval development and action of JH analogs are not well studied in these insects because RNA interference does not work well. A multiple single guide RNA-based CRISPR/Cas9 genome-editing method was used to knockout the methoprene-tolerant gene (Met, a JH receptor). The Met knockout larvae showed precocious development of pupal cuticle and expression of pupal/adult genes involved in the synthesis and melanization of cuticle and blood meal digestion. The methods developed here could help to overcome the major hurdle in functional genomics studies in Aedes aegypti and facilitate advances in understanding larval development and mode of action of JH analogs. The yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, vectors human pathogens. Juvenile hormones (JH) control almost every aspect of an insect’s life, and JH analogs are currently used to control mosquito larvae. Since RNA interference does not work efficiently during the larval stages of this insect, JH regulation of larval development and mode of action of JH analogs are not well studied. To overcome this limitation, we used a multiple single guide RNA-based CRISPR/Cas9 genome-editing method to knockout the methoprene-tolerant (Met) gene coding for a JH receptor. The Met knockout larvae exhibited a black larval phenotype during the L3 (third instar larvae) and L4 (fourth instar larvae) stages and died before pupation. However, Met knockout did not affect embryonic development or the L1 and L2 stages. Microscopy studies revealed the precocious synthesis of a dark pupal cuticle during the L3 and L4 stages. Gene expression analysis showed that Krüppel homolog 1, a key transcription factor in JH action, was down-regulated, but genes coding for proteins involved in melanization, pupal and adult cuticle synthesis, and blood meal digestion in adults were up-regulated in L4 Met mutants. These data suggest that, during the L3 and L4 stages, Met mediates JH suppression of pupal/adult genes involved in the synthesis and melanization of the cuticle and blood meal digestion. These results help to advance our knowledge of JH regulation of larval development and the mode of action of JH analogs in Ae. aegypti.
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Insights into the regulatory characteristics of silkworm fibroin gene promoters using a modified Gal4/UAS system. Transgenic Res 2019; 28:627-636. [DOI: 10.1007/s11248-019-00175-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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CRISPR Disruption of BmOvo Resulted in the Failure of Emergence and Affected the Wing and Gonad Development in the Silkworm Bombyx mori. INSECTS 2019; 10:insects10080254. [PMID: 31430876 PMCID: PMC6723145 DOI: 10.3390/insects10080254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2019] [Revised: 08/14/2019] [Accepted: 08/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The domesticated silkworm is an economically important insect that is widely used as a lepidopteran insect model. Although somatic sex determination in the silkworm is well characterized, germline sex determination is not. Here, we used the transgenic-based CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing system to study the function of the Ovo gene in Bombyx mori. BmOvo is the homolog of a factor important in germline sex determination in Drosophila melanogaster. BmOvo mutants had abnormally shaped eggs that were disordered in the ovarioles, and gonad development was abnormal. Interestingly, wing discs and wings did not develop properly, and most of the mutants failed to eclose. Gene expression analyses by qRT-PCR showed that BmOvo gene was highly expressed in the wing disc and epidermis. Genes involved in the WNT signaling pathway and wing development genes BmWCP10 and BmE74 were downregulated in the BmOvo mutants when compared with wild-type animals. These results demonstrate that the BmOvo gene product plays an important role in wing metamorphosis. Thus, this study provides new insights into the multiple functions of BmOvo beyond germline sex determination.
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Chen S, Dong Z, Ren X, Zhao D, Zhang Y, Tang M, Han J, Ye L, Zhao P. Proteomic Identification of Immune-Related Silkworm Proteins Involved in the Response to Bacterial Infection. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2019; 19:5538637. [PMID: 31343690 PMCID: PMC6657664 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/iez056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2018] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) is an important economic insect and a classic Lepidopteran model system. Although immune-related genes have been identified at a genome-wide scale in the silkworm, proteins involved in immune defense of the silkworm have not been comprehensively characterized. In this study, two types of bacteria were injected into the silkworm larvae, Gram-negative Escherichia coli (Enterobacteriales: Enterobacteriaceae), or Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (Bacillales: Staphylococcaceae). After injection, proteomic analyses of hemolymph were performed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. In total, 514 proteins were identified in the uninduced control group, 540 were identified in the E. coli-induced group, and 537 were identified in the S. aureus-induced group. Based on Uniprot annotations, 32 immunological recognition proteins, 28 immunological signaling proteins, and 21 immunological effector proteins were identified. We found that 127 proteins showed significant upregulation, including 10 immunological recognition proteins, 4 immunological signaling proteins, 11 immunological effector proteins, and 102 other proteins. Using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction in the fat body, we verified that immunological recognition proteins, signaling proteins, and effector proteins also showed significant increases at the transcriptional level after infection with E. coli and S. aureus. Five newly identified proteins showed upregulation at both protein and transcription levels after infection, including 30K protein, yellow-d protein, chemosensory protein, and two uncharacterized proteins. This study identified many new immune-related proteins, deepening our understanding of the immune defense system in B. mori. The data have been deposited to the iProX with identifier IPX0001337000.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyi Chen
- Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sericulture, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhaoming Dong
- Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sericulture, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiu Ren
- Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sericulture, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Dongchao Zhao
- Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sericulture, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sericulture, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Muya Tang
- Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sericulture, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jiaxuan Han
- College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Lin Ye
- Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sericulture, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Ping Zhao
- Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sericulture, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Corresponding author, e-mail:
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