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Pinheiro-Junior EL, Alirahimi E, Peigneur S, Isensee J, Schiffmann S, Erkoc P, Fürst R, Vilcinskas A, Sennoner T, Koludarov I, Hempel BF, Tytgat J, Hucho T, von Reumont BM. Diversely evolved xibalbin variants from remipede venom inhibit potassium channels and activate PKA-II and Erk1/2 signaling. BMC Biol 2024; 22:164. [PMID: 39075558 PMCID: PMC11288129 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-024-01955-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The identification of novel toxins from overlooked and taxonomically exceptional species bears potential for various pharmacological applications. The remipede Xibalbanus tulumensis, an underwater cave-dwelling crustacean, is the only crustacean for which a venom system has been described. Its venom contains several xibalbin peptides that have an inhibitor cysteine knot (ICK) scaffold. RESULTS Our screenings revealed that all tested xibalbin variants particularly inhibit potassium channels. Xib1 and xib13 with their eight-cysteine domain similar to spider knottins also inhibit voltage-gated sodium channels. No activity was noted on calcium channels. Expanding the functional testing, we demonstrate that xib1 and xib13 increase PKA-II and Erk1/2 sensitization signaling in nociceptive neurons, which may initiate pain sensitization. Our phylogenetic analysis suggests that xib13 either originates from the common ancestor of pancrustaceans or earlier while xib1 is more restricted to remipedes. The ten-cysteine scaffolded xib2 emerged from xib1, a result that is supported by our phylogenetic and machine learning-based analyses. CONCLUSIONS Our functional characterization of synthesized variants of xib1, xib2, and xib13 elucidates their potential as inhibitors of potassium channels in mammalian systems. The specific interaction of xib2 with Kv1.6 channels, which are relevant to treating variants of epilepsy, shows potential for further studies. At higher concentrations, xib1 and xib13 activate the kinases PKA-II and ERK1/2 in mammalian sensory neurons, suggesting pain sensitization and potential applications related to pain research and therapy. While tested insect channels suggest that all probably act as neurotoxins, the biological function of xib1, xib2, and xib13 requires further elucidation. A novel finding on their evolutionary origin is the apparent emergence of X. tulumensis-specific xib2 from xib1. Our study is an important cornerstone for future studies to untangle the origin and function of these enigmatic proteins as important components of remipede but also other pancrustacean and arthropod venoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ernesto Lopes Pinheiro-Junior
- Toxicology and Pharmacology - Campus Gasthuisberg, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Herestraat 49, PO Box 922, 3000, Louvain, Belgium
| | - Ehsan Alirahimi
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Cologne, Translational Pain Research, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Steve Peigneur
- Toxicology and Pharmacology - Campus Gasthuisberg, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Herestraat 49, PO Box 922, 3000, Louvain, Belgium
| | - Jörg Isensee
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Cologne, Translational Pain Research, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Susanne Schiffmann
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60596, Frankfurt Am Main, Germany
| | - Pelin Erkoc
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-Von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438, Frankfurt, Germany
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Robert Fürst
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-Von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438, Frankfurt, Germany
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt, Germany
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME-BR), Ohlebergsweg 14, 35394, Giessen, Germany
| | - Tobias Sennoner
- Department of Informatics, Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, i12, Technical University of Munich, Boltzmannstr. 3, 85748, Garching, Munich, Germany
| | - Ivan Koludarov
- Department of Informatics, Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, i12, Technical University of Munich, Boltzmannstr. 3, 85748, Garching, Munich, Germany
| | - Benjamin-Florian Hempel
- Freie Unveristät Berlin, Veterinary Centre for Resistance Research (TZR), Robert-Von-Ostertag Str. 8, 14163, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jan Tytgat
- Toxicology and Pharmacology - Campus Gasthuisberg, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Herestraat 49, PO Box 922, 3000, Louvain, Belgium
| | - Tim Hucho
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Cologne, Translational Pain Research, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Björn M von Reumont
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt, Germany.
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Institute of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Goethe, Frankfurt, Max-Von-Laue-Str 13, 60438, Frankfurt, Germany.
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2
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Tepper K, Edwards O, Sunna A, Paulsen IT, Maselko M. Diverting organic waste from landfills via insect biomanufacturing using engineered black soldier flies (Hermetia illucens). Commun Biol 2024; 7:862. [PMID: 39048665 PMCID: PMC11269589 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06516-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
A major roadblock towards the realisation of a circular economy are the lack of high-value products that can be generated from waste. Black soldier flies (BSF; Hermetia illucens) are gaining traction for their ability to rapidly consume large quantities of organic wastes. However, these are primarily used to produce a small variety of products, such as animal feed ingredients and fertiliser. Using synthetic biology, BSF could be developed into a novel sustainable biomanufacturing platform to valorise a broader variety of organic waste feedstocks into enhanced animal feeds, a large variety of high-value biomolecules including industrial enzymes and lipids, and improved fertiliser.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate Tepper
- Applied BioSciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- EntoZyme PTY LTD, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Anwar Sunna
- School of Natural Sciences, Mascquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Biomolecular Discovery Research Centre, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Ian T Paulsen
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- School of Natural Sciences, Mascquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Biomolecular Discovery Research Centre, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Maciej Maselko
- Applied BioSciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
- EntoZyme PTY LTD, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
- Biomolecular Discovery Research Centre, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
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3
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Hull KL, Greenwood MP, Lloyd M, Brink-Hull M, Bester-van der Merwe AE, Rhode C. Drivers of genomic diversity and phenotypic development in early phases of domestication in Hermetia illucens. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 38963286 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
The black soldier fly (BSF), Hermetia illucens, has the ability to efficiently bioremediate organic waste into usable bio-compounds. Understanding the impact of domestication and mass rearing on fitness and production traits is therefore important for sustainable production. This study aimed to assess patterns of genomic diversity and its association to phenotypic development across early generations of mass rearing under two selection strategies: selection for greater larval mass (SEL lines) and no direct artificial selection (NS lines). Genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data were generated using 2bRAD sequencing, while phenotypic traits relating to production and population fitness were measured. Declining patterns of genomic diversity were observed across three generations of captive breeding, with the lowest diversity recorded for the F3 generation of both selection lines, most likely due to founder effects. The SEL cohort displayed statistically significantly greater larval weight com the NS lines with pronounced genetic and phenotypic directional changes across generations. Furthermore, lower genetic and phenotypic diversity, particularly for fitness traits, were evident for SEL lines, illustrating the trade-off between selecting for mass and the resulting decline in population fitness. SNP-based heritability was significant for growth, but was low or non-significant for fitness traits. Genotype-phenotype correlations were observed for traits, but individual locus effect sizes where small and very few of these loci demonstrated a signature for selection. Pronounced genetic drift, due to small effective population sizes, is likely overshadowing the impacts of selection on genomic diversity and consequently phenotypic development. The results hold particular relevance for genetic management and selective breeding for BSF in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelvin L Hull
- Department of Genetics, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | | | - Melissa Lloyd
- Research and Development Department, Insect Technology Group Holdings UK Ltd., Guildford, UK
| | - Marissa Brink-Hull
- Department of Genetics, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | | | - Clint Rhode
- Department of Genetics, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
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4
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Cai Z, Hansen LS, Laursen SF, Nielsen HM, Bahrndorff S, Tomberlin JK, Kristensen TN, Sørensen JG, Sahana G. Whole-genome sequencing of two captive black soldier fly populations: Implications for commercial production. Genomics 2024; 116:110891. [PMID: 38909907 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2024.110891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2024] [Revised: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024]
Abstract
Black soldier fly (BSF; Hermetia illucens) is a promising insect species for food and feed production as its larvae can convert different organic waste to high-value protein. Selective breeding is one way to optimize production, but the potential of breeding is only starting to be explored and not yet utilized for BSF. To assist in monitoring a captive population and implementing a breeding program, genomics tools are imperative. We conducted whole genome sequencing of two captive populations separated by geographical distance - Denmark (DK) and Texas, USA (TX). Various population genetics analyses revealed a moderate genetic differentiation between two populations. Moreover, we observed higher inbreeding in the DK population, and the detection of a subpopulation within DK population aligned well with the recent foundation of the DK population from two captive populations. Additionally, we generated gene ontology annotation and variants annotation for wider potential applications. Our findings establish a robust marker set for research in population genetics, facilitating the monitoring of inbreeding and laying the groundwork for practical breeding programs for BSF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zexi Cai
- Center for Quantitative Genetics and Genomics, Aarhus University, C F Møllers Allé 3, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark.
| | - Laura Skrubbeltrang Hansen
- Center for Quantitative Genetics and Genomics, Aarhus University, C F Møllers Allé 3, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark; Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 116, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark.
| | - Stine Frey Laursen
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark.
| | - Hanne Marie Nielsen
- Center for Quantitative Genetics and Genomics, Aarhus University, C F Møllers Allé 3, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark.
| | - Simon Bahrndorff
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark.
| | | | - Torsten Nygaard Kristensen
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark.
| | | | - Goutam Sahana
- Center for Quantitative Genetics and Genomics, Aarhus University, C F Møllers Allé 3, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark.
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5
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Goldberg JK, Godfrey RK, Barrett M. A long-read draft assembly of the Chinese mantis (Mantodea: Mantidae: Tenodera sinensis) genome reveals patterns of ion channel gain and loss across Arthropoda. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2024; 14:jkae062. [PMID: 38517310 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkae062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Praying mantids (Mantodea: Mantidae) are iconic insects that have captivated biologists for decades, especially the species with cannibalistic copulatory behavior. This behavior has been cited as evidence that insects lack nociceptive capacities and cannot feel pain; however, this behaviorally driven hypothesis has never been rigorously tested at the genetic or functional level. To enable future studies of nociceptive capabilities in mantids, we sequenced and assembled a draft genome of the Chinese praying mantis (Tenodera sinensis) and identified multiple classes of nociceptive ion channels by comparison to orthologous gene families in Arthropoda. Our assembly-produced using PacBio HiFi reads-is fragmented (total size = 3.03 Gb; N50 = 1.8 Mb; 4,966 contigs), but is highly complete with respect to gene content (BUSCO complete = 98.7% [odb10_insecta]). The size of our assembly is substantially larger than that of most other insects, but is consistent with the size of other mantid genomes. We found that most families of nociceptive ion channels are present in the T. sinensis genome; that they are most closely related to those found in the damp-wood termite (Zootermopsis nevadensis); and that some families have expanded in T. sinensis while others have contracted relative to nearby lineages. Our findings suggest that mantids are likely to possess nociceptive capabilities and provide a foundation for future experimentation regarding ion channel functions and their consequences for insect behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jay K Goldberg
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, 1041 E Lowell St, Tucson, AZ 85741, USA
- Department of Crop Genetics, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Colney Ln, Norwich, Norfolk NR4 7UH, UK
| | - R Keating Godfrey
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Meghan Barrett
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, 420 University Blvd, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
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6
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Fahmy L, Generalovic T, Ali YM, Seilly D, Sivanesan K, Kalmar L, Pipan M, Christie G, Grant AJ. A novel family of defensin-like peptides from Hermetia illucens with antibacterial properties. BMC Microbiol 2024; 24:167. [PMID: 38755524 PMCID: PMC11097590 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-024-03325-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The world faces a major infectious disease challenge. Interest in the discovery, design, or development of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as an alternative approach for the treatment of bacterial infections has increased. Insects are a good source of AMPs which are the main effector molecules of their innate immune system. Black Soldier Fly Larvae (BSFL) are being developed for large-scale rearing for food sustainability, waste reduction and as sustainable animal and fish feed. Bioinformatic studies have suggested that BSFL have the largest number of AMPs identified in insects. However, most AMPs identified in BSF have not yet undergone antimicrobial evaluation but are promising leads to treat critical infections. RESULTS Jg7197.t1, Jg7902.t1 and Jg7904.t1 were expressed into the haemolymph of larvae following infection with Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium and were predicted to be AMPs using the computational tool ampir. The genes encoding these proteins were within 2 distinct clusters in chromosome 1 of the BSF genome. Following removal of signal peptides, predicted structures of the mature proteins were superimposed, highlighting a high degree of structural conservation. The 3 AMPs share primary sequences with proteins that contain a Kunitz-binding domain; characterised for inhibitory action against proteases, and antimicrobial activities. An in vitro antimicrobial screen indicated that heterologously expressed SUMO-Jg7197.t1 and SUMO-Jg7902.t1 did not show activity against 12 bacterial strains. While recombinant SUMO-Jg7904.t1 had antimicrobial activity against a range of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, including the serious pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. CONCLUSIONS We have cloned and purified putative AMPs from BSFL and performed initial in vitro experiments to evaluate their antimicrobial activity. In doing so, we have identified a putative novel defensin-like AMP, Jg7904.t1, encoded in a paralogous gene cluster, with antimicrobial activity against P. aeruginosa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leila Fahmy
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Tomas Generalovic
- Better Origin, Future Business Centre, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Youssif M Ali
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - David Seilly
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Kesavan Sivanesan
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Lajos Kalmar
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Miha Pipan
- Better Origin, Future Business Centre, Cambridge, UK
| | - Graham Christie
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Andrew J Grant
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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7
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Gunther D, Alford R, Johnson J, Neilsen P, Zhang L, Harrell R, Day C. Transgenic black soldier flies for production of carotenoids. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 168:104110. [PMID: 38522557 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
The black soldier fly (BSF), Hermetia illucens, has gained traction recently as a means to achieve closed-loop production cycles. BSF can subsist off mammalian waste products and their consumption of such waste in turn generates compost that can be used in agricultural operations. Their environmental impact is minimal and BSF larvae are edible, with a nutritional profile high in protein and other essential vitamins. Therefore, it is conceivable to use BSF as a mechanism for both reducing organic waste and maintaining a low-impact food source for animal livestock or humans. The main drawback to BSF as a potential human food source is they are deficient in fat-soluble vitamins such as Vitamins A, D, and E. While loading BSF with essential vitamins may be achieved via diet-based interventions, this undercuts the goal of a closed-loop as specialized diets would require additional supply chains. An alternative is to genetically engineer BSF that can synthesize these essential vitamins. Here we describe a BSF line that has been engineered with the two main carotenoid biosynthetic genes, CarRA and CarB for production of provitamin carotenoids within the Vitamin A family. Our data describe the manipulation of the BSF genome to insert transgenes for expression of functional protein products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derrick Gunther
- Echelon Biosciences, Salt Lake City, UT, 84109, United States.
| | - Robert Alford
- University of Maryland, Insect Transformation Facility (ITF), Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research 9600 Gudelsky Drive, Rockville, MD, 20850, United States.
| | - Jeff Johnson
- Echelon Biosciences, Salt Lake City, UT, 84109, United States.
| | - Paul Neilsen
- Echelon Biosciences, Salt Lake City, UT, 84109, United States.
| | - Liuyin Zhang
- Echelon Biosciences, Salt Lake City, UT, 84109, United States.
| | - Robert Harrell
- University of Maryland, Insect Transformation Facility (ITF), Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research 9600 Gudelsky Drive, Rockville, MD, 20850, United States.
| | - Cameron Day
- Echelon Biosciences, Salt Lake City, UT, 84109, United States.
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Dong Y, Xu X, Qian L, Kou Z, Andongma AA, Zhou L, Huang Y, Wang Y. Genome-wide identification of yellow gene family in Hermetia illucens and functional analysis of yellow-y by CRISPR/Cas9. INSECT SCIENCE 2024. [PMID: 38685755 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
The yellow gene family plays a crucial role in insect pigmentation. It has potential for use as a visible marker gene in genetic manipulation and transgenic engineering in several model and non-model insects. Sadly, yellow genes have rarely been identified in Stratiomyidae species and the functions of yellow genes are relatively unknown. In the present study, we first manually annotated and curated 10 yellow genes in the black soldier fly (BSF), Hermetia illucens (Stratiomyidae). Then, the conserved amino acids in the major royal jelly proteins (MRJPs) domain, structural architecture and phylogenetic relationship of yellow genes in BSF were analyzed. We found that the BSF yellow-y, yellow-c and yellow-f genes are expressed at all developmental stages, especially in the prepupal stage. Using the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) system, we successfully disrupted yellow-y, yellow-c and yellow-f in the BSF. Consequently, the mutation of yellow-y clearly resulted in a pale-yellow body color in prepupae, pupae and adults, instead of the typical black body color of the wild type. However, the mutation of yellow-c or yellow-f genes did not result in any change in color of the insects, when compared with the wild type. Our study indicates that the BSF yellow-y gene plays a role in body pigmentation, providing an optimal marker gene for the genetic manipulation of BSF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongcheng Dong
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Sustainable Management of Plant Diseases and Pests of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, College of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Xiaomiao Xu
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Sustainable Management of Plant Diseases and Pests of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, College of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Lansa Qian
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, CAS, Shanghai, China
| | - Zongqing Kou
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, CAS, Shanghai, China
| | - Awawing A Andongma
- Insect and Parasite Ecology Group, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
| | - Lijun Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Sustainable Management of Plant Diseases and Pests of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, College of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Yongping Huang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yaohui Wang
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Sustainable Management of Plant Diseases and Pests of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, College of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
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9
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Peng J, Li L, Wan Y, Yang Y, An X, Yuan K, Qiu Z, Jiang Y, Guo G, Shen F, Liang G. Molecular characterization and antimicrobial activity of cecropin family in Hermetia illucens. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2024; 152:105111. [PMID: 38081402 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2023.105111] [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: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides are potential alternatives to traditional antibiotics in the face of increasing bacterial resistance. Insects possess many antimicrobial peptides and have become a valuable source of novel and highly effective antimicrobial peptides. Hermetia illucens as a resource insect, for example, has the highest number of antimicrobial peptides of any dipteran. However, most antimicrobial peptides, especially cecropin, have not been comprehensively identified and have not been evaluated for their antimicrobial ability. In this study, we analyzed the localization and gene structure of 33 cecropin molecules in the H. illucens genome and evaluated their activity against common human pathogens. The results showed that 32 cecropin molecules were concentrated on 1 chromosome, most with 2 exons. More importantly, most of the cecropins had a good antibacterial effect against Gram-negative bacteria, and were not hemolytic. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the cecropin designated H3 against E. coli was 4 μg/mL. The toxicity, killing time kinetics, and anti-biofilm activity of H3 were further investigated and confirmed its antimicrobial ability. Overall, H3 is a potential candidate for the development of new antimicrobials to treat severe infections caused by Gram-negative pathogens such as E. coli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Peng
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, People's Republic of China; Guizhou Institute of Precision Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550009, Guizhou, People's Republic of China; Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering of Guizhou Province, Cellular Immunotherapy Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering/School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Lu Li
- Guizhou Institute of Precision Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550009, Guizhou, People's Republic of China; Department of Intensive Care Unit, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550009, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Wan
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering of Guizhou Province, Cellular Immunotherapy Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering/School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Yifan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering of Guizhou Province, Cellular Immunotherapy Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering/School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoqin An
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering of Guizhou Province, Cellular Immunotherapy Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering/School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Kexin Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering of Guizhou Province, Cellular Immunotherapy Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering/School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhilang Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering of Guizhou Province, Cellular Immunotherapy Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering/School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Yinhui Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering of Guizhou Province, Cellular Immunotherapy Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering/School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Guo Guo
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Feng Shen
- Guizhou Institute of Precision Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550009, Guizhou, People's Republic of China; Department of Intensive Care Unit, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550009, Guizhou, People's Republic of China.
| | - Guiyou Liang
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, People's Republic of China; Department of Cardiac Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550009, Guizhou, People's Republic of China.
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10
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Costagli S, Abenaim L, Rosini G, Conti B, Giovannoni R. De Novo Genome Assembly at Chromosome-Scale of Hermetia illucens (Diptera Stratiomyidae) via PacBio and Omni-C Proximity Ligation Technology. INSECTS 2024; 15:133. [PMID: 38392552 PMCID: PMC10889594 DOI: 10.3390/insects15020133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Hermetia illucens is a species of great interest for numerous industrial applications. A high-quality reference genome is already available for H. illucens. However, the worldwide maintenance of numerous captive populations of H. illucens, each with its own genotypic and phenotypic characteristics, made it of interest to perform a de novo genome assembly on one population of H. illucens to define a chromosome-scale genome assembly. By combining the PacBio and the Omni-C proximity ligation technologies, a new H. illucens chromosome-scale genome of 888.59 Mb, with a scaffold N50 value of 162.19 Mb, was assembled. The final chromosome-scale assembly obtained a BUSCO completeness of 89.1%. By exploiting the Omni-C proximity ligation technology, topologically associated domains and other topological features that play a key role in the regulation of gene expression were identified. Further, 65.62% of genomic sequences were masked as repeated sequences, and 32,516 genes were annotated using the MAKER pipeline. The H. illucens Lsp-2 genes that were annotated were further characterized, and the three-dimensional organization of the encoded proteins was predicted. A new chromosome-scale genome assembly of good quality for H. illucens was assembled, and the genomic annotation phase was initiated. The availability of this new chromosome-scale genome assembly enables the further characterization, both genotypically and phenotypically, of a species of interest for several biotechnological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Costagli
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Via Derna 1, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Linda Abenaim
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Giulia Rosini
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Via Derna 1, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Barbara Conti
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy
- Nutrafood Center, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56126 Pisa, Italy
- CIRSEC, Center for Climate Change Impact, Centro di Ricerche Agro-Ambientali, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Roberto Giovannoni
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Via Derna 1, 56126 Pisa, Italy
- Nutrafood Center, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56126 Pisa, Italy
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11
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Sui Z, Wu Q, Geng J, Xiao J, Huang D. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated efficient white genome editing in the black soldier fly Hermetia illucens. Mol Genet Genomics 2024; 299:5. [PMID: 38315256 DOI: 10.1007/s00438-023-02088-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
The CRISPR/Cas9 system is the most straightforward genome-editing technology to date, enabling genetic engineering in many insects, including the black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens. The white gene plays a significant role in the multifarious life activities of insects, especially the pigmentation of the eyes. In this study, the white gene of H. illucens (Hiwhite) was cloned, identified, and bioinformatically analysed for the first time. Using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), we found that the white gene was expressed in the whole body of the adult flies, particularly in Malpighian tubules and compound eyes. Furthermore, we utilised CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome-editing technology to successfully generate heritable Hiwhite mutants using two single guide RNAs. During Hiwhite genome editing, we determined the timing, method, and needle-pulling parameters for embryo microinjection by observing early embryonic developmental features. We used the CasOT program to obtain highly specific guide RNAs (gRNAs) at the genome-wide level. According to the phenotypes of Hiwhite knockout strains, the pigmentation of larval stemmata, imaginal compound eyes, and ocelli differed from those of the wild type. These phenotypes were similar to those observed in other insects harbouring white gene mutations. In conclusion, our results described a detailed white genome editing process in black soldier flies, which lays a solid foundation for intensive research on the pigmentation pathway of the eyes and provides a methodological basis for further genome engineering applications in black soldier flies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuoxiao Sui
- College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Qi Wu
- College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Jin Geng
- College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Jinhua Xiao
- College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China.
| | - Dawei Huang
- College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China.
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12
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Eke M, Tougeron K, Hamidovic A, Tinkeu LSN, Hance T, Renoz F. Deciphering the functional diversity of the gut microbiota of the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens): recent advances and future challenges. Anim Microbiome 2023; 5:40. [PMID: 37653468 PMCID: PMC10472620 DOI: 10.1186/s42523-023-00261-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Bioconversion using insects is a promising strategy to convert organic waste (catering leftovers, harvest waste, food processing byproducts, etc.) into biomass that can be used for multiple applications, turned into high added-value products, and address environmental, societal and economic concerns. Due to its ability to feed on a tremendous variety of organic wastes, the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) has recently emerged as a promising insect for bioconversion of organic wastes on an industrial scale. A growing number of studies have highlighted the pivotal role of the gut microbiota in the performance and health of this insect species. This review aims to provide a critical overview of current knowledge regarding the functional diversity of the gut microbiota of H. illucens, highlighting its importance for bioconversion, food safety and the development of new biotechnological tools. After providing an overview of the different strategies that have been used to outline the microbial communities of H. illucens, we discuss the diversity of these gut microbes and the beneficial services they can provide to their insect host. Emphasis is placed on technical strategies and aspects of host biology that require special attention in the near future of research. We also argue that the singular digestive capabilities and complex gut microbiota of H. illucens make this insect species a valuable model for addressing fundamental questions regarding the interactions that insects have evolved with microorganisms. By proposing new avenues of research, this review aims to stimulate research on the microbiota of a promising insect to address the challenges of bioconversion, but also fundamental questions regarding bacterial symbiosis in insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maurielle Eke
- Biodiversity Research Centre, Earth and Life Institute, UCLouvain, 1348, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Ngaoundéré, PO BOX 454, Ngaoundéré, Cameroon
| | - Kévin Tougeron
- UMR CNRS 7058 EDYSAN (Ecologie et Dynamique des Systèmes Anthropisés), Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Amiens, 80039 France
- Research Institute in Bioscience, Université de Mons, Mons, 7000 Belgium
| | - Alisa Hamidovic
- Biodiversity Research Centre, Earth and Life Institute, UCLouvain, 1348, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Leonard S. Ngamo Tinkeu
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Ngaoundéré, PO BOX 454, Ngaoundéré, Cameroon
| | - Thierry Hance
- Biodiversity Research Centre, Earth and Life Institute, UCLouvain, 1348, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - François Renoz
- Biodiversity Research Centre, Earth and Life Institute, UCLouvain, 1348, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Tsukuba, 305-8634 Japan
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13
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Kou Z, Luo X, Jiang Y, Chen B, Song Y, Wang Y, Xu J, Tomberlin JK, Huang Y. Establishment of highly efficient transgenic system for black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens). INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 30:888-900. [PMID: 36624657 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13147] [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: 09/04/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The black soldier fly (BSF), Hermetia illucens, is a promising insect for mitigating solid waste problems as its larvae are able to bioconvert organic waste into valuable biomass. We recently reported a high-quality genome assembly of the BSF; analysis of this genome sequence will further the understanding of insect biology and identify genes that can be manipulated to improve efficiency of bioconversion. To enable genetic manipulation of the BSF, we have established the first transgenic methods for this economically important insect. We cloned and identified the ubiquitous actin5C promoter (Hiactin5C-p3k) and 3 endogenous U6 promoters (HiU6:1, HiU6:2, and HiU6:3). The Hiactin5C promoter was used to drive expression of a hyperactive variant of the piggyBac transposase, which exhibited up to 6-fold improvement in transformation rate when compared to the wild-type transposase. Furthermore, we evaluated the 3 HiU6 promoters using this transgenic system. HiU6:1 and HiU6:2 promoters provided the highest knockdown efficiency with RNAi and are thus promising candidates for future Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) development. Overall, our findings provide valuable genetic engineering toolkits for basic research and genetic manipulation of the BSF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zongqing Kou
- 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
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xingyu Luo
- 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
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yuguo Jiang
- 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
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Bihui Chen
- 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
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Song
- 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
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 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
| | - 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
| | | | - 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
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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14
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Chen B, Kou Z, Jiang Y, Luo X, Li P, Sun K, Wang W, Huang Y, Wang Y. Intersex is required for female sexual development in Hermetia illucens. INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 30:901-911. [PMID: 36719198 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13179] [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: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Sex-determination pathways are extremely diverse. Understanding the mechanism of sex determination in insects is important for genetic manipulation of the pest population and for breeding of economically valuable insects. Although sex determination has been well characterized in the model species Drosophila melanogaster, little is known about this pathway in Stratiomyidae. In the present study, we first identified the Drosophila intersex (ix) homolog in Hermetia illucens, also known as the black soldier fly, which belongs to the Stratiomyidae family and which is an important insect for the conversion of various organic wastes. Phylogenetic analyses and multiple sequence alignment revealed that Hiix is conserved compared with Drosophila. We showed that Hiix is highly expressed in internal genitalia. Disruption of the Hiix gene using CRISPR/Cas9 resulted in female-specific defects in external genitalia and abnormal and undersized ovaries. Taken together, our study furthers our understanding of sex determination in insects and could facilitate breeding of H. illucens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bihui Chen
- 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 the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Crop Integrated Pest Management, College of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Zongqing Kou
- 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 the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yuguo Jiang
- 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 the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xingyu Luo
- 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 the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Peili Li
- Beijing Dabeinong Technology Group Co., ltd., No. 19, Chengwan Street, Suyier Village, Sujiatuo Town, Haidian District, Beijing, China
| | - Kaiji Sun
- Beijing Dabeinong Technology Group Co., ltd., No. 19, Chengwan Street, Suyier Village, Sujiatuo Town, Haidian District, Beijing, China
| | - Weiwei Wang
- Beijing Dabeinong Technology Group Co., ltd., No. 19, Chengwan Street, Suyier Village, Sujiatuo Town, Haidian District, Beijing, China
| | - Yongping Huang
- 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 the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yaohui Wang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Crop Integrated Pest Management, College of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
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15
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Dong Z, Li G, Zhang K, Kou Z, Zhang Y, Zhan S, Huang Y, Fang G. BSFbase: The comprehensive genomic resource for a natural recycler, the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens L.). INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 30:1011-1016. [PMID: 37526240 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Zhi Dong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Insect Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Guiyun Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Kaixiang Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zongqing Kou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yixiang Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- 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
| | - Yongping Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Gangqi Fang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
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16
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Walt HK, Kooienga E, Cammack JA, Tomberlin JK, Jordan HR, Meyer F, Hoffmann FG. Bioinformatic Surveillance Leads to Discovery of Two Novel Putative Bunyaviruses Associated with Black Soldier Fly. Viruses 2023; 15:1654. [PMID: 37631997 PMCID: PMC10460066 DOI: 10.3390/v15081654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens, BSF) has emerged as an industrial insect of high promise because of its ability to convert organic waste into nutritious feedstock, making it an environmentally sustainable alternative protein source. As global interest rises, rearing efforts have also been upscaled, which is highly conducive to pathogen transmission. Viral epidemics have stifled mass-rearing efforts of other insects of economic importance, such as crickets, silkworms, and honeybees, but little is known about the viruses that associate with BSF. Although BSFs are thought to be unusually resistant to pathogens because of their expansive antimicrobial gene repertoire, surveillance techniques could be useful in identifying emerging pathogens and common BSF microbes. In this study, we used high-throughput sequencing data to survey BSF larvae and frass samples, and we identified two novel bunyavirus-like sequences. Our phylogenetic analysis grouped one in the family Nairoviridae and the other with two unclassified bunyaviruses. We describe these putative novel viruses as BSF Nairovirus-like 1 and BSF uncharacterized bunyavirus-like 1. We identified candidate segments for the full BSF Nairovirus-like 1 genome using a technique based on transcript co-occurrence and only a partial genome for BSF uncharacterized bunyavirus-like 1. These results emphasize the value of routine BSF colony surveillance and add to the number of viruses associated with BSF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hunter K. Walt
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology, and Plant Pathology, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS 39762, USA;
| | - Emilia Kooienga
- Department of Biology, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS 39762, USA (H.R.J.)
| | - Jonathan A. Cammack
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; (J.A.C.); (J.K.T.)
- EVO Conversion Systems, LLC, College Station, TX 77845, USA
| | - Jeffery K. Tomberlin
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; (J.A.C.); (J.K.T.)
| | - Heather R. Jordan
- Department of Biology, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS 39762, USA (H.R.J.)
| | - Florencia Meyer
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology, and Plant Pathology, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS 39762, USA;
| | - Federico G. Hoffmann
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology, and Plant Pathology, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS 39762, USA;
- Institute for Genomics, Biocomputing and Biotechnology, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS 39762, USA
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17
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Hull KL, Greenwood MP, Lloyd M, Bester-van der Merwe AE, Rhode C. Gene expression differentials driven by mass rearing and artificial selection in black soldier fly colonies. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 32:86-105. [PMID: 36322045 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12816] [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: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The micro-evolutionary forces that shape genetic diversity during domestication have been assessed in many plant and animal systems. However, the impact of these processes on gene expression, and consequent functional adaptation to artificial environments, remains under-investigated. In this study, whole-transcriptome dynamics associated with the early stages of domestication of the black soldier fly (BSF), Hermetia illucens, were assessed. Differential gene expression (DGE) was evaluated in relation to (i) generational time within the cultured environment (F2 vs. F3), and (ii) two selection strategies [no artificial selective pressure (NS); and selection for greater larval mass (SEL)]. RNA-seq was conducted on 5th instar BSF larvae (n = 36), representing equal proportions of the NS (F2 = 9; F3 = 9) and SEL (F2 = 9; F3 = 9) groups. A multidimensional scaling plot revealed greater gene expression variability within the NS and F2 subgroups, while the SEL group clustered separately with lower levels of variation. Comparisons between generations revealed 898 differentially expressed genes (DEGs; FDR-corrected p < 0.05), while between selection strategies, 213 DEGs were observed (FDR-corrected p < 0.05). Enrichment analyses revealed that metabolic, developmental, and defence response processes were over-expressed in the comparison between F2 and F3 larvae, while metabolic processes were the main differentiating factor between NS and SEL lines. This illustrates the functional adaptations that occur in BSF colonies across generations due to mass rearing; as well as highlighting genic dynamics associated with artificial selection for production traits that might inform future selective breeding strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelvin L Hull
- Department of Genetics, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | | | - Melissa Lloyd
- Research and Development Department, Insect Technology Group Holdings UK Ltd., Guildford, UK
| | | | - Clint Rhode
- Department of Genetics, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
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18
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Michishita R, Shimoda M, Furukawa S, Uehara T. Inoculation with black soldier fly larvae alters the microbiome and volatile organic compound profile of decomposing food waste. Sci Rep 2023; 13:4297. [PMID: 36922572 PMCID: PMC10017687 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-31388-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The black soldier fly (BSF; Hermetia illucens) is used in sustainable processing of many types of organic waste. However, organic waste being decomposed by BSF produces strong odors, hindering more widespread application. The odor components and how they are produced have yet to be characterized. We found that digestion of food waste by BSF significantly alters the microbial flora, based on metagenomic analyses, and the odor components generated, as shown by thermal desorption gas chromatography mass spectrometry analysis. Inoculation with BSF significantly decreased production of volatile organic sulfur compounds (dimethyl disulfide and dimethyl trisulfide), which are known to be released during methionine and cysteine metabolism by Lactobacillus and Enterococcus bacteria. BSF inoculation significantly changed the abundance of Lactobacillus and Enterococcus and decreased microbial diversity overall. These findings may help in optimizing use of BSF for deodorization of composting food waste.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rena Michishita
- Division of Insect Sciences, Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, NARO, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8634, Japan.,Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8572, Japan
| | - Masami Shimoda
- Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan
| | - Seiichi Furukawa
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8572, Japan
| | - Takuya Uehara
- Division of Insect Sciences, Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, NARO, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8634, Japan.
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19
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Yu Y, Zhang J, Zhu F, Fan M, Zheng J, Cai M, Zheng L, Huang F, Yu Z, Zhang J. Enhanced protein degradation by black soldier fly larvae ( Hermetia illucens L.) and its gut microbes. Front Microbiol 2023; 13:1095025. [PMID: 36704554 PMCID: PMC9871565 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1095025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) can convert a variety of organic wastes into biomass, and its gut microbiota are involved in this process. However, the role of gut microbes in the nutrient metabolism of BSFL is unclear. In this study, germ-free BSFL (GF) and gnotobiotic BSFL (GB) were evaluated in a high-protein artificial diet model. We used 16S rDNA sequencing, ITS1 sequencing, and network analysis to study gut microbiota in BSFL that degrade proteins. The protein reduction rate of the GB BSFL group was significantly higher (increased by 73.44%) than that of the GF BSFL group. The activity of gut proteinases, such as trypsin and peptidase, in the GB group was significantly higher than the GF group. The abundances of different gut microbes, including Pseudomonas spp., Orbus spp. and Campylobacter spp., were strongly correlated with amino acid metabolic pathways. Dysgonomonas spp. were strongly correlated with protein digestion and absorption. Issatchenkia spp. had a strong correlation with pepsin activity. Campylobacter spp., Pediococcus spp. and Lactobacillus spp. were strongly correlated with trypsin activity. Lactobacillus spp. and Bacillus spp. were strongly correlated with peptidase activity. Gut microbes such as Issatchenkia spp. may promote the gut proteolytic enzyme activity of BSFL and improve the degradation rate of proteins. BSFL protein digestion and absorption involves gut microbiota that have a variety of functions. In BSFL the core gut microbiota help complete protein degradation. These results demonstrate that core gut microbes in BSFL are important in protein degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongqiang Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, National Engineering Research Center of Microbial Pesticides, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China,Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, China
| | - Jia Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, National Engineering Research Center of Microbial Pesticides, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China,Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, China
| | - Fengling Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, National Engineering Research Center of Microbial Pesticides, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China,Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, China
| | - Mingxia Fan
- Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jinshui Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, National Engineering Research Center of Microbial Pesticides, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China,Hubei Key Laboratory of Agricultural Bioinformatics, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Minmin Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, National Engineering Research Center of Microbial Pesticides, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China,Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, China
| | - Longyu Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, National Engineering Research Center of Microbial Pesticides, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China,Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, China
| | - Feng Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, National Engineering Research Center of Microbial Pesticides, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China,Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, China
| | - Ziniu Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, National Engineering Research Center of Microbial Pesticides, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China,Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, China
| | - Jibin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, National Engineering Research Center of Microbial Pesticides, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China,Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, China,*Correspondence: Jibin Zhang, ✉
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20
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Li M, Kasan K, Saha Z, Yoon Y, Schmidt-Ott U. Twenty-seven ZAD-ZNF genes of Drosophila melanogaster are orthologous to the embryo polarity determining mosquito gene cucoid. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0274716. [PMID: 36595500 PMCID: PMC9810180 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0274716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The C2H2 zinc finger gene cucoid establishes anterior-posterior (AP) polarity in the early embryo of culicine mosquitoes. This gene is unrelated to genes that establish embryo polarity in other fly species (Diptera), such as the homeobox gene bicoid, which serves this function in the traditional model organism Drosophila melanogaster. The cucoid gene is a conserved single copy gene across lower dipterans but nothing is known about its function in other species, and its evolution in higher dipterans, including Drosophila, is unresolved. We found that cucoid is a member of the ZAD-containing C2H2 zinc finger (ZAD-ZNF) gene family and is orthologous to 27 of the 91 members of this family in D. melanogaster, including M1BP, ranshi, ouib, nom, zaf1, odj, Nnk, trem, Zif, and eighteen uncharacterized genes. Available knowledge of the functions of cucoid orthologs in Drosophila melanogaster suggest that the progenitor of this lineage specific expansion may have played a role in regulating chromatin. We also describe many aspects of the gene duplication history of cucoid in the brachyceran lineage of D. melanogaster, thereby providing a framework for predicting potential redundancies among these genes in D. melanogaster.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muzi Li
- Dept. of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Koray Kasan
- Dept. of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Zinnia Saha
- Dept. of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Yoseop Yoon
- Dept. of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Urs Schmidt-Ott
- Dept. of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States of America
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21
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Lemke NB, Dickerson AJ, Tomberlin JK. No neonates without adults: A review of adult black soldier fly biology, Hermetia illucens (Diptera: Stratiomyidae): A review of adult black soldier fly biology, Hermetia illucens (Diptera: Stratiomyidae). Bioessays 2023; 45:e2200162. [PMID: 36382549 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202200162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
With the potential to process the world's agricultural and food waste, provide sustainable fodder for livestock, aquaculture, and pet animals, as well as act as a source of novel biomolecules, the black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens, has been launched into the leading position within the insects as feed industry. Fulfilment of these goals, however, requires mass-rearing facilities to have a steady supply of neonate larvae, which in-turn requires an efficient mating process to yield fertile eggs; yet, little is known about adult reproductive behavior, nor what physiological factors lead to its emergence. Moreover, fertile egg production tends to be highly variable in colony. Therefore, this review brings together what is currently known of the organismal biology of H. illucens, compiling information on adult morphology, physiology, biogeography, genomics, and behavioral ecology. As a holistic synthesis, it highlights several directions of interest for research to follow.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noah B Lemke
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Amy Jean Dickerson
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Jeffery K Tomberlin
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA.,National Science Foundation Center for Environmental Sustainability Through Insect Farming (NSF CEIF), College Station, Texas, 77843, United States
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22
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Bose U, Broadbent JA, Juhász A, Karnaneedi S, Johnston EB, Stockwell S, Byrne K, Limviphuvadh V, Maurer-Stroh S, Lopata AL, Colgrave ML. Comparison of protein extraction protocols and allergen mapping from black soldier fly Hermetia illucens. J Proteomics 2022; 269:104724. [PMID: 36096435 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2022.104724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Exploration of important insect proteins - including allergens - and proteomes can be limited by protein extraction buffer selection and the complexity of the proteome. Herein, LC-MS/MS-based proteomics experiments were used to assess the protein extraction efficiencies for a suite of extraction buffers and the effect of ingredient processing on proteome and allergen detection. Discovery proteomics revealed that SDS-based buffer yields the maximum number of protein groups from three types of BSF samples. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that buffer composition and ingredient processing could influence allergen detection. Upon applying multi-level filtering criteria, 33 putative allergens were detected by comparing the detected BSF proteins to sequences from public allergen protein databases. A targeted LC-MRM-MS assay was developed for the pan-allergen tropomyosin and used to assess the influence of buffer composition and ingredient processing using peptide abundance measurements. SIGNIFICANCE: We demonstrated that the selection of protein extraction buffer and the processing method could influence protein yield and cross-reactive allergen detection from processed and un-processed black soldier fly (BSF) samples. In total, 33 putative allergens were detected by comparing the detected BSF proteins to sequences from public allergen protein databases. An LC-MRM-MS assay was developed for tropomyosin, indicating the importance of buffer selection and processing conditions to reduce BSF samples' allergenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Utpal Bose
- CSIRO Agriculture and Food, 306 Carmody Rd, St Lucia, QLD 4067, Australia; Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, School of Science, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA 6027, Australia
| | - James A Broadbent
- CSIRO Agriculture and Food, 306 Carmody Rd, St Lucia, QLD 4067, Australia
| | - Angéla Juhász
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, School of Science, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA 6027, Australia
| | - Shaymaviswanathan Karnaneedi
- Molecular Allergy Research Laboratory, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Elecia B Johnston
- Molecular Allergy Research Laboratory, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Sally Stockwell
- CSIRO Agriculture and Food, 306 Carmody Rd, St Lucia, QLD 4067, Australia
| | - Keren Byrne
- CSIRO Agriculture and Food, 306 Carmody Rd, St Lucia, QLD 4067, Australia
| | - Vachiranee Limviphuvadh
- Biomolecular Function Discovery Division, Bioinformatics Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore; IFCS Programme, Singapore Institute for Food and Biotechnology Innovation, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
| | - Sebastian Maurer-Stroh
- Biomolecular Function Discovery Division, Bioinformatics Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore; IFCS Programme, Singapore Institute for Food and Biotechnology Innovation, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore; Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Andreas L Lopata
- Molecular Allergy Research Laboratory, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia; Biomolecular Function Discovery Division, Bioinformatics Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore; Tropical Futures Institute, James Cook University-, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Michelle L Colgrave
- CSIRO Agriculture and Food, 306 Carmody Rd, St Lucia, QLD 4067, Australia; Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, School of Science, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA 6027, Australia.
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23
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Li XY, Mei C, Luo XY, Wulamu D, Zhan S, Huang YP, Yang H. Dynamics of the intestinal bacterial community in black soldier fly larval guts and its influence on insect growth and development. INSECT SCIENCE 2022. [PMID: 35811567 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 06/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Black soldier fly (BSF), Hermetia illucens (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), is a prominent insect for the bioconversion of various organic wastes. As a saprotrophic insect, the BSF inhabits microbe-rich environments. However, the influences of the intestinal microorganisms on BSF growth and development are not very clear. In this study, the dynamics of the intestinal bacterial community of BSF larvae (BSFL) were analyzed using pyrosequencing. Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria were the most prevalent bacterial phyla in the intestines of all larval instars. The dynamic changes in bacterial community compositions among different larval instars were striking at the genus level. Klebsiella, Clostridium, Providencia, and Dysgonomonas were the relatively most abundant bacteria in the 1st- to 4th-instar BSFL, respectively. Dysgonomonas and Providencia also dominated the 5th- and 6th-instar larvae, at ratios of 31.1% and 47.2%, respectively. In total, 148 bacterial strains affiliated with 20 genera were isolated on different media under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Among them, 6 bacteria, BSF1-BSF6, were selected for further study. The inoculation of the 6 isolates independently into germ-free BSFL feeding on an artificial diet showed that all the bacteria, except BSF4, significantly promoted BSF growth and development compared with the germ-free control. Citrobacter, Dysgonomonas, Klebsiella, Ochrobactrum, and Providencia promoted BSF development significantly by increasing the weight gains of larvae and pupae, as well as increasing the prepupae and eclosion rates. In addition, Citrobacter, Klebsiella and Providencia shortened the BSF life cycle significantly. The results illustrate the promotive effects of intestinal bacteria on BSF growth and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin-Yu Li
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, Institute of Entomology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
| | - Cheng Mei
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, Institute of Entomology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xing-Yu Luo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Dilinuer Wulamu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, Institute of Entomology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
| | - Shuai Zhan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 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, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Hong Yang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, Institute of Entomology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
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24
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Zhang S, Xiong P, Ma Y, Jin N, Sun S, Dong X, Li X, Xu J, Zhou H, Xu W. Transformation of food waste to source of antimicrobial proteins by black soldier fly larvae for defense against marine Vibrio parahaemolyticus. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 826:154163. [PMID: 35231526 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Insect biorefinery by black soldier fly larvae (BSFL), Hermetia illucens, has emerged as an innovative technique for the valorization of food waste. However, despite BSFL being an attractive natural source of antimicrobial proteins (AMPs), there is a scarcity of research on the antimicrobial activity and transcriptome expression of AMPs derived from BSFL following waste treatment. In the present study, food waste treatment was performed by BSFL with a substrate C/N ratio ranging from 21:1 to 10:1, marine Vibrio parahaemolyticus (VP) was selected as the model aquaculture pathogen, the antimicrobial activities of AMPs in vitro and zebrafish in vivo were examined, and the molecular mechanism of the C/N-dependent AMP difference was expounded. Findings were made that the AMP extract of C/N16:1 resulted in relatively higher antimicrobial activity in vitro than that of other C/Ns. Further, the AMPs of C/N16:1 exhibited a promising in vivo defense effect for elevating the 96-h survival rate of zebrafish from 0% to 39% after VP infection, comparable to the animal antibiotic sulfamethoxidine. The results of transcriptome analysis reveal that lysozymes were the highest expressed components in the AMP gene family. The C/N16:1 BSFL significantly up-regulated 12 out of 51 lysozyme genes compared with C/N21:1, which likely contributed to the improvement of AMP antimicrobial activity. Further, C/N16:1 significantly up-regulated the expression of lysozyme, glycosyl hydrolase and muscle protein genes compared with C/N21:1, which likely enhanced the defense ability of the immune system, the utilization of the starch-like substrate, and the mobility of the larvae, thereby facilitating the larval transformation and AMP production. Overall, such results indicate that waste C/N ratio interacted with the activity and expression of BSFL AMPs through transcriptome regulation, and the BSFL AMPs derived from food waste could be used for the defense against marine pathogens to support the sustainable development of aquaculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shouyu Zhang
- School of Ocean Science and Technology & Panjin Institute of Industrial Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin 124221, China
| | - Pu Xiong
- School of Ocean Science and Technology & Panjin Institute of Industrial Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin 124221, China
| | - Yongsheng Ma
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Ning Jin
- School of Ocean Science and Technology & Panjin Institute of Industrial Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin 124221, China
| | - Shibo Sun
- School of Life and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin 124221, China
| | - Xiaoying Dong
- School of Ocean Science and Technology & Panjin Institute of Industrial Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin 124221, China
| | - Xiaodong Li
- Panjin Guanghe Crab Industry Co. Ltd., Panjin 124200, China
| | - Jianqiang Xu
- School of Ocean Science and Technology & Panjin Institute of Industrial Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin 124221, China; School of Life and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin 124221, China
| | - Hao Zhou
- School of Ocean Science and Technology & Panjin Institute of Industrial Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin 124221, China; Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Ministry of Education, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Weiping Xu
- School of Ocean Science and Technology & Panjin Institute of Industrial Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin 124221, China; Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Ministry of Education, Dalian 116024, China.
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25
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First Evidence of Past and Present Interactions between Viruses and the Black Soldier Fly, Hermetia illucens. Viruses 2022; 14:v14061274. [PMID: 35746744 PMCID: PMC9231314 DOI: 10.3390/v14061274] [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: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Black soldier flies (BSFs, Hermetia illucens) are becoming a prominent research model encouraged by the insect as food and feed and waste bioconversion industries. Insect mass-rearing facilities are at risk from the spread of viruses, but so far, none have been described in BSFs. To fill this knowledge gap, a bioinformatic approach was undertaken to discover viruses specifically associated with BSFs. First, BSF genomes were screened for the presence of endogenous viral elements (EVEs). This led to the discovery and mapping of seven orthologous EVEs integrated into three BSF genomes originating from five viral families. Secondly, a virus discovery pipeline was used to screen BSF transcriptomes. This led to detecting a new exogenous totivirus that we named hermetia illucens totivirus 1 (HiTV1). Phylogenetic analyses showed this virus belongs to a clade of insect-specific totiviruses and is closely related to the largest EVE located on chromosome 1 of the BSF genome. Lastly, this EVE was found to express a small transcript in some BSFs infected by HiTV1. Altogether, this data mining study showed that far from being unscathed from viruses, BSFs bear traces of past interactions with several viral families and of present interactions with the exogenous HiTV1.
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26
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Guilliet J, Baudouin G, Pollet N, Filée J. What complete mitochondrial genomes tell us about the evolutionary history of the black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens. BMC Ecol Evol 2022; 22:72. [PMID: 35650519 PMCID: PMC9158166 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-022-02025-6] [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: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The Black Soldier Fly (BSF) Hermetia illucens is a cosmopolitan fly massively used by industrial companies to reduce biowaste and produce protein and fat for poultry and aquaculture feed. However, the natural history and the genetic diversity of the BSF are poorly known. Here, we present a comprehensive phylogeny and time tree based on a large dataset of complete mitochondrial genomes better to understand the evolution and timing of the BSF. Results In this study, we analyzed 677 CO1 sequences derived from samples found all over the five continents, leading us to discover 52 haplotypes, including ten major haplotypes. This worldwide cryptic genetic and genomic diversity is mirrored at a local scale in France, in which we found five major haplotypes sometimes in sympatry. Phylogenetic analyses of 60 complete mitochondrial genomes robustly resolved the phylogeny of the major BSF haplotypes. We estimate the separation events of the different haplotypes at more than 2 million years for the oldest branches characterizing the ancestral split between present North American lineages and the other highly diverse south-central American clades, possibly the following radiation beyond the isthmus of Panama northwards. Our data confirm that this North American lineage ultimately gave birth to almost all commercial BSF stocks that participated in the worldwide BSF dissemination through farm escapements. Conclusions Our data resolve the phylogenetic relationships between the major lineages and give insights into the BSF’s short and long-term evolution. Our results indicate that commercial BSF stock’s genetic and genomic diversity is very low. These results call for a better understanding of the genomic diversity of the BSF to unravel possible specific adaptations of the different lineages for industrial needs and to initiate the selection process. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12862-022-02025-6.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Guilliet
- EGCE, CNRS, 12 rue 128, 91190, Gif sur Yvette, France. .,Cycle Farms, 6 boulevard de entrepreneurs, 49250, Beaufort En Anjou, France. .,IDEEV - Laboratoire Evolution, Génomes Comportement, Ecologie CNRS Université Paris Sud UMR 9191, IRD UMR 247, 12 rue 128, 91198, Gif sur Yvette, France.
| | - G Baudouin
- Cycle Farms, 6 boulevard de entrepreneurs, 49250, Beaufort En Anjou, France
| | - N Pollet
- EGCE, CNRS, 12 rue 128, 91190, Gif sur Yvette, France.,IDEEV - Laboratoire Evolution, Génomes Comportement, Ecologie CNRS Université Paris Sud UMR 9191, IRD UMR 247, 12 rue 128, 91198, Gif sur Yvette, France
| | - J Filée
- EGCE, CNRS, 12 rue 128, 91190, Gif sur Yvette, France. .,IDEEV - Laboratoire Evolution, Génomes Comportement, Ecologie CNRS Université Paris Sud UMR 9191, IRD UMR 247, 12 rue 128, 91198, Gif sur Yvette, France.
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27
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Jin N, Liu Y, Zhang S, Sun S, Wu M, Dong X, Tong H, Xu J, Zhou H, Guan S, Xu W. C/N-Dependent Element Bioconversion Efficiency and Antimicrobial Protein Expression in Food Waste Treatment by Black Soldier Fly Larvae. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23095036. [PMID: 35563424 PMCID: PMC9104233 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23095036] [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: 03/19/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The black soldier fly (BSF), Hermetia illucens, has emerged as a promising species for waste bioconversion and source of antimicrobial proteins (AMPs). However, there is a scarcity of research on the element transformation efficiency and molecular characterization of AMPs derived from waste management. Here, food waste treatment was performed using BSF larvae (BSFL) in a C/N ratio of 21:1−10:1, with a focus on the C/N-dependent element bioconversion, AMP antimicrobial activity, and transcriptome profiling. The C-larvae transformation rates were found to be similar among C/Ns (27.0−35.5%, p = 0.109), while the N-larvae rates were different (p = 0.001), with C/N 21:1−16:1 (63.5−75.0%) being higher than C/N 14:1−10:1 (35.0−45.7%). The C/N ratio did not alter the antimicrobial spectrum of AMPs, but did affect the activities, with C/N 21:1 being significantly lower than C/N 18:1−10:1. The lysozyme genes were found to be significantly more highly expressed than the cecropin, defensin, and attacin genes in the AMP gene family. Out of 51 lysozyme genes, C/N 18:1 and C/N 16:1 up-regulated (p < 0.05) 14 and 12 genes compared with C/N 21:1, respectively, corresponding to the higher activity of AMPs. Overall, the element bioconversion efficiency and AMP expression can be enhanced through C/N ratio manipulation, and the C/N-dependent transcriptome regulation is the driving force of the AMP difference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Jin
- School of Ocean Science and Technology & Panjin Institute of Industrial Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin Campus, Panjin 124221, China; (N.J.); (Y.L.); (S.Z.); (M.W.); (X.D.); (H.T.); (H.Z.)
| | - Yanxia Liu
- School of Ocean Science and Technology & Panjin Institute of Industrial Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin Campus, Panjin 124221, China; (N.J.); (Y.L.); (S.Z.); (M.W.); (X.D.); (H.T.); (H.Z.)
| | - Shouyu Zhang
- School of Ocean Science and Technology & Panjin Institute of Industrial Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin Campus, Panjin 124221, China; (N.J.); (Y.L.); (S.Z.); (M.W.); (X.D.); (H.T.); (H.Z.)
| | - Shibo Sun
- School of Life Science and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin Campus, Panjin 124221, China; (S.S.); (J.X.)
| | - Minghuo Wu
- School of Ocean Science and Technology & Panjin Institute of Industrial Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin Campus, Panjin 124221, China; (N.J.); (Y.L.); (S.Z.); (M.W.); (X.D.); (H.T.); (H.Z.)
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Ministry of Education China, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Xiaoying Dong
- School of Ocean Science and Technology & Panjin Institute of Industrial Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin Campus, Panjin 124221, China; (N.J.); (Y.L.); (S.Z.); (M.W.); (X.D.); (H.T.); (H.Z.)
| | - Huiyan Tong
- School of Ocean Science and Technology & Panjin Institute of Industrial Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin Campus, Panjin 124221, China; (N.J.); (Y.L.); (S.Z.); (M.W.); (X.D.); (H.T.); (H.Z.)
| | - Jianqiang Xu
- School of Life Science and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin Campus, Panjin 124221, China; (S.S.); (J.X.)
| | - Hao Zhou
- School of Ocean Science and Technology & Panjin Institute of Industrial Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin Campus, Panjin 124221, China; (N.J.); (Y.L.); (S.Z.); (M.W.); (X.D.); (H.T.); (H.Z.)
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Ministry of Education China, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Shui Guan
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian R&D Center for Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China;
| | - Weiping Xu
- School of Ocean Science and Technology & Panjin Institute of Industrial Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin Campus, Panjin 124221, China; (N.J.); (Y.L.); (S.Z.); (M.W.); (X.D.); (H.T.); (H.Z.)
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Ministry of Education China, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
- Correspondence:
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28
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Sandrock C, Leupi S, Wohlfahrt J, Kaya C, Heuel M, Terranova M, Blanckenhorn WU, Windisch W, Kreuzer M, Leiber F. Genotype-by-Diet Interactions for Larval Performance and Body Composition Traits in the Black Soldier Fly, Hermetia illucens. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13050424. [PMID: 35621760 PMCID: PMC9147266 DOI: 10.3390/insects13050424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary The bioconversion of organic waste into valuable insect protein as an alternative animal feed ingredient has the potential to improve agricultural sustainability and may become a key element of future circular economy. However, while insects farmed for feed production are considered livestock from a regulatory perspective, systematic linking of genetic resource characterisations and fundamental phenotyping, crucial for precision breeding and feeding schemes, remains scarce even for prime insect candidates, such as the black soldier fly (BSF). The present study initiated to fill this knowledge gap by experimentally assessing BSF genotype-by-diet interactions for a number of economically and ecologically relevant larval phenotypic traits. Besides pervasive diet effects, strong impact of BSF genetic background and ubiquitous environment-mediated interactions were found. This implies some of the so-far unexplained response variation across global BSF studies could be driven by previously neglected mechanisms of genetic specificity, and thus that the concept of broad conspecific plasticity in this insect is likely too simplistic. Instead, it is emphasised that matching BSF genetics to dietary contexts is vital for purposive production optimisation, particularly when extrapolated to large-scale operations. These insights highlight that establishing tailored BSF breeding as an independent branch offers veritable opportunities to efficiently support this growing agricultural sector. Abstract Further advancing black soldier fly (BSF) farming for waste valorisation and more sustainable global protein supplies critically depends on targeted exploitation of genotype-phenotype associations in this insect, comparable to conventional livestock. This study used a fully crossed factorial design of rearing larvae of four genetically distinct BSF strains (FST: 0.11–0.35) on three nutritionally different diets (poultry feed, food waste, poultry manure) to investigate genotype-by-environment interactions. Phenotypic responses included larval growth dynamics over time, weight at harvest, mortality, biomass production with respective contents of ash, fat, and protein, including amino acid profiles, as well as bioconversion and nitrogen efficiency, reduction of dry matter and relevant fibre fractions, and dry matter loss (emissions). Virtually all larval performance and body composition traits were substantially influenced by diet but also characterised by ample BSF genetic variation and, most importantly, by pronounced interaction effects between the two. Across evaluated phenotypes, variable diet-dependent rankings and the lack of generally superior BSF strains indicate the involvement of trade-offs between traits, as their relationships may even change signs. Conflicting resource allocation in light of overall BSF fitness suggests anticipated breeding programs will require complex and differential selection strategies to account for pinpointed trait maximisation versus multi-purpose resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Sandrock
- Department of Livestock Sciences, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Ackerstrasse 113, 5070 Frick, Switzerland; (S.L.); (J.W.); (C.K.); (F.L.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Simon Leupi
- Department of Livestock Sciences, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Ackerstrasse 113, 5070 Frick, Switzerland; (S.L.); (J.W.); (C.K.); (F.L.)
- Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zurich, Eschikon 27, 8315 Lindau, Switzerland; (M.H.); (M.K.)
| | - Jens Wohlfahrt
- Department of Livestock Sciences, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Ackerstrasse 113, 5070 Frick, Switzerland; (S.L.); (J.W.); (C.K.); (F.L.)
| | - Cengiz Kaya
- Department of Livestock Sciences, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Ackerstrasse 113, 5070 Frick, Switzerland; (S.L.); (J.W.); (C.K.); (F.L.)
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland;
| | - Maike Heuel
- Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zurich, Eschikon 27, 8315 Lindau, Switzerland; (M.H.); (M.K.)
| | - Melissa Terranova
- AgroVet-Strickhof, ETH Zurich, Eschikon 27, 8315 Lindau, Switzerland;
| | - Wolf U. Blanckenhorn
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland;
| | - Wilhelm Windisch
- Animal Nutrition, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University Munich, Liesel-Beckmann-Strasse 2, 85354 Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany;
| | - Michael Kreuzer
- Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zurich, Eschikon 27, 8315 Lindau, Switzerland; (M.H.); (M.K.)
| | - Florian Leiber
- Department of Livestock Sciences, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Ackerstrasse 113, 5070 Frick, Switzerland; (S.L.); (J.W.); (C.K.); (F.L.)
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29
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Morelli MW, Blackmon H, Hjelmen CE. Diptera and Drosophila Karyotype Databases: A Useful Dataset to Guide Evolutionary and Genomic Studies. Front Ecol Evol 2022; 10. [PMID: 36238425 PMCID: PMC9555809 DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.832378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Karyotypes and chromosome data have been widely used in many subfields of biology over the last century. Unfortunately, this data is largely scattered among hundreds of articles, books, and theses, many of which are only available behind paywalls. This creates a barrier to new researchers wishing to use this data, especially those from smaller institutions or in countries lacking institutional access to much of the scientific literature. We solved this problem by building two datasets for true flies (Order: Diptera and one specific to Drosophila), These datasets are available via a public interactive database that allows users to explore, visualize and download all data. The Diptera karyotype databases currently contain a total of 3,474 karyotype records from 538 publications. Synthesizing this data, we show several groups are of particular interest for future investigations by whole genome sequencing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Heath Blackmon
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Carl E. Hjelmen
- Department of Biology, Utah Valley University, Orem, UT, United States
- Correspondence: Carl E. Hjelmen,
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30
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Anankware JP, Roberts BJ, Cheseto X, Osuga I, Savolainen V, Collins CM. The Nutritional Profiles of Five Important Edible Insect Species From West Africa-An Analytical and Literature Synthesis. Front Nutr 2021; 8:792941. [PMID: 34926558 PMCID: PMC8678595 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2021.792941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Undernutrition is a prevalent, serious, and growing concern, particularly in developing countries. Entomophagy—the human consumption of edible insects, is a historical and culturally established practice in many regions. Increasing consumption of nutritious insect meal is a possible combative strategy and can promote sustainable food security. However, the nutritional literature frequently lacks consensus, with interspecific differences in the nutrient content of edible insects generally being poorly resolved. Aims and methods: Here we present full proximate and fatty acid profiles for five edible insect species of socio-economic importance in West Africa: Hermetia illucens (black soldier fly), Musca domestica (house fly), Rhynchophorus phoenicis (African palm weevil), Cirina butyrospermi (shea tree caterpillar), and Macrotermes bellicosus (African termite). These original profiles, which can be used in future research, are combined with literature-derived proximate, fatty acid, and amino acid profiles to analyse interspecific differences in nutrient content. Results: Interspecific differences in ash (minerals), crude protein, and crude fat contents were substantial. Highest ash content was found in H. illucens and M. domestica (~10 and 7.5% of dry matter, respectively), highest crude protein was found in C. butyrospermi and M. domestica (~60% of dry matter), whilst highest crude fat was found in R. phoenicis (~55% of dry matter). The fatty acid profile of H. illucens was differentiated from the other four species, forming its own cluster in a principal component analysis characterized by high saturated fatty acid content. Cirina butyrospermi had by far the highest poly-unsaturated fatty acid content at around 35% of its total fatty acids, with α-linolenic acid particularly represented. Amino acid analyses revealed that all five species sufficiently met human essential amino acid requirements, although C. butyrospermi was slightly limited in leucine and methionine content. Discussion: The nutritional profiles of these five edible insect species compare favorably to beef and can meet human requirements, promoting entomophagy's utility in combatting undernutrition. In particular, C. butyrospermi may provide a source of essential poly-unsaturated fatty acids, bringing many health benefits. This, along with its high protein content, indicates that this species is worthy of more attention in the nutritional literature, which has thus-far been lacking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob P Anankware
- Department of Horticulture and Crop Production, University of Energy and Natural Resources, Sunyani, Ghana
| | - Benjamin J Roberts
- Georgina Mace Centre for the Living Planet, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Xavier Cheseto
- Department of Chemical and Behavioural Sciences, International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Isaac Osuga
- Department of Animal Sciences, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Vincent Savolainen
- Georgina Mace Centre for the Living Planet, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - C M Collins
- Georgina Mace Centre for the Living Planet, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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31
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Van Dam MH, Cabras AA, Henderson JB, Rominger AJ, Pérez Estrada C, Omer AD, Dudchenko O, Lieberman Aiden E, Lam AW. The Easter Egg Weevil (Pachyrhynchus) genome reveals syntenic patterns in Coleoptera across 200 million years of evolution. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009745. [PMID: 34460814 PMCID: PMC8432895 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Patterns of genomic architecture across insects remain largely undocumented or decoupled from a broader phylogenetic context. For instance, it is unknown whether translocation rates differ between insect orders. We address broad scale patterns of genome architecture across Insecta by examining synteny in a phylogenetic framework from open-source insect genomes. To accomplish this, we add a chromosome level genome to a crucial lineage, Coleoptera. Our assembly of the Pachyrhynchus sulphureomaculatus genome is the first chromosome scale genome for the hyperdiverse Phytophaga lineage and currently the largest insect genome assembled to this scale. The genome is significantly larger than those of other weevils, and this increase in size is caused by repetitive elements. Our results also indicate that, among beetles, there are instances of long-lasting (>200 Ma) localization of genes to a particular chromosome with few translocation events. While some chromosomes have a paucity of translocations, intra-chromosomal synteny was almost absent, with gene order thoroughly shuffled along a chromosome. This large amount of reshuffling within chromosomes with few inter-chromosomal events contrasts with patterns seen in mammals in which the chromosomes tend to exchange larger blocks of material more readily. To place our findings in an evolutionary context, we compared syntenic patterns across Insecta in a phylogenetic framework. For the first time, we find that synteny decays at an exponential rate relative to phylogenetic distance. Additionally, there are significant differences in decay rates between insect orders, this pattern was not driven by Lepidoptera alone which has a substantially different rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew H. Van Dam
- Entomology Department, Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Center for Comparative Genomics, Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability, California Academy of Science, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Analyn Anzano Cabras
- Coleoptera Research Center, Institute for Biodiversity and Environment, University of Mindanao, Matina, Davao City, Philippines
| | - James B. Henderson
- Center for Comparative Genomics, Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability, California Academy of Science, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Andrew J. Rominger
- School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, United States of America
| | - Cynthia Pérez Estrada
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Arina D. Omer
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Olga Dudchenko
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Erez Lieberman Aiden
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Athena W. Lam
- Center for Comparative Genomics, Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability, California Academy of Science, San Francisco, California, United States of America
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32
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Kaya C, Generalovic TN, Ståhls G, Hauser M, Samayoa AC, Nunes-Silva CG, Roxburgh H, Wohlfahrt J, Ewusie EA, Kenis M, Hanboonsong Y, Orozco J, Carrejo N, Nakamura S, Gasco L, Rojo S, Tanga CM, Meier R, Rhode C, Picard CJ, Jiggins CD, Leiber F, Tomberlin JK, Hasselmann M, Blanckenhorn WU, Kapun M, Sandrock C. Global population genetic structure and demographic trajectories of the black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens. BMC Biol 2021; 19:94. [PMID: 33952283 PMCID: PMC8101212 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-021-01029-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) is the most promising insect candidate for nutrient-recycling through bioconversion of organic waste into biomass, thereby improving sustainability of protein supplies for animal feed and facilitating transition to a circular economy. Contrary to conventional livestock, genetic resources of farmed insects remain poorly characterised. We present the first comprehensive population genetic characterisation of H. illucens. Based on 15 novel microsatellite markers, we genotyped and analysed 2862 individuals from 150 wild and captive populations originating from 57 countries on seven subcontinents. Results We identified 16 well-distinguished genetic clusters indicating substantial global population structure. The data revealed genetic hotspots in central South America and successive northwards range expansions within the indigenous ranges of the Americas. Colonisations and naturalisations of largely unique genetic profiles occurred on all non-native continents, either preceded by demographically independent founder events from various single sources or involving admixture scenarios. A decisive primarily admixed Polynesian bridgehead population serially colonised the entire Australasian region and its secondarily admixed descendants successively mediated invasions into Africa and Europe. Conversely, captive populations from several continents traced back to a single North American origin and exhibit considerably reduced genetic diversity, although some farmed strains carry distinct genetic signatures. We highlight genetic footprints characteristic of progressing domestication due to increasing socio-economic importance of H. illucens, and ongoing introgression between domesticated strains globally traded for large-scale farming and wild populations in some regions. Conclusions We document the dynamic population genetic history of a cosmopolitan dipteran of South American origin shaped by striking geographic patterns. These reflect both ancient dispersal routes, and stochastic and heterogeneous anthropogenic introductions during the last century leading to pronounced diversification of worldwide structure of H. illucens. Upon the recent advent of its agronomic commercialisation, however, current human-mediated translocations of the black soldier fly largely involve genetically highly uniform domesticated strains, which meanwhile threaten the genetic integrity of differentiated unique local resources through introgression. Our in-depth reconstruction of the contemporary and historical demographic trajectories of H. illucens emphasises benchmarking potential for applied future research on this emerging model of the prospering insect-livestock sector. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12915-021-01029-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cengiz Kaya
- Department of Livestock Sciences, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Frick, Switzerland.,Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Gunilla Ståhls
- Zoology unit, Finnish Museum of Natural History, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Martin Hauser
- California Department of Food and Agriculture, Plant Pest Diagnostics Branch, Sacramento, USA
| | - Ana C Samayoa
- Department of Entomology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Carlos G Nunes-Silva
- Department of Genetics and Biotechnology Graduate Program, Federal University of Amazonas, Manaus, Brazil
| | - Heather Roxburgh
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
| | - Jens Wohlfahrt
- Department of Livestock Sciences, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Frick, Switzerland
| | - Ebenezer A Ewusie
- Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute, Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, Accra, Ghana
| | | | - Yupa Hanboonsong
- Department of Entomology, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | - Jesus Orozco
- Department of Agricultural Sciences and Production, Zamorano University, Zamorano, Honduras
| | - Nancy Carrejo
- Department of Biology, Universidad del Valle, Santiago de Cali, Colombia
| | - Satoshi Nakamura
- Crop, Livestock and Environmental Division, Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Laura Gasco
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Santos Rojo
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resources, University of Alicante, Alicante, Spain
| | - Chrysantus M Tanga
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Rudolf Meier
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Clint Rhode
- Department of Genetics, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, Republic of South Africa
| | - Christine J Picard
- Department of Biology, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, USA
| | - Chris D Jiggins
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Florian Leiber
- Department of Livestock Sciences, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Frick, Switzerland
| | | | - Martin Hasselmann
- Department of Livestock Population Genomics, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Wolf U Blanckenhorn
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Martin Kapun
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christoph Sandrock
- Department of Livestock Sciences, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Frick, Switzerland.
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