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Martín-Vega D, Simonsen TJ, Hall MJR. An effective method for preparing histological sections of blow fly intra-puparial stages for minimum PMI estimations. Int J Legal Med 2024; 138:1947-1954. [PMID: 38589642 PMCID: PMC11306391 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-024-03211-5] [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: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Blow flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) are generally early colonisers of fresh cadavers, enabling the estimation of a minimum post-mortem interval (minPMI) based on an accurate aging of the oldest immature stages associated with a cadaver. In blow flies, the pupal stage and the subsequent development of the adult take place inside a protective case, the puparium, formed from the hardened and darkened cuticle of the third instar larva. Because the puparium is an opaque structure that shows virtually no external changes, qualitative analyses of the internal tissues can be very informative for determining reliable age-specific morphological markers. Those analyses can be performed using either non-invasive but expensive and not widely accessible techniques, or traditional histological methods, which are invasive as they require the serial sectioning of the sample. Histological methods are often readily available for forensic researchers and practitioners; however, the histological study of blow fly intra-puparial stages has traditionally been hampered by the poor paraffin infiltration of tissues due to the abundance of fat bodies, resulting in usually fragmented sections and the subsequent loss of relevant information. We present here an effective method for the preparation of histological sections of blow fly intra-puparial stages, maximising the paraffin infiltration while enabling the production of clean and entire sections that allow for the use of reliable age-specific morphological markers, thus improving the accuracy of minPMI estimations when access to more costly techniques is not feasible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Martín-Vega
- Departmento de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, 28805, Spain.
- Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, UK.
| | - Thomas J Simonsen
- Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, UK
- Natural History Museum Aarhus, Aarhus C, 8000, Denmark
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2
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Hansen MJ. Modelling developments in consciousness within a multidimensional framework. Neurosci Conscious 2024; 2024:niae026. [PMID: 38895541 PMCID: PMC11184344 DOI: 10.1093/nc/niae026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
A recent advancement in consciousness science has been the introduction of a multidimensional framework of consciousness. This framework has been applied to global states of consciousness, including psychedelic states and disorders of consciousness, and the consciousness of non-human animals. The multidimensional framework enables a finer parsing of both various states of consciousness and forms of animal consciousness, paving the way for new scientific investigations into consciousness. In this paper, the multidimensional model is expanded by constructing temporal profiles. This expansion allows for the modelling of changes in consciousness across the life cycles of organisms and the progression over time of disorders of consciousness. The result of this expansion is 2-fold: (i) it enables new modes of comparison, both across stages of development and across species; (ii) it proposes that more attention be given to the various types of fluctuations that occur in patients who are suffering from disorders of consciousness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mads Jørgensen Hansen
- Department of Philosophy and History of Ideas, School of Culture and Society, Aarhus University, Aarhus 8000, Denmark
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3
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Shu R, Xiao Y, Zhang C, Liu Y, Zhou H, Li F. Micro-CT data of complete metamorphosis process in Harmonia axyridis. Sci Data 2024; 11:557. [PMID: 38816378 PMCID: PMC11139963 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-024-03413-x] [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: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Insect metamorphosis involves significant changes in insect internal structure and is thus a critical focus of entomological research. Investigating the morphological transformation of internal structures is vital to understanding the origins of adult insect organs. Beetles are among the most species-rich groups in insects, but the development and transformation of their internal organs have yet to be systematically documented. In this study, we have acquired a comprehensive dataset that includes 27 detailed whole-body tomographic image sets of Harmonia axyridis, spanning from the prepupal to the pupal stages. Utilizing this data, we have created intricate 3D models of key internal organs, encompassing the brain, ventral nerve cord, digestive and excretion systems, as well as the body wall muscles. These data documented the transformation process of these critical organs and correlations between the origin of adult and larval organs and can be used to enhance the understanding of holometabolous adult organ genesis and offers a valuable reference model for investigating complete metamorphosis in insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Runguo Shu
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology & Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Yiqi Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology & Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Chaowei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology & Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Ying Liu
- Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control of Agricultural Transboundary Pests of Yunnan Province, Agricultural Environment and Resource Research Institute, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Kunming, 650205, China.
| | - Hang Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology & Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
| | - Fei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology & Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
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4
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Agrawal K, Prabhakar S, Bakthavachalu B, Chaturvedi D. Distinct developmental patterns in Anopheles stephensi organ systems. Dev Biol 2024; 508:107-122. [PMID: 38272285 PMCID: PMC7615899 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2024.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 01/01/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Anatomical profiles of insects inform vector biology, comparative development and evolutionary studies with applications in forensics, agriculture and disease control. This study presents a comprehensive, high-resolution developmental profile of Anopheles stephensi, encompassing larval, pupal, and adult stages, obtained through microCT scanning. The results indicate in situ anatomical changes in most organ systems, including the central nervous system, eyes, musculature, alimentary canal, salivary glands, and ovaries, among other organ systems, except for the developing heart. We find significant differences in the mosquito gut, body-wall, and flight muscle development during metamorphosis from other dipterans like Drosophila. Specifically, indirect flight muscle specification and growth can be traced back at least to the 4th instar A. stephensi larvae, as opposed to post-puparial development in other Dipterans like Drosophila and Calliphora. Further, while Drosophila larval body-wall muscles and gut undergo histolysis, changes to these organs during mosquito metamorphosis are less pronounced. These observations, and raw data therein may serve as a reference for studies on the development and the genetics of mosquitoes. Overall, the detailed developmental profile of A. stephensi presented here illuminates the unique anatomy and developmental processes of Culicidae, with important implications for vector biology, disease control, and comparative evolutionary studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khushboo Agrawal
- Tata Institute for Genetics and Society Centre at inStem, Bellary Road, Bangalore, 560065, India; School of Biotechnology, Amrita University, Kollam, 690525, Kerala, India
| | - Sunil Prabhakar
- Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms, Bellary Road, Bangalore, 560065, India
| | - Baskar Bakthavachalu
- Tata Institute for Genetics and Society Centre at inStem, Bellary Road, Bangalore, 560065, India; School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, Mandi, 175005, India.
| | - Dhananjay Chaturvedi
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, TIFR, Bangalore, 560065, India; CSIR - Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, 500007, India.
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5
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Alaraby M, Villacorta A, Abass D, Hernández A, Marcos R. Titanium-doped PET nanoplastics, from opaque milk bottle degradation, as a model of environmental true-to-life nanoplastics. Hazardous effects on Drosophila. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 341:122968. [PMID: 37979650 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122968] [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: 10/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023]
Abstract
Micro and nanoplastics (MNPLs) are emergent environmental pollutants, resulting from the degradation of plastic waste, requiring urgent information on their potential risks to human health. To determine such risks, reliable true-to-life materials are essential. In this work, we have used titanium-doped PET NPLs [PET(Ti)NPLs], obtained by grinding opaque milk polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, as a true-to-life MNPLs model. These opaque PET bottles, with an average size of 112 nm, contain about 3% Ti in the form of titanium dioxide rod nanoparticles. TEM investigation confirmed the mixed Ti/PET nature of the obtained true-to-life NPLs, and the rod shape of the embedded TiO2NPs. In the in vivo Drosophila model neither PET(Ti)NPLs nor TiO2NPs reduced the survival rates, although their internalization was confirmed in different compartments of the larval body by using confocal and transmission electron microscopies. The presence of Ti in the PET(Ti)NPLs permitted to quantify its presence both in larvae (2.1 ± 2.2 μg/g of Ti) and in the resulting adults (3.4 ± 3.2 μg/g of Ti) after treatment with 500 μg/g food of PET(Ti)NPL, suggesting its potential use to track their fate in more complex organisms such as mammals. PET(Ti)NPLs, as well as TiO2NPs, altered the expression of genes driving different response pathways, inducing significant oxidative stress levels (up to 10 folds), and genotoxicity. This last result on the genotoxic effects is remarkable in the frame of the hot topic discussion on the risk that titanium compounds, used as food additives, may pose to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Alaraby
- Group of Mutagenesis, Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Biosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain; Zoology Department, Faculty of Sciences, Sohag University (82524), Sohag, Egypt
| | - Aliro Villacorta
- Group of Mutagenesis, Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Biosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain; Facultad de Recursos Naturales Renovables, Universidad Arturo Prat, Iquique, Chile
| | - Doaa Abass
- Group of Mutagenesis, Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Biosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain; Zoology Department, Faculty of Sciences, Sohag University (82524), Sohag, Egypt
| | - Alba Hernández
- Group of Mutagenesis, Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Biosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Ricard Marcos
- Group of Mutagenesis, Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Biosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain.
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6
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Martín-Vega D, Clark B, Hall MJR. Larval anatomy of the digestive and excretory systems of the pharyngeal bot fly, Pharyngomyia picta (Diptera: Oestridae). MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY 2023; 37:859-864. [PMID: 37141311 DOI: 10.1111/mve.12663] [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: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Oestrid flies (Diptera: Oestridae) are obligate parasites of mammals during their larval stage and show anatomical adaptations for the infestation of host tissues. Unlike the species that parasitize domestic mammals, those oestrid species that infest wild mammal hosts remain poorly known. With the use of x-ray micro-computed tomography, we describe for the first time the anatomy of the digestive and excretory systems of the second and third larval instars of Pharyngomyia picta (Meigen), a parasite of cervids that, like other species within the subfamily Oestrinae, causes nasopharyngeal myiasis. Both larval instars of P. picta show a pair of remarkably large salivary glands arranged in a characteristic 'glandular band', a convoluted and thickly uniform midgut and a greatly enlarged distal region of the anterior pair of Malpighian tubules. These anatomical features also have been described in other species within the subfamily Oestrinae, whereas they differ from the observations in other oestrid subfamilies. We discuss the potential functional significance of the anatomy of the digestive and excretory systems of Oestrinae larvae as specific adaptations to parasitize the nasopharyngeal cavities of mammal hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Martín-Vega
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Spain
- Natural History Museum, London, UK
| | - Brett Clark
- Imaging and Analysis Centre, Natural History Museum, London, UK
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7
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Manthey C, Johnston PR, Nakagawa S, Rolff J. Complete metamorphosis and microbiota turnover in insects. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:6543-6551. [PMID: 36039743 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The insects constitute the majority of animal diversity. Most insects are holometabolous: during complete metamorphosis their bodies are radically reorganized. This reorganization poses a significant challenge to the gut microbiota, as the gut is replaced during pupation, a process that does not occur in hemimetabolous insects. In holometabolous hosts, it offers the opportunity to decouple the gut microbiota between the larval and adult life stages resulting in high beta diversity whilst limiting alpha diversity. Here, we studied 18 different herbivorous insect species from five orders of holometabolous and three orders of hemimetabolous insects. Comparing larval and adult specimens, we find a much higher beta-diversity and hence microbiota turnover in holometabolous insects compared to hemimetabolous insects. Alpha diversity did not differ between holo- and hemimetabolous insects nor between developmental stages within these groups. Our results support the idea that pupation offers the opportunity to change the gut microbiota and hence might facilitate ecological niche shifts. This possible effect of niche shift facilitation could explain a selective advantage of the evolution of complete metamorphosis, which is a defining trait of the most speciose insect taxon, the holometabola.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christin Manthey
- Institut für Biologie, Evolutionary Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Paul R Johnston
- Berlin Center for Genomics in Biodiversity Research, Berlin, Germany
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
| | - Shinichi Nakagawa
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jens Rolff
- Institut für Biologie, Evolutionary Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Center for Genomics in Biodiversity Research, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
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8
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Liu SP, Yin HD, Li WJ, Qin ZH, Yang Y, Huang ZZ, Zong L, Liu XK, Du Z, Fan WL, Zhang YQ, Zhang D, Zhang YE, Liu XY, Yang D, Ge SQ. The Morphological Transformation of the Thorax during the Eclosion of Drosophila melanogaster (Diptera: Drosophilidae). INSECTS 2023; 14:893. [PMID: 37999092 PMCID: PMC10671814 DOI: 10.3390/insects14110893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
The model organism Drosophila melanogaster, as a species of Holometabola, undergoes a series of transformations during metamorphosis. To deeply understand its development, it is crucial to study its anatomy during the key developmental stages. We describe the anatomical systems of the thorax, including the endoskeleton, musculature, nervous ganglion, and digestive system, from the late pupal stage to the adult stage, based on micro-CT and 3D visualizations. The development of the endoskeleton causes original and insertional changes in muscles. Several muscles change their shape during development in a non-uniform manner with respect to both absolute and relative size; some become longer and broader, while others shorten and become narrower. Muscular shape may vary during development. The number of muscular bundles also increases or decreases. Growing muscles are probably anchored by the tissues in the stroma. Some muscles and tendons are absent in the adult stage, possibly due to the hardened sclerites. Nearly all flight muscles are present by the third day of the pupal stage, which may be due to the presence of more myofibers with enough mitochondria to support flight power. There are sexual differences in the same developmental period. In contrast to the endodermal digestive system, the functions of most thoracic muscles change in the development from the larva to the adult in order to support more complex locomotion under the control of a more structured ventral nerve cord based on the serial homology proposed herein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si-Pei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; (S.-P.L.); (H.-D.Y.); (W.-J.L.); (Z.-H.Q.); (Y.Y.); (Z.-Z.H.); (L.Z.); (X.-K.L.); (Z.D.); (W.-L.F.); (Y.-Q.Z.); (D.Z.); (Y.E.Z.)
| | - Hao-Dong Yin
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; (S.-P.L.); (H.-D.Y.); (W.-J.L.); (Z.-H.Q.); (Y.Y.); (Z.-Z.H.); (L.Z.); (X.-K.L.); (Z.D.); (W.-L.F.); (Y.-Q.Z.); (D.Z.); (Y.E.Z.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100086, China
| | - Wen-Jie Li
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; (S.-P.L.); (H.-D.Y.); (W.-J.L.); (Z.-H.Q.); (Y.Y.); (Z.-Z.H.); (L.Z.); (X.-K.L.); (Z.D.); (W.-L.F.); (Y.-Q.Z.); (D.Z.); (Y.E.Z.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100086, China
| | - Zhuang-Hui Qin
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; (S.-P.L.); (H.-D.Y.); (W.-J.L.); (Z.-H.Q.); (Y.Y.); (Z.-Z.H.); (L.Z.); (X.-K.L.); (Z.D.); (W.-L.F.); (Y.-Q.Z.); (D.Z.); (Y.E.Z.)
| | - Yi Yang
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; (S.-P.L.); (H.-D.Y.); (W.-J.L.); (Z.-H.Q.); (Y.Y.); (Z.-Z.H.); (L.Z.); (X.-K.L.); (Z.D.); (W.-L.F.); (Y.-Q.Z.); (D.Z.); (Y.E.Z.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100086, China
| | - Zheng-Zhong Huang
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; (S.-P.L.); (H.-D.Y.); (W.-J.L.); (Z.-H.Q.); (Y.Y.); (Z.-Z.H.); (L.Z.); (X.-K.L.); (Z.D.); (W.-L.F.); (Y.-Q.Z.); (D.Z.); (Y.E.Z.)
| | - Le Zong
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; (S.-P.L.); (H.-D.Y.); (W.-J.L.); (Z.-H.Q.); (Y.Y.); (Z.-Z.H.); (L.Z.); (X.-K.L.); (Z.D.); (W.-L.F.); (Y.-Q.Z.); (D.Z.); (Y.E.Z.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100086, China
| | - Xiao-Kun Liu
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; (S.-P.L.); (H.-D.Y.); (W.-J.L.); (Z.-H.Q.); (Y.Y.); (Z.-Z.H.); (L.Z.); (X.-K.L.); (Z.D.); (W.-L.F.); (Y.-Q.Z.); (D.Z.); (Y.E.Z.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100086, China
| | - Zhong Du
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; (S.-P.L.); (H.-D.Y.); (W.-J.L.); (Z.-H.Q.); (Y.Y.); (Z.-Z.H.); (L.Z.); (X.-K.L.); (Z.D.); (W.-L.F.); (Y.-Q.Z.); (D.Z.); (Y.E.Z.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100086, China
| | - Wei-Li Fan
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; (S.-P.L.); (H.-D.Y.); (W.-J.L.); (Z.-H.Q.); (Y.Y.); (Z.-Z.H.); (L.Z.); (X.-K.L.); (Z.D.); (W.-L.F.); (Y.-Q.Z.); (D.Z.); (Y.E.Z.)
| | - Ya-Qiong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; (S.-P.L.); (H.-D.Y.); (W.-J.L.); (Z.-H.Q.); (Y.Y.); (Z.-Z.H.); (L.Z.); (X.-K.L.); (Z.D.); (W.-L.F.); (Y.-Q.Z.); (D.Z.); (Y.E.Z.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100086, China
| | - Dan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; (S.-P.L.); (H.-D.Y.); (W.-J.L.); (Z.-H.Q.); (Y.Y.); (Z.-Z.H.); (L.Z.); (X.-K.L.); (Z.D.); (W.-L.F.); (Y.-Q.Z.); (D.Z.); (Y.E.Z.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100086, China
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China
| | - Yong E. Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; (S.-P.L.); (H.-D.Y.); (W.-J.L.); (Z.-H.Q.); (Y.Y.); (Z.-Z.H.); (L.Z.); (X.-K.L.); (Z.D.); (W.-L.F.); (Y.-Q.Z.); (D.Z.); (Y.E.Z.)
| | - Xing-Yue Liu
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (X.-Y.L.); (D.Y.)
| | - Ding Yang
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (X.-Y.L.); (D.Y.)
| | - Si-Qin Ge
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; (S.-P.L.); (H.-D.Y.); (W.-J.L.); (Z.-H.Q.); (Y.Y.); (Z.-Z.H.); (L.Z.); (X.-K.L.); (Z.D.); (W.-L.F.); (Y.-Q.Z.); (D.Z.); (Y.E.Z.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100086, China
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9
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Shang Y, Feng Y, Ren L, Zhang X, Yang F, Zhang C, Guo Y. Genome-wide analysis of long noncoding RNAs and their association in regulating the metamorphosis of the Sarcophaga peregrina (Diptera: Sarcophagidae). PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2023; 17:e0011411. [PMID: 37363930 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The flesh fly, Sarcophaga peregrina (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), is an important hygiene pest, that causes myiasis in humans and other mammals, typically livestock, and as a vector for various parasitic agents, including bacteria, viruses, and parasites. The role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in regulating gene expression during metamorphosis of the flesh fly has not been well established. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS In this study, we performed genome-wide identification and characterization of lncRNAs from the early pupal stage (1-days pupae), mid-term pupal stage (5-days pupae), and late pupal stage (9-days pupae) of S. peregrina by RNA-seq, and a total of 6921 lncRNAs transcripts were identified. RT-qPCR and enrichment analyses revealed the differentially expressed lncRNAs (DE lncRNAs) that might be associated with insect metamorphosis development. Furthermore, functional analysis revealed that the DE lncRNA (SP_lnc5000) could potentially be involved in regulating the metamorphosis of S. peregrina. RNA interference of SP_lnc5000 caused reduced expression of metamorphosis-related genes in 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) signaling (Br-c, Ftz-F1), cuticle tanning pathway (TH, DOPA), and chitin related pathway (Cht5). Injection of dsSP_lnc5000 in 3rd instar larvae of S. peregrina resulted in deformed pupae, stagnation of pupal-adult metamorphosis, and a decrease in development time of pupal, pupariation rates and eclosion rates. Hematoxylin-eosin staining (H&E), scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation and cuticle hydrocarbons (CHCs) analysis indicated that SP_lnc5000 had crucial roles in the metamorphosis developmental by modulating pupal cuticular development. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE We established that the lncRNA SP_lnc5000 potentially regulates the metamorphosis of S. peregrina by putatively affecting the structure and composition of the pupal cuticle. This study enhances our understanding of lncRNAs as regulators of metamorphosis in S. peregrina, and provide valuable insights into the identification of potential targets for vector control and the development of effective strategies for controlling the spread of myiasis and parasitic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanjie Shang
- Department of Forensic Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yakai Feng
- Department of Forensic Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinjiang Medical University Ürümqi, China
| | - Lipin Ren
- Department of Forensic Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Xiangyan Zhang
- Department of Forensic Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Fengqin Yang
- Department of Forensic Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Changquan Zhang
- Department of Forensic Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yadong Guo
- Department of Forensic Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
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10
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Chiang MR, Shelomi M. Anatomical changes of the beetle digestive tract during metamorphosis correspond to dietary changes. J Morphol 2023; 284:e21575. [PMID: 36826409 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.21575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
During pupation, the tissues of holometabolous insects change in preparation for the adult lifestyles, although little literature exists examining this hidden process in detail. Using beetles as a model, we hypothesized that species where the adult and larva have the same diets will show less pronounced changes of the digestive tract during metamorphosis than species where the adults diets differ. We also wanted to observe these changes and document them at a level of detail missing from the current record. We compared the structure of the digestive tracts of scarab beetles Oryctes rhinoceros, Thaumastopeus shangaicus, and Protaetia spp. (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)-where the larvae eat wood, soil, or compost while the adults feed on soft plant matter, tree sap, and rotting fruits-with the tortoise beetle, Cassida circumdata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), which feeds on leaves as both larva and adult. In the scarab beetles we observed considerable changes in the digestive tracts during the pupal stage, which we could divide into distinct stages, while in the leaf beetle pupae, the gut did not change. This information can provide new insight into metamorphosis, and the illustrations of what occurs during pupation are novel contributions to this field that will facilitate future work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min-Rou Chiang
- Department of Entomology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Matan Shelomi
- Department of Entomology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
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11
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Sansom TM, Oberst S, Richter A, Lai JCS, Saadatfar M, Nowotny M, Evans TA. Low radiodensity μCT scans to reveal detailed morphology of the termite leg and its subgenual organ. ARTHROPOD STRUCTURE & DEVELOPMENT 2022; 70:101191. [PMID: 35816830 DOI: 10.1016/j.asd.2022.101191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Termites sense tiny substrate-borne vibrations through subgenual organs (SGOs) located within their legs' tibiae. Little is known about the SGOs' structure and physical properties. We applied high-resolution (voxel size 0.45 μm) micro-computed tomography (μCT) to Australian termites, Coptotermes lacteus and Nasutitermes exitiosus (Hill) to test two staining techniques. We compared the effectiveness of a single stain of Lugol's iodine solution (LS) to LS followed by Phosphotungstic acid (PTA) solutions (1% and 2%). We then present results of a soldier of Nasutitermes exitiosus combining μCT with LS + 2%PTS stains and scanning electron microscopy to exemplify the visualisation of their SGOs. The termite's SGO due to its approximately oval shape was shown to have a maximum diameter of 60 μm and a minimum of 48 μm, covering 60 ± 4% of the leg's cross-section and 90.4 ± 5% of the residual haemolymph channel. Additionally, the leg and residual haemolymph channel cross-sectional area decreased around the SGO by 33% and 73%, respectively. We hypothesise that this change in cross-sectional area amplifies the vibrations for the SGO. Since SGOs are directly connected to the cuticle, their mechanical properties and the geometric details identified here may enable new approaches to determine how termites sense micro-vibrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Travers M Sansom
- University of Technology Sydney, Centre for Audio, Acoustics and Vibration, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia.
| | - Sebastian Oberst
- University of Technology Sydney, Centre for Audio, Acoustics and Vibration, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia; School of Engineering and IT, University of New South Wales Canberra, Northcott Dr, Campbell ACT, 2612, Australia.
| | - Adrian Richter
- Institute of Zoology and Evolutionary Research, Friedrich-Schiller-University, Jena, Germany
| | - Joseph C S Lai
- School of Engineering and IT, University of New South Wales Canberra, Northcott Dr, Campbell ACT, 2612, Australia
| | - Mohammad Saadatfar
- School of Civil Engineering, The University of Sydney, 2006, Sydney, Australia
| | - Manuela Nowotny
- Institute of Zoology and Evolutionary Research, Friedrich-Schiller-University, Jena, Germany
| | - Theodore A Evans
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
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12
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Guo M, Yuan C, Tao L, Cai Y, Zhang W. Life barcoded by DNA barcodes. CONSERV GENET RESOUR 2022; 14:351-365. [PMID: 35991367 PMCID: PMC9377290 DOI: 10.1007/s12686-022-01291-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The modern concept of DNA-based barcoding for cataloguing biodiversity was proposed in 2003 by first adopting an approximately 600 bp fragment of the mitochondrial COI gene to compare via nucleotide alignments with known sequences from specimens previously identified by taxonomists. Other standardized regions meeting barcoding criteria then are also evolving as DNA barcodes for fast, reliable and inexpensive assessment of species composition across all forms of life, including animals, plants, fungi, bacteria and other microorganisms. Consequently, global DNA barcoding campaigns have resulted in the formation of many online workbenches and databases, such as BOLD system, as barcode references, and facilitated the development of mini-barcodes and metabarcoding strategies as important extensions of barcode techniques. Here we intend to give an overview of the characteristics and features of these barcode markers and major reference libraries existing for barcoding the planet’s life, as well as to address the limitations and opportunities of DNA barcodes to an increasingly broader community of science and society.
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13
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Raś M, Wipfler B, Dannenfeld T, Iwan D. Postembryonic development of the tracheal system of beetles in the context of aptery and adaptations towards an arid environment. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13378. [PMID: 35855904 PMCID: PMC9288169 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13378] [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: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The tracheal system comprises one of the major adaptations of insects towards a terrestrial lifestyle. Many aspects such as the modifications towards wing reduction or a life in an arid climate are still poorly understood. To address these issues, we performed the first three-dimensional morphometric analyses of the tracheal system of a wingless insect, the desert beetle Gonopus tibialis and compared it with a flying beetle (Tenebrio molitor). Our results clearly show that the reduction of the flight apparatus has severe consequences for the tracheal system. This includes the reduction of the tracheal density, the relative volume of the trachea, the volume of the respective spiracles and the complete loss of individual tracheae. At the same time, the reduction of wings in the desert beetle allows modifications of the tracheal system that would be impossible in an animal with a functional flight apparatus such as the formation of a subelytral cavity as a part of the tracheal system, the strong elongation of the digestive tract including its tracheal system or the respiration through a single spiracle. Finally, we addressed when these modifications of the tracheal system take place during the development of the studied beetles. We can clearly show that they develop during pupation while the larvae of both species are almost identical in their tracheal system and body shape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcin Raś
- Zoological Museum, Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Benjamin Wipfler
- Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig, Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversitätswandels, Bonn, Germany
| | - Tim Dannenfeld
- Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig, Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversitätswandels, Bonn, Germany
| | - Dariusz Iwan
- Zoological Museum, Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
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14
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Virtual sections and 3D reconstructions of female reproductive system in a carabid beetle using synchrotron X-ray phase-contrast microtomography. ZOOL ANZ 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcz.2022.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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15
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Laussmann T, Urspruch P, Flocke V, Windfelder AG, Aberle H, Lunau K, Flögel U. Dynamic monitoring of vital functions and tissue re-organization in Saturnia pavonia (Lepidoptera, Saturniidae) during final metamorphosis by non-invasive MRI. Sci Rep 2022; 12:1105. [PMID: 35058520 PMCID: PMC8776771 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-05092-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the key whole-body imaging technology for observing processes within a living object providing excellent resolution and contrast between soft tissues. In the present work, we exploited the non-destructive properties of MRI to track longitudinally the dynamic changes that take place in developing pupae of the Emperor Moth (Saturnia pavonia) during the last days before eclosion. While in diapause pupae, body fluid was almost homogeneously distributed over the internal compartments, as soon as wings, legs, flight muscles and the head region were fully developed, a significant redistribution of water levels occurred between thoracic and abdominal regions. During the last two days before eclosion, the developing moths transferred substantial amounts of liquid into the gut and the labial gland, and in case of females, into developing eggs. Concomitantly, the volume of the air sacs increased drastically and their expansion/compression became clearly visible in time-resolved MR images. Furthermore, besides ventilation of the tracheal system, air sacs are likely to serve as volume reservoir for liquid transfer during development of the moths inside their pupal case. In parallel, we were able to monitor noninvasively lipid consumption, cardiac activity and haemolymph circulation during final metamorphosis.
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16
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Hall MJR, Martín‐Vega D, Clark B, Ghosh D, Rogers M, Pigoli D, Veriegh FBD, Tetteh‐Kumah A, Osei‐Atweneboana MY, Cheke RA. Micro-CT imaging of Onchocerca infection of Simulium damnosum s.l. blackflies and comparison of the peritrophic membrane thickness of forest and savannah flies. MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 35:231-238. [PMID: 33480060 PMCID: PMC8451916 DOI: 10.1111/mve.12509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Revised: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Onchocerciasis is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) caused by Onchocerca Diesing 1841 (Spirurida: Onchocercidae) nematodes transmitted by blackflies. It is associated with poverty and imposes a significant health, welfare and economic burden on many tropical countries. Current methods to visualize infections within the vectors rely on invasive methods. However, using micro-computed tomography techniques, without interference from physical tissue manipulation, we visualized in three dimensions for the first time an L1 larva of an Onchocerca species within the thoracic musculature of a blackfly, Simulium damnosum s.l. Theobald 1903 (Diptera: Simuliidae), naturally infected in Ghana. The possibility that thicker peritrophic membranes in savannah flies could account for their lower parasite loads was not supported, but there were limits to our analysis. While there were no statistically significant differences between the mean thicknesses of the peritrophic membranes, in the anterior, dorsal and ventral regions, of forest and savannah blackflies killed 34-48 min after a blood-meal, the thickness of the peritrophic membrane in the posterior region could not be measured. Micro-computed tomography has the potential to provide novel information on many other parasite/vector systems and impactful images for public engagement in health education.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. J. R. Hall
- Departments of Life Sciences and Core Research LaboratoriesNatural History MuseumLondonUK
| | - D. Martín‐Vega
- Departments of Life Sciences and Core Research LaboratoriesNatural History MuseumLondonUK
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida (Unidad Docente de Zoología)Universidad de AlcaláAlcalá de Henares (Madrid)Spain
| | - B. Clark
- Departments of Life Sciences and Core Research LaboratoriesNatural History MuseumLondonUK
| | - D. Ghosh
- Nutrition and Clinical Services DivisionInternational Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b)DhakaBangladesh
| | - M. Rogers
- Department of Disease ControlLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical MedicineLondonUK
| | - D. Pigoli
- Department of MathematicsKing's College LondonLondonUK
| | - F. B. D. Veriegh
- Council for Scientific and Industrial ResearchWater Research InstituteAccraGhana
| | - A. Tetteh‐Kumah
- Council for Scientific and Industrial ResearchWater Research InstituteAccraGhana
| | | | - R. A. Cheke
- Agriculture, Health and Environment Department, Natural Resources InstituteUniversity of GreenwichMedway CampusChatham MaritimeKentUK
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17
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Hall MJR, Ghosh D, Martín-Vega D, Clark B, Clatworthy I, Cheke RA, Rogers ME. Micro-CT visualization of a promastigote secretory gel (PSG) and parasite plug in the digestive tract of the sand fly Lutzomyia longipalpis infected with Leishmania mexicana. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009682. [PMID: 34449767 PMCID: PMC8396784 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a debilitating disease of the tropics, subtropics and southern Europe caused by Leishmania parasites that are transmitted during blood feeding by phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae). Using non-invasive micro-computed tomography, we were able to visualize the impact of the laboratory model infection of Lutzomyia longipalpis with Leishmania mexicana and its response to a second blood meal. For the first time we were able to show in 3D the plug of promastigote secretory gel (PSG) and parasites in the distended midgut of whole infected sand flies and measure its volume in relation to that of the midgut. We were also able to measure the degree of opening of the stomodeal valve and demonstrate the extension of the PSG and parasites into the pharynx. Although our pilot study could only examine a few flies, it supports the hypothesis that a second, non-infected, blood meal enhances parasite transmission as we showed that the thoracic PSG-parasite plug in infected flies after a second blood meal was, on average, more than twice the volume of the plug in infected flies that did not have a second blood meal.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Debashis Ghosh
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Daniel Martín-Vega
- Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
- Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares (Madrid), Spain
| | - Brett Clark
- Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Robert A. Cheke
- Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Chatham Maritime, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew E. Rogers
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
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18
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Barros-Cordeiro KB, Pujol-Luz JR, Báo SN. A Study of the Pupal Development of Five Forensically Important Flies (Diptera: Brachycera). JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 58:1643-1653. [PMID: 33822121 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjab039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Holometabolous insects undergo complete metamorphosis, and hence, they have different phases of development (egg, larva, pupa, and adult), which occupy distinct ecological niches. The pupae of several fly species are surrounded by the puparium, which is a rigid structure, usually formed by the integument of the last larval instar. The puparium presents unique characteristics distinct from those of the larval and adult phases. During intrapuparial development, it is possible to distinguish at least four fundamental and continuous steps, namely: 1) larval-pupal apolysis, 2) cryptocephalic pupa, 3) phanerocephalic pupa, and 4) pharate adult. The objective of this work was to describe the external morphology of the distinct phase of development for five species that were collected, identified, and raised in the laboratory; intrapuparial development was studied by fixing immature specimens at regular intervals; the morphological analyses were performed with the aid of both light and scanning electron microscopy. Under the conditions established (27 ± 1.0 or 23 ± 1.0°C, 60 ± 10% relative humidity, 12 h of photoperiod), the minimum time for intrapuparial development was: 252 h for Megaselia scalaris (Loew 1966) (Phoridae), 192 h for Piophila casei (Linnaeus 1758) (Piophilidae), Fannia pusio (Wiedemann 1830) (Fanniidae), and Musca domestica (Linnaeus 1758) (Muscidae), and 96 h for Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius 1794) (Calliphoridae). Intrapuparial development has defined steps, and distinct species responded differently to the same environmental conditions. In addition, it is possible to establish a sequential rule without ignoring the specific characteristics of each taxon.
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Affiliation(s)
- K B Barros-Cordeiro
- Laboratório de Diversidade de Insetos do Cerrado, Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília (UnB), Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, Brasília, DF, Brazil, CEP: 70910-900
- Laboratório de Microscopia e Microanálise, Departamento de Biologia Celular, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília (UnB), Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, Brasília, DF, Brazil, CEP: 70910-900, and
| | - J R Pujol-Luz
- Laboratório de Diversidade de Insetos do Cerrado, Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília (UnB), Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, Brasília, DF, Brazil, CEP: 70910-900
| | - S N Báo
- Laboratório de Microscopia e Microanálise, Departamento de Biologia Celular, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília (UnB), Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, Brasília, DF, Brazil, CEP: 70910-900, and
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19
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Baleba SBS. Water immersion tolerance by larval instars of stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans, L1758 (Diptera: Muscidae) impairs the fitness performance of their subsequent stages. BMC Ecol Evol 2021; 21:78. [PMID: 33947327 PMCID: PMC8097882 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-021-01810-z] [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: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In holometabolous insects, environmental factors experienced in pre-imaginal life stages affect the life-history traits within that stage and can also influence subsequent life stages. Here, I assessed tolerance to water immersion by the larval instars of the stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans L. (Diptera: Muscidae) and its impact on the life-history traits of their subsequent life stages. RESULTS After submerging the three larval instars of S. calcitrans in distilled water, I found that the first instar larvae remained active for longer as compared to the second and third instar larvae. Also, the first instar larvae took a longer period to recover from the stress-induced immobility when removed from the water and returned to ambient temperature. When I followed the development of individuals of each larval instar that survived from water immersion, I found that their developmental time, weight, pupation percentage, adult emergence percentage and adult weight were negatively affected by this stressor. However, the weight of S. calcitrans adults developed from immersed first larval instar individuals was not affected by water immersion whereas their counterparts developed from immersed second and third larval instars had lower body weight. This suggests that in S. calcitrans, water immersion stress at the earlier stage is less detrimental than that experienced at late stages. CONCLUSION This study provides a comparative overview of the fitness consequences associated with water immersion stress during S. calcitrans larval ontogeny. The results prove that the fitness shift induced by water immersion in S. calcitrans is stage-specific. My results illustrate the importance of considering each larval instar when assessing the impact of environmental factors on holometabolous insect performance as these may be decoupled by metamorphosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steve B S Baleba
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), P.O. Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
- Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Straße 8, 07745, Jena, Germany.
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20
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Donato S, Vommaro ML, Tromba G, Giglio A. Synchrotron X-ray phase contrast micro tomography to explore the morphology of abdominal organs in Pterostichus melas italicus Dejean, 1828 (Coleoptera, Carabidae). ARTHROPOD STRUCTURE & DEVELOPMENT 2021; 62:101044. [PMID: 33743431 DOI: 10.1016/j.asd.2021.101044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Revised: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Micro-computer tomography imaging is a fast and non-destructive data acquisition technique which can replace or complement the traditional investigation methodologies used in entomology to study morphology. In this paper, Synchrotron Radiation X-ray Phase-Contrast micro tomography (SR-PhC micro-CT) was combined with histology and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations to describe the abdominal organs of Pterostichus melas italicus Dejean, 1828 (Coleoptera, Carabidae). This species was used as a representative model because of its ecological role as a generalist predator in agroecosystems. SR-PhC micro-CT allowed us to identify in situ abdominal structures including dorsal vessel, digestive tract with Malpighian tubules, male reproductive system, ganglia, fat bodies, pygidial glands, muscles and tracheae. The histology was performed to define the tissue organization of the digestive and reproductive systems. SR-PhC micro-CT and 3D rendering provided more accurate information on shape and size of organs than histological and SEM analyses, respectively. The finding of this study was to describe the anatomy and histology of organs involved in crucial life history traits, such as reproduction, nutrition and excretion. High quality images and the supplementary video represent a significant advance in knowledge of the carabid anatomy and are a baseline for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandro Donato
- Department of Physics, University of Calabria, Via Bucci, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Cosenza, Italy; Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Division of Frascati, Via Fermi, 54, 00044 Frascati, Rome, Italy; Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A., Strada Statale 14 - km 163,5 in AREA Science Park, 34149 Basovizza, Trieste, Italy
| | - Maria Luigia Vommaro
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Science, University of Calabria, Via Bucci, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Cosenza, Italy.
| | - Giuliana Tromba
- Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A., Strada Statale 14 - km 163,5 in AREA Science Park, 34149 Basovizza, Trieste, Italy
| | - Anita Giglio
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Science, University of Calabria, Via Bucci, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Cosenza, Italy
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21
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Martín-Vega D, Wicklein M, Simonsen TJ, Garbout A, Ahmed F, Hall MJ. Anatomical reconfiguration of the optic lobe during metamorphosis in the blow fly Calliphora vicina (Diptera: Calliphoridae) revealed by X-ray micro-computed tomography. ZOOL ANZ 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcz.2021.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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22
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Martín-Vega D, Clark B, Ferrer LM, López-Tamayo S, Panadero R, Cepeda-Palacios R, Colwell DD, Hall MJR. Major differences in the larval anatomy of the digestive and excretory systems of three Oestridae species revealed by micro-CT. MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 35:106-120. [PMID: 32896916 DOI: 10.1111/mve.12476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Oestrid flies (Diptera: Oestridae) do not feed during the adult stage, so they depend on an efficient assimilation and storage of nutrients during their parasitic larval stage. We describe the general morphology and provide volumetric data for the digestive and excretory organs of the three larval instars of the nasal bot fly Oestrus ovis L., using micro-computed tomography. The size of the digestive and excretory organs greatly increased across larval instars. In all instars, the two salivary glands were remarkably large and formed a 'glandular band' by coming together, but without lumina uniting, at their posterior ends. The distal region of the anterior Malpighian tubules was greatly enlarged and full of highly radio-opaque concretions. Moreover, the anatomy of O. ovis third-instar larva was compared to that of two species of, respectively, similar and different feeding habits: Cephenemyia stimulator (Clark) and Hypoderma actaeon Brauer. Whereas the general morphology and arrangement of the digestive and excretory systems of C. stimulator was similar to that of O. ovis, some differences were observed in H. actaeon: a swollen anterior region of the midgut, salivary glands shorter and not forming a 'band' and anterior Malpighian tubules narrowly uniform throughout their entire length.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Martín-Vega
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Spain
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, U.K
| | - B Clark
- Imaging and Analysis Centre, Natural History Museum, London, U.K
| | - L M Ferrer
- Department of Animal Pathology, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - S López-Tamayo
- Department of Animal Pathology, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - R Panadero
- Department of Animal Pathology, University of Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain
| | - R Cepeda-Palacios
- Department of Animal Science and Environment Preservation, Autonomous University of Baja California Sur, La Paz, Mexico
| | - D D Colwell
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, Canada
| | - M J R Hall
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, U.K
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23
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The Relationship between Research and Casework in Forensic Entomology. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12020174. [PMID: 33671186 PMCID: PMC7922124 DOI: 10.3390/insects12020174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Forensic entomology concerns the use of insects as evidence in legal investigations. Many sorts of investigation can benefit from an interpretation of insects associated with the crime scene, but insect evidence is most frequently used in investigations of death. The interpretation of insect evidence in casework is guided by the data supplied through research. Such data are essential to improve the casework interpretation of insect evidence, thereby improving the robustness of the legal systems in which it operates. This paper explores the mutually beneficial relationship between research and casework in forensic entomology, contrasting the different challenges that each presents and giving examples of how each can support the other in delivering results of real societal benefit. It is written from the perspective of the Criminal Justice System of England and Wales, but many of the points raised are relevant to legal systems worldwide. Abstract Research is a vital component of all forensic sciences and is often stimulated by casework, which identifies gaps in our knowledge. In such a niche area of forensic science as entomology there should be a close and mutually beneficial relationship between research and casework: to some extent there is a continuum between the two and many forensic entomologists are involved in both to a greater or lesser degree. However, research and casework involve quite differing challenges, from the replicated, highly controlled, sometimes esoteric aspects of research to the very individual, sometimes chaotic and disruptive, but highly applied aspects of casework. Ideally casework will include the full involvement of a forensic entomologist, who will collect the insect and climate evidence at the scene and produce a robust expert witness statement based on a full analysis of this data. Unfortunately, it can also include situations where samples, if collected at all, are poorly preserved, not representative of the full cadaver fauna available and presented to the entomologist months or years after the event, without local temperature data. While research is recognised through publications and their citation indices, casework and its associated expert witness statements often receive no credit in an academic workplace, although they do have a positive societal impact and many other benefits of teaching and public engagement value. This manuscript examines the relationship between research and casework from a UK perspective, to raise awareness of the need to create an environment that values the contribution of both, for future generations to flourish in both areas.
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Liu Z, Han H, Chen W, Wang S, Meng F, Cai J, Guo Y. Evaluation of Reference Genes and Age Estimation of Forensically Useful Aldrichina grahami (Diptera: Calliphoridae) During Intrapuparial Period. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 58:47-55. [PMID: 32700732 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjaa144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The minimum postmortem interval (PMImin) could be evaluated from the developmental stage of forensically important insects colonize a corpse, such as blow flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae). Unlike larvae, the developmental stage of which is well established according to their morphology, estimating the age of pupae is proven to be challenging. Recently, several studies reported the regulation of special genes during the development of blow fly pupae. However, gene regulation in Aldrichina grahami during the intrapuparial period remains to be studied. Therefore, we set out to investigate the mRNA levels of heat shock protein 23 (Hsp23), heat shock protein 24 (Hsp24), and 1_16 during the metamorphosis of A. grahami pupae. First, we examined seven candidate reference genes (ribosomal protein 49 (RP49), 18S ribosomal RNA (18S rRNA), 28S ribosomal RNA (28S rRNA), beta-tubulin at 56D (β-tubulin), Ribosomal protein L23 (RPL23), glutathione S-transferase (GST1), and Actin. Three widely used algorithms (NormFinder, BestKeeper, and geNorm) were applied to evaluate the mRNA levels of reference gene candidates in puparium at three stable temperatures (15, 22, and 27°C). Next, mRNA expression of Hsp23, Hsp24, and 1_16 during A. grahami metamorphosis was examined. We demonstrated that mRNA expression levels of Hsp23, Hsp24, and 1_16 showed time-specific regulation. In summary, our study identified three gene markers for the intrapuparial period of A. grahami and might provide a potential application in PMImin estimation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuoying Liu
- Department of Forensic Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Department of Anesthesiology and Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Han Han
- Department of Forensic Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Wei Chen
- Department of Forensic Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Shiwen Wang
- Department of Forensic Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Fanming Meng
- Department of Forensic Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Jifeng Cai
- Department of Forensic Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yadong Guo
- Department of Forensic Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
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Martín-Vega D, Clark B, Ferrer LM, López-Tamayo S, Colwell DD, Hall MJR. Internal morphological changes during metamorphosis in the sheep nasal bot fly, Oestrus ovis. MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY 2020; 34:476-487. [PMID: 32767606 DOI: 10.1111/mve.12465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
During the larval stage, oestrid flies (Diptera: Oestridae) are obligate parasites, whereas during the adult stage they are free-living and do not feed. Like other cyclorrhaphous flies, oestrids undergo metamorphosis inside an opaque puparium, formed by the contracted and hardened cuticle of the third-instar larva. The present study documents the internal morphological changes taking place during metamorphosis of the sheep nasal bot fly, Oestrus ovis L., using non-invasive, micro-CT-based virtual histology and provides quantitative data of volumetric changes in specific organs. Virtual histological sections allowed visualisation of the progression and completion of the apolyses, which delimit the different intra-puparial stages, and the connection to the tracheal system of a large gas bubble, which plays an essential role during early metamorphosis. Overall, our results show that the sequence of morphological and volumetric changes in tissues and organs is similar to those found in other cyclorrhaphous flies, but they also reveal developmental differences that result in an adult vestigial digestive tract. Future studies could develop non-invasive, reliable methods for aging the intra-puparial forms of different oestrid species of veterinary importance, based on both qualitative and quantitative markers, thus improving our knowledge of their development and the efficiency of control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Martín-Vega
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Spain
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, U.K
| | - B Clark
- Imaging and Analysis Centre, Natural History Museum, London, U.K
| | - L M Ferrer
- Department of Animal Pathology, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - S López-Tamayo
- Department of Animal Pathology, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - D D Colwell
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, Canada
| | - M J R Hall
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, U.K
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Galarza JA, Dhaygude K, Ghaedi B, Suisto K, Valkonen J, Mappes J. Evaluating responses to temperature during pre-metamorphosis and carry-over effects at post-metamorphosis in the wood tiger moth (Arctia plantaginis). Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 374:20190295. [PMID: 31438813 PMCID: PMC6711291 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Insect metamorphosis is one of the most recognized processes delimiting transitions between phenotypes. It has been traditionally postulated as an adaptive process decoupling traits between life stages, allowing evolutionary independence of pre- and post-metamorphic phenotypes. However, the degree of autonomy between these life stages varies depending on the species and has not been studied in detail over multiple traits simultaneously. Here, we reared full-sib larvae of the warningly coloured wood tiger moth (Arctia plantaginis) in different temperatures and examined their responses for phenotypic (melanization change, number of moults), gene expression (RNA-seq and qPCR of candidate genes for melanization and flight performance) and life-histories traits (pupal weight, and larval and pupal ages). In the emerging adults, we examined their phenotypes (melanization and size) and compared them at three condition proxies: heat absorption (ability to engage flight), flight metabolism (ability to sustain flight) and overall flight performance. We found that some larval responses, as evidenced by gene expression and change in melanization, did not have an effect on the adult (i.e. size and wing melanization), whereas other adult traits such as heat absorption, body melanization and flight performance were found to be impacted by rearing temperature. Adults reared at high temperature showed higher resting metabolic rate, lower body melanization, faster heating rate, lower body temperature at take-off and inferior flight performance than cold-reared adults. Thus, our results did not unambiguously support the environment-matching hypothesis. Our results illustrate the importance of assessing multiple traits across life stages as these may only be partly decoupled by metamorphosis. This article is part of the theme issue 'The evolution of complete metamorphosis'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan A. Galarza
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
| | | | - Behnaz Ghaedi
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Kaisa Suisto
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Janne Valkonen
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Johanna Mappes
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
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Johnston PR, Paris V, Rolff J. Immune gene regulation in the gut during metamorphosis in a holo- versus a hemimetabolous insect. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 374:20190073. [PMID: 31438821 PMCID: PMC6711282 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
During metamorphosis, holometabolous insects completely replace the larval gut and must control the microbiota to avoid septicaemia. Rapid induction of bactericidal activity in the insect gut at the onset of pupation has been described in numerous orders of the Holometabola and is best-studied in the Lepidoptera where it is under control of the 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) moulting pathway. Here, using RNAseq, we compare the expression of immune effector genes in the gut during metamorphosis in a holometabolous (Galleria mellonella) and a hemimetabolous insect (Gryllus bimaculatus). We find that in G. mellonella, the expression of numerous immune effectors and the transcription factor GmEts are upregulated, with peak expression of three antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and a lysozyme coinciding with delamination of the larval gut. By contrast, no such upregulation was detectable in the hemimetabolous Gr. bimaculatus. These findings support the idea that the upregulation of immune effectors at the onset of complete metamorphosis is an adaptive response, which controls the microbiota during gut replacement. This article is part of the theme issue 'The evolution of complete metamorphosis'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul R. Johnston
- Berlin Center for Genomics in Biodiversity Research, Berlin, Germany
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Berlin, Germany
| | - Véronique Paris
- Evolutionary Biology, Institut für Biologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Bio 21 Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Jens Rolff
- Evolutionary Biology, Institut für Biologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
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Rolff J, Johnston PR, Reynolds S. Complete metamorphosis of insects. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 374:20190063. [PMID: 31438816 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The majority of described hexapod species are holometabolous insects, undergoing an extreme form of metamorphosis with an intercalated pupal stage between the larva and adult, in which organs and tissues are extensively remodelled and in some cases completely rebuilt. Here, we review how and why this developmental strategy has evolved. While there are many theories explaining the evolution of metamorphosis, many of which fit under the hypothesis of decoupling of life stages, there are few clear adaptive hypotheses on why complete metamorphosis evolved. We propose that the main adaptive benefit of complete metamorphosis is decoupling between growth and differentiation. This facilitates the exploitation of ephemeral resources and enhances the probability of the metamorphic transition escaping developmental size thresholds. The evolution of complete metamorphosis comes at the cost of exposure to predators, parasites and pathogens during pupal life and requires specific adaptations of the immune system at this time. Moreover, metamorphosis poses a challenge for the maintenance of symbionts and the gut microbiota, although it may also offer the benefit of allowing an extensive change in microbiota between the larval and adult stages. The regulation of metamorphosis by two main players, ecdysone and juvenile hormone, and the related signalling cascades are now relatively well understood. The mechanics of metamorphosis have recently been studied in detail because of the advent of micro-CT and research into the role of cell death in remodelling tissues and organs. We support the argument that the adult stage must necessarily have preceded the larval form of the insect. We do not resolve the still contentious question of whether the larva of insects in general originated through the modification of existing preadult forms or through heterochrony as a modified embryonic stage (pronymph), nor whether the holometabolous pupa arose as a modified hemimetabolous final stage larva. This article is part of the theme issue 'The evolution of complete metamorphosis'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jens Rolff
- Evolutionary Biology, Institut für Biologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
| | - Paul R Johnston
- Evolutionary Biology, Institut für Biologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Berlin Center for Genomics in Biodiversity Research, Berlin, Germany.,Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Berlin, Germany
| | - Stuart Reynolds
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, UK
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