1
|
Liu J, Rayes D, Akbari OS. A Fluorescent Sex-Sorting Technique for Insects with the Demonstration in Drosophila melanogaster. GEN BIOTECHNOLOGY 2024; 3:35-44. [PMID: 38415050 PMCID: PMC10895710 DOI: 10.1089/genbio.2023.0041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Recent advances in insect genetic engineering offer alternative genetic biocontrol solutions to control populations of pests and disease vectors. While success has been achieved, sex-sorting remains problematic for scaling many genetic biocontrol interventions. Here, we describe the development of a genetically stable sex-sorting technique for female and male selection with a proof of concept in Drosophila melanogaster termed SEPARATOR (Sexing Element Produced by Alternative RNA-splicing of A Transgenic Observable Reporter). This elegant approach utilizes dominantly expressed fluorescent proteins and differentially spliced introns to ensure sex-specific expression. The system has the potential for adaptability to various insect species and application for high-throughput insect sex-sorting.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Junru Liu
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Danny Rayes
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Omar S. Akbari
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Davydova S, Liu J, Kandul NP, Braswell WE, Akbari OS, Meccariello A. Next-generation genetic sexing strain establishment in the agricultural pest Ceratitis capitata. Sci Rep 2023; 13:19866. [PMID: 37964160 PMCID: PMC10646097 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47276-5] [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: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Tephritid fruit fly pests pose an increasing threat to the agricultural industry due to their global dispersion and a highly invasive nature. Here we showcase the feasibility of an early-detection SEPARATOR sex sorting approach through using the non-model Tephritid pest, Ceratitis capitata. This system relies on female-only fluorescent marker expression, accomplished through the use of a sex-specific intron of the highly-conserved transformer gene from C. capitata and Anastrepha ludens. The herein characterized strains have 100% desired phenotype outcomes, allowing accurate male-female separation during early development. Overall, we describe an antibiotic and temperature-independent sex-sorting system in C. capitata, which, moving forward, may be implemented in other non-model Tephritid pest species. This strategy can facilitate the establishment of genetic sexing systems with endogenous elements exclusively, which, on a wider scale, can improve pest population control strategies like sterile insect technique.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Serafima Davydova
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Junru Liu
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Nikolay P Kandul
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - W Evan Braswell
- USDA APHIS PPQ Science and Technology Insect Management and Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory, 22675 North Moorefield Road, Edinburg, TX, 78541, USA
| | - Omar S Akbari
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Angela Meccariello
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Vigoder FM, Araripe LO, Carvalho AB. Identification of the sex chromosome system in a sand fly species, Lutzomyia longipalpis s.l. G3 GENES|GENOMES|GENETICS 2021; 11:6310017. [PMID: 34849827 PMCID: PMC8496290 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkab217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
In many animal species, sex determination is accomplished by heterogamety i.e., one of the sexes produces two types of gametes, which upon fertilization will direct the development toward males or females. Both male (“XY”) and female (“ZW”) heterogamety are known to occur and can be easily distinguished when the sex-chromosomes are morphologically different. However, this approach fails in cases of homomorphic sex chromosomes, such as the sand fly Lutzomyia longipalpis s.l. (Psychodidae, Diptera), which is the main vector of visceral leishmaniosis in Brazil. In order to identify the heterogametic sex in L. longipalpis s.l., we did a whole-genome sequencing of males and females separately and used the “Y chromosome Genome Scan” (YGS) method to find sex-specific sequences. Our results, which were confirmed by PCR, show that L. longipalpis s.l. has XY system. The YGS method can be especially useful in situations in which no morphological difference is observed in the sex-chromosomes or when fresh specimens are not readily available.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Felipe M Vigoder
- Departamento de Genética, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, CCS, Rio de Janeiro sl A2-075 21941-971, Brazil
| | - Luciana O Araripe
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Antonio Bernardo Carvalho
- Departamento de Genética, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, CCS, Rio de Janeiro sl A2-075 21941-971, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Nguyen TNM, Choo A, Baxter SW. Lessons from Drosophila: Engineering Genetic Sexing Strains with Temperature-Sensitive Lethality for Sterile Insect Technique Applications. INSECTS 2021; 12:243. [PMID: 33805657 PMCID: PMC8001749 DOI: 10.3390/insects12030243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
A major obstacle of sterile insect technique (SIT) programs is the availability of robust sex-separation systems for conditional removal of females. Sterilized male-only releases improve SIT efficiency and cost-effectiveness for agricultural pests, whereas it is critical to remove female disease-vector pests prior to release as they maintain the capacity to transmit disease. Some of the most successful Genetic Sexing Strains (GSS) reared and released for SIT control were developed for Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly), Ceratitis capitata, and carry a temperature sensitive lethal (tsl) mutation that eliminates female but not male embryos when heat treated. The Medfly tsl mutation was generated by random mutagenesis and the genetic mechanism causing this valuable heat sensitive phenotype remains unknown. Conditional temperature sensitive lethal mutations have also been developed using random mutagenesis in the insect model, Drosophila melanogaster, and were used for some of the founding genetic research published in the fields of neuro- and developmental biology. Here we review mutations in select D. melanogaster genes shibire, Notch, RNA polymerase II 215kDa, pale, transformer-2, Dsor1 and CK2α that cause temperature sensitive phenotypes. Precise introduction of orthologous point mutations in pest insect species with CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology holds potential to establish GSSs with embryonic lethality to improve and advance SIT pest control.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thu N. M. Nguyen
- Bio21 Institute, School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia;
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia;
| | - Amanda Choo
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia;
| | - Simon W. Baxter
- Bio21 Institute, School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia;
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Meza JS, Bourtzis K, Zacharopoulou A, Gariou-Papalexiou A, Cáceres C. Development and characterization of a pupal-colour based genetic sexing strain of Anastrepha fraterculus sp. 1 (Diptera: Tephritidae). BMC Genet 2020; 21:134. [PMID: 33339513 PMCID: PMC7747363 DOI: 10.1186/s12863-020-00932-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Area-wide integrated pest management programs (AW-IPM) incorporating sterile insect technique (SIT) have been successful in suppressing populations of different fruit fly species during the last six decades. In addition, the development of genetic sexing strains (GSS) for different fruit fly species has allowed for sterile male-only releases and has significantly improved the efficacy and cost effectiveness of the SIT applications. The South American Fruit Fly Anastrepha fraterculus (Diptera: Tephritidae) is a major agricultural pest attacking several fruit commodities. This impedes international trade and has a significant negative impact on the local economies. Given the importance of sterile male-only releases, the development of a GSS for A. fraterculus would facilitate the implementation of an efficient and cost-effective SIT operational program against this insect pest species. Results For potential use in a GSS, three new morphological markers (mutants) were isolated in a laboratory strain of A. fraterculus sp. 1, including the black pupae (bp) gene located on chromosome VI. The black pupa phenotype was used as a selectable marker to develop genetic sexing strains by linking the wild type allele (bp+) to the Y-chromosome -via irradiation to induce a reciprocal Y-autosome translocation. Four GSS were established and one of them, namely GSS-89, showed the best genetic stability and the highest fertility. This strain was selected for further characterization and cytogenetic analysis. Conclusions We herein report the development of the first genetic sexing strain of a major agricultural pest, A. fraterculus sp. 1, using as a selectable marker the black pupae genetic locus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- José S Meza
- Programa Moscafrut, AGRICULTURA/SENASICA-IICA, Metapa de Domínguez, Chiapas, Mexico. .,Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Seibersdorf, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Kostas Bourtzis
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Seibersdorf, Vienna, Austria
| | - Antigone Zacharopoulou
- Deparment of Biology, Division of Genetics, Cell and Development Biology, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
| | - Angeliki Gariou-Papalexiou
- Deparment of Biology, Division of Genetics, Cell and Development Biology, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
| | - Carlos Cáceres
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Seibersdorf, Vienna, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Bourtzis K, Hendrichs J. Preface: development and evaluation of improved strains of insect pests for sterile insect technique (SIT) applications. BMC Genet 2014; 15 Suppl 2:I1. [PMID: 25472848 PMCID: PMC4255763 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2156-15-s2-i1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
|