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Dos Santos CH, Gustani EC, Machado LPDB, Mateus RP. Dietary Variation Effect on Life History Traits and Energy Storage in Neotropical Species of Drosophila (Diptera; Drosophilidae). NEOTROPICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2024; 53:578-595. [PMID: 38687423 DOI: 10.1007/s13744-024-01147-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
The ability of an organism to respond to nutritional stress can be a plastic character under the action of natural selection, affecting several characteristics, including life history and energy storage. The genus Drosophila (Diptera; Drosophilidae) presents high variability regarding natural resource exploration. However, most works on this theme have studied the model species D. melanogaster Meigen, 1830 and little is known about Neotropical drosophilids. Here we evaluate the effects of three diets, with different carbohydrate-to-protein ratios, on life history (viability and development time) and metabolic pools (triglycerides, glycogen, and total soluble protein contents) of three Neotropical species of Drosophila: D. maculifrons Duda, 1927; D. ornatifrons Duda, 1927, both of the subgenus Drosophila Sturtevant, 1939, and D. willistoni Sturtevant, 1916 of the subgenus Sophophora Sturtevant, 1939. Our results showed that only D. willistoni was viable on all diets, D. maculifrons was not viable on the sugary diet, while D. ornatifrons was barely viable on this diet. The sugary diet increased the development time of D. willistoni and D. ornatifrons, and D. willistoni glycogen content. Thus, the viability of D. maculifrons and D. ornatifrons seems to depend on a certain amount of protein and/or a low concentration of carbohydrate in the diet. A more evident effect of the diets on triglyceride and protein pools was detected in D. ornatifrons, which could be related to the adult attraction to dung and carrion baited pitfall as food resource tested in nature. Our results demonstrated that the evolutionary history and differential adaptations to natural macronutrient resources are important to define the amplitude of response that a species can present when faced with dietary variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Heloise Dos Santos
- Evolutionary Biology Graduate Program, Biological Sciences Department, UNICENTRO, Guarapuava, PR, Brazil
| | | | - Luciana Paes de Barros Machado
- Evolutionary Biology Graduate Program, Biological Sciences Department, UNICENTRO, Guarapuava, PR, Brazil
- Laboratory of Genetics and Evolution, Biological Sciences Department, UNICENTRO, Guarapuava, PR, Brazil
| | - Rogério Pincela Mateus
- Evolutionary Biology Graduate Program, Biological Sciences Department, UNICENTRO, Guarapuava, PR, Brazil.
- Laboratory of Genetics and Evolution, Biological Sciences Department, UNICENTRO, Guarapuava, PR, Brazil.
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Sellamuthu G, Naseer A, Hradecký J, Chakraborty A, Synek J, Modlinger R, Roy A. Gene expression plasticity facilitates different host feeding in Ips sexdentatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae). INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 165:104061. [PMID: 38151136 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2023.104061] [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: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
Host shift is ecologically advantageous and a crucial driver for herbivore insect speciation. Insects on the non-native host obtain enemy-free space and confront reduced competition, but they must adapt to survive. Such signatures of adaptations can often be detected at the gene expression level. It is astonishing how bark beetles cope with distinct chemical environments while feeding on various conifers. Hence, we aim to disentangle the six-toothed bark beetle (Ips sexdentatus) response against two different conifer defences upon host shift (Scots pine to Norway spruce). We conducted bioassay and metabolomic analysis followed by RNA-seq experiments to comprehend the beetle's ability to surpass two different terpene-based conifer defence systems. Beetle growth rate and fecundity were increased when reared exclusively on spruce logs (alternative host) compared to pine logs (native host). Comparative gene expression analysis identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to digestion, detoxification, transporter activity, growth, signalling, and stress response in the spruce-feeding beetle gut. Transporter genes were highly abundant during spruce feeding, suggesting they could play a role in pumping a wide variety of endogenous and xenobiotic compounds or allelochemicals out. Trehalose transporter (TRET) is also up-regulated in the spruce-fed beetle gut to maintain homeostasis and stress tolerance. RT-qPCR and enzymatic assays further corroborated some of our findings. Taken together, the transcriptional plasticity of key physiological genes plays a crucial role after the host shift and provides vital clues for the adaptive potential of bark beetles on different conifer hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gothandapani Sellamuthu
- Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Forest Molecular Entomology Lab, Faculty of Forestry & Wood Sciences, Kamýcká 129, Prague, 16500, Czech Republic; Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Excellent Team for Mitigation (ETM), Faculty of Forestry & Wood Sciences, Kamýcká 129, Prague, 16500, Czech Republic
| | - Aisha Naseer
- Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Forest Molecular Entomology Lab, Faculty of Forestry & Wood Sciences, Kamýcká 129, Prague, 16500, Czech Republic; Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Excellent Team for Mitigation (ETM), Faculty of Forestry & Wood Sciences, Kamýcká 129, Prague, 16500, Czech Republic
| | - Jaromír Hradecký
- Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Excellent Team for Mitigation (ETM), Faculty of Forestry & Wood Sciences, Kamýcká 129, Prague, 16500, Czech Republic
| | - Amrita Chakraborty
- Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Forest Molecular Entomology Lab, Faculty of Forestry & Wood Sciences, Kamýcká 129, Prague, 16500, Czech Republic; Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Forest Microbiome Team, Faculty of Forestry & Wood Sciences, Kamýcká 129, Prague, 16500, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Synek
- Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Excellent Team for Mitigation (ETM), Faculty of Forestry & Wood Sciences, Kamýcká 129, Prague, 16500, Czech Republic
| | - Roman Modlinger
- Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Excellent Team for Mitigation (ETM), Faculty of Forestry & Wood Sciences, Kamýcká 129, Prague, 16500, Czech Republic
| | - Amit Roy
- Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Forest Molecular Entomology Lab, Faculty of Forestry & Wood Sciences, Kamýcká 129, Prague, 16500, Czech Republic; Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Excellent Team for Mitigation (ETM), Faculty of Forestry & Wood Sciences, Kamýcká 129, Prague, 16500, Czech Republic; Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Forest Microbiome Team, Faculty of Forestry & Wood Sciences, Kamýcká 129, Prague, 16500, Czech Republic.
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Moreyra NN, Almeida FC, Allan C, Frankel N, Matzkin LM, Hasson E. Phylogenomics provides insights into the evolution of cactophily and host plant shifts in Drosophila. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2023; 178:107653. [PMID: 36404461 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2022.107653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Cactophilic species of the Drosophila buzzatii cluster (repleta group) comprise an excellent model group to investigate genomic changes underlying adaptation to extreme climate conditions and host plants. In particular, these species form a tractable system to study the transition from chemically simpler breeding sites (like prickly pears of the genus Opuntia) to chemically more complex hosts (columnar cacti). Here, we report four highly contiguous genome assemblies of three species of the buzzatii cluster. Based on this genomic data and inferred phylogenetic relationships, we identified candidate taxonomically restricted genes (TRGs) likely involved in the evolution of cactophily and cactus host specialization. Functional enrichment analyses of TRGs within the buzzatii cluster identified genes involved in detoxification, water preservation, immune system response, anatomical structure development, and morphogenesis. In contrast, processes that regulate responses to stress, as well as the metabolism of nitrogen compounds, transport, and secretion were found in the set of species that are columnar cacti dwellers. These findings are in line with the hypothesis that those genomic changes brought about key mechanisms underlying the adaptation of the buzzatii cluster species to arid regions in South America.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolás Nahuel Moreyra
- Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución (EGE), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (FCEyN), Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina; Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires (IEGEBA), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina.
| | - Francisca Cunha Almeida
- Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución (EGE), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (FCEyN), Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina; Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires (IEGEBA), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina.
| | - Carson Allan
- Department of Entomology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA.
| | - Nicolás Frankel
- Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución (EGE), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (FCEyN), Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina; Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires (IEGEBA), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina.
| | | | - Esteban Hasson
- Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución (EGE), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (FCEyN), Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina; Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires (IEGEBA), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina.
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Rondón JJ, Moreyra NN, Pisarenco VA, Rozas J, Hurtado J, Hasson E. Evolution of the odorant-binding protein gene family in Drosophila. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.957247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) are encoded by a gene family involved in the perception of olfactory signals in insects. This chemosensory gene family has been advocated as a candidate to mediate host preference and host shifts in insects, although it also participates in other physiological processes. Remarkable differences in the OBP gene repertoire have been described across insect groups, suggesting an accelerated gene turnover rate. The genus Drosophila, is a valuable resource for ecological genomics studies since it comprises groups of ecologically diverse species and there are genome data for many of them. Here, we investigate the molecular evolution of this chemosensory gene family across 19 Drosophila genomes, including the melanogaster and repleta species groups, which are mostly associated with rotting fruit and cacti, respectively. We also compared the OBP repertoire among the closely related species of the repleta group, associated with different subfamilies of Cactaceae that represent disparate chemical challenges for the flies. We found that the gene family size varies widely between species, ranging from 39 to 54 candidate OBPs. Indeed, more than 54% of these genes are organized in clusters and located on chromosomes X, 2, and 5, with a distribution conserved throughout the genus. The family sizes in the repleta group and D. virilis (virilis-repleta radiation) were smaller than in the melanogaster group. We tested alternative evolutionary models for OBP family size and turnover rates based on different ecological scenarios. We found heterogeneous gene turnover rates (GR) in comparisons involving columnar cactus specialists, prickly pear specialists, and fruit dwellers lineages, and signals of rapid molecular evolution compatible with positive selection in specific OBP genes. Taking ours and previous results together, we propose that this chemosensory gene family is involved in host adaptation and hypothesize that the adoption of the cactophilic lifestyle in the repleta group accelerated the evolution of members of the family.
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