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Preuss A, Appel E, Gorb SN, Büsse S. Tanning of the tarsal and mandibular cuticle in adult Anax imperator (Insecta: Odonata) during the emergence sequence. Interface Focus 2024; 14:20230076. [PMID: 38618233 PMCID: PMC11008962 DOI: 10.1098/rsfs.2023.0076] [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: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Abstract
The arthropod cuticle offers strength, protection, and lightweight. Due to its limit in expandability, arthropods have to moult periodically to grow. While moulting is beneficial in terms of parasite or toxin control, growth and adaptation to environmental conditions, it costs energy and leaves the soft animal's body vulnerable to injuries and desiccation directly after ecdysis. To investigate the temporal change in sclerotization and pigmentation during and after ecdysis, we combined macrophotography, confocal laser scanning microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and histological sectioning. We analysed the tarsal and mandibular cuticle of the blue emperor dragonfly to compare the progress of tanning for structures that are functionally involved during emergence (tarsus/tarsal claws) with structures whose functionality is required much later (mandibles). Our results show that: (i) the tanning of the tarsal and mandibular cuticle increases during emergence; (ii) the tarsal cuticle tans faster than the mandibular cuticle; (iii) the mandibles tan faster on the aboral than on the oral side; and (iv) both the exo- and the endocuticle are tanned. The change in the cuticle composition of the tarsal and mandibular cuticle reflects the demand for higher mechanical stability of these body parts when holding on to the substrate during emergence and during first walking or hunting attempts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anika Preuss
- Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Institute of Zoology, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 9, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Esther Appel
- Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Institute of Zoology, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 9, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Stanislav N. Gorb
- Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Institute of Zoology, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 9, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Sebastian Büsse
- Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Institute of Zoology, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 9, 24118 Kiel, Germany
- Department for Cytology and Evolutionary Biology, Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Greifswald, Soldmannstr. 23, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
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Zhou ZX, Dou W, Wang M, Shang F, Wang JJ. Bursicon regulates wing expansion via PKA in the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2024; 80:388-396. [PMID: 37708392 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bursicon is a heterodimeric neuropeptide that is involved in many physiological activities such as cuticle tanning, wing expansion, reproduction and immunity in insects. In this study, the role of bursicon in the wing expansion was investigated in Bactrocera dorsalis, an important invasive insect pest in agriculture. RESULTS The cDNA sequences and deduced amino acids of bursicon genes (named BdBurs-α and BdBurs-β) were determined, and two proteins typically contained 11 cysteine residues in conserved positions that were highly conserved in other insect species. The spatiotemporal expressions of bursicon genes showed that higher expression occurred at the pupal, early adult stage and ovaries, and lower expression at the late larval stage and in wing tissue (8-day-old pupae). Dysfunction of bursicon genes by dsRNA microinjection into 5-day-old pupae reduced PKA (a downstream component of the bursicon pathway) activity and resulted in malformed adult wings. PKA inhibitor injection into 5-day-old pupae also resulted in similar phenotypes. Hematoxylin & eosin staining of the adult wing showed that RNAi and PKA inhibitor treatment reduced the thickness of the wing cuticle, which wing cuticle thickness were ≈50% thinner than in the control. Furthermore, the expression of hedgehog (Bdhh) (one of 10 tested genes related to wing development) was significantly upregulated after RNAi and PKA inhibitor application. CONCLUSION The results indicate that bursicon plays a crucial role in the wing expansion of B. dorsalis, suggesting bursicon genes have potential to be the targets for B. dorsalis control. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi-Xiong Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biosafety and Green Production of Upper Yangtze River (Ministry of Education), Academy of Agricultural Science, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Wei Dou
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biosafety and Green Production of Upper Yangtze River (Ministry of Education), Academy of Agricultural Science, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Mo Wang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Feng Shang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biosafety and Green Production of Upper Yangtze River (Ministry of Education), Academy of Agricultural Science, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jin-Jun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biosafety and Green Production of Upper Yangtze River (Ministry of Education), Academy of Agricultural Science, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
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Luo GH, Chen XE, Jiao YY, Zhu GH, Zhang R, Dhandapani RK, Fang JC, Palli SR. SoxC is Required for Ecdysteroid Induction of Neuropeptide Genes During Insect Eclosion. Front Genet 2022; 13:942884. [PMID: 35899187 PMCID: PMC9309532 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.942884] [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: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
In insects, the shedding of the old exoskeleton is accomplished through ecdysis which is typically followed by the expansion and tanning of the new cuticle. Four neuropeptides, eclosion hormone (EH), ecdysis triggering hormone (ETH), crustacean cardioactive peptide (CCAP) and bursicon (Bur) are known to control ecdysis. However, the regulation of these neuropeptide genes is still poorly understood. Here, we report that in the red flour beetle (RFB) Tribolium castaneum and the fall armyworm (FAW) Spodoptera frugiperda, knockdown or knockout of the SoxC gene caused eclosion defects. The expansion and tanning of wings were not complete. In both RFB and FAW, the knockdown or knockout of SoxC resulted in a decrease in the expression of EH gene. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays revealed that the SfSoxC protein directly binds to a motif present in the promoter of SfEH. The luciferase reporter assays in Sf9 cells confirmed these results. These data suggest that transcription factor SoxC plays a key role in ecdysteroid induction of genes coding for neuropeptides such as EH involved in the regulation of insect eclosion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guang-Hua Luo
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Food and Safety-State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base of Ministry of Science and Technology, Nanjing, China,Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Xi-En Chen
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Yao-Yu Jiao
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Guan-Heng Zhu
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States,School of Agriculture, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ru Zhang
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Food and Safety-State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base of Ministry of Science and Technology, Nanjing, China
| | - Ramesh Kumar Dhandapani
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Ji-Chao Fang
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Food and Safety-State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base of Ministry of Science and Technology, Nanjing, China,*Correspondence: Ji-Chao Fang, ; Subba Reddy Palli,
| | - Subba Reddy Palli
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States,*Correspondence: Ji-Chao Fang, ; Subba Reddy Palli,
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Flaven-Pouchon J, Moussian B. Fluorescent Microscopy-Based Detection of Chitin in Intact Drosophila melanogaster. Front Physiol 2022; 13:856369. [PMID: 35557963 PMCID: PMC9086190 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.856369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Chitin is the major scaffolding component of the insect cuticle. Ultrastructural analyses revealed that chitin adopts a quasi-crystalline structure building sheets of parallel running microfibrils. These sheets called laminae are stacked either helicoidally or with a preferred orientation of the microfibrils. Precise control of chitin synthesis is mandatory to ensure the correct chitin assembly and in turn proper function of cuticular structures. Thus, evaluation of chitin-metabolism deficient phenotypes is a key to our understanding of the function of the proteins and enzymes involved in cuticle architecture and more generally in cuticle biology in insects. Usually, these phenotypes have been assessed using electron microscopy, which is time-consuming and labor intensive. This stresses the need for rapid and straightforward histological methods to visualize chitin at the whole tissue level. Here, we propose a simple method of chitin staining using the common polysaccharide marker Fluorescent brightener 28 (FB28) in whole-mount Drosophila melanogaster. To overcome the physical barrier of FB28 penetration into the cuticle, staining is performed at 65°C without affecting intactness. We quantify FB28 fluorescence in three functionally different cuticular structures namely wings, dorsal abdomens and forelegs by fluorescence microscopy. We find that, as expected, cuticle pigmentation may interfere with FB28 staining. Down-regulation of critical genes involved in chitin metabolism, including those coding for chitin synthase or chitinases, show that FB28 fluorescence reflects chitin content in these organs. We think that this simple method could be easily applied to a large variety of intact insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Flaven-Pouchon
- Interfaculty Institute of Cell Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Instituto de Neurociencia, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaiso, Chile
| | - B Moussian
- Interfaculty Institute of Cell Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,INRAE, CNRS, Institut Sophia Agrobiotech, Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, France
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Dean DM, Deitcher DL, Paster CO, Xu M, Loehlin DW. "A fly appeared": sable, a classic Drosophila mutation, maps to Yippee, a gene affecting body color, wings, and bristles. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2022; 12:jkac058. [PMID: 35266526 PMCID: PMC9073688 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkac058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Insect body color is an easily assessed and visually engaging trait that is informative on a broad range of topics including speciation, biomaterial science, and ecdysis. Mutants of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster have been an integral part of body color research for more than a century. As a result of this long tenure, backlogs of body color mutations have remained unmapped to their genes, all while their strains have been dutifully maintained, used for recombination mapping, and part of genetics education. Stemming from a lesson plan in our undergraduate genetics class, we have mapped sable1, a dark body mutation originally described by Morgan and Bridges, to Yippee, a gene encoding a predicted member of the E3 ubiquitin ligase complex. Deficiency/duplication mapping, genetic rescue, DNA and cDNA sequencing, RT-qPCR, and 2 new CRISPR alleles indicated that sable1 is a hypomorphic Yippee mutation due to an mdg4 element insertion in the Yippee 5'-UTR. Further analysis revealed additional Yippee mutant phenotypes including curved wings, ectopic/missing bristles, delayed development, and failed adult emergence. RNAi of Yippee in the ectoderm phenocopied sable body color and most other Yippee phenotypes. Although Yippee remains functionally uncharacterized, the results presented here suggest possible connections between melanin biosynthesis, copper homeostasis, and Notch/Delta signaling; in addition, they provide insight into past studies of sable cell nonautonomy and of the genetic modifier suppressor of sable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derek M Dean
- Department of Biology, Williams College, Williamstown, MA 01267, USA
| | - David L Deitcher
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Caleigh O Paster
- Department of Biology, Williams College, Williamstown, MA 01267, USA
| | - Manting Xu
- Department of Biology, Williams College, Williamstown, MA 01267, USA
| | - David W Loehlin
- Department of Biology, Williams College, Williamstown, MA 01267, USA
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Bochicchio PA, Pérez MM, Quesada-Allué LA, Rabossi A. Completion of metamorphosis after adult emergence in Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae). CURRENT RESEARCH IN INSECT SCIENCE 2021; 1:100017. [PMID: 36003610 PMCID: PMC9387442 DOI: 10.1016/j.cris.2021.100017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Revised: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Two post-emergence phases were observed in medfly, a walking and a motionless phase. Main morphological events occurred during motionless phase. Definitive tanning of the wings is proposed as the end of C. capitata metamorphosis.
The ecdysis of the imago is a crucial step in the development of holometabolous insects. However, no information on several aspects of Ceratitis capitata imago emergence and subsequent body maturation is available. We analysed behavioural events and evaluated the oxygen consumption and the dynamics of carbohydrate and lipid reserves during puparium extrication and in newly emerged imago until full wing expansion. A system for recording images with the corresponding software for image analysis was built for this purpose. After extrication, C. capitata showed two early postemergence phases: walking (6.56 ± 4.01 min, 6.2% of the wing spreading period, WSP) and the phase without locomotor motion (98.75 ± 26.04 min; 93.8% WSP). Three main events were recognized during the last phase. The first involved an initial expansion of the wings (11.12 ± 4.32 min). The second event was the progressive tanning of the body cuticle in general and the wing veins in particular, and the last entailed the definitive expansion of the wings to attain the characteristic arrow-shaped wing aspect. Our studies here complement previous descriptions of the tanning process of newly emerged medfly adults (Pérez et al., 2018). As a consequence of the results presented here, we consider that the initial events of the newly emerged adult could be interpreted as the last steps of metamorphosis.
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Nässel DR, Zandawala M. Hormonal axes in Drosophila: regulation of hormone release and multiplicity of actions. Cell Tissue Res 2020; 382:233-266. [PMID: 32827072 PMCID: PMC7584566 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-020-03264-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Hormones regulate development, as well as many vital processes in the daily life of an animal. Many of these hormones are peptides that act at a higher hierarchical level in the animal with roles as organizers that globally orchestrate metabolism, physiology and behavior. Peptide hormones can act on multiple peripheral targets and simultaneously convey basal states, such as metabolic status and sleep-awake or arousal across many central neuronal circuits. Thereby, they coordinate responses to changing internal and external environments. The activity of neurosecretory cells is controlled either by (1) cell autonomous sensors, or (2) by other neurons that relay signals from sensors in peripheral tissues and (3) by feedback from target cells. Thus, a hormonal signaling axis commonly comprises several components. In mammals and other vertebrates, several hormonal axes are known, such as the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonad axis or the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis that regulate reproduction and metabolism, respectively. It has been proposed that the basic organization of such hormonal axes is evolutionarily old and that cellular homologs of the hypothalamic-pituitary system can be found for instance in insects. To obtain an appreciation of the similarities between insect and vertebrate neurosecretory axes, we review the organization of neurosecretory cell systems in Drosophila. Our review outlines the major peptidergic hormonal pathways known in Drosophila and presents a set of schemes of hormonal axes and orchestrating peptidergic systems. The detailed organization of the larval and adult Drosophila neurosecretory systems displays only very basic similarities to those in other arthropods and vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dick R. Nässel
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Meet Zandawala
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI USA
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Borbolis F, Rallis J, Kanatouris G, Kokla N, Karamalegkos A, Vasileiou C, Vakaloglou KM, Diallinas G, Stravopodis DJ, Zervas CG, Syntichaki P. mRNA decapping is an evolutionarily conserved modulator of neuroendocrine signaling that controls development and ageing. eLife 2020; 9:e53757. [PMID: 32366357 PMCID: PMC7200159 DOI: 10.7554/elife.53757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic 5'-3' mRNA decay plays important roles during development and in response to stress, regulating gene expression post-transcriptionally. In Caenorhabditis elegans, deficiency of DCAP-1/DCP1, the essential co-factor of the major cytoplasmic mRNA decapping enzyme, impacts normal development, stress survival and ageing. Here, we show that overexpression of dcap-1 in neurons of worms is sufficient to increase lifespan through the function of the insulin/IGF-like signaling and its effector DAF-16/FOXO transcription factor. Neuronal DCAP-1 affects basal levels of INS-7, an ageing-related insulin-like peptide, which acts in the intestine to determine lifespan. Short-lived dcap-1 mutants exhibit a neurosecretion-dependent upregulation of intestinal ins-7 transcription, and diminished nuclear localization of DAF-16/FOXO. Moreover, neuronal overexpression of DCP1 in Drosophila melanogaster confers longevity in adults, while neuronal DCP1 deficiency shortens lifespan and affects wing morphogenesis, cell non-autonomously. Our genetic analysis in two model-organisms suggests a critical and conserved function of DCAP-1/DCP1 in developmental events and lifespan modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fivos Borbolis
- Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Center of Basic ResearchAthensGreece
- Department of Biology, School of Science, National and Kapodistrian University of AthensAthensGreece
| | - John Rallis
- Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Center of Basic ResearchAthensGreece
- Department of Biology, School of Science, National and Kapodistrian University of AthensAthensGreece
| | - George Kanatouris
- Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Center of Basic ResearchAthensGreece
- Department of Biology, School of Science, National and Kapodistrian University of AthensAthensGreece
| | - Nikolitsa Kokla
- Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Center of Basic ResearchAthensGreece
- Department of Biology, School of Science, National and Kapodistrian University of AthensAthensGreece
| | - Antonis Karamalegkos
- Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Center of Basic ResearchAthensGreece
- Department of Biology, School of Science, National and Kapodistrian University of AthensAthensGreece
| | - Christina Vasileiou
- Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Center of Basic ResearchAthensGreece
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Democritus University of ThraceAlex/polisGreece
| | - Katerina M Vakaloglou
- Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Center of Basic ResearchAthensGreece
| | - George Diallinas
- Department of Biology, School of Science, National and Kapodistrian University of AthensAthensGreece
| | - Dimitrios J Stravopodis
- Department of Biology, School of Science, National and Kapodistrian University of AthensAthensGreece
| | - Christos G Zervas
- Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Center of Basic ResearchAthensGreece
| | - Popi Syntichaki
- Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Center of Basic ResearchAthensGreece
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