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Jiang X, Li T, Hai X, Zheng X, Wang Z, Lyu F. Integrated behavior and transcriptomic analysis provide valuable insights into the response mechanisms of Dastarcus helophoroides Fairmaire to light exposure. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1250836. [PMID: 38107477 PMCID: PMC10722319 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1250836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Light traps have been widely used to monitor and manage pest populations, but natural enemies are also influenced. The Dastarcus helophoroides Fairmaire is an important species of natural enemy for longhorn beetles. However, the molecular mechanism of D. helophoroides in response to light exposure is still scarce. Here, integrated behavioral, comparative transcriptome and weighted gene co-expression network analyses were applied to investigate gene expression profiles in the head of D. helophoroides at different light exposure time. The results showed that the phototactic response rates of adults were 1.67%-22.5% and females and males displayed a negative phototaxis under different light exposure [6.31 × 1018 (photos/m2/s)]; the trapping rates of female and male were influenced significantly by light exposure time, diel rhythm, and light wavelength in the behavioral data. Furthermore, transcriptome data showed that a total of 1,052 significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified under different light exposure times relative to dark adaptation. Bioinformatics analyses revealed that the "ECM-receptor interaction," "focal adhesion," "PI3K-Akt signaling," and "lysosome" pathways were significantly downregulated with increasing light exposure time. Furthermore, nine DEGs were identified as hub genes using WGCNA analysis. The results revealed molecular mechanism in negative phototactic behavior response of D. helophoroides under the light exposure with relative high intensity, and provided valuable insights into the underlying molecular response mechanism of nocturnal beetles to light stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianglan Jiang
- College of Forestry, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, Hebei, China
| | - Tengfei Li
- College of Forestry, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, Hebei, China
| | - Xiaoxia Hai
- College of Forestry, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, Hebei, China
| | - Xiang Zheng
- Laboratory of Enzyme Preparation, Hebei Research Institute of Microbiology Co., Ltd., Baoding, Hebei, China
| | - Zhigang Wang
- College of Forestry, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, Hebei, China
| | - Fei Lyu
- College of Forestry, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, Hebei, China
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Su M, Yuan F, Li T, Wei C. A Non-Gradual Development Process of Cicada Eyes at the End of the Fifth-Instar Nymphal Stage to Obtain Visual Ability. INSECTS 2022; 13:1170. [PMID: 36555080 PMCID: PMC9787698 DOI: 10.3390/insects13121170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Insects' visual system is directly related to ecology and critical for their survival. Some cicadas present obvious differences in color and ultrastructure of compound eyes between nymphal and adult stages, but little is known about when cicadas obtain their visual ability to deal with the novel above-ground habitat. We use transcriptome analyses and reveal that cicada Meimuna mongolica has a trichromatic color vision system and that the eyes undergo a non-gradual development process at the end of the 5th-instar nymphal stage. The white-eye 5th-instar nymphs (i.e., younger 5th-instar nymphs) have no visual ability because critical components of the visual system are deficient. The transformation of eyes toward possessing visual function takes place after a tipping point in the transition phase from the white-eye period to the subsequent red-eye period, which is related to a decrease of Juvenile Hormone. The period shortly after adult emergence is also critical for eye development. Key differentially-expressed genes related to phototransduction and chromophore synthesis play positive roles for cicadas to adapt to above-ground habitat. The accumulation of ommochromes corresponds to the color change of eyes from white to red and dark brown during the end of the 5th-instar nymphal period. Cuticle tanning leads to eye color changing from dark-brown to light-brown during the early adult stage. We hypothesize that the accumulation of ommochromes occurring at the end of 5th-instar nymphal stage and the early adult stage is not only for cicadas to obtain visual ability, but also is a secure strategy to cope with potential photodamage after emergence.
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3
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Meyers TR, Morris R, Jackson TM, Dissen JN, Slater LM, Groner ML. Black eye syndrome and a systemic rickettsia-like organism in Alaskan Chionoecetes spp. crabs, including normal eyestalk microanatomy. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2022; 150:103-124. [PMID: 35899963 DOI: 10.3354/dao03675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
A black eye syndrome (BES) was discovered in both captive and wild populations of Alaskan snow crabs Chionoecetes opilio and Tanner crabs C. bairdi. Field prevalences ranged from 0.37% (n = 594/161295) to 19.6% (n = 62/316) in snow crabs from the eastern Bering Sea and from 0.09% (n = 15/16638) to 0.7% (n = 133/18473) in Tanner crabs from the same trawl samples, with a slightly greater percentage (1.4%, n = 57/3945) in Tanner crabs from the Aleutian and Kodiak islands fisheries in the Gulf of Alaska. BES is not associated with crab mortality and has 2 distinct manifestations: abnormal black foci of internal eye pigment with no discernible histological lesions, which, in many cases, is followed by corneal shell disease with ulceration and distal eyestalk erosion. It is assumed for this study that these are early and late stages of BES that are somehow related. Our results suggest that early stages of abnormal pigmentation are noninfectious, possibly related to changing ocean conditions affecting crab endocrinology and neuropeptide control of secondary eye pigment. Potential light-induced photoreceptor damage of harvested crabs with dark-adapted eyes is another anthropogenic factor possibly contributing to the early changes in eye pigmentation. Normal eyestalk microanatomy specific for Chionoecetes spp. is provided as necessary baseline information for future studies. Early in the study, an unreported rickettsia-like organism (RLO) was discovered infecting dissected black eyestalks submitted for examination from 5 of 6 dead snow crabs, suggesting association with BES. Subsequent samples indicated the RLO was systemic, infected both black and normal-appearing eyestalks, and was unrelated to BES. However, the multiorgan infection and histopathology indicated the RLO could be a primary pathogen of snow crabs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theodore R Meyers
- Juneau Fish/Shellfish Pathology Laboratory, Commercial Fisheries Division (CFD), Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), Juneau, AK 99811-5526, USA
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4
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Souza D, Christensen SA, Wu K, Buss L, Kleckner K, Darrisaw C, Shirk PD, Siegfried BD. RNAi-induced knockdown of white gene in the southern green stink bug (Nezara viridula L.). Sci Rep 2022; 12:10396. [PMID: 35729244 PMCID: PMC9213411 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-14620-0] [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: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The southern green stink bug (SGSB) Nezara viridula L. is one of the most common stink bug species in the United States and can cause significant yield loss in a variety of crops. A suitable marker for the assessment of gene-editing tools in SGSB has yet to be characterized. The white gene, first documented in Drosophila, has been a useful target to assess the efficiency of introduced mutations in many species as it controls pigmentation processes and mutants display readily identifiable phenotypes. In this study we used the RNAi technique to investigate functions and phenotypes associated with the white ortholog in the SGSB and to validate white as a marker for genetic transformation in this species. This study revealed that white may be a suitable marker for germline transformation in the SGSB as white transcript knockdown was not lethal, did not impair embryo development and provided a distinguishable phenotype. Our results demonstrated that the white ortholog in SGSB is involved in the pathway for ommochrome synthesis and suggested additional functions of this gene such as in the integument composition, management of hemolymph compounds and riboflavin mobilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dariane Souza
- Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32611, USA. .,Syngenta Crop Protection AG, WST-540.1.17 Schaffhauserstrasse, 4332, Stein, Switzerland.
| | - Shawn A Christensen
- USDA-ARS Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology, Gainesville, 32608, USA
| | - Ke Wu
- Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32611, USA
| | - Lyle Buss
- Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32611, USA
| | - Kaylin Kleckner
- Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32611, USA
| | - Constance Darrisaw
- Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32611, USA
| | - Paul D Shirk
- USDA-ARS Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology, Gainesville, 32608, USA
| | - Blair D Siegfried
- Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32611, USA
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5
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Dontsov AE, Sakina NL, Yakovleva MA, Bastrakov AI, Bastrakova IG, Zagorinsky AA, Ushakova NA, Feldman TB, Ostrovsky MA. Ommochromes from the Compound Eyes of Insects: Physicochemical Properties and Antioxidant Activity. BIOCHEMISTRY (MOSCOW) 2021; 85:668-678. [PMID: 32586230 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297920060048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The objective of this study was screening of ommochromes from the compound eyes of insects and comparison of their antioxidant properties. Ommochromes were isolated in preparative quantities from insects of five different families: Stratiomyidae, Sphingidae, Blaberidae, Acrididae, and Tenebrionidae. The yield of ommochromes (dry pigment weight) was 0.9-5.4% of tissue wet weight depending on the insect species. Isolated pigments were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography and represented a mixture of several ommochromes of the ommatin series. The isolated ommochromes displayed a pronounced fluorescence with the emission maxima at 435-450 nm and 520-535 nm; furthermore, the emission intensity increased significantly upon ommochrome oxidation with hydrogen peroxide. The ommochromes produced a stable EPR signal consisting of a singlet line with g = 2.0045-2.0048, width of 1.20-1.27 mT, and high concentration of paramagnetic centers (> 1017 spin/g dry weight). All the investigated ommochromes demonstrated high antiradical activity measured from the degree of chemiluminescence quenching in a model system containing luminol, hemoglobin, and hydrogen peroxide. The ommochromes strongly inhibited peroxidation of the photoreceptor cell outer segments induced by visible light in the presence of lipofuscin granules from the human retinal pigment epithelium, as well as suppressed iron/ascorbate-mediated lipid peroxidation. The obtained results are important for understanding the biological functions of ommochromes in invertebrates and identifying invertebrate species that could be used as efficient sources of ommochromes for pharmacological preparations to prevent and treat pathologies associated with the oxidative stress development.
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Affiliation(s)
- A E Dontsov
- Emanuel Institute of Biochemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334, Russia
| | - N L Sakina
- Emanuel Institute of Biochemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334, Russia
| | - M A Yakovleva
- Emanuel Institute of Biochemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334, Russia
| | - A I Bastrakov
- Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119071, Russia
| | - I G Bastrakova
- All-Russian Research Institute of Silviculture and Mechanization of Forestry, Pushkino, Moscow Region, 141200, Russia
| | - A A Zagorinsky
- Russian Forest Protection Center, Pushkino, Moscow Region, 141202, Russia
| | - N A Ushakova
- Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119071, Russia
| | - T B Feldman
- Emanuel Institute of Biochemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334, Russia.,Lomonosov Moscow State University, Faculty of Biology, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - M A Ostrovsky
- Emanuel Institute of Biochemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334, Russia. .,Lomonosov Moscow State University, Faculty of Biology, Moscow, 119991, Russia
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Křemenová J, Balvín O, Otti O, Pavonič M, Reinhardt K, Šimek Z, Bartonička T. Identification and age-dependence of pteridines in bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) and bat bugs (C. pipistrelli) using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Sci Rep 2020; 10:10146. [PMID: 32576867 PMCID: PMC7311437 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-66919-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Determining the age of free-living insects, particularly of blood-sucking species, is important for human health because such knowledge critically influences the estimates of biting frequency and vectoring ability. Genetic age determination is currently not available. Pteridines gradually accumulate in the eyes of insects and their concentrations is the prevailing method. Despite of their stability, published extractions differ considerably, including for standards, for mixtures of pteridines and even for light conditions. This methodological inconsistency among studies is likely to influence age estimates severely and to hamper their comparability. Therefore we reviewed methodological steps across 106 studies to identify methodological denominators and results across studies. Second, we experimentally test how different pteridines vary in their age calibration curves in, common bed (Cimex lectularius) and bat bugs (C. pipistrelli). Here we show that the accumulation of particular pteridines varied between a) different populations and b) rearing temperatures but not c) with the impact of light conditions during extraction or d) the type of blood consumed by the bugs. To optimize the extraction of pteridines and measuring concentrations, we recommend the simultaneous measurement of more than one standard and subsequently to select those that show consistent changes over time to differentiate among age cohorts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Křemenová
- Masaryk University, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Botany and Zoology, Brno, 61137, Czech Republic.
| | - Ondřej Balvín
- Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Faculty of Environmental Science, Department of Ecology, Prague, 16521, Czech Republic
| | - Oliver Otti
- Universität Bayreuth, Animal Ecology I, Animal Population Ecology, Bayreuth, 95440, Germany
| | - Michal Pavonič
- Masaryk University, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Botany and Zoology, Brno, 61137, Czech Republic
| | - Klaus Reinhardt
- Technische Universität Dresden, Department of Biology, Applied Zoology, Dresden, 01069, Germany
| | - Zdeněk Šimek
- Masaryk University, Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment, Brno, 62500, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Bartonička
- Masaryk University, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Botany and Zoology, Brno, 61137, Czech Republic
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7
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Ushakova N, Dontsov A, Sakina N, Bastrakov A, Ostrovsky M. Antioxidative Properties of Melanins and Ommochromes from Black Soldier Fly Hermetia illucens. Biomolecules 2019; 9:E408. [PMID: 31450873 PMCID: PMC6770681 DOI: 10.3390/biom9090408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Revised: 08/18/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
A comparative study of melanin and ommochrome-containing samples, isolated from the black soldier fly (BSF) by enzymatic hydrolysis, alkaline and acid alcohol extraction or by acid hydrolysis, was carried out. Melanin was isolated both as a melanin-chitin complex and as a water-soluble melanin. Acid hydrolysis followed by delipidization yielded a more concentrated melanin sample, the electron spin resonance (ESR) signal of which was 2.6 × 1018 spin/g. The ommochromes were extracted from the BSF eyes with acid methanol. The antiradical activity of BSF melanins and ommochromes was determined by the method of quenching of luminol chemiluminescence. It has been shown that delipidization of water-soluble melanin increases its antioxidant properties. A comparison of the antioxidant activity of BSF melanins and ommochromes in relation to photoinduced lipid peroxidation was carried out. The ESR characteristics of native and oxidized melanins and ommochromes were studied. It is assumed that H. illucens adult flies can be a useful source of natural pigments with antioxidant properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Ushakova
- A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of Russian Academy of Sciences, 119071 Moscow, Russia.
| | - Alexander Dontsov
- N.M. Emanuel Institute of Biochemical Physics of Russian Academy of Sciences, 119334 Moscow, Russia
| | - Natalia Sakina
- N.M. Emanuel Institute of Biochemical Physics of Russian Academy of Sciences, 119334 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander Bastrakov
- A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of Russian Academy of Sciences, 119071 Moscow, Russia
| | - Mikhail Ostrovsky
- N.M. Emanuel Institute of Biochemical Physics of Russian Academy of Sciences, 119334 Moscow, Russia
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8
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Ostrovsky MA, Dontsov AE. Vertebrate Eye Melanosomes and Invertebrate Eye Ommochromes as Antioxidant Cell Organelles: Part 2. BIOL BULL+ 2019. [DOI: 10.1134/s1062359019010084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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9
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Francikowski J, Krzyżowski M, Kochańska B, Potrzebska M, Baran B, Chajec Ł, Urbisz A, Małota K, Łozowski B, Kloc M, Kubiak J. Characterisation of white and yellow eye colour mutant strains of house cricket, Acheta domesticus. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0216281. [PMID: 31059541 PMCID: PMC6502451 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2018] [Accepted: 04/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Two eye-colour mutant strains, white (W) and yellow (Y) of house cricket Acheta domesticus were established in our laboratory. We phenotyped and genotyped the mutants, performed genetic crossings and studied the eye structure and pigment composition using light and electron microscopy and biochemical analysis. We show that W and Y phenotypes are controlled by a single autosomal recessive allele, as both traits are metabolically independent. The analysis of the mutants`eye structure showed a reduced number of dark pigment granules while simultaneously, and an increased amount of light vacuoles in white eye mutants was observed. Significant differences in eye pigment composition between strains were also found. The Y mutant had a lower number of ommochromes, while the W mutant had a lower number of ommochromes and pteridines. This indicates that mutated genes are involved in two different, independent metabolic pathways regulating tryptophan metabolism enzymes, pigment transporter granules or pigment granule formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacek Francikowski
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ecotoxicology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland
- * E-mail:
| | - Michał Krzyżowski
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ecotoxicology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland
| | - Barbara Kochańska
- The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Marta Potrzebska
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ecotoxicology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland
| | - Bartosz Baran
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ecotoxicology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland
| | - Łukasz Chajec
- Department of Embryology and Histology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland
| | - Anna Urbisz
- Department of Embryology and Histology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland
| | - Karol Małota
- Department of Embryology and Histology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland
| | - Bartosz Łozowski
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ecotoxicology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland
| | - Malgorzata Kloc
- The Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston,Texas, United States of America
- The Houston Methodist Hospital, Department of Surgery, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- The University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Genetics, Houston Texas, United States of America
| | - Jacek Kubiak
- Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (WIHE), Warsaw, Poland
- UnivRennes, CNRS, IGDR (Institute of Genetics and Development of Rennes), UMR 6290, Cell Cycle Group, Faculty of Medicine, Rennes, France
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Ostrovsky MA, Zak PP, Dontsov AE. Vertebrate Eye Melanosomes and Invertebrate Eye Ommochromes as Screening Cell Organelles. BIOL BULL+ 2019. [DOI: 10.1134/s1062359018060109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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11
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Figon F, Casas J. Ommochromes in invertebrates: biochemistry and cell biology. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2019; 94:156-183. [PMID: 29989284 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2018] [Revised: 06/09/2018] [Accepted: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Ommochromes are widely occurring coloured molecules of invertebrates, arising from tryptophan catabolism through the so-called Tryptophan → Ommochrome pathway. They are mainly known to mediate compound eye vision, as well as reversible and irreversible colour patterning. Ommochromes might also be involved in cell homeostasis by detoxifying free tryptophan and buffering oxidative stress. These biological functions are directly linked to their unique chromophore, the phenoxazine/phenothiazine system. The most recent reviews on ommochrome biochemistry were published more than 30 years ago, since when new results on the enzymes of the ommochrome pathway, on ommochrome photochemistry as well as on their antiradical capacities have been obtained. Ommochromasomes are the organelles where ommochromes are synthesised and stored. Hence, they play an important role in mediating ommochrome functions. Ommochromasomes are part of the lysosome-related organelles (LROs) family, which includes other pigmented organelles such as vertebrate melanosomes. Ommochromasomes are unique because they are the only LRO for which a recycling process during reversible colour change has been described. Herein, we provide an update on ommochrome biochemistry, photoreactivity and antiradical capacities to explain their diversity and behaviour both in vivo and in vitro. We also highlight new biochemical techniques, such as quantum chemistry, metabolomics and crystallography, which could lead to major advances in their chemical and functional characterisation. We then focus on ommochromasome structure and formation by drawing parallels with the well-characterised melanosomes of vertebrates. The biochemical, genetic, cellular and microscopic tools that have been applied to melanosomes should provide important information on the ommochromasome life cycle. We propose LRO-based models for ommochromasome biogenesis and recycling that could be tested in the future. Using the context of insect compound eyes, we finally emphasise the importance of an integrated approach in understanding the biological functions of ommochromes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florent Figon
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte, UMR CNRS 7261, Université de Tours, 37200 Tours, France
| | - Jérôme Casas
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte, UMR CNRS 7261, Université de Tours, 37200 Tours, France
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12
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Brent CS, Hull JJ. RNA interference-mediated knockdown of eye coloration genes in the western tarnished plant bug (Lygus hesperus Knight). ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 100:e21527. [PMID: 30588650 DOI: 10.1002/arch.21527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Insect eye coloration arises from the accumulation of various pigments. A number of genes that function in the biosynthesis (vermilion, cinnabar, and cardinal) and importation (karmoisin, white, scarlet, and brown) of these pigments, and their precursors, have been identified in diverse species and used as markers for transgenesis and gene editing. To examine their suitability as visible markers in Lygus hesperus Knight (western tarnished plant bug), transcriptomic data were screened for sequences exhibiting homology with the Drosophila melanogaster proteins. Complete open reading frames encoding putative homologs for all seven genes were identified. Bioinformatic-based sequence and phylogenetic analyses supported initial annotations as eye coloration genes. Consistent with their proposed role, each of the genes was expressed in adult heads as well as throughout nymphal and adult development. Adult eyes of those injected with double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) for karmoisin, vermilion, cinnabar, cardinal, and scarlet were characterized by a red band along the medial margin extending from the rostral terminus to the antenna. In contrast, eyes of insects injected with dsRNAs for both white and brown were a uniform light brown. White knockdown also produced cuticular and behavioral defects. Based on its expression profile and robust visible phenotype, cardinal would likely prove to be the most suitable marker for developing gene editing methods in Lygus species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin S Brent
- USDA-ARS Arid Land Agricultural Center, Maricopa, Arizona
| | - J Joe Hull
- USDA-ARS Arid Land Agricultural Center, Maricopa, Arizona
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13
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Viljanen MLM, Nevala NE, Calais-Granö CL, Lindström KMW, Donner K. Increasing the illumination slowly over several weeks protects against light damage in the eyes of the crustacean Mysis relicta. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 220:2798-2808. [PMID: 28515237 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.155101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2016] [Accepted: 05/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The eyes of two glacial-relict populations of opossum shrimp Mysis relicta inhabiting the different photic environments of a deep, dark-brown freshwater lake and a variably lit bay of the Baltic Sea differ in their susceptibility to functional depression from strong light exposures. The lake population is much more vulnerable than the sea population. We hypothesized that the difference reflects physiological adaptation mechanisms operating on long time scales rather than genetically fixed differences between the populations. To test this, we studied how acclimation to ultra-slowly increased illumination (on time scales of several weeks to months) affected the resilience of the eyes to bright-light exposures. Light responses of whole eyes were measured by electroretinography, the visual-pigment content of single rhabdoms by microspectrophotometry and the structural integrity of photoreceptor cells by electron microscopy (EM). Slow acclimation mitigated and even abolished the depression of photoresponsiveness caused by strong light exposures, making a dramatic difference especially in the lake animals. Still, acclimation in the sea animals was faster and the EM studies suggested intrinsic differences in the dynamics of microvillar membrane cycling. In conclusion, we report a novel form of physiological adaptation to general light levels, effective on the time scale of seasonal changes. It explains part but not all of the differences in light tolerance between the lake and sea populations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Noora E Nevala
- Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.,School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9HR, UK
| | | | | | - Kristian Donner
- Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
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Stubenhaus BM, Dustin JP, Neverett ER, Beaudry MS, Nadeau LE, Burk-McCoy E, He X, Pearson BJ, Pellettieri J. Light-induced depigmentation in planarians models the pathophysiology of acute porphyrias. eLife 2016; 5. [PMID: 27240733 PMCID: PMC4887210 DOI: 10.7554/elife.14175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2016] [Accepted: 04/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Porphyrias are disorders of heme metabolism frequently characterized by extreme photosensitivity. This symptom results from accumulation of porphyrins, tetrapyrrole intermediates in heme biosynthesis that generate reactive oxygen species when exposed to light, in the skin of affected individuals. Here we report that in addition to producing an ommochrome body pigment, the planarian flatworm Schmidtea mediterranea generates porphyrins in its subepithelial pigment cells under physiological conditions, and that this leads to pigment cell loss when animals are exposed to intense visible light. Remarkably, porphyrin biosynthesis and light-induced depigmentation are enhanced by starvation, recapitulating a common feature of some porphyrias – decreased nutrient intake precipitates an acute manifestation of the disease. Our results establish planarians as an experimentally tractable animal model for research into the pathophysiology of acute porphyrias, and potentially for the identification of novel pharmacological interventions capable of alleviating porphyrin-mediated photosensitivity or decoupling dieting and fasting from disease pathogenesis. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.14175.001 Porphyrias are rare diseases that involve ring-shaped molecules called porphyrins accumulating in various parts of the body. Porphyrins are produced as part of the normal process that makes an important molecule called heme, which is required to transport oxygen. However, high levels of porphyrins can be toxic. For example, porphyrins deposited in the skin can cause swelling and blistering when the skin is exposed to bright light. Other disease symptoms include neurological issues ranging from anxiety and confusion to seizures or paralysis. It has been speculated that porphyrias may have affected several historical figures, including the artist Vincent van Gogh. In addition to their role in heme production, porphyrins also have other roles. For example, they are used as pigments in the wing feathers of some owls. Researchers are trying to understand more about how organisms regulate porphyrin production so that it might be possible to develop more effective treatments for porphyria in humans. Here, Stubenhaus et al. studied how a flatworm called Schmidtea mediterranea makes porphyrins. A group of undergraduate students noticed that these animals – which are normally brown in color – turned white when they were exposed to sunlight for several days. Stubenhaus et al. found that S. mediterranea makes porphyrins in the pigment cells of its skin using the same genes that make porphyrins in humans. Together with other molecules called ommochromes, the porphyrins give rise to the normal color of this flatworm. However, when the animals are exposed to intense light for extended periods of time, which is unlikely to occur in the wild, porphyrin production leads to loss of the pigment cells. The experiments also show that starvation increases the rate of pigment cell loss in light-exposed flatworms, which mirrors the worsening of disease symptoms some porphyria patients experience when they diet or fast. Stubenhaus et al. propose that flatworms are useful models in which to study the molecular processes that are responsible for porphyrias in humans. Further research is required to determine the exact chemical structure of the porphyrin and ommochrome molecules produced in different flatworm species. Stubenhaus et al. also plan to use flatworms to screen for drugs that could potentially be developed into new treatments for porphyria. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.14175.002
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Affiliation(s)
| | - John P Dustin
- Department of Biology, Keene State College, Keene, United States
| | - Emily R Neverett
- Department of Biology, Keene State College, Keene, United States
| | - Megan S Beaudry
- Department of Biology, Keene State College, Keene, United States
| | - Leanna E Nadeau
- Department of Biology, Keene State College, Keene, United States
| | - Ethan Burk-McCoy
- Department of Biology, Keene State College, Keene, United States
| | - Xinwen He
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.,Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Bret J Pearson
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.,Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.,Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, Canada
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Latorre-Estivalis JM, Lazzari CR, Guarneri AA, Mota T, Omondi BA, Lorenzo MG. Genetic basis of triatomine behavior: lessons from available insect genomes. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2013; 108 Suppl 1:63-73. [PMID: 24473804 PMCID: PMC4109181 DOI: 10.1590/0074-0276130454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2013] [Accepted: 12/10/2013] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Triatomines have been important model organisms for behavioural research. Diverse reports about triatomine host search, pheromone communication in the sexual, shelter and alarm contexts, daily cycles of activity, refuge choice and behavioural plasticity have been published in the last two decades. In recent times, a variety of molecular genetics techniques has allowed researchers to investigate elaborate and complex questions about the genetic bases of the physiology of insects. This, together with the current characterisation of the genome sequence of Rhodnius prolixus allows the resurgence of this excellent insect physiology model in the omics era. In the present revision, we suggest that studying the molecular basis of behaviour and sensory ecology in triatomines will promote a deeper understanding of fundamental aspects of insect and, particularly, vector biology. This will allow uncovering unknown features of essential insect physiology questions for a hemimetabolous model organism, promoting more robust comparative studies of insect sensory function and cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Claudio Ricardo Lazzari
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l’Insecte, Université François
Rabelais de Tours, Tours, Indre et Loire, France
| | | | - Theo Mota
- Departamento de Fisiologia e Biofísica, Instituto de Ciências
Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG,
Brasil
| | - Bonaventure Aman Omondi
- Chemical Ecology Unit, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish
University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden
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