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Huang M, Meng JY, Tang X, Shan LL, Yang CL, Zhang CY. Identification, expression analysis, and functional verification of three opsin genes related to the phototactic behaviour of Ostrinia furnacalis. Mol Ecol 2024:e17323. [PMID: 38506493 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17323] [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: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Ostrinia furnacalis is a disreputable herbivorous pest that poses a serious threat to corn crops. Phototaxis in nocturnal moths plays a crucial role in pest prediction and control. Insect opsins are the main component of insect visual system. However, the inherent molecular relationship between phototactic behaviour and vision of insects remains a mystery. Herein, three opsin genes were identified and cloned from O. furnacalis (OfLW, OfBL, and OfUV). Bioinformatics analysis revealed that all opsin genes had visual pigment (opsin) retinal binding sites and seven transmembrane domains. Opsin genes were distributed across different developmental stages and tissues, with the highest expression in adults and compound eyes. The photoperiod-induced assay elucidated that the expression of three opsin genes in females were higher during daytime, while their expression in males tended to increase at night. Under the sustained darkness, the expression of opsin genes increased circularly, although the increasing amplitude in males was lower when compared with females. Furthermore, the expression of OfLW, OfBL, and OfUV was upregulated under green, blue, and ultraviolet light, respectively. The results of RNA interference showed that the knockout of opsin genes decreased the phototaxis efficiency of female and male moths to green, blue, and ultraviolet light. Our results reveal that opsin genes are involved in the phototactic behaviour of moths, providing a potential target gene for pest control and a basis for further investigation on the phototactic behaviour of Lepidoptera insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Huang
- Institute of Entomology, Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Agricultural Pest Management of the Mountainous Region, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Jian-Yu Meng
- Guizhou Tobacco Science Research Institute, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Xue Tang
- Institute of Entomology, Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Agricultural Pest Management of the Mountainous Region, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Long-Long Shan
- Institute of Entomology, Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Agricultural Pest Management of the Mountainous Region, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Chang-Li Yang
- Institute of Entomology, Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Agricultural Pest Management of the Mountainous Region, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Chang-Yu Zhang
- Institute of Entomology, Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Agricultural Pest Management of the Mountainous Region, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, 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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Akiyama T, Uchiyama H, Yajima S, Arikawa K, Terai Y. Parallel evolution of opsin visual pigments in hawkmoths by tuning of spectral sensitivities during transition from a nocturnal to a diurnal ecology. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:285920. [PMID: 36408938 PMCID: PMC10112871 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.244541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Light environments differ dramatically between day and night. The transition between diurnal and nocturnal visual ecology has happened repeatedly throughout evolution in many species. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the evolution of vision in recent diurnal-nocturnal transition is poorly understood. Here, we focus on hawkmoths (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) to address this question by investigating five nocturnal and five diurnal species. We performed RNA-sequencing analysis and identified opsin genes corresponding to the ultraviolet (UV), short-wavelength (SW) and long-wavelength (LW)-absorbing visual pigments. We found no significant differences in the expression patterns of opsin genes between the nocturnal and diurnal species. We then constructed the phylogenetic trees of hawkmoth species and opsins. The diurnal lineages had emerged at least three times from the nocturnal ancestors. The evolutionary rates of amino acid substitutions in the three opsins differed between the nocturnal and diurnal species. We found an excess number of parallel amino acid substitutions in the opsins in three independent diurnal lineages. The numbers were significantly more than those inferred from neutral evolution, suggesting that positive selection acted on these parallel substitutions. Moreover, we predicted the visual pigment absorption spectra based on electrophysiologically determined spectral sensitivity in two nocturnal and two diurnal species belonging to different clades. In the diurnal species, the LW pigments shift 10 nm towards shorter wavelengths, and the SW pigments shift 10 nm in the opposite direction. Taken together, our results suggest that parallel evolution of opsins may have enhanced the colour discrimination properties of diurnal hawkmoths in ambient light.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tokiho Akiyama
- Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Shonan Village, Hayama, Kanagawa 240-0193, Japan
| | - Hironobu Uchiyama
- NODAI Genome Research Center, Tokyo University of Agriculture, 1-1-1 Sakuragaoka, Setagaya, Tokyo 156-8502, Japan
| | - Shunsuke Yajima
- NODAI Genome Research Center, Tokyo University of Agriculture, 1-1-1 Sakuragaoka, Setagaya, Tokyo 156-8502, Japan.,Department of Bioscience, Tokyo University of Agriculture, 1-1-1 Sakuragaoka, Setagaya, Tokyo 156-8502, Japan
| | - Kentaro Arikawa
- Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Shonan Village, Hayama, Kanagawa 240-0193, Japan
| | - Yohey Terai
- Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Shonan Village, Hayama, Kanagawa 240-0193, Japan
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Xu P, Lu B, Chao J, Holdbrook R, Liang G, Lu Y. The evolution of opsin genes in five species of mirid bugs: duplication of long-wavelength opsins and loss of blue-sensitive opsins. BMC Ecol Evol 2021; 21:66. [PMID: 33902434 PMCID: PMC8074501 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-021-01799-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Color vision and phototactic behavior based on opsins are important for the fitness of insects because of their roles in foraging and mate choice. Related topics, including the duplication and loss of opsin genes, have been well investigated in insect orders such as Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera, Odonata and Orthoptera, and the findings have been used to develop pest management strategies involving light trapping. Mirid bugs of Hemiptera, which are pests that cause heavy economic losses, show capacity for color discrimination and phototaxis. However, the opsins in mirid bugs remain uncharacterized. Herein, we examined five species to investigate the evolution of opsins in the family Miridae. RESULTS Using RNA-seq, we identified several contigs showing high identity with opsins, including four contigs in Apolygus lucorum and three contigs each in Adelphocoris suturalis, Adelphocoris fasciaticollis, Adelphocoris lineolatus and Nesidiocoris tenuis. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that one of these genes clustered with ultraviolet-sensitive (UV) opsins and that the others clustered with long-wavelength (LW) opsins, suggesting that duplication of LW opsins and loss of blue light-sensitive (B) opsins occurred in mirid bugs. The existence of introns in the LW opsins of mirid bugs suggested that the duplication events were DNA based. Both LW1 and LW2 opsins of mirid bugs were found to be under strong purifying selection. The LW1 opsins were significantly more highly expressed than the LW2 and UV opsins. CONCLUSIONS We identified the opsins of mirid bugs using five selected mirid species as a representative sample. Phylogenetic analyses clustered one of the genes with UV opsins and the others with LW opsins, suggesting the occurrence of LW opsin duplication and B opsin loss during the evolution of mirid bugs. Intron detection suggested that the identified duplication event was DNA based. The evidence of strong purifying selection and the relatively high expression levels suggested that these opsins exhibit fundamental functions in mirid bugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengjun Xu
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, 266101 People’s Republic of China
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ UK
| | - Bin Lu
- Department of Herpetology, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041 People’s Republic of China
| | - Jiangtao Chao
- Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, 266101 People’s Republic of China
| | - Robert Holdbrook
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ UK
| | - Gemei Liang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (IPP-CAAS), Beijing, 100193 People’s Republic of China
| | - Yanhui Lu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (IPP-CAAS), Beijing, 100193 People’s Republic of China
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Sondhi Y, Ellis EA, Bybee SM, Theobald JC, Kawahara AY. Light environment drives evolution of color vision genes in butterflies and moths. Commun Biol 2021; 4:177. [PMID: 33564115 PMCID: PMC7873203 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-01688-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Opsins, combined with a chromophore, are the primary light-sensing molecules in animals and are crucial for color vision. Throughout animal evolution, duplications and losses of opsin proteins are common, but it is unclear what is driving these gains and losses. Light availability is implicated, and dim environments are often associated with low opsin diversity and loss. Correlations between high opsin diversity and bright environments, however, are tenuous. To test if increased light availability is associated with opsin diversification, we examined diel niche and identified opsins using transcriptomes and genomes of 175 butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera). We found 14 independent opsin duplications associated with bright environments. Estimating their rates of evolution revealed that opsins from diurnal taxa evolve faster-at least 13 amino acids were identified with higher dN/dS rates, with a subset close enough to the chromophore to tune the opsin. These results demonstrate that high light availability increases opsin diversity and evolution rate in Lepidoptera.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yash Sondhi
- Department of Biology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.
| | - Emily A Ellis
- McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Seth M Bybee
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA
| | - Jamie C Theobald
- Department of Biology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Akito Y Kawahara
- McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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Li C, Tian F, Lin T, Wang Z, Liu J, Zeng X. The expression and function of opsin genes related to the phototactic behavior of Asian citrus psyllid. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2020; 76:1578-1587. [PMID: 31714677 DOI: 10.1002/ps.5680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Revised: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Psyllidae), is a prominent pest of citrus because it transmits Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus associated with huanglongbing. Phototactic behavior ubiquitously exists in insects and plays essential roles in host-searching and mate-searching in ACP. However, its mechanism has remained unclear to date. In this paper, molecular assays were performed to understand the relation between opsins and the phototactic behavior of ACP. RESULTS We cloned five opsin genes and analyzed their expression patterns. The main three opsin genes (Dc-UV, Dc-BW and Dc-LW) displayed high expression levels in daytime, and the expression levels of the other two opsin genes (Dc-UV-like and Dc-arthropsin) increased during nighttime. In constant darkness, the expression patterns and levels of opsin genes of ACP were altered. Under starvation, the expression levels of the main three opsins were reduced (53.89-84.10%). In contrast, the expression levels in females increased (27.55-60.58%). Feeding of double-stranded RNA (Dc-UV, Dc-LW or Dc-BW) have reduced the phototactic efficiency of ACP to ultraviolet light (44.79%), green light (54.81%) and blue light (43.00%), respectively. CONCLUSION The results suggest that the expression levels and patterns of opsins of ACP were influenced by photoperiod and the physiological status of ACP. Our research indicates that opsins play crucial roles in phototactic behavior in ACP. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaofeng Li
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fajun Tian
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tao Lin
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhengbing Wang
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiali Liu
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinnian Zeng
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
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Identification and Expression Patterns of Opsin Genes in a Forest Insect, Dendrolimus punctatus. INSECTS 2020; 11:insects11020116. [PMID: 32054101 PMCID: PMC7074091 DOI: 10.3390/insects11020116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2019] [Revised: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Dendrolimus punctatus walker (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae) is the most serious coniferous forest defoliator in China. This species has long life history, and shows different activity rhythms and light response behaviors at larval and adult stages. Insect vision system play important roles for survival and reproduction, and disturbance of photoreception may help us to control this pest. However, we know little about the visual system of D. punctatus. As opsins are the most important genes determining photoreceptor sensitivity of insects, we identified opsins of D. punctatus and analyzed their expression patterns at different development stages in this study. Four opsin genes were identified based on our transcriptome data. Phylogenetic analysis showed that there are three classical ultraviolet (UV), blue, and long-wavelength (LW) light sensitive opsin genes, and another UV-like opsin as homolog of a circadian photoreceptor, Rh7, in Drosophila melanogaster and other insects. Expression analysis indicated that the UV and UV-like opsins expression levels only fluctuated slightly during whole life stages of D. punctatus, while Blue and LW opsins were up-regulated many times at adult stage. Interestingly, the ratio of UV-opsin was much higher in eggs and larvae stages, and lower in pupa and adult stages; reversely, LW-opsin showed extremely high relative ratio in pupa and adult stages. High expression level of LW opsin in the adult stage may correlate to the nocturnal lifestyles of this species at adult stage, and different ratios of UV and LW opsins in larval and adult stages may help to explain the different visual ecologies of these two development stages of D. punctatus. This work is the foundation for further research of opsin functions and vision mechanisms of D. punctatus.
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Macias-Muñoz A, Rangel Olguin AG, Briscoe AD. Evolution of Phototransduction Genes in Lepidoptera. Genome Biol Evol 2019; 11:2107-2124. [PMID: 31298692 PMCID: PMC6698658 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evz150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Vision is underpinned by phototransduction, a signaling cascade that converts light energy into an electrical signal. Among insects, phototransduction is best understood in Drosophila melanogaster. Comparison of D. melanogaster against three insect species found several phototransduction gene gains and losses, however, lepidopterans were not examined. Diurnal butterflies and nocturnal moths occupy different light environments and have distinct eye morphologies, which might impact the expression of their phototransduction genes. Here we investigated: 1) how phototransduction genes vary in gene gain or loss between D. melanogaster and Lepidoptera, and 2) variations in phototransduction genes between moths and butterflies. To test our prediction of phototransduction differences due to distinct visual ecologies, we used insect reference genomes, phylogenetics, and moth and butterfly head RNA-Seq and transcriptome data. As expected, most phototransduction genes were conserved between D. melanogaster and Lepidoptera, with some exceptions. Notably, we found two lepidopteran opsins lacking a D. melanogaster ortholog. Using antibodies we found that one of these opsins, a candidate retinochrome, which we refer to as unclassified opsin (UnRh), is expressed in the crystalline cone cells and the pigment cells of the butterfly, Heliconius melpomene. Our results also show that butterflies express similar amounts of trp and trpl channel mRNAs, whereas moths express ∼50× less trp, a potential adaptation to darkness. Our findings suggest that while many single-copy D. melanogaster phototransduction genes are conserved in lepidopterans, phototransduction gene expression differences exist between moths and butterflies that may be linked to their visual light environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aide Macias-Muñoz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine
| | | | - Adriana D Briscoe
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine
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Eacock A, Rowland HM, Edmonds N, Saccheri IJ. Colour change of twig-mimicking peppered moth larvae is a continuous reaction norm that increases camouflage against avian predators. PeerJ 2017; 5:e3999. [PMID: 29158965 PMCID: PMC5691783 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.3999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 10/17/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Camouflage, and in particular background-matching, is one of the most common anti-predator strategies observed in nature. Animals can improve their match to the colour/pattern of their surroundings through background selection, and/or by plastic colour change. Colour change can occur rapidly (a few seconds), or it may be slow, taking hours to days. Many studies have explored the cues and mechanisms behind rapid colour change, but there is a considerable lack of information about slow colour change in the context of predation: the cues that initiate it, and the range of phenotypes that are produced. Here we show that peppered moth (Biston betularia) larvae respond to colour and luminance of the twigs they rest on, and exhibit a continuous reaction norm of phenotypes. When presented with a heterogeneous environment of mixed twig colours, individual larvae specialise crypsis towards one colour rather than developing an intermediate colour. Flexible colour change in this species has likely evolved in association with wind dispersal and polyphagy, which result in caterpillars settling and feeding in a diverse range of visual environments. This is the first example of visually induced slow colour change in Lepidoptera that has been objectively quantified and measured from the visual perspective of natural predators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Eacock
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Hannah M. Rowland
- Predators and Prey Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - Nicola Edmonds
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Ilik J. Saccheri
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
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Jakobsson J, Henze MJ, Svensson GP, Lind O, Anderbrant O. Visual cues of oviposition sites and spectral sensitivity of Cydia strobilella L. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2017; 101:161-168. [PMID: 28676323 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2017.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2017] [Revised: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 06/08/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
We investigated whether the spruce seed moth (Cydia strobilella L., Tortricidae: Grapholitini), an important pest in seed orchards of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.), can make use of the spectral properties of its host when searching for flowers to oviposit on. Spectral measurements showed that the flowers, and the cones they develop into, differ from a background of P. abies needles by a higher reflectance of long wavelengths. These differences increase as the flowers develop into mature cones. Electroretinograms (ERGs) in combination with spectral adaptation suggest that C. strobilella has at least three spectral types of photoreceptor; an abundant green-sensitive receptor with maximal sensitivity at wavelength λmax=526nm, a blue-sensitive receptor with λmax=436nm, and an ultraviolet-sensitive receptor with λmax=352nm. Based on our spectral measurements and the receptor properties inferred from the ERGs, we calculated that open flowers, which are suitable oviposition sites, provide detectable achromatic, but almost no chromatic contrasts to the background of needles. In field trials using traps of different spectral properties with or without a female sex pheromone lure, only pheromone-baited traps caught moths. Catches in baited traps were not correlated with the visual contrast of the traps against the background. Thus, visual contrast is probably not the primary cue for finding open host flowers, but it could potentially complement olfaction as a secondary cue, since traps with certain spectral properties caught significantly more moths than others.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Miriam J Henze
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Sweden; Brain Research Institute, University of Queensland, Australia
| | | | - Olle Lind
- Department of Philosophy, Lund University, Sweden
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Duan Y, Gong Z, Wu R, Miao J, Jiang Y, Li T, Wu X, Wu Y. Transcriptome analysis of molecular mechanisms responsible for light-stress response in Mythimna separata (Walker). Sci Rep 2017; 7:45188. [PMID: 28345615 PMCID: PMC5367045 DOI: 10.1038/srep45188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2016] [Accepted: 02/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Light is an important environmental signal for most insects. The Oriental Armyworm, Mythimna separata, is a serious pest of cereal crops worldwide, and is highly sensitive to light signals during its developmental and reproductive stages. However, molecular biological studies of its response to light stress are scarce, and related genomic information is not available. In this study, we sequenced and de novo assembled the transcriptomes of M. separata exposed to four different light conditions: dark, white light (WL), UV light (UVL) and yellow light (YL). A total of 46,327 unigenes with an average size of 571 base pairs (bp) were obtained, among which 24,344 (52.55%) matched to public databases. The numbers of genes differentially expressed between dark vs WL, dark vs UVL, dark vs YL, and UVL vs YL were 12,012, 12,950, 14,855, and 13,504, respectively. These results suggest that light exposure altered gene expression patterns in M. separata. Putative genes involved in phototransduction-fly, phototransduction, circadian rhythm-fly, olfactory transduction, and taste transduction were identified. This study thus identified a series of candidate genes and pathways potentially related to light stress in M. separata.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Duan
- Institute of Plant Protection, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Crop Pest Control of Henan Province, Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Southern Region of North China, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - ZhongJun Gong
- Institute of Plant Protection, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Crop Pest Control of Henan Province, Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Southern Region of North China, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - RenHai Wu
- Institute of Plant Protection, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Crop Pest Control of Henan Province, Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Southern Region of North China, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Jin Miao
- Institute of Plant Protection, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Crop Pest Control of Henan Province, Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Southern Region of North China, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - YueLi Jiang
- Institute of Plant Protection, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Crop Pest Control of Henan Province, Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Southern Region of North China, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Tong Li
- Institute of Plant Protection, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Crop Pest Control of Henan Province, Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Southern Region of North China, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - XiaoBo Wu
- Institute of Plant Protection, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Crop Pest Control of Henan Province, Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Southern Region of North China, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - YuQing Wu
- Institute of Plant Protection, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Crop Pest Control of Henan Province, Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Southern Region of North China, Zhengzhou 450002, China
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Xu P, Feuda R, Lu B, Xiao H, Graham RI, Wu K. Functional opsin retrogene in nocturnal moth. Mob DNA 2016; 7:18. [PMID: 27777631 PMCID: PMC5070202 DOI: 10.1186/s13100-016-0074-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2016] [Accepted: 09/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Retrotransposed genes are different to other types of genes as they originate from a processed mRNA and are then inserted back into the genome. For a long time, the contribution of this mechanism to the origin of new genes, and hence to the evolutionary process, has been questioned as retrogenes usually lose their regulatory sequences upon insertion and generally decay into pseudogenes. In recent years, there is growing evidence, notably in mammals, that retrotransposition is an important process driving the origin of new genes, but the evidence in insects remains largely restricted to a few model species. Findings By sequencing the messenger RNA of three developmental stages (first and fifth instar larvae and adults) of the pest Helicoverpa armigera, we identified a second, intronless, long-wavelength sensitive opsin (that we called LWS2). We then amplified the partial CDS of LWS2 retrogenes from another six noctuid moths, and investigate the phylogenetic distribution of LWS2 in 15 complete Lepidoptera and 1 Trichoptera genomes. Our results suggests that LWS2 evolved within the noctuid. Furthermore, we found that all the LWS2 opsins have an intact ORF, and have an ω-value (ω = 0.08202) relatively higher compared to their paralog LWS1 (ω = 0.02536), suggesting that LWS2 opsins were under relaxed purifying selection. Finally, the LWS2 shows temporal compartmentalization of expression. LWS2 in H. armigera in adult is expressed at a significantly lower level compared to all other opsins in adults; while in the in 1st instar stage larvae, it is expressed at a significantly higher level compared to other opsins. Conclusions Together the results of our evolutionary sequence analyses and gene expression data suggest that LWS2 is a functional gene, however, the relatively low level of expression in adults suggests that LWS2 is most likely not involved in mediating the visual process. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13100-016-0074-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengjun Xu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 2 West Yuan Ming Yuan Road, Beijing, 100193 People's Republic of China.,Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 11 Ke Yuan Jing Si Road, Qingdao, 266101 People's Republic of China
| | - Roberto Feuda
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, Californian Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 USA
| | - Bin Lu
- Department of Herpetology, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041 People's Republic of China
| | - Haijun Xiao
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 2 West Yuan Ming Yuan Road, Beijing, 100193 People's Republic of China
| | - Robert I Graham
- Crop and Environment Sciences, Harper Adams University, Edgmond, Shropshire TF10 8NB UK
| | - Kongming Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 2 West Yuan Ming Yuan Road, Beijing, 100193 People's Republic of China
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13
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Wu SF, Yu HY, Jiang TT, Gao CF, Shen JL. Superfamily of genes encoding G protein-coupled receptors in the diamondback moth Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae). INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2015; 24:442-453. [PMID: 25824261 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2014] [Revised: 01/13/2015] [Accepted: 02/04/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest and most versatile superfamily of cell membrane proteins, which mediate various physiological processes including reproduction, development and behaviour. The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), is one of the most notorious insect pests, preferentially feeding on cruciferous plants. P. xylostella is not only one of the world's most widespread lepidopteran insects, but has also developed resistance to nearly all classes of insecticides. Although the mechanisms of insecticide resistance have been studied extensively in many insect species, few investigations have been carried out on GPCRs in P. xylostella. In the present study, we identified 95 putative GPCRs in the P. xylostella genome. The identified GPCRs were compared with their homologues in Bombyx mori and Drosophila melanogaster. Our results suggest that GPCRs in different insect species may have evolved by a birth-and-death process. One of the differences among compared insects is the duplication of short neuropeptide F receptor and adipokinetic hormone receptors in P. xylostella and B. mori. Another divergence is the decrease in quantity and diversity of the stress-tolerance gene, Mth, in P. xylostella. The evolution by the birth-and-death process is probably involved in adaptation to the feeding behaviour, reproduction and stress responses of P. xylostella. Some of the genes identified in the present study could be potential targets for the development of novel pesticides.
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Affiliation(s)
- S-F Wu
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Jiangsu/State & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Green Pesticide Invention and Application, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - H-Y Yu
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Jiangsu/State & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Green Pesticide Invention and Application, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - T-T Jiang
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Jiangsu/State & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Green Pesticide Invention and Application, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - C-F Gao
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Jiangsu/State & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Green Pesticide Invention and Application, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - J-L Shen
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Jiangsu/State & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Green Pesticide Invention and Application, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
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14
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Yan S, Zhu J, Zhu W, Zhang X, Li Z, Liu X, Zhang Q. The expression of three opsin genes from the compound eye of Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is regulated by a circadian clock, light conditions and nutritional status. PLoS One 2014; 9:e111683. [PMID: 25353953 PMCID: PMC4213014 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0111683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2014] [Accepted: 10/02/2014] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Visual genes may become inactive in species that inhabit poor light environments, and the function and regulation of opsin components in nocturnal moths are interesting topics. In this study, we cloned the ultraviolet (UV), blue (BL) and long-wavelength-sensitive (LW) opsin genes from the compound eye of the cotton bollworm and then measured their mRNA levels using quantitative real-time PCR. The mRNA levels fluctuated over a daily cycle, which might be an adaptation of a nocturnal lifestyle, and were dependent on a circadian clock. Cycling of opsin mRNA levels was disturbed by constant light or constant darkness, and the UV opsin gene was up-regulated after light exposure. Furthermore, the opsin genes tended to be down-regulated upon starvation. Thus, this study illustrates that opsin gene expression is determined by multiple endogenous and exogenous factors and is adapted to the need for nocturnal vision, suggesting that color vision may play an important role in the sensory ecology of nocturnal moths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Yan
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Jialin Zhu
- Beijing Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Weilong Zhu
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Xinfang Zhang
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Zhen Li
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Xiaoxia Liu
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, P.R. China
- * E-mail: (XXL); (QWZ)
| | - Qingwen Zhang
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, P.R. China
- * E-mail: (XXL); (QWZ)
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15
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Out of the blue: the spectral sensitivity of hummingbird hawkmoths. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2014; 200:537-46. [PMID: 24553915 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-014-0888-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2013] [Revised: 01/24/2014] [Accepted: 01/27/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
The European hummingbird hawkmoth Macroglossum stellatarum is a diurnal nectar forager like the honeybee, and we expect similarities in their sensory ecology. Using behavioural tests and electroretinograms (ERGs), we studied the spectral sensitivity of M. stellatarum. By measuring ERGs in the dark-adapted eye and after adaptation to green light, we determined that M. stellatarum has ultraviolet (UV), blue and green receptors maximally sensitive at 349, 440 and 521 nm, and confirmed that green receptors are most frequent in the retina. To determine the behavioural spectral sensitivity (action spectrum) of foraging moths, we trained animals to associate a disk illuminated with spectral light, with a food reward, and a dark disk with no reward. While the spectral positions of sensitivity maxima found in behavioural tests agree with model predictions based on the ERG data, the sensitivity to blue light was 30 times higher than expected. This is different from the honeybee but similar to earlier findings in the crepuscular hawkmoth Manduca sexta. It may indicate that the action spectrum of foraging hawkmoths does not represent their general sensory capacity. We suggest that the elevated sensitivity to blue light is related to the innate preference of hawkmoths for blue flowers.
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