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Wu K, Yang B, Chen R, Majeed R, Li B, Gong L, Wei X, Yang J, Tang Y, Wang A, Toufeeq S, Shaik HA, Huang W, Guo X, Ling E. Lack of signal peptide in insect prophenoloxidase to avoid glycosylation to damage the zymogen activity. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2024; 160:105230. [PMID: 39029607 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2024.105230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 07/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/21/2024]
Abstract
Insect prophenoloxidases (PPOs) are important immunity proteins for defending against the invading pathogens and parasites. As a Type-Ⅲ copper-containing proteins, unlike Homo sapiens tyrosinases, the insect PPOs and most bacterial tyrosinases contain no signal peptides for unknown reason, however they can still be released. To this end, we fused different signal peptides to Drosophila melanogaster PPOs for in vitro and in vivo expression, respectively. We demonstrate that an artificial signal peptide can help PPO secretion in vitro. The secreted PPO appeared larger than wild-type PPO on molecular weight sizes due to glycosylation when expressed in S2 cells. Two asparagine residues for potential glycosylation in PPO1 were identified when a signal peptide was fused. After purification, the glycosylated PPO1 lost zymogen activity. When PPO1 containing a signal peptide was over-expressed in Drosophila larvae, the glycosylation and secretion of PPO1 was detected in vivo. Unlike insect PPO, human tyrosinase needs a signal peptide for protein expression and maintaining enzyme activity. An artificial signal peptide fused to bacterial tyrosinase had no influence on the protein expression and enzyme activity. These Type-Ⅲ copper-containing proteins from different organisms may evolve to perform their specific functions. Intriguingly, our study revealed that the addition of calcium inhibits PPO secretion from the transiently cultured larval hindguts in vitro, indicating that the calcium concentration may regulate PPO secretion. Taken together, insect PPOs can maintain enzyme activities without any signal peptide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Wu
- College of Life Sciences, Shangrao Normal University, Shangrao, 334001, China; Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Bing Yang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China; Shanghai Majorbio Bio-pharm Technology Co., Ltd, Shanghai, 201318, China
| | - Rongbing Chen
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Rafia Majeed
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Baoling Li
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China; College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang Agriculture & Forestry University, Hangzhou, 311300, China
| | - Liyuan Gong
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xuefei Wei
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Jingfeng Yang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yingyu Tang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Aibin Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Shangrao Normal University, Shangrao, 334001, China
| | - Shahzad Toufeeq
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Haq Abdul Shaik
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre CAS, Branisovska 31, 370 05, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Wuren Huang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Xuan Guo
- Life Science Institute, Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, 121001, China.
| | - Erjun Ling
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China; Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China.
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Ferri I, Dell’Anno M, Spano M, Canala B, Petrali B, Dametti M, Magnaghi S, Rossi L. Characterisation of Tenebrio molitor Reared on Substrates Supplemented with Chestnut Shell. INSECTS 2024; 15:512. [PMID: 39057245 PMCID: PMC11276986 DOI: 10.3390/insects15070512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2024] [Revised: 07/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
Tenebrio molitor larvae represent a sustainable protein source for food and feed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the supplementation of chestnut shell, a by-product of the agro-industrial chain, in growth substrates for T. molitor larvae rearing. Seven-week-old larvae were reared on three different growth substrates: the control group (CTRL) was fed wheat bran, treatment group one was fed wheat bran supplemented with 12.5% w/w chestnut shell (TRT1), and treatment group two was fed wheat bran supplemented with 25% w/w chestnut shell (TRT2). Larval weight, substrate consumption, and mortality were recorded weekly. After 14 days, insect meals were produced for bromatological and colorimetric analysis, and bacterial inhibition activity assay using a microdilution method. The amino acid profile of insects was determined using quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Our results showed a lower feed conversion ratio and higher larval survival rate % in TRT2 compared to CTRL (p < 0.05). Proteins and lipids of TRT2 were higher than other groups (p < 0.05). Important differences were observed in the amino acid profile of TRT1 and TRT2 compared to CTRL (p < 0.05). TRT1 and TRT2 showed higher E. coli inhibitory activity than CTRL (p < 0.05). In conclusion, chestnut shell supplementation improved the survival and functional characteristics of larvae and likely impacted the insects' metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Ferri
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences—DIVAS, University of Milan, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (I.F.); (M.D.); (B.C.); (B.P.); (M.D.)
| | - Matteo Dell’Anno
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences—DIVAS, University of Milan, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (I.F.); (M.D.); (B.C.); (B.P.); (M.D.)
| | - Mattia Spano
- Food Chemistry Lab, Department of Chemistry and Technology of Drugs, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy;
| | - Benedetta Canala
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences—DIVAS, University of Milan, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (I.F.); (M.D.); (B.C.); (B.P.); (M.D.)
| | - Beatrice Petrali
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences—DIVAS, University of Milan, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (I.F.); (M.D.); (B.C.); (B.P.); (M.D.)
| | - Matilda Dametti
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences—DIVAS, University of Milan, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (I.F.); (M.D.); (B.C.); (B.P.); (M.D.)
| | | | - Luciana Rossi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences—DIVAS, University of Milan, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (I.F.); (M.D.); (B.C.); (B.P.); (M.D.)
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Shin M, Chang E, Lee D, Kim N, Cho B, Cha N, Koranteng F, Song JJ, Shim J. Drosophila immune cells transport oxygen through PPO2 protein phase transition. Nature 2024; 631:350-359. [PMID: 38926577 PMCID: PMC11236712 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07583-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Insect respiration has long been thought to be solely dependent on an elaborate tracheal system without assistance from the circulatory system or immune cells1,2. Here we describe that Drosophila crystal cells-myeloid-like immune cells called haemocytes-control respiration by oxygenating Prophenoloxidase 2 (PPO2) proteins. Crystal cells direct the movement of haemocytes between the trachea of the larval body wall and the circulation to collect oxygen. Aided by copper and a neutral pH, oxygen is trapped in the crystalline structures of PPO2 in crystal cells. Conversely, PPO2 crystals can be dissolved when carbonic anhydrase lowers the intracellular pH and then reassembled into crystals in cellulo by adhering to the trachea. Physiologically, larvae lacking crystal cells or PPO2, or those expressing a copper-binding mutant of PPO2, display hypoxic responses under normoxic conditions and are susceptible to hypoxia. These hypoxic phenotypes can be rescued by hyperoxia, expression of arthropod haemocyanin or prevention of larval burrowing activity to expose their respiratory organs. Thus, we propose that insect immune cells collaborate with the tracheal system to reserve and transport oxygen through the phase transition of PPO2 crystals, facilitating internal oxygen homeostasis in a process that is comparable to vertebrate respiration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyu Shin
- Department of Life Science, College of Natural Science, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Eunji Chang
- Department of Life Science, College of Natural Science, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Daewon Lee
- Department of Life Science, College of Natural Science, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Nayun Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, KI for BioCentury, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Bumsik Cho
- Department of Life Science, College of Natural Science, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Nuri Cha
- Department of Life Science, College of Natural Science, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ferdinand Koranteng
- Department of Life Science, College of Natural Science, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Joon Song
- Department of Biological Sciences, KI for BioCentury, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jiwon Shim
- Department of Life Science, College of Natural Science, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- Research Institute for Natural Science, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- Hanyang Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- Hanyang Institute of Advanced BioConvergence, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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Ye C, Ho R, Moberg KH, Zheng JQ. Sexual Dimorphism in Age-Dependent Neurodegeneration After Mild Head Trauma in Drosophila : Unveiling the Adverse Impact of Female Reproductive Signaling. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.06.583747. [PMID: 38496515 PMCID: PMC10942469 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.06.583747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Environmental insults, including mild head trauma, significantly increase the risk of neurodegeneration. However, it remains challenging to establish a causative connection between early-life exposure to mild head trauma and late-life emergence of neurodegenerative deficits, nor do we know how sex and age compound the outcome. Using a Drosophila model, we demonstrate that exposure to mild head trauma causes neurodegenerative conditions that emerge late in life and disproportionately affect females. Increasing age-at-injury further exacerbates this effect in a sexually dimorphic manner. We further identify Sex Peptide (SP) signaling as a key factor in female susceptibility to post-injury brain deficits. RNA sequencing highlights a reduction in innate immune defense transcripts specifically in mated females during late life. Our findings establish a causal relationship between early head trauma and late-life neurodegeneration, emphasizing sex differences in injury response and the impact of age-at-injury. Finally, our findings reveal that reproductive signaling adversely impacts female response to mild head insults and elevates vulnerability to late-life neurodegeneration.
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Chen J, Lin G, Ma K, Li Z, Liégeois S, Ferrandon D. A specific innate immune response silences the virulence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a latent infection model in the Drosophila melanogaster host. PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1012252. [PMID: 38833496 PMCID: PMC11178223 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Microbial pathogenicity often depends on the route of infection. For instance, P. aeruginosa or S. marcescens cause acute systemic infections when low numbers of bacteria are injected into D. melanogaster flies whereas flies succumb much slower to the continuous ingestion of these pathogens, even though both manage to escape from the gut compartment and reach the hemocoel. Here, we have developed a latent P. aeruginosa infection model by feeding flies on the bacteria for a short period. The bacteria stably colonize internal tissues yet hardly cause any damage since latently-infected flies live almost as long as noninfected control flies. The apparently dormant bacteria display particular characteristics in terms of bacterial colony morphology, composition of the outer cell wall, and motility. The virulence of these bacteria can however be reactivated upon wounding the host. We show that melanization but not the cellular or the systemic humoral response is the predominant host defense that establishes latency and may coerce the bacteria to a dormant state. In addition, the lasting activation of the melanization responses in latently-infected flies provides a degree of protection to the host against a secondary fungal infection. Latent infection by an ingested pathogen protects against a variety of homologous or heterologous systemic secondary infectious challenges, a situation previously described for the endosymbiotic Wolbachia bacteria, a guard against viral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Chen
- Sino-French Hoffmann Institute, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guiying Lin
- Sino-French Hoffmann Institute, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
- Modèles Insectes de l’Immunité Innée, UPR 9022 du CNRS, Strasbourg, France
| | - Kaiyu Ma
- Sino-French Hoffmann Institute, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zi Li
- Sino-French Hoffmann Institute, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Samuel Liégeois
- Sino-French Hoffmann Institute, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
- Modèles Insectes de l’Immunité Innée, UPR 9022 du CNRS, Strasbourg, France
| | - Dominique Ferrandon
- Sino-French Hoffmann Institute, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
- Modèles Insectes de l’Immunité Innée, UPR 9022 du CNRS, Strasbourg, France
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Zhang J, Shan J, Shi W, Feng T, Sheng Y, Xu Z, Dong Z, Huang J, Chen J. Transcriptomic Insights into Host Metabolism and Immunity Changes after Parasitization by Leptopilina myrica. INSECTS 2024; 15:352. [PMID: 38786908 PMCID: PMC11122121 DOI: 10.3390/insects15050352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Parasitoids commonly manipulate their host's metabolism and immunity to facilitate their offspring survival, but the mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we deconstructed the manipulation strategy of a newly discovered parasitoid wasp, L. myrica, which parasitizes D. melanogaster. Using RNA-seq, we analyzed transcriptomes of L. myrica-parasitized and non-parasitized Drosophila host larvae. A total of 22.29 Gb and 23.85 Gb of clean reads were obtained from the two samples, respectively, and differential expression analysis identified 445 DEGs. Of them, 304 genes were upregulated and 141 genes were downregulated in parasitized hosts compared with non-parasitized larvae. Based on the functional annotations in the Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) databases, we found that the genes involved in host nutrition metabolism were significantly upregulated, particularly in carbohydrate, amino acid, and lipid metabolism. We also identified 30 other metabolism-related DEGs, including hexokinase, fatty acid synthase, and UDP-glycosyltransferase (Ugt) genes. We observed that five Bomanin genes (Boms) and six antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) were upregulated. Moreover, a qRT-PCR analysis of 12 randomly selected DEGs confirmed the reproducibility and accuracy of the RNA-seq data. Our results provide a comprehensive transcriptomic analysis of how L. myrica manipulates its host, laying a solid foundation for studies on the regulatory mechanisms employed by parasitoid wasps in their hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junwei Zhang
- Institute of Insect Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (J.Z.); (J.S.); (W.S.); (T.F.); (Y.S.); (Z.X.); (Z.D.); (J.H.)
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Jieyu Shan
- Institute of Insect Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (J.Z.); (J.S.); (W.S.); (T.F.); (Y.S.); (Z.X.); (Z.D.); (J.H.)
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Wenqi Shi
- Institute of Insect Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (J.Z.); (J.S.); (W.S.); (T.F.); (Y.S.); (Z.X.); (Z.D.); (J.H.)
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Ting Feng
- Institute of Insect Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (J.Z.); (J.S.); (W.S.); (T.F.); (Y.S.); (Z.X.); (Z.D.); (J.H.)
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yifeng Sheng
- Institute of Insect Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (J.Z.); (J.S.); (W.S.); (T.F.); (Y.S.); (Z.X.); (Z.D.); (J.H.)
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Zixuan Xu
- Institute of Insect Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (J.Z.); (J.S.); (W.S.); (T.F.); (Y.S.); (Z.X.); (Z.D.); (J.H.)
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Zhi Dong
- Institute of Insect Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (J.Z.); (J.S.); (W.S.); (T.F.); (Y.S.); (Z.X.); (Z.D.); (J.H.)
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Jianhua Huang
- Institute of Insect Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (J.Z.); (J.S.); (W.S.); (T.F.); (Y.S.); (Z.X.); (Z.D.); (J.H.)
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Jiani Chen
- Institute of Insect Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (J.Z.); (J.S.); (W.S.); (T.F.); (Y.S.); (Z.X.); (Z.D.); (J.H.)
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
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Asano T. Multicopper oxidase-2 mediated cuticle formation: Its contribution to evolution and success of insects as terrestrial organisms. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 168:104111. [PMID: 38508343 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
The insect cuticle is a non-cellular matrix composed of polysaccharide chitins and proteins. The cuticle covers most of the body surface, including the trachea, foregut, and hindgut, and it is the body structure that separates the intraluminal environment from the external environment. The cuticle is essential to sustain their lives, both as a physical barrier to maintain homeostasis and as an exoskeleton that mechanically supports body shape and movement. Previously, we proposed a theory about the possibility that the cuticle-forming system contributes to the "evolution and success of insects." The main points of our theory are that 1) insects evolved an insect-specific system of cuticle formation and 2) the presence of this system may have provided insects with a competitive advantage in the early land ecosystems. The key to this theory is that insects utilize molecular oxygen abundant in the atmosphere, which differs from closely related crustaceans that form their cuticles with calcium ions. With newly obtained knowledge, this review revisits the significance of the insect-specific system for insects to adapt to terrestrial environments and also discusses the long-standing question in entomology as to why, despite their great success in terrestrial environments, they poorly adapt to marine environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsunaki Asano
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan, Minami-osawa 1-1, Hachioji, Tokyo, 192-0397, Japan.
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8
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Ma M, Luo J, Li C, Eleftherianos I, Zhang W, Xu L. A life-and-death struggle: interaction of insects with entomopathogenic fungi across various infection stages. Front Immunol 2024; 14:1329843. [PMID: 38259477 PMCID: PMC10800808 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1329843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Insects constitute approximately 75% of the world's recognized fauna, with the majority of species considered as pests. Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) are parasitic microorganisms capable of efficiently infecting insects, rendering them potent biopesticides. In response to infections, insects have evolved diverse defense mechanisms, prompting EPF to develop a variety of strategies to overcome or circumvent host defenses. While the interaction mechanisms between EPF and insects is well established, recent findings underscore that their interplay is more intricate than previously thought, especially evident across different stages of EPF infection. This review primarily focuses on the interplay between EPF and the insect defense strategies, centered around three infection stages: (1) Early infection stage: involving the pre-contact detection and avoidance behavior of EPF in insects, along with the induction of behavioral responses upon contact with the host cuticle; (2) Penetration and intra-hemolymph growth stage: involving the initiation of intricate cellular and humoral immune functions in insects, while symbiotic microbes can further contribute to host resistance; (3) Host insect's death stage: involving the ultimate confrontation between pathogens and insects. Infected insects strive to separate themselves from the healthy population, while pathogens rely on the infected insects to spread to new hosts. Also, we discuss a novel pest management strategy underlying the cooperation between EPF infection and disturbing the insect immune system. By enhancing our understanding of the intricate interplay between EPF and the insect, this review provides novel perspectives for EPF-mediated pest management and developing effective fungal insecticides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meiqi Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jing Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, China
| | - Chong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, China
| | - Ioannis Eleftherianos
- Infection and Innate Immunity Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Institute for Biomedical Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Wei Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Letian Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, China
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Qie X, Yan X, Wang W, Liu Y, Zhang L, Hao C, Lu Z, Ma L. Serpin-4 Negatively Regulates Prophenoloxidase Activation and Antimicrobial Peptide Synthesis in the Silkworm, Bombyx mori. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 25:313. [PMID: 38203484 PMCID: PMC10778760 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The prophenoloxidase (PPO) activation and Toll antimicrobial peptide synthesis pathways are two critical immune responses in the insect immune system. The activation of these pathways is mediated by the cascade of serine proteases, which is negatively regulated by serpins. In this study, we identified a typical serpin, BmSerpin-4, in silkworms, whose expression was dramatically up-regulated in the fat body and hemocytes after bacterial infections. The pre-injection of recombinant BmSerpin-4 remarkably decreased the antibacterial activity of the hemolymph and the expression of the antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) gloverin-3, cecropin-D, cecropin-E, and moricin in the fat body under Micrococcus luteus and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis serotype O: 3 (YP III) infection. Meanwhile, the inhibition of systemic melanization, PO activity, and PPO activation by BmSerpin-4 was also observed. Hemolymph proteinase 1 (HP1), serine protease 2 (SP2), HP6, and SP21 were predicted as the candidate target serine proteases for BmSerpin-4 through the analysis of residues adjacent to the scissile bond and comparisons of orthologous genes in Manduca sexta. This suggests that HP1, SP2, HP6, and SP21 might be essential in the activation of the serine protease cascade in both the Toll and PPO pathways in silkworms. Our study provided a comprehensive characterization of BmSerpin-4 and clues for the further dissection of silkworm PPO and Toll activation signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingtao Qie
- Department of Plant Protection, College of Plant Protection, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, China; (X.Q.); (X.Y.); (W.W.); (Y.L.); (L.Z.); (C.H.)
| | - Xizhong Yan
- Department of Plant Protection, College of Plant Protection, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, China; (X.Q.); (X.Y.); (W.W.); (Y.L.); (L.Z.); (C.H.)
| | - Wentao Wang
- Department of Plant Protection, College of Plant Protection, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, China; (X.Q.); (X.Y.); (W.W.); (Y.L.); (L.Z.); (C.H.)
| | - Yaya Liu
- Department of Plant Protection, College of Plant Protection, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, China; (X.Q.); (X.Y.); (W.W.); (Y.L.); (L.Z.); (C.H.)
| | - Lijun Zhang
- Department of Plant Protection, College of Plant Protection, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, China; (X.Q.); (X.Y.); (W.W.); (Y.L.); (L.Z.); (C.H.)
| | - Chi Hao
- Department of Plant Protection, College of Plant Protection, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, China; (X.Q.); (X.Y.); (W.W.); (Y.L.); (L.Z.); (C.H.)
| | - Zhiqiang Lu
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China
| | - Li Ma
- Department of Plant Protection, College of Plant Protection, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, China; (X.Q.); (X.Y.); (W.W.); (Y.L.); (L.Z.); (C.H.)
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10
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Shan T, Wang Y, Bhattarai K, Jiang H. An evolutionarily conserved serine protease network mediates melanization and Toll activation in Drosophila. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadk2756. [PMID: 38117884 PMCID: PMC10732536 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adk2756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023]
Abstract
Melanization and Toll pathway activation are essential innate immune mechanisms in insects, which result in the generation of reactive compounds and antimicrobial peptides, respectively, to kill pathogens. These two processes are mediated by phenoloxidase (PO) and Spätzle (Spz) through an extracellular network of serine proteases. While some proteases have been identified in Drosophila melanogaster in genetic studies, the exact order of proteolytic activation events remains controversial. Here, we reconstituted the serine protease framework in Drosophila by biochemical methods. This system comprises 10 proteases, i.e., ModSP, cSP48, Grass, Psh, Hayan-PA, Hayan-PB, Sp7, MP1, SPE and Ser7, which form cascade pathways that recognize microbial molecular patterns and virulence factors, and generate PO1, PO2, and Spz from their precursors. Furthermore, the serpin Necrotic negatively regulates the immune response progression by inhibiting ModSP and Grass. The biochemical approach, when combined with genetic analysis, is crucial for addressing problems that long stand in this important research field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tisheng Shan
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Yang Wang
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Krishna Bhattarai
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
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11
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Contreras-Garduño J, Torres-Enciso P, Ramirez-Romero R. The immune response of the whitefly Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) when parasitized by Eretmocerus eremicus (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae). PLoS One 2023; 18:e0296157. [PMID: 38128052 PMCID: PMC10734938 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0296157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
In insects, the innate immune system is subdivided into cellular and humoral defenses. When parasitoids attack insects, both reactions can be activated and notably, the phenoloxidase (PO) cascade and lytic activity are part of both cellular and humoral defenses. However, to our knowledge, no study has characterized any immune response of the whitefly Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) to the attack of Eretmocerus eremicus (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae). Therefore, the first objective of the present study was to determine whether whitefly nymphs recently parasitized by E. eremicus exhibit any immune response. For this, we estimate the level of prophenoloxidase (proPO), phenoloxidase (PO), and lytic activity by colorimetric assays. A second objective was to assess whether the observed whitefly immune response could be related to a previously reported preference of the predator Geocoris punctipes (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae) for non-parasitized nymphs. We therefore offered non-parasitized and recently parasitized nymphs to the predator. Our results show that parasitism of whitefly nymphs by E. eremicus induced a highly estimated level of proPO and PO, and a lower level of lytic activity. In addition, we found that G. punctipes did not show a preference for non-parasitized over recently parasitized nymphs. The nymphs of T. vaporariorum activated the PO pathway against E. eremicus; however, the increase in proPO and PO levels was traded-off with decreased lytic activity. In addition, the previously reported preference for non-parasitized nymphs was not seen in our experiments, indicating that the induced immune response did not affect predator behavior by G. punctipes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pedro Torres-Enciso
- Laboratorio de Control Biológico (Lab CB-AIFEN), Departamento de Producción Agrícola, CUCBA, Universidad de Guadalajara, Zapopan, Jalisco, México
| | - Ricardo Ramirez-Romero
- Laboratorio de Control Biológico (Lab CB-AIFEN), Departamento de Producción Agrícola, CUCBA, Universidad de Guadalajara, Zapopan, Jalisco, México
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12
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Tafesh-Edwards G, Eleftherianos I. The Drosophila melanogaster prophenoloxidase system participates in immunity against Zika virus infection. Eur J Immunol 2023; 53:e2350632. [PMID: 37793051 PMCID: PMC10841153 DOI: 10.1002/eji.202350632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Drosophila melanogaster relies on an evolutionarily conserved innate immune system to protect itself from a wide range of pathogens, making it a convenient genetic model to study various human pathogenic viruses and host antiviral immunity. Here we explore for the first time the contribution of the Drosophila phenoloxidase (PO) system to host survival and defenses against Zika virus (ZIKV) infection by analyzing the role of mutations in the three prophenoloxidase (PPO) genes in female and male flies. We show that only PPO1 and PPO2 genes contribute to host survival and appear to be upregulated following ZIKV infection in Drosophila. Also, we present data suggesting that a complex regulatory system exists between Drosophila PPOs, potentially allowing for a sex-dependent compensation of PPOs by one another or other immune responses such as the Toll, Imd, and JAK/STAT pathways. Furthermore, we show that PPO1 and PPO2 are essential for melanization in the hemolymph and the wound site in flies upon ZIKV infection. Our results reveal an important role played by the melanization pathway in response to ZIKV infection, hence highlighting the importance of this pathway in insect host defense against viral pathogens and potential vector control strategies to alleviate ZIKV outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghada Tafesh-Edwards
- Infection and Innate Immunity Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Ioannis Eleftherianos
- Infection and Innate Immunity Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
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13
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Wang JB, Lu HL, Sheng H, St Leger RJ. A Drosophila melanogaster model shows that fast growing Metarhizium species are the deadliest despite eliciting a strong immune response. Virulence 2023; 14:2275493. [PMID: 37941391 PMCID: PMC10732690 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2023.2275493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
We used Drosophila melanogaster to investigate how differences between Metarhizium species in growth rate and mechanisms of pathogenesis influence the outcome of infection. We found that the most rapid germinators and growers in vitro and on fly cuticle were the fastest killers, suggesting that pre-penetration competence is key to Metarhizium success. Virulent strains also induced the largest immune response, which did not depend on profuse growth within hosts as virulent toxin-producing strains only proliferated post-mortem while slow-killing strains that were specialized to other insects grew profusely pre-mortem. Metarhizium strains have apparently evolved resistance to widely distributed defenses such as the defensin Toll product drosomycin, but they were inhibited by Bomanins only found in Drosophila spp. Disrupting a gene (Dif), that mediates Toll immunity has little impact on the lethality of most Metarhizium strains (an exception being the early diverged M. frigidum and another insect pathogen Beauveria bassiana). However, disrupting the sensor of fungal proteases (Persephone) allowed rapid proliferation of strains within hosts (with the exception of M. album), and flies succumbed rapidly. Persephone also mediates gender differences in immune responses that determine whether male or female flies die sooner. We conclude that some strain differences in growth within hosts depend on immune-mediated interactions but intrinsic differences in pathogenic mechanisms are more important. Thus, Drosophila varies greatly in tolerance to different Metarhizium strains, in part because some of them produce toxins. Our results further develop D. melanogaster as a tractable model system for understanding insect-Metarhizium interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan B Wang
- Department of Entomology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Hsiao-Ling Lu
- Department of Entomology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Huiyu Sheng
- Department of Entomology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
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14
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Yoon SH, Cho B, Lee D, Kim H, Shim J, Nam JW. Molecular traces of Drosophila hemocytes reveal transcriptomic conservation with vertebrate myeloid cells. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1011077. [PMID: 38113249 PMCID: PMC10763942 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Drosophila hemocytes serve as the primary defense system against harmful threats, allowing the animals to thrive. Hemocytes are often compared to vertebrate innate immune system cells due to the observed functional similarities between the two. However, the similarities have primarily been established based on a limited number of genes and their functional homologies. Thus, a systematic analysis using transcriptomic data could offer novel insights into Drosophila hemocyte function and provide new perspectives on the evolution of the immune system. Here, we performed cross-species comparative analyses using single-cell RNA sequencing data from Drosophila and vertebrate immune cells. We found several conserved markers for the cluster of differentiation (CD) genes in Drosophila hemocytes and validated the role of CG8501 (CD59) in phagocytosis by plasmatocytes, which function much like macrophages in vertebrates. By comparing whole transcriptome profiles in both supervised and unsupervised analyses, we showed that Drosophila hemocytes are largely homologous to vertebrate myeloid cells, especially plasmatocytes to monocytes/macrophages and prohemocyte 1 (PH1) to hematopoietic stem cells. Furthermore, a small subset of prohemocytes with hematopoietic potential displayed homology with hematopoietic progenitor populations in vertebrates. Overall, our results provide a deeper understanding of molecular conservation in the Drosophila immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang-Ho Yoon
- Department of Life Science, College of Natural Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Hanyang Institute of Advanced BioConvergence, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Hanyang Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Bio-BigData Research Center, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Bumsik Cho
- Department of Life Science, College of Natural Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Daewon Lee
- Department of Life Science, College of Natural Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hanji Kim
- Department of Life Science, College of Natural Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jiwon Shim
- Department of Life Science, College of Natural Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Hanyang Institute of Advanced BioConvergence, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Hanyang Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Bio-BigData Research Center, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Research Institute for Convergence of Basic Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin-Wu Nam
- Department of Life Science, College of Natural Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Hanyang Institute of Advanced BioConvergence, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Hanyang Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Bio-BigData Research Center, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Research Institute for Convergence of Basic Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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15
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Zhang Y, Yan Y, Smagghe G, Yang H, Dai RH, Yang WJ. Identification and immune analysis of antimicrobial peptides from the cigarette beetle (Lasioderma serricorne). INSECT SCIENCE 2023. [PMID: 37984503 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in insects are endogenous peptides that are effector components of the innate defense system of the insect. AMPs may serve as antimicrobial agents because of their small molecular weight and broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. In this study, we performed transcriptome analysis of cigarette beetle (Lasioderma serricorne) larvae, parasitized by the ectoparasitic wasp, Anisopteromalus calandrae. Several AMP genes were significantly upregulated following A. calandrae parasitism, postulating the hypothesis that the parasitization enhanced the host's resistance against pathogenic microorganisms through the regulation of host AMP genes. Specifically, 3 AMP genes (LsDef1, LsDef2, and LsCole) were significantly upregulated and we studied their immune function in L. serricorne. Immune challenge and functional analysis showed that LsCole was responsible for the immune response against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, while LsDef1 and LsDef2 were involved in insect defense against Gram-positive bacteria. Purified recombinant LsCole exhibited antimicrobial activities against the Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli and the Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus. LsDef2 showed an antibacterial effect against S. aureus. LsCole and LsDef2 exhibited antibiofilm activity against S. aureus. The 2 AMPs disrupted cell membranes and caused leakage of S. aureus cell contents. The results indicated that the 3 AMPs in L. serricorne are involved in the innate immunity of this pest insect. These AMPs may have potential as antimicrobial agents for bacterial infection chemotherapy. Hence, data are discussed in relation to new control strategies with greater biosafety against pest insects with use of microbial biocontrol agents in combination with RNA interference against the insect's defensive AMP genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Zhang
- Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Agricultural Pest Management of the Mountainous Region, Institute of Entomology, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Yi Yan
- Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Agricultural Pest Management of the Mountainous Region, Institute of Entomology, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
- Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Rare Animal and Economic Insect of the Mountainous Region, College of Biology and Environmental Engineering, Guiyang University, Guiyang, China
| | - Guy Smagghe
- Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Agricultural Pest Management of the Mountainous Region, Institute of Entomology, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Hong Yang
- Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Agricultural Pest Management of the Mountainous Region, Institute of Entomology, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Ren-Huai Dai
- Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Agricultural Pest Management of the Mountainous Region, Institute of Entomology, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Wen-Jia Yang
- Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Rare Animal and Economic Insect of the Mountainous Region, College of Biology and Environmental Engineering, Guiyang University, Guiyang, China
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16
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Darby AM, Lazzaro BP. Interactions between innate immunity and insulin signaling affect resistance to infection in insects. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1276357. [PMID: 37915572 PMCID: PMC10616485 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1276357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
An active immune response is energetically demanding and requires reallocation of nutrients to support resistance to and tolerance of infection. Insulin signaling is a critical global regulator of metabolism and whole-body homeostasis in response to nutrient availability and energetic needs, including those required for mobilization of energy in support of the immune system. In this review, we share findings that demonstrate interactions between innate immune activity and insulin signaling primarily in the insect model Drosophila melanogaster as well as other insects like Bombyx mori and Anopheles mosquitos. These studies indicate that insulin signaling and innate immune activation have reciprocal effects on each other, but that those effects vary depending on the type of pathogen, route of infection, and nutritional status of the host. Future research will be required to further understand the detailed mechanisms by which innate immunity and insulin signaling activity impact each other.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea M. Darby
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
- Cornell Institute of Host-Microbe Interactions and Disease, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Brian P. Lazzaro
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
- Cornell Institute of Host-Microbe Interactions and Disease, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
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17
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Jin Q, Wang Y, Yin H, Jiang H. Two clip-domain serine protease homologs, cSPH35 and cSPH242, act as a cofactor for prophenoloxidase-1 activation in Drosophila melanogaster. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1244792. [PMID: 37781370 PMCID: PMC10540698 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1244792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Insect phenoloxidases (POs) catalyze phenol oxygenation and o-diphenol oxidation to form reactive intermediates that kill invading pathogens and form melanin polymers. To reduce their toxicity to host cells, POs are produced as prophenoloxidases (PPOs) and activated by a serine protease cascade as required. In most insects studied so far, PPO activating proteases (PAPs) generate active POs in the presence of a high Mr cofactor, comprising two serine protease homologs (SPHs) each with a Gly residue replacing the catalytic Ser of an S1A serine protease (SP). These SPHs have a regulatory clip domain at the N-terminus, like most of the SP cascade members including PAPs. In Drosophila, PPO activation and PO-catalyzed melanization have been examined in genetic analyses but it is unclear if a cofactor is required for PPO activation. In this study, we produced the recombinant cSPH35 and cSPH242 precursors, activated them with Manduca sexta PAP3, and confirmed their predicted role as a cofactor for Drosophila PPO1 activation by MP2 (i.e., Sp7). The cleavage sites and mechanisms for complex formation and cofactor function are highly similar to those reported in M. sexta. In the presence of high Mr complexes of the cSPHs, PO at a high specific activity of 260 U/μg was generated in vitro. To complement the in vitro analysis, we measured hemolymph PO activity levels in wild-type flies, cSPH35, and cSPH242 RNAi lines. Compared with the wild-type flies, only 4.4% and 18% of the control PO level (26 U/μl) was detected in the cSPH35 and cSPH242 knockdowns, respectively. Consistently, percentages of adults with a melanin spot at the site of septic pricking were 82% in wild-type, 30% in cSPH35 RNAi, and 53% in cSPH242 RNAi lines; the survival rate of the control (45%) was significantly higher than those (30% and 15%) of the two RNAi lines. These data suggest that Drosophila cSPH35 and cSPH242 are components of a cofactor for MP2-mediated PPO1 activation, which are indispensable for early melanization in adults.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Haobo Jiang
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
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18
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Yang L, Yang L, Wang X, Peng C, Chen X, Wei W, Xu X, Ye G, Xu J. Toll and IMD Immune Pathways Are Important Antifungal Defense Components in a Pupal Parasitoid, Pteromalus puparum. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14088. [PMID: 37762389 PMCID: PMC10531655 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241814088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2023] [Revised: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Insects employ multifaceted strategies to combat invading fungi, with immunity being a promising mechanism. Immune pathways function in signal transduction and amplification, ultimately leading to the activation of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Although several studies have shown that immune pathways are responsible for defending against fungi, the roles of parasitoid immune pathways involved in antifungal responses remain unknown. In this study, we evaluated the roles of the Toll and IMD pathways of a pupal parasitoid, Pteromalus puparum (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), in fighting against Beauveria bassiana (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae). Successful colonization of B. bassiana on P. puparum adults was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). AMPs were induced upon B. bassiana infection. The knockdown of key genes, PpTollA and PpIMD, in Toll and IMD signaling pathways, respectively, significantly compromised insect defense against fungal infection. The knockdown of either PpTollA or PpIMD in P. puparum dramatically promoted the proliferation of B. bassiana, resulting in a decreased survival rate and downregulated expression levels of AMPs against B. bassiana compared to controls. These data indicated that PpTollA and PpIMD participate in Toll and IMD-mediated activation of antifungal responses, respectively. In summary, this study has greatly broadened our knowledge of the parasitoid antifungal immunity against fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Key Laboratory of Traceability for Agricultural Genetically Modified Organisms, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, China
| | - Lei Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding & Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Xiaofu Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Key Laboratory of Traceability for Agricultural Genetically Modified Organisms, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, China
| | - Cheng Peng
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Key Laboratory of Traceability for Agricultural Genetically Modified Organisms, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, China
| | - Xiaoyun Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Key Laboratory of Traceability for Agricultural Genetically Modified Organisms, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, China
| | - Wei Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding & Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Xiaoli Xu
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Key Laboratory of Traceability for Agricultural Genetically Modified Organisms, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, China
| | - Gongyin Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding & Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Junfeng Xu
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Key Laboratory of Traceability for Agricultural Genetically Modified Organisms, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, China
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19
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Smith BR, Patch KB, Gupta A, Knoles EM, Unckless RL. The genetic basis of variation in immune defense against Lysinibacillus fusiformis infection in Drosophila melanogaster. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1010934. [PMID: 37549163 PMCID: PMC10434897 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The genetic causes of phenotypic variation often differ depending on the population examined, particularly if the populations were founded by relatively small numbers of genotypes. Similarly, the genetic causes of phenotypic variation among similar traits (resistance to different xenobiotic compounds or pathogens) may also be completely different or only partially overlapping. Differences in genetic causes for variation in the same trait among populations suggests context dependence for how selection acts on those traits. Similarities in the genetic causes of variation for different traits, on the other hand, suggests pleiotropy which would also influence how natural selection shapes variation in a trait. We characterized immune defense against a natural Drosophila pathogen, the Gram-positive bacterium Lysinibacillus fusiformis, in three different populations and found almost no overlap in the genetic architecture of variation in survival post infection. However, when comparing our results to a similar experiment with the fungal pathogen, B. bassiana, we found a convincing shared QTL peak for both pathogens. This peak contains the Bomanin cluster of Drosophila immune effectors. Loss of function mutants and RNAi knockdown experiments confirms a role of some of these genes in immune defense against both pathogens. This suggests that natural selection may act on the entire cluster of Bomanin genes (and the linked region under the QTL) or specific peptides for specific pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittny R. Smith
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, United States of America
| | - Kistie B. Patch
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, United States of America
| | - Anjali Gupta
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, United States of America
| | - Emma M. Knoles
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, United States of America
| | - Robert L. Unckless
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, United States of America
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20
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Liao C, Huang R, Yang Y, Huang Y, Zhang K, Ma L, Li T, Wang L, Zhang H, Li B. Effects of insecticidal proteins of Enterobacter cloacae NK on cellular immunity of Galleria mellonella larvae. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1154811. [PMID: 37228380 PMCID: PMC10203167 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1154811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Enterobacter cloacae produces insecticidal proteins capable of causing toxicity in pests, but the insecticidal mechanisms of these proteins for insect control remain unclear. To elucidate the mechanisms, the purified insecticidal protein from E. cloacae NK was administered to Galleria mellonella larvae either by intraperitoneal injection or by feeding. The number of hemocytes, apoptosis in immune cells, and polyphenol oxidase (PO) activity of G. mellonella larvae were detected by hemocytometer, Annexin V-FITC/PI, and UV-vis spectrophotometer, respectively. With the extension of the invasion time of NK insecticidal protein, the number of hemocytes in G. mellonella larvae decreased significantly (p < 0.05), whereas the apoptosis rate of hemocytes increased. The activity of PO showed a trend of rising-peak-sharp decline and the melanization reaction was deepened simultaneously. Moreover, the phagocytosis and coating capabilities of hemocytes decreased, and the intraperitoneal injection method was more effective than the feeding method. Taking together, the insecticidal protein of E. cloacae NK inhibits and destroys the cellular immune response of G. mellonella larvae, which suggests an important role in killing the host insect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunli Liao
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
- Center of Healthy Food Engineering and Technology of Henan, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
- Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Rehabilitation Technology, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
| | - Ran Huang
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
| | - Yi Yang
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
| | - Yapeng Huang
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
| | - Kai Zhang
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
| | - Liang Ma
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
| | - Taotao Li
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
- Center of Healthy Food Engineering and Technology of Henan, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
- Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Rehabilitation Technology, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
| | - Lianzhe Wang
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
- Center of Healthy Food Engineering and Technology of Henan, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
- Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Rehabilitation Technology, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
| | - Huamin Zhang
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
- Center of Healthy Food Engineering and Technology of Henan, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
- Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Rehabilitation Technology, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
| | - Bingbing Li
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
- Center of Healthy Food Engineering and Technology of Henan, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
- Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Rehabilitation Technology, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, Henan, China
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Sabockytė A, McAllister S, Coates CJ, Lim J. Effect of acute ultraviolet radiation on Galleria mellonella health and immunity. J Invertebr Pathol 2023; 198:107899. [PMID: 36806465 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2023.107899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
For humans, acute and chronic overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation can cause tissue damage in the form of sunburn and promote cancer(s). The immune-modulating properties of UV radiation and health-related consequences are not well known. Herein, we used the larvae of the wax moth Galleria mellonella, to determine UV-driven changes in cellular components of innate immunity. From immune cell (haemocyte) reactivity and the production of antimicrobial factors, these insects share many functional similarities with mammalian cellular innate immunity. After exposing insects to UVA or UVB for up to two hours, we monitored larval viability, susceptibility to infection, haemolymph (blood) physiology and faecal discharge. Prolonged exposure of larvae to UVB coincided with decreased survival, enhanced susceptibility to bacterial challenge, melanin synthesis in the haemolymph, compromised haemocyte functionality and changes in faecal (bacterial) content. We contend G. mellonella is a reliable in vivo model for assessing the impact of UV exposure at the whole organism and cellular levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aušrinė Sabockytė
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, FK9 4LA, UK
| | - Samuel McAllister
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, FK9 4LA, UK
| | - Christopher J Coates
- Zoology, Ryan Institute, School of Natural Sciences, University of Galway, Galway H91 TK33, Ireland
| | - Jenson Lim
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, FK9 4LA, UK.
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22
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Marieshwari BN, Bhuvaragavan S, Sruthi K, Mullainadhan P, Janarthanan S. Insect phenoloxidase and its diverse roles: melanogenesis and beyond. J Comp Physiol B 2023; 193:1-23. [PMID: 36472653 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-022-01468-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Insect life on earth is greatly diversified despite being exposed to several infectious agents due to their diverse habitats and ecological niche. One of the major factors responsible for their successful establishment is having a powerful innate immune system. The most common and effective method used by insects in recognizing pathogen and non-self-substances is the melanization process among others. The key enzyme involved in melanin biosynthesis is the copper containing humoral defense enzyme, phenoloxidase (PO). This review focused on understanding about PO and that had been in research for nearly a century. The review elaborates about evolutionary significance of PO in arthropods, its relationship with mammalian tyrosinases, various substrates, activators and inhibitors involved in the activation of phenoloxidase cascade, as it requires an integrated system of activation that vary among insect species. The enzyme also plays a vital role in insect immunity by involving in several other immune functions like sclerotization, wound healing, opsonization, encapsulation and nodule formation. Further, gene knock down or knock out of PO genes and inhibition of PO-melanization cascade by several mechanisms can also be considered as promising future alternative to control serious pests by making them highly susceptible to any targeted attack.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kannan Sruthi
- Department of Zoology, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai, 600025, India
| | | | - Sundaram Janarthanan
- Department of Zoology, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai, 600025, India.
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23
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Dhankhar J, Shrivastava A, Agrawal N. Amendment of Altered Immune Response by Curcumin in Drosophila Model of Huntington's Disease. J Huntingtons Dis 2023; 12:335-354. [PMID: 37781812 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-230595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Though primarily classified as a brain disorder, surplus studies direct Huntington's disease (HD) to be a multi-system disorder affecting various tissues and organs, thus affecting overall physiology of host. Recently, we have reported that neuronal expression of mutant huntingtin induces immune dysregulation in Drosophila and may pose chronic threat to challenged individuals. Therefore, we tested the polyphenolic compound curcumin to circumvent the impact of immune dysregulation in Drosophila model of HD. OBJECTIVE The present study examined the molecular basis underlying immune derangements and immunomodulatory potential of curcumin in HD. METHODS UAS-GAL4 system was used to imitate the HD symptoms in Drosophila, and the desired female progenies (elav > Httex1pQ25; control and elav > Httex1pQ93; diseased) were cultured on food mixed without and with 10 μM concentration of curcumin since early development. Effect of curcumin supplementation was investigated by monitoring the hemocytes' count and their functional abilities in diseased condition. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) level in cells was assessed by DHE staining and mitochondrial dysfunction was assessed by CMXros red dye. In addition, transcript levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and anti-microbial peptides were monitored by qRT-PCR. RESULTS We found that curcumin supplementation commendably reduced higher crystal cell count and phenoloxidase activity in diseased flies. Interestingly, curcumin significantly managed altered plasmatocytes count, improved their phagocytic activity by upregulating the expression of key phagocytic receptors in HD condition. Moreover, substantial alleviation of ROS levels and mitochondria dysfunction was observed in plasmatocytes of diseased flies upon curcumin supplementation. Furthermore, curcumin administration effectively attenuated transcriptional expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and AMPs in diseased flies. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that curcumin efficiently attenuates immune derangements in HD flies and may prove beneficial in alleviating complexities associated with HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jyoti Dhankhar
- Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | | | - Namita Agrawal
- Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
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24
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Heightened immune surveillance in Drosophila melanogaster populations selected for faster development and extended longevity. Heliyon 2022; 8:e12090. [PMID: 36544838 PMCID: PMC9761728 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e12090] [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: 03/16/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Maximization of life-history traits is under constraints due to both, limitations of resource acquisition and the restricted pathways of resource allocation. Drosophila melanogaster has served as an excellent model organism to not only unravel various trade-offs among life history traits but also numerous aspects of host immune response. Drosophila larvae are semi-aquatic that live, feed and excrete inside the food source-often over-ripe fruits and vegetables that are rich in both commensal and pathogenic microbiota that can impact the larval survival. In this study, we have used six populations of D. melanogaster, three of which are selected for faster pre-adult development and extended adult longevity, and their three ancestral controls, to explore the impact of selection on the basal immune activity in the larval stage. The larvae from selected populations had nearly significantly upregulated plasmatocyte density, significantly higher percent phagocytosis, phagocytic index and higher transcript levels of Tep3, eater and NimC1. Selected populations also had significantly upregulated crystal cell number along with higher transcript of PPO2. Out of seven tested AMPs level, Drosomycin was significantly upregulated in selected populations while Drosocin was significantly higher in control populations. ROS levels were comparable in the selected and control populations. Our results strongly suggest that enhanced basal immune activity during larval stage manages the faster development and could be responsible for comparable larval survival of selected and control populations.
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Huang X, Jing D, Prabu S, Zhang T, Wang Z. RNA Interference of Phenoloxidases of the Fall Armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, Enhance Susceptibility to Bacillus thuringiensis Protein Vip3Aa19. INSECTS 2022; 13:1041. [PMID: 36354865 PMCID: PMC9699050 DOI: 10.3390/insects13111041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Phenoloxidase (PO) is an important enzyme in the cellular immune system and is involved in defense against a wide range of pathogens, including Bacillus thuringiensis. Vip3Aa19 is secreted and expressed by Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) at the middle exponential growth phase and is a kind of protein with efficient insecticidal activity against Spodoptera frugiperda. However, immune responses of the target insects have been regarded as a hindrance to Bt pathogenicity. This paper reports two phenoloxidase (PO) genes (SfPAE and SfPO2) identified from the hemocyte transcriptome data of the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda. qRT-PCR validation results showed that the expression levels of two PO genes were significantly upregulated after Vip3Aa19 (LC50 = 4.98 µg/g) toxin treatment compared with those of S. frugiperda fed an insecticide-free artificial diet. Meanwhile, two PO genes were expressed from the egg to adult stages even without an immune challenge. We noticed that at all developmental stages investigated in the S. frugiperda, SfPAE was generally expressed at a higher level than SfPO2. However, after Vip3Aa19 treatment, the SfPO2 gene mRNA expression level was significantly elevated in response to the toxin challenge. An injection of a specific double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) against POs could suppress its expression. The third instar larvae of S. frugiperda treated with dsRNA were much more susceptible to Vip3Aa19 toxin than the control larvae were. Notably, the mortality rate was nearly 90% after a dsPO2 injection. These results proved that SfPO2 was more important for the survival of S. frugiperda. Finally, RNA interference and then PO activity detection revealed that PO genes mainly existed in the hemolymph and played an important role in immune defense against Bt toxin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodan Huang
- Engineering Research Center of Natural Enemy Insects, Institute of Biological Control, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Dapeng Jing
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Sivaprasath Prabu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Tiantao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Zhenying Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
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Toxicity of Metarhizium flavoviride conidia virulence against Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and its impact on physiological and biochemical activities. Sci Rep 2022; 12:16775. [PMID: 36202839 PMCID: PMC9537412 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-20426-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Insect pests of agricultural crops have establish immunological tolerance against fungal infection caused by pathogens via different humoral and cellular processes. Fungal infection can be prevented by insect antioxidant and detoxifying enzymes, but there is no clear understanding of how they physiologically and biochemically interact. Our study aims to examine the antioxidant and detoxifying enzyme defense systems of the pest insect Spodoptera litura in response to infection by Metarhizium flavoviride. At 48 h following exposure to M. flavoviride, antioxidant enzyme levels were modified, and phenoloxidase and total hemocyte count were decreased significantly. The amount of detoxifying enzymes increased significantly. M. flavoviride appears to directly affect the S. litura immune system and results in decreased immunity. In a bioassay, M. flavoviride was found to be harmful to S. litura larvae in their third and fourth instar stage. M. flavoviride may be an effective tool in the control of S. litura larvae. Such entomopathogenic fungi represent cheaper, pollution free, target specific, promising alternatives to synthetic chemical tools in the for control insect pests.
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27
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Stephenson HN, Streeck R, Grüblinger F, Goosmann C, Herzig A. Hemocytes are essential for Drosophila melanogaster post-embryonic development, independent of control of the microbiota. Development 2022; 149:dev200286. [PMID: 36093870 PMCID: PMC9641648 DOI: 10.1242/dev.200286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
Proven roles for hemocytes (blood cells) have expanded beyond the control of infections in Drosophila. Despite this, the crucial role of hemocytes in post-embryonic development has long thought to be limited to control of microorganisms during metamorphosis. This has previously been shown by rescue of adult development in hemocyte-ablation models under germ-free conditions. Here, we show that hemocytes have an essential role in post-embryonic development beyond their ability to control the microbiota. Using a newly generated strong hemocyte-specific driver line for the GAL4/UAS system, we show that specific ablation of hemocytes is early pupal lethal, even under axenic conditions. Genetic rescue experiments prove that this is a hemocyte-specific phenomenon. RNA-seq data suggests that dysregulation of the midgut is a prominent consequence of hemocyte ablation in larval stages, resulting in reduced gut lengths. Dissection suggests that multiple processes may be affected during metamorphosis. We believe this previously unreported role for hemocytes during metamorphosis is a major finding for the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holly N. Stephenson
- Department of Cellular Microbiology, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Charitéplatz 1, Berlin 10117, Germany
- Peninsula Medical School, Faculty of Health,University of Plymouth, Plymouth, Devon PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Robert Streeck
- Department of Cellular Microbiology, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Charitéplatz 1, Berlin 10117, Germany
| | - Florian Grüblinger
- Department of Cellular Microbiology, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Charitéplatz 1, Berlin 10117, Germany
| | - Christian Goosmann
- Department of Cellular Microbiology, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Charitéplatz 1, Berlin 10117, Germany
| | - Alf Herzig
- Department of Cellular Microbiology, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Charitéplatz 1, Berlin 10117, Germany
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28
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Antimicrobial potential of a ponericin-like peptide isolated from Bombyx mori L. hemolymph in response to Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. Sci Rep 2022; 12:15493. [PMID: 36109567 PMCID: PMC9477818 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-19450-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The main effectors in the innate immune system of Bombyx mori L. are antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Here, we infected B. mori with varied inoculum sizes of Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 25668 cells to investigate changes in morpho-anatomical responses, physiological processes and AMP production. Ultraviolet-visible spectra revealed a sharp change in λmax from 278 to 285 nm (bathochromic shift) in the hemolymph of infected B. mori incubated for 24 h. Further, Fourier Transform InfraRed studies on the hemolymph extracted from the infected B. mori showed a peak at 1550 cm-1, indicating the presence of α-helical peptides. The peptide fraction was obtained through methanol, acetic acid and water mixture (90:1:9) extraction, followed by peptide purification using Reverse Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography. The fraction exhibiting antibacterial properties was collected and characterized by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Time of Flight. A linear α-helical peptide with flexible termini (LLKELWTKMKGAGKAVLGKIKGLL) was found, corresponding to a previously described peptide from ant venom and here denominated as Bm-ponericin-L1. The antibacterial activity of Bm-ponericin-L1 was determined against ESKAPE pathogens. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed the membrane disruption potential of Bm-ponericin-L1. Moreover, this peptide also showed promising antibiofilm activity. Finally, cell viability and hemolytic assays revealed that Bm-ponericin-L1 is non-toxic toward primary fibroblasts cell lines and red blood cells, respectively. This study opens up new perspectives toward an alternative approach to overcoming multiple-antibiotic-resistance by means of AMPs through invertebrates' infection with human pathogenic bacteria.
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Lipopolysaccharide -mediated resistance to host antimicrobial peptides and hemocyte-derived reactive-oxygen species are the major Providencia alcalifaciens virulence factors in Drosophila melanogaster. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010825. [PMID: 36084158 PMCID: PMC9491580 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteria from the genus Providencia are ubiquitous Gram-negative opportunistic pathogens, causing “travelers’ diarrhea”, urinary tract, and other nosocomial infections in humans. Some Providencia strains have also been isolated as natural pathogens of Drosophila melanogaster. Despite clinical relevance and extensive use in Drosophila immunity research, little is known about Providencia virulence mechanisms and the corresponding insect host defenses. To close this knowledge gap, we investigated the virulence factors of a representative Providencia species—P. alcalifaciens which is highly virulent to fruit flies and amenable to genetic manipulations. We generated a P. alcalifaciens transposon mutant library and performed an unbiased forward genetics screen in vivo for attenuated mutants. Our screen uncovered 23 mutants with reduced virulence. The vast majority of them had disrupted genes linked to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) synthesis or modifications. These LPS mutants were sensitive to cationic antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in vitro and their virulence was restored in Drosophila mutants lacking most AMPs. Thus, LPS-mediated resistance to host AMPs is one of the virulence strategies of P. alcalifaciens. Another subset of P. alcalifaciens attenuated mutants exhibited increased susceptibility to reactive oxygen species (ROS) in vitro and their virulence was rescued by chemical scavenging of ROS in flies prior to infection. Using genetic analysis, we found that the enzyme Duox specifically in hemocytes is the source of bactericidal ROS targeting P. alcalifaciens. Consistently, the virulence of ROS-sensitive P. alcalifaciens mutants was rescued in flies with Duox knockdown in hemocytes. Therefore, these genes function as virulence factors by helping bacteria to counteract the ROS immune response. Our reciprocal analysis of host-pathogen interactions between D. melanogaster and P. alcalifaciens identified that AMPs and hemocyte-derived ROS are the major defense mechanisms against P. alcalifaciens, while the ability of the pathogen to resist these host immune responses is its major virulence mechanism. Thus, our work revealed a host-pathogen conflict mediated by ROS and AMPs. Pathogens express special molecules or structures called virulence factors to successfully infect a host. By identifying these factors, we can learn how hosts fight and how pathogens cause infections. Here, we identified virulence factors of the human and fruit fly pathogen Providencia alcalifaciens, by infecting flies with a series of mutants of this pathogen. In this way, we detected 23 mutants that were less virulent. Some of these less virulent mutants were hypersensitive to fruit fly immune defense molecules called antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), while others were sensitive to reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by the immune cells. Notably, AMPs-sensitive mutants remained virulent in a Drosophila mutant that lacks AMPs, while pathogens sensitive to oxidative stress retained their virulence in a fruit fly mutant devoid of oxidative species. These results suggest that the ability of P. alcalifaciens to resist two major host immune molecules, namely AMPs and ROS, is the major virulence mechanism. Overall, our systematic analysis of P. alcalifaciens virulence factors has identified the major defense mechanisms of the fruit fly against this pathogen and the bacterial mechanisms to combat these immune responses.
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30
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Polenogova OV, Noskov YA, Artemchenko AS, Zhangissina S, Klementeva TN, Yaroslavtseva ON, Khodyrev VP, Kruykova NA, Glupov VV. Citrobacter freundii, a natural associate of the Colorado potato beetle, increases larval susceptibility to Bacillus thuringiensis. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2022; 78:3823-3835. [PMID: 35238478 DOI: 10.1002/ps.6856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We assume that certain representatives of gut microflora mediate immune changes during dysbiosis, accelerating septicemia caused by Bacillus thuringiensis. RESULTS Co-introduction of Citrobacter freundii with Bacillus thuringiensis var. tenebrionis (morrisoni) (Bt) led to an increase in Colorado potato beetle (CPB) larval mortality to 69.0% (1.3-5×) and a synergistic effect was observed from day 1 to day 6. Ultrathin sections of the CPB midgut showed autophagosome formation and partial destruction of gut microvilli under the influence of Bt, which was accompanied by pronounced hypersecretion of the endoplasmic reticulum with apocrine vesicle formation and oncotic changes in cells under the action of C. freundii. The destruction of gut tissues was accompanied by suppression of detoxification processes under the action of the bacteria and a decrease (2.8-3.5×) in the concentration of lipid oxidation products during Bt infection. In the first hours post combined treatment, we registered a slight increase in the total hemocyte count (THC) especially a predomination (1.4×) of immune-competent plasmatocytes. Oral administration of symbiotic and entomopathogenic bacteria to the CPB larvae significantly decreased the THC (1.4×) after 24 h and increased (1.1-1.5×) the detoxifying enzymes level in the lymph. These changes are likely to be associated with the destruction of hemocytes and the need to remove the toxic products of reactive oxygen species. CONCLUSION The obtained results indicate that feeding of C. freundii and B. thuringiensis to the CPB larvae is accompanied by tissue changes that significantly affect the cellular and humoral immunity of the insect, increasing its susceptibility to Bt. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga V Polenogova
- Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Yury A Noskov
- Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
- National Research Tomsk State University, Tomsk, Russia
| | - Anna S Artemchenko
- Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Saule Zhangissina
- Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Tatyana N Klementeva
- Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Olga N Yaroslavtseva
- Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Viktor P Khodyrev
- Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Natalya A Kruykova
- Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Viktor V Glupov
- Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
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Gwokyalya R, Herren JK, Weldon CW, Khamis FM, Ndlela S, Mohamed SA. Differential immune responses in new and old fruit fly-parasitoid associations: Implications for their management. Front Physiol 2022; 13:945370. [PMID: 36091407 PMCID: PMC9458847 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.945370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel), and marula fruit fly, Ceratitis cosyra (Walker), are major fruit-infesting tephritids across sub-Saharan Africa. Biological control of these pests using parasitic wasps has been widely adopted but with varying levels of success. Most studies investigating host-parasitoid models have focused on functional and evolutionary aspects leaving a knowledge gap about the physiological mechanisms underpinning the efficacy of parasitoids as biocontrol agents of tephritids. To better understand these physiological mechanisms, we investigated changes in the cellular immune responses of C. cosyra and B. dorsalis when exposed to the parasitic wasps, Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmaed) and Psyttalia cosyrae (Wilkinson). We found that B. dorsalis was more resistant to parasitisation, had a higher hemocyte count, and encapsulated more parasitoid eggs compared to C. cosyra, achieving up to 100% encapsulation when exposed to P. cosyrae. Exposing B. dorsalis to either parasitoid species induced the formation of a rare cell type, the giant multinucleated hemocyte, which was not observed in C. cosyra. Furthermore, compared to P. cosyrae-parasitized larvae, those of both host species parasitized by D. longicaudata had lower encapsulation rates, hemocyte counts and spreading abilities and yielded a higher number of parasitoid progeny with the highest parasitoid emergence (72.13%) recorded in C. cosyra. These results demonstrate that cellular immune responses are central to host-parasitoid interaction in tephritid fruit flies and further suggest that D. longicaudata presents greater potential as a biocontrol agent of B. dorsalis and C. cosyra in horticultural cropping systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rehemah Gwokyalya
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Nairobi, Kenya
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
- *Correspondence: Rehemah Gwokyalya, , ; Samira Abuelgasim Mohamed,
| | - Jeremy K. Herren
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Christopher W. Weldon
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Fathiya M. Khamis
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Shepard Ndlela
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Samira Abuelgasim Mohamed
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Nairobi, Kenya
- *Correspondence: Rehemah Gwokyalya, , ; Samira Abuelgasim Mohamed,
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Excreted secreted products from the parasitic nematode Steinernema carpocapsae manipulate the Drosophila melanogaster immune response. Sci Rep 2022; 12:14237. [PMID: 35987963 PMCID: PMC9392720 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-18722-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Steinernema carpocapsae is an entomopathogenic nematode (EPN) that rapidly infects and kills a wide range of insect hosts and has been linked to host immunosuppression during the initial stages of infection. The lethal nature of S. carpocapsae infections has previously been credited to its symbiotic bacteria; however, it has become evident that the nematodes are able to effectively kill their hosts independently through their excretion/secretion products (ESPs). Here we examined how the adult Drosophila melanogaster immune system is modulated in response to S. carpocapsae ESPs in an attempt to ascertain individual pathogenic contributions of the isolated compound. We found that the S. carpocapsae ESPs decrease the survival of D. melanogaster adult flies, they induce the expression of certain antimicrobial peptide-encoding genes, and they cause significant reduction in phenoloxidase enzyme activity and delay in the melanization response in males flies. We also report that S. carpocapsae ESPs affect hemocyte numbers in both male and female individuals. Our results indicate the manipulative role of EPN ESPs and reveal sex-specific differences in the host response against nematode infection factors. These findings are beneficial as they promote our understanding of the molecular basis of nematode pathogenicity and the parasite components that influence nematode-host interactions.
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Demir E, Kansız S, Doğan M, Topel Ö, Akkoyunlu G, Kandur MY, Turna Demir F. Hazard Assessment of the Effects of Acute and Chronic Exposure to Permethrin, Copper Hydroxide, Acephate, and Validamycin Nanopesticides on the Physiology of Drosophila: Novel Insights into the Cellular Internalization and Biological Effects. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23169121. [PMID: 36012388 PMCID: PMC9408976 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23169121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [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: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 08/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
New insights into the interactions between nanopesticides and edible plants are required in order to elucidate their impacts on human health and agriculture. Nanopesticides include formulations consisting of organic/inorganic nanoparticles. Drosophila melanogaster has become a powerful model in genetic research thanks to its genetic similarity to mammals. This project mainly aimed to generate new evidence for the toxic/genotoxic properties of different nanopesticides (a nanoemulsion (permethrin nanopesticides, 20 ± 5 nm), an inorganic nanoparticle as an active ingredient (copper(II) hydroxide [Cu(OH)2] nanopesticides, 15 ± 6 nm), a polymer-based nanopesticide (acephate nanopesticides, 55 ± 25 nm), and an inorganic nanoparticle associated with an organic active ingredient (validamycin nanopesticides, 1177 ± 220 nm)) and their microparticulate forms (i.e., permethrin, copper(II) sulfate pentahydrate (CuSO4·5H2O), acephate, and validamycin) widely used against agricultural pests, while also showing the merits of using Drosophila—a non-target in vivo eukaryotic model organism—in nanogenotoxicology studies. Significant biological effects were noted at the highest doses of permethrin (0.06 and 0.1 mM), permethrin nanopesticides (1 and 2.5 mM), CuSO4·5H2O (1 and 5 mM), acephate and acephate nanopesticides (1 and 5 mM, respectively), and validamycin and validamycin nanopesticides (1 and 2.5 mM, respectively). The results demonstrating the toxic/genotoxic potential of these nanopesticides through their impact on cellular internalization and gene expression represent significant contributions to future nanogenotoxicology studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eşref Demir
- Medical Laboratory Techniques Program, Vocational School of Health Services, Department of Medical Services and Techniques, Antalya Bilim University, Antalya 07190, Turkey
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +90-242-245-0088; Fax: +90-242-245-0100
| | - Seyithan Kansız
- Faculty of Science, Department of Chemistry, Akdeniz University, Antalya 07070, Turkey
- Faculty of Science, Department of Chemistry, Ankara University, Ankara 07100, Turkey
| | - Mehmet Doğan
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Akdeniz University, Antalya 07070, Turkey
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Kırklareli University, Kırklareli 39100, Turkey
| | - Önder Topel
- Faculty of Science, Department of Chemistry, Akdeniz University, Antalya 07070, Turkey
| | - Gökhan Akkoyunlu
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Akdeniz University, Antalya 07070, Turkey
| | - Muhammed Yusuf Kandur
- Industrial Biotechnology and Systems Biology Research Group, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Bioengineering, Marmara University, İstanbul 34854, Turkey
| | - Fatma Turna Demir
- Medical Laboratory Techniques Program, Vocational School of Health Services, Department of Medical Services and Techniques, Antalya Bilim University, Antalya 07190, Turkey
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Hultmark D, Andó I. Hematopoietic plasticity mapped in Drosophila and other insects. eLife 2022; 11:78906. [PMID: 35920811 PMCID: PMC9348853 DOI: 10.7554/elife.78906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Hemocytes, similar to vertebrate blood cells, play important roles in insect development and immunity, but it is not well understood how they perform their tasks. New technology, in particular single-cell transcriptomic analysis in combination with Drosophila genetics, may now change this picture. This review aims to make sense of recently published data, focusing on Drosophila melanogaster and comparing to data from other drosophilids, the malaria mosquito, Anopheles gambiae, and the silkworm, Bombyx mori. Basically, the new data support the presence of a few major classes of hemocytes: (1) a highly heterogenous and plastic class of professional phagocytes with many functions, called plasmatocytes in Drosophila and granular cells in other insects. (2) A conserved class of cells that control melanin deposition around parasites and wounds, called crystal cells in D. melanogaster, and oenocytoids in other insects. (3) A new class of cells, the primocytes, so far only identified in D. melanogaster. They are related to cells of the so-called posterior signaling center of the larval hematopoietic organ, which controls the hematopoiesis of other hemocytes. (4) Different kinds of specialized cells, like the lamellocytes in D. melanogaster, for the encapsulation of parasites. These cells undergo rapid evolution, and the homology relationships between such cells in different insects are uncertain. Lists of genes expressed in the different hemocyte classes now provide a solid ground for further investigation of function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Hultmark
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - István Andó
- Biological Research Centre, Institute of Genetics, Innate Immunity Group, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Szeged, Hungary
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Cardoso-Jaime V, Broderick NA, Maya-Maldonado K. Metal ions in insect reproduction: a crosstalk between reproductive physiology and immunity. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2022; 52:100924. [PMID: 35483647 PMCID: PMC9357134 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2022.100924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Most insects exhibit high reproductive capacity, which demands large amounts of energy, including macronutrients and micronutrients. Interestingly, many proteins involved in oogenesis depend on metals ions, in particular iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu). Mechanisms by which metal ions influence reproduction have been described in Drosophila melanogaster, but remain poorly understood in hematophagous insects where blood meals include significant ingestion of metal ions. Moreover, there is evidence that some proteins involved in reproduction and immunity could have dual function in both processes. This review highlights the importance of metal ions in the reproduction of non-hematophagous and hematophagous insects. In addition, we discuss how insects optimize physiological processes using proteins involved in crosstalk between reproductive physiology and immunity, which is a double-edge sword in allocating their functions to protect the insect and ensure reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Cardoso-Jaime
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Duneau D, Ferdy JB. Pathogen within-host dynamics and disease outcome: what can we learn from insect studies? CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2022; 52:100925. [PMID: 35489681 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2022.100925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Parasite proliferations within/on the host form the basis of the outcome of all infectious diseases. However, within-host dynamics are difficult to study in vertebrates, as it requires regularly following pathogen proliferation from the start of the infection and at the organismal level. Invertebrate models allow for this monitoring under controlled conditions using population approaches. These approaches offer the possibility to describe many parameters of the within-host dynamics, such as rate of proliferation, probability to control the infection, and average time at which the pathogen is controlled. New parameters such as the Pathogen Load Upon Death and the Set-Point Pathogen Load have emerged to characterize within-host dynamics and better understand disease outcome. While contextualizing the potential of studying within-host dynamics in insects to build fundamental knowledge, we review what we know about within-host dynamics using insect models, and what it can offer to our knowledge of infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Duneau
- Université Toulouse 3 Paul Sabatier, CNRS, IRD, UMR5174 EDB (Laboratoire Évolution & Diversité Biologique), Toulouse, France; Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Rua da Quinta Grande 6, P-2780 Oeiras, Portugal.
| | - Jean-Baptiste Ferdy
- Université Toulouse 3 Paul Sabatier, CNRS, IRD, UMR5174 EDB (Laboratoire Évolution & Diversité Biologique), Toulouse, France.
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Peeling Back the Layers of Lymph Gland Structure and Regulation. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23147767. [PMID: 35887113 PMCID: PMC9319083 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23147767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
During the past 60 years, the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, has proven to be an excellent model to study the regulation of hematopoiesis. This is not only due to the evolutionarily conserved signalling pathways and transcription factors contributing to blood cell fate, but also to convergent evolution that led to functional similarities in distinct species. An example of convergence is the compartmentalization of blood cells, which ensures the quiescence of hematopoietic stem cells and allows for the rapid reaction of the immune system upon challenges. The lymph gland, a widely studied hematopoietic organ of the Drosophila larva, represents a microenvironment with similar features and functions to classical hematopoietic stem cell niches of vertebrates. Lymph gland studies were effectively supported by the unparalleled toolkit developed in Drosophila, which enabled the high-resolution investigation of the cellular composition and regulatory interaction networks of the lymph gland. In this review, we summarize how our understanding of lymph gland structure and hematopoietic cell-to-cell communication evolved during the past decades and compare their analogous features to those of the vertebrate hematopoietic stem cell niche.
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Bakopoulos D, Whisstock JC, Warr CG, Johnson TK. Macrophage self‐renewal is regulated by transient expression of
PDGF‐ and VEGF‐related factor 2. FEBS J 2022; 289:3735-3751. [DOI: 10.1111/febs.16364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Bakopoulos
- School of Biological Sciences Monash University Clayton Vic. Australia
| | - James C. Whisstock
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, Monash University Clayton Vic. Australia
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Monash University Clayton Vic. Australia
| | - Coral G. Warr
- School of Biological Sciences Monash University Clayton Vic. Australia
- School of Molecular Sciences La Trobe University Bundoora Vic. Australia
| | - Travis K. Johnson
- School of Biological Sciences Monash University Clayton Vic. Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, Monash University Clayton Vic. Australia
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Wang YZ, Cao CQ, Wang D. Physiological Responses of the Firefly Pyrocoelia analis (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) to an Environmental Residue From Chemical Pesticide Imidacloprid. Front Physiol 2022; 13:879216. [PMID: 35784886 PMCID: PMC9240607 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.879216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Imidacloprid, a neonicotinoid insecticide, is widely applied to control insect pests across a broad spectrum. Though the impact of residues from this chemical pesticide on non-target organisms in the field has been reported, it was not well characterized across a wide range of ecosystems, especially for some species considered as environmental indicators that live in forests. The effects of sublethal dose of imidacloprid on firefly, Pyrocoelia analis, were analyzed physiologically and biochemically in this study to better understand the impact of chemical pesticide application on environmental indicators such as fireflies. After imidacloprid treatment, the midgut tissues of the larva presented an abnormal morphology featured as atrophy of fat body cells, shrinking cells, and the destruction of a midgut structure. The activities of antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase were noticeably increased during early exposure to sublethal imidacloprid and then decreased at later stages. The malondialdehyde content significantly increased after 12 h of exposure to imidacloprid compared with the control. Similarly, the enzyme activities of polyphenol oxidase and acetylcholinesterase were increased after the imidacloprid treatment and then decreased at the later stage. In summary, a sublethal dose of imidacloprid caused destructive change in the tissue structure, and this damage was followed by an excessive reactive oxygen species that could not be eliminated by antioxidant enzymes. Our results indicated that the residues of imidacloprid might cause severe toxicity to non-target insects in the environment even far away from the agro-ecosystem where the chemicals were applied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-zhe Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Cheng-quan Cao
- College of Life Science, Leshan Normal University, Leshan, China
| | - Dun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
- *Correspondence: Dun Wang, ,
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Silencing of the Prophenoloxidase Gene BtPPO1 Increased the Ability of Acquisition and Retention of Tomato chlorosis virus by Bemisia tabaci. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23126541. [PMID: 35742985 PMCID: PMC9223377 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23126541] [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: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV) has seriously impacted tomato production around the world. ToCV is semi-persistently transmitted by the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci, which is a serious agricultural pest in the world. However, the interaction mechanism between ToCV and its whitefly vector is still poorly understood. Our previous transcriptome analysis demonstrated that the expression level of an immune-related gene, prophenoloxidase (PPO), in B. tabaci increased after ToCV acquisition, which indicates that the PPO may be involved in the interaction mechanism between the ToCV and its vector. To determine the role of the PPO in the acquisition and retention of ToCV by B. tabaci, we cloned the complete Open Reading Frames (ORF) of the BtPPOs (BtPPO1 and BtPPO2), and then structure and phylogenetic analyses were performed. BtPPOs were closely related to the PPO genes of Hemiptera insects. Spatial-temporal expression detection was qualified by using reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), and this revealed that BtPPOs were expressed in all tissues and developmental stages. We found that only BtPPO1 was significantly upregulated after B. tabaci acquired ToCV for 12 and 24 h. According to the paraffin-fluorescence probe-fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) experiment, we verified that ToCV and BtPPO1 were co-located in the thorax of B. tabaci, which further revealed the location of their interaction. Finally, the effects of the BtPPOs on ToCV acquisition and retention by B. tabaci were determined using RNA interference (RNAi). The results showed that the RNAi of the responsive gene (BtPPO1) significantly increased the titer of ToCV in B. tabaci. These results demonstrate that BtPPO1 participates in ToCV acquisition and retention by B. tabaci.
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Tang Y, Zhang Y, Zhang Q, Chen R, Gong L, Wei X, Yang J, Wu K, Huang W, Li S, Toufeeq S, Liu Q, Ling E. Prophenoloxidase-positive tubes derived from the hindguts may be the doorkeeper to detoxify the waste metabolites collected by Malpighian tubules in Lepidoptera insects. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2022; 131:104361. [PMID: 35143809 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2022.104361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Revised: 01/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Prophenoloxidase (PPO), an important immunity protein in insects, is mainly produced by hemocytes and released into the hemolymph upon cell lysis. In addition, PPO can also be produced by epidermal cells in the foregut to detoxify the toxic plant secondary metabolites and in the hindgut to kill pathogens through PPO-induced melanization. Previously, we noticed a pair of tubes extended from the larval hindgut became melanized upon staining in dopamine dissolved in 30% ethanol. However, the structure and function of these tubes are largely unknown. In this study, we performed staining of the tubes and the neighboring Malpighian tubule for further confirmation. Eventually, we detected PPO inside epidermal cells of the tubes, and called them as PPO-positive tubes. We observed that the PPO-positive tubes are physically derived from the hindgut but strongly adhere to the Malpighian tubule. Inside the PPO-positive tubes, there is an acellular peritrophic membrane to protect the epidermal cells. Furthermore, the PPO-positive tubes act like a doorkeeper to firstly detoxify the metabolite wastes collected by the Malpighian tubule from the hemolymph.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingyu Tang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Bioresources of Saline Soils, Jiangsu Synthetic Innovation Center for Coastal Bio-agriculture, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Coastal Wetland Bioresources and Environmental Protection, School of Wetland, Yancheng Teachers University, Yancheng, 224007, China; Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200036, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200036, China
| | - Qiaoli Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200036, China
| | - Rongbing Chen
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200036, China
| | - Liyuan Gong
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200036, China
| | - Xuefei Wei
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200036, China
| | - Jingfeng Yang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200036, China
| | - Kai Wu
- College of Life Sciences, Shangrao Normal University, Shangrao, 334001, China
| | - Wuren Huang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200036, China
| | - Shirong Li
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200036, China
| | - Shahzad Toufeeq
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200036, China; Department of Entomology, The University of Haripur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 22620, Pakistan
| | - Qiuning Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Bioresources of Saline Soils, Jiangsu Synthetic Innovation Center for Coastal Bio-agriculture, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Coastal Wetland Bioresources and Environmental Protection, School of Wetland, Yancheng Teachers University, Yancheng, 224007, China; Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200036, China.
| | - Erjun Ling
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200036, China; Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China.
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Eychenne M, Girard PA, Frayssinet M, Lan L, Pagès S, Duvic B, Nègre N. Mutagenesis of both prophenoloxidases in the fall armyworm induces major defects in metamorphosis. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 139:104399. [PMID: 35568240 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2022.104399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Upon infection, the phenoloxidase system in arthropods is rapidly mobilized and constitutes a major defense system against invaders. The activation of the key enzymes prophenoloxidase (PPO) and their action in immunity through melanization and encapsulation of foreign bodies in hemolymph has been described in many insects. On the other hand, little is known about PPOs involvement in other essential functions related to insect development. In this paper, we investigated the function of the two PPOs of the crop pest, Spodoptera frugiperda (PPO1 and PPO2). We show that PPOs are mainly expressed in hemocytes with the PPO2 expressed at higher levels than the PPO1. In addition, these two genes are expressed in the same tissue and at the same stages of insect development. Through the generation of loss-of-function mutants by CRISPR/Cas9 method, we show that the presence of PPOs is essential for the normal development of the pupa and the survival of the insect.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Laijiao Lan
- DGIMI, Univ Montpellier, INRAE, Montpellier, France
| | - Sylvie Pagès
- DGIMI, Univ Montpellier, INRAE, Montpellier, France
| | - Bernard Duvic
- DGIMI, Univ Montpellier, INRAE, Montpellier, France.
| | - Nicolas Nègre
- DGIMI, Univ Montpellier, INRAE, Montpellier, France.
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Glittenberg MT, Kounatidis I, Atilano M, Ligoxygakis P. A genetic screen in Drosophila reveals the role of fucosylation in host susceptibility to Candida infection. Dis Model Mech 2022; 15:dmm049218. [PMID: 35142345 PMCID: PMC9118035 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.049218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida infections constitute a blind spot in global public health as very few new anti-fungal drugs are being developed. Genetic surveys of host susceptibilities to such infections using mammalian models have certain disadvantages in that obtaining results is time-consuming, owing to relatively long lifespans, and these results have low statistical resolution because sample sizes are usually small. Here, we report a targeted genetic screening of 5698 RNAi lines encompassing 4135 Drosophila genes with human homologues, several of which we identify as important for host survival after Candida albicans infection. These include genes in a variety of functional classes encompassing gene expression, intracellular signalling, metabolism and enzymatic regulation. Analysis of one of the screen hits, the infection-induced α-(1,3)-fucosylase FucTA, showed that N-glycan fucosylation has several targets among proteins involved in host defence, which provides multiple avenues of investigation for the mechanistic analysis of host survival to systemic C. albicans infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus T. Glittenberg
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Ilias Kounatidis
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Magda Atilano
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Petros Ligoxygakis
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
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Caravello G, Franchet A, Niehus S, Ferrandon D. Phagocytosis Is the Sole Arm of Drosophila melanogaster Known Host Defenses That Provides Some Protection Against Microsporidia Infection. Front Immunol 2022; 13:858360. [PMID: 35493511 PMCID: PMC9043853 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.858360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Microsporidia are obligate intracellular parasites able to infest specifically a large range of species, including insects. The knowledge about the biology of microsporidial infections remains confined to mostly descriptive studies, including molecular approaches such as transcriptomics or proteomics. Thus, functional data to understand insect host defenses are currently lacking. Here, we have undertaken a genetic analysis of known host defenses of the Drosophila melanogaster using an infection model whereby Tubulinosema ratisbonensis spores are directly injected in this insect. We find that phagocytosis does confer some protection in this infection model. In contrast, the systemic immune response, extracellular reactive oxygen species, thioester proteins, xenophagy, and intracellular antiviral response pathways do not appear to be involved in the resistance against this parasite. Unexpectedly, several genes such as PGRP-LE seem to promote this infection. The prophenol oxidases that mediate melanization have different functions; PPO1 presents a phenotype similar to that of PGRP-LE whereas that of PPO2 suggests a function in the resilience to infection. Similarly, eiger and Unpaired3, which encode two cytokines secreted by hemocytes display a resilience phenotype with a strong susceptibility to T. ratisbonensis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Dominique Ferrandon
- UPR9022, University of Strasbourg, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IBMC), Modèles Insectes D’Immunité Innée (M3I) Unité Propre Recherche (UPR) 9022 du Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Strasbourg, France
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Moussalem D, Augé B, Di Stefano L, Osman D, Gobert V, Haenlin M. Two Isoforms of serpent Containing Either One or Two GATA Zinc Fingers Provide Functional Diversity During Drosophila Development. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 9:795680. [PMID: 35178397 PMCID: PMC8844375 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.795680] [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: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
GATA transcription factors play crucial roles in various developmental processes in organisms ranging from flies to humans. In mammals, GATA factors are characterized by the presence of two highly conserved domains, the N-terminal (N-ZnF) and the C-terminal (C-ZnF) zinc fingers. The Drosophila GATA factor Serpent (Srp) is produced in different isoforms that contains either both N-ZnF and C-ZnF (SrpNC) or only the C-ZnF (SrpC). Here, we investigated the functional roles ensured by each of these isoforms during Drosophila development. Using the CRISPR/Cas9 technique, we generated new mutant fly lines deleted for one (ΔsrpNC) or the other (ΔsrpC) encoded isoform, and a third one with a single point mutation in the N-ZnF that alters its interaction with its cofactor, the Drosophila FOG homolog U-shaped (Ush). Analysis of these mutants revealed that the Srp zinc fingers are differentially required for Srp to fulfill its functions. While SrpC is essential for embryo to adult viability, SrpNC, which is the closest conserved isoform to that of vertebrates, is not. However, to ensure its specific functions in larval hematopoiesis and fertility, Srp requires the presence of both N- and C-ZnF (SrpNC) and interaction with its cofactor Ush. Our results also reveal that in vivo the presence of N-ZnF restricts rather than extends the ability of GATA factors to regulate the repertoire of C-ZnF bound target genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douaa Moussalem
- Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Department (MCD), Center for Integrative Biology (CBI), University of Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Benoit Augé
- Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Department (MCD), Center for Integrative Biology (CBI), University of Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Luisa Di Stefano
- Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Department (MCD), Center for Integrative Biology (CBI), University of Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Dani Osman
- Faculty of Sciences III, Lebanese University, Tripoli, Lebanon.,Azm Center for Research in Biotechnology and Its Applications, LBA3B, EDST, Lebanese University, Tripoli, Lebanon
| | - Vanessa Gobert
- Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Department (MCD), Center for Integrative Biology (CBI), University of Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Marc Haenlin
- Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Department (MCD), Center for Integrative Biology (CBI), University of Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
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Toto NA, Elhenawy HI, Eltaweil AS, El-Ashram S, El-Samad LM, Moussian B, El Wakil A. Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae) as a biological model for the assessment of magnetite nanoparticles toxicity. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 806:151483. [PMID: 34742953 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The use of nanoparticles (NPs) is rapidly expanding; there is a critical need for efficient assays to first determine the potential toxicity of NPs before their use in human applications. Magnetite nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs) have tremendous applications which include cell separation, arsenic removal from water and DNA separation. Spherically shaped Fe3O4 NPs with sizes ranging from 23 to 30 nm were used in this study. The housefly, Musca domestica is the most common fly species. It is present worldwide and considered to be an important medical insect which can carry and transmit over 100 human pathogens and zoonotic agents. It has been used in this study to assess Fe3O4NPs toxicity and give us an overview of their impact. The larvicidal activity of Fe3O4NPs was tested against the third instar larvae of M. domestica. We investigated the effects of six varying concentrations (15, 30, 45, 60, 75 and 90 μg/mL) used under laboratory conditions in two differential application assays: contact and feeding. The LC50 value for Fe3O4 NPs was 60 and 75 μg/mL by feeding and contact, respectively. To investigate the toxicity effects of Fe3O4 NPs on houseflies, morphological and histoarchitectural changes in larvae, pupae and adult flies were analyzed. NP exposure caused morphological abnormalities of larvae and pupae as well as larval pupal intermediates, and deformed adult with crumpled wings. Also, some adults couldn't emerge and remained in their puparia. The histological examinations showed that Fe3O4 NPs caused severe tissue damage especially in the cuticle and the digestive system. Thus, besides affecting the organ of first contact (digestive system), remote organs such as the integument are also targeted by Fe3O4 NPs suggesting a systemic impact on fly development and physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noura A Toto
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Damanhour University, Egypt
| | - Hanan I Elhenawy
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Egypt
| | | | - Saeed El-Ashram
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, 18 Jiangwan Street, Foshan 528231, Guangdong Province, China; Faculty of Science, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafr El-Sheikh 33516, Egypt
| | - Lamia M El-Samad
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Egypt
| | - Bernard Moussian
- Université Nice Sophia Antipolis, Parc Valrose, Nice Cedex, France
| | - Abeer El Wakil
- Department of Biological and Geological Sciences, Faculty of Education, Alexandria University, Egypt.
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47
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Sensing microbial infections in the Drosophila melanogaster genetic model organism. Immunogenetics 2022; 74:35-62. [DOI: 10.1007/s00251-021-01239-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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Dhankhar J, Agrawal N, Shrivastava A. Pan-neuronal expression of human mutant huntingtin protein in Drosophila impairs immune response of hemocytes. J Neuroimmunol 2021; 363:577801. [PMID: 34973473 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2021.577801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a late-onset; progressive, dominantly inherited neurological disorder marked by an abnormal expansion of polyglutamine (poly Q) repeats in Huntingtin (HTT) protein. The pathological effects of mutant Huntingtin (mHTT) are not restricted to the nervous system but systemic abnormalities including immune dysregulation have been evidenced in clinical and experimental settings of HD. Indeed, mHTT is ubiquitously expressed and could induce cellular toxicity by directly acting on immune cells. However, it is still unclear if selective expression of mHTT exon1 in neurons could induce immune responses and hemocytes' function. In the present study, we intended to monitor perturbations in the hemocytes' population and their physiological functions in Drosophila, caused by pan-neuronal expression of mHTT protein. A measure of hemocyte count and their physiological activities caused by pan-neuronal expression of mHTT protein highlighted the extent of immune dysregulation occurring with disease progression. We found that pan-neuronal expression of mHTT significantly alters crystal cells and plasmatocyte count in larvae and adults with disease progression. Interestingly, plasmatocytes isolated from diseased conditions exhibit a gradual decline in phagocytic activity ex vivo at progressive stages of the disease as compared to age-matched control groups. In addition, diseased flies displayed elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) in circulating plasmatocytes at the larval stage and in sessile plasmatocytes of hematopoietic pockets at terminal stages of disease. These findings strongly implicate that neuronal expression of mHTT alone is sufficient to induce non-cell-autonomous immune dysregulation in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jyoti Dhankhar
- Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, New Delhi 110007, India
| | - Namita Agrawal
- Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, New Delhi 110007, India.
| | - Anju Shrivastava
- Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, New Delhi 110007, India.
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Ozakman Y, Raval D, Eleftherianos I. Activin and BMP Signaling Activity Affects Different Aspects of Host Anti-Nematode Immunity in Drosophila melanogaster. Front Immunol 2021; 12:795331. [PMID: 35003118 PMCID: PMC8727596 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.795331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The multifaceted functions ranging from cellular and developmental mechanisms to inflammation and immunity have rendered TGF-ß signaling pathways as critical regulators of conserved biological processes. Recent studies have indicated that this evolutionary conserved signaling pathway among metazoans contributes to the Drosophila melanogaster anti-nematode immune response. However, functional characterization of the interaction between TGF-ß signaling activity and the mechanisms activated by the D. melanogaster immune response against parasitic nematode infection remains unexplored. Also, it is essential to evaluate the precise effect of entomopathogenic nematode parasites on the host immune system by separating them from their mutualistic bacteria. Here, we investigated the participation of the TGF-ß signaling branches, activin and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP), to host immune function against axenic or symbiotic Heterorhabditis bacteriophora nematodes (parasites lacking or containing their mutualistic bacteria, respectively). Using D. melanogaster larvae carrying mutations in the genes coding for the TGF-ß extracellular ligands Daw and Dpp, we analyzed the changes in survival ability, cellular immune response, and phenoloxidase (PO) activity during nematode infection. We show that infection with axenic H. bacteriophora decreases the mortality rate of dpp mutants, but not daw mutants. Following axenic or symbiotic H. bacteriophora infection, both daw and dpp mutants contain only plasmatocytes. We further detect higher levels of Dual oxidase gene expression in dpp mutants upon infection with axenic nematodes and Diptericin and Cecropin gene expression in daw mutants upon infection with symbiotic nematodes compared to controls. Finally, following symbiotic H. bacteriophora infection, daw mutants have higher PO activity relative to controls. Together, our findings reveal that while D. melanogaster Dpp/BMP signaling activity modulates the DUOX/ROS response to axenic H. bacteriophora infection, Daw/activin signaling activity modulates the antimicrobial peptide and melanization responses to axenic H. bacteriophora infection. Results from this study expand our current understanding of the molecular and mechanistic interplay between nematode parasites and the host immune system, and the involvement of TGF-ß signaling branches in this process. Such findings will provide valuable insight on the evolution of the immune role of TGF-ß signaling, which could lead to the development of novel strategies for the effective management of human parasitic nematodes.
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Guo Y, Zhang Q, Hu X, Pang C, Li J, Huang J. Mating Stimulates the Immune Response and Sperm Storage-Related Genes Expression in Spermathecae of Bumblebee ( Bombus terrestris) Queen. Front Genet 2021; 12:795669. [PMID: 34899871 PMCID: PMC8661091 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.795669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Bumblebee queens have remarkable spermathecae that store sperm for year-round reproduction. The spermathecal gland is regarded as a secretory organ that could benefit sperm storage. Queen mating provokes substantial physiological, behavioral, and gene expression changes. Here, the transcriptomes of spermathecae were compared between virgins and mated queens of the bumblebee, Bombus terrestris L., at 24 h post mating. Differentially expressed genes were further validated by real time quantitative PCR and immunofluorescence assay. In total, the expression of 11, 069 and 10, 862 genes were identified in virgins and mated queens, respectively. We identified that 176 differentially expressed genes between virgin and mated queen spermathecae: 110 (62.5%) genes were upregulated, and 66 (37.5%) genes were downregulated in mated queens. Most of the differentially expressed genes validated by RT-qPCR were concentrated on immune response [i.e., leucine-rich repeat-containing protein 70 (35.8-fold), phenoloxidase 2 (41.9-fold), and defensin (4.9-fold)] and sperm storage [i.e., chymotrypsin inhibitor (6.2-fold), trehalose transporter Tret1 (1.7-, 1.9-, 2.4-, and 2.4-fold), and heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A3 (1.2-, and 2.6-fold)] functions in the spermathecae of mated queens. Procollagen-lysine, 2-oxoglutarate 5-dioxygenase 1 (PLOD1) was hypothesized to promote the mating behavior according to RT-qPCR and immunofluorescence assay. The expression levels of most upregulated immune genes were decreased significantly at 3 days post mating. In conclusion, the external sperm transfer into spermathecae led to the significantly upregulated immune response genes in bumblebees. These gene expression differences in queen spermathecae contribute to understanding the bumblebee post mating regulatory network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yueqin Guo
- Key Laboratory for Insect-Pollinator Biology of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Insect-Pollinator Biology of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.,College of Animal Science, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, China
| | - Xiao Hu
- Key Laboratory for Insect-Pollinator Biology of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chunxiu Pang
- Key Laboratory for Insect-Pollinator Biology of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, China
| | - Jilian Li
- Key Laboratory for Insect-Pollinator Biology of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jiaxing Huang
- Key Laboratory for Insect-Pollinator Biology of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
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