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Hull JJ, Heu CC, Gross RJ, LeRoy DM, Schutze IX, Langhorst D, Fabrick JA, Brent CS. Doublesex is essential for masculinization but not feminization in Lygus hesperus. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 166:104085. [PMID: 38307215 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
In most holometabolous insects, sex differentiation occurs via a hierarchical cascade of transcription factors, with doublesex (dsx) regulating genes that control sex-specific traits. Although less is known in hemimetabolous insects, early evidence suggests that substantial differences exist from more evolutionarily advanced insects. Here, we identified and characterized dsx in Lygus hesperus (western tarnished plant bug), a hemipteran pest of many agricultural crops in western North America. The full-length transcript for L. hesperus dsx (Lhdsx) and several variants encode proteins with conserved DNA binding and oligomerization domains. Transcript profiling revealed that Lhdsx is ubiquitously expressed, likely undergoes alternative pre-mRNA splicing, and, unlike several model insects, is sex-biased rather than sex-specific. Embryonic RNA interference (RNAi) of Lhdsx only impacted sex development in adult males, which lacked both internal reproductive organs and external genitalia. No discernible impacts on adult female development or reproductivity were observed. RNAi knockdown of Lhdsx in nymphs likewise only affected adult males, which lacked the characteristic dimorphic coloration but had dramatically elevated vitellogenin transcripts. Gene knockout of Lhdsx by CRISPR/Cas9 editing yielded only females in G0 and strongly biased heterozygous G1 offspring to females with the few surviving males showing severely impaired genital development. These results indicate that L. hesperus male development requires Lhdsx, whereas female development proceeds via a basal pathway that functions independently of dsx. A fundamental understanding of sex differentiation in L. hesperus could be important for future gene-based management strategies of this important agricultural pest.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Joe Hull
- USDA ARS, U.S. Arid Land Agricultural Research Center, Maricopa, AZ, 85138, USA.
| | - Chan C Heu
- USDA ARS, U.S. Arid Land Agricultural Research Center, Maricopa, AZ, 85138, USA
| | - Roni J Gross
- USDA ARS, U.S. Arid Land Agricultural Research Center, Maricopa, AZ, 85138, USA
| | - Dannialle M LeRoy
- USDA ARS, U.S. Arid Land Agricultural Research Center, Maricopa, AZ, 85138, USA
| | - Inana X Schutze
- USDA ARS, U.S. Arid Land Agricultural Research Center, Maricopa, AZ, 85138, USA
| | - Daniel Langhorst
- USDA ARS, U.S. Arid Land Agricultural Research Center, Maricopa, AZ, 85138, USA
| | - Jeffrey A Fabrick
- USDA ARS, U.S. Arid Land Agricultural Research Center, Maricopa, AZ, 85138, USA
| | - Colin S Brent
- USDA ARS, U.S. Arid Land Agricultural Research Center, Maricopa, AZ, 85138, USA
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Saccone G. A history of the genetic and molecular identification of genes and their functions controlling insect sex determination. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 151:103873. [PMID: 36400424 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2022.103873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The genetics of the sex determination regulatory cascade in Drosophila melanogaster has a fascinating history, interlinked with the foundation of the Genetics discipline itself. The discovery that alternative splicing rather than differential transcription is the molecular mechanism underlying the upstream control of sex differences in the Drosophila model system was surprising. This notion is now fully integrated into the scientific canon, appearing in many genetics textbooks and online education resources. In the last three decades, it was a key reference point for starting evolutionary studies in other insect species by using homology-based approaches. This review will introduce a very brief history of Drosophila genetics. It will describe the genetic and molecular approaches applied for the identifying and cloning key genes involved in sex determination in Drosophila and in many other insect species. These comparative analyses led to supporting the idea that sex-determining pathways have evolved mainly by recruiting different upstream signals/genes while maintaining widely conserved intermediate and downstream regulatory genes. The review also provides examples of the link between technological advances and research achievements, to stimulate reflections on how science is produced. It aims to hopefully strengthen the related historical and conceptual knowledge of general readers of other disciplines and of younger geneticists, often focused on the latest technical-molecular approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Saccone
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 26, 80126, Naples, Italy.
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Identification and Expression Analysis of Dsx and Its Positive Transcriptional Regulation of IAG in Black Tiger Shrimp ( Penaeus monodon). Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232012701. [PMID: 36293554 PMCID: PMC9604489 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232012701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Doublesex (Dsx) is a polymorphic transcription factor of the DMRTs family, which is involved in male sex trait development and controls sexual dimorphism at different developmental stages in arthropods. However, the transcriptional regulation of the Dsx gene is largely unknown in decapods. In this study, we reported the cDNA sequence of PmDsx in Penaeus monodon, which encodes a 257 amino acid polypeptide. It shared many similarities with Dsx homologs and has a close relationship in the phylogeny of different species. We demonstrated that the expression of the male sex differentiation gene Dsx was predominantly expressed in the P. monodon testis, and that PmDsx dsRNA injection significantly decreased the expression of the insulin-like androgenic gland hormone (IAG) and male sex-determining gene while increasing the expression of the female sex-determining gene. We also identified a 5′-flanking region of PmIAG that had two potential cis-regulatory elements (CREs) for the PmDsx transcription. Further, the dual-luciferase reporter analysis and truncated mutagenesis revealed that PmDsx overexpression significantly promoted the transcriptional activity of the PmIAG promoter via a specific CRE. These results suggest that PmDsx is engaged in male reproductive development and positively regulates the transcription of the PmIAG by specifically binding upstream of the promoter of the PmIAG. It provides a theoretical basis for exploring the sexual regulation pathway and evolutionary dynamics of Dmrt family genes in P. monodon.
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Jin B, Zhao Y, Dong Y, Liu P, Sun Y, Li X, Zhang X, Chen XG, Gu J. Alternative splicing patterns of doublesex reveal a missing link between Nix and doublesex in the sex determination cascade of Aedes albopictus. INSECT SCIENCE 2021; 28:1601-1620. [PMID: 33179439 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Sexual development in insects is regulated by a complicated hierarchical cascade of sex determination. The primary signals are diverse, whereas the central nexus doublesex (dsx) gene is relatively conserved within the pathway. Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus is an important vector with an extensive worldwide distribution. We previously reported that Ae. albopictus dsx (Aalbdsx) yields one male- (AalbdsxM ) and three female-specific isoforms (AalbdsxF1-3 ); however, the spatiotemporal expression profiles and mechanisms regulating sex-specific alternative splicing require further investigation. In this study, we demonstrated that the AalbdsxM messenger RNA (mRNA) represents the default pattern when analyzed in human foreskin fibroblasts and HeLa cells. We combined reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction with RNA immunoprecipitation using specific antibodies against tagged Ae. albopictus male-determining factor AalNix and confirmed that AalNix indirectly regulates dsx pre-mRNA and regulates its alternative splicing. During the early embryo stage (0-2 and 4-8 h), maternal dsxF and default splicing dsxM were detected in both sexes; the expression of dsxM then decreased until sufficient AalNix transcripts accumulated in male embryos at 20-24 h. These findings suggest that one or more potential dsx splicing enhancers can shift dsxM to dsxF in both sexes; however, the presence of Nix influences the function of this unknown splicing enhancer and ultimately leads to the formation of dsxM in males. Finally, our results provide important insight into the regulatory mechanism of dsx alternative splicing in the mosquito.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binbin Jin
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Yijie Zhao
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Yunqiao Dong
- Reproductive Medical Centre of Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, Guangzhou, 511442, China
| | - Peiwen Liu
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Yan Sun
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Xiaocong Li
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Xiao-Guang Chen
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Jinbao Gu
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
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Li X, Liu Q, Liu H, Bi H, Wang Y, Chen X, Wu N, Xu J, Zhang Z, Huang Y, Chen H. Mutation of doublesex in Hyphantria cunea results in sex-specific sterility. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2020; 76:1673-1682. [PMID: 31749278 DOI: 10.1002/ps.5687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2019] [Revised: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 11/19/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The gene doublesex (dsx) plays pivotal roles in sex determination and controls sexually dimorphic development in certain insects. Importantly, it also displays a potential candidate target for pest management due to its sex-specific splicing. Therefore, we used CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene disruption to investigate the function of dsx in Hyphantria cunea, an invasive forest pest. RESULT In the present study, we identified the dsx gene from H. cunea which showed a sex-biased expression pattern that was different from other lepidopteran insects. Referring to sex-specific functional analyses in Bombyx mori, we performed a site-specific knockout of the Hcdsx gene by using a CRISPR/Cas9 system, which induced severe abnormalities in external genitalia and some incomplete sex reversal phenotypes, which in turn led to reduced sex-specific fecundity. An alternative splicing pattern of Hcdsx was altered by CRISPR/Cas9-induced mutation, and alterations in splicing affected expression of downstream genes encoding pheromone binding protein 1, vg1 and vg2 (encoding vitellogenin), which contributed to the sex-specific sterility phenotypes in the Hcdsx mutants. CONCLUSION The Hcdsx gene plays important roles in sexual differentiation in H. cunea. Disruption of Hcdsx induced sex-specific sterility, demonstrating a potential application in control of this pest. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaowei Li
- College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai, China
| | - Qun Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai, China
| | - Huihui Liu
- Key Laboratory of Forest Protection, Research Institute of Forest Ecology, Environment and Protection, Chinese Academy of Forestry, State Forestry Administration, Beijing, China
| | - Honglun Bi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai, China
| | - Yaohui Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai, China
| | - Xien Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai, China
| | - Ningning Wu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun Xu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhen Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Forest Protection, Research Institute of Forest Ecology, Environment and Protection, Chinese Academy of Forestry, State Forestry Administration, Beijing, China
| | - Yongping Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai, China
| | - Hui Chen
- College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
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Petrella V, Aceto S, Colonna V, Saccone G, Sanges R, Polanska N, Volf P, Gradoni L, Bongiorno G, Salvemini M. Identification of sex determination genes and their evolution in Phlebotominae sand flies (Diptera, Nematocera). BMC Genomics 2019; 20:522. [PMID: 31238870 PMCID: PMC6593557 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-019-5898-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera, Nematocera) are important vectors of several pathogens, including Leishmania parasites, causing serious diseases of humans and dogs. Despite their importance as disease vectors, most aspects of sand fly biology remain unknown including the molecular basis of their reproduction and sex determination, aspects also relevant for the development of novel vector control strategies. Results Using comparative genomics/transcriptomics data mining and transcriptional profiling, we identified the sex determining genes in phlebotomine sand flies and proposed the first model for the sex determination cascade of these insects. For all the genes identified, we produced manually curated gene models, developmental gene expression profile and performed evolutionary molecular analysis. We identified and characterized, for the first time in a Nematocera species, the transformer (tra) homolog which exhibits both conserved and novel features. The analysis of the tra locus in sand flies and its expression pattern suggest that this gene is able to autoregulate its own splicing, as observed in the fruit fly Ceratitis capitata and several other insect species. Conclusions Our results permit to fill the gap about sex determination in sand flies, contribute to a better understanding of this developmental pathway in Nematocera and open the way for the identification of sex determining orthologs in other species of this important Diptera sub-order. Furthermore, the sex determination genes identified in our work also provide the opportunity of future biotechnological applications to control natural population of sand flies, reducing their impact on public health. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-019-5898-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Petrella
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Serena Aceto
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Vincenza Colonna
- National Research Council, Institute of Genetics and Biophysics, Naples, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Saccone
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Remo Sanges
- Stazione Zoologica "Anton Dohrn", Naples, Italy.,Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Nikola Polanska
- Department of Parasitology, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Volf
- Department of Parasitology, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Luigi Gradoni
- Unit of Vector-borne Diseases, Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Gioia Bongiorno
- Unit of Vector-borne Diseases, Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Salvemini
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.
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7
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Kaiser C, Lazaridou C, Vagn Jensen KM, Labouriau R, Kristensen M. Vitellogenin expression in the oilseed rape pest Meligethes aeneus. INSECT SCIENCE 2019; 26:274-282. [PMID: 28901720 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12539] [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: 06/20/2017] [Revised: 08/24/2017] [Accepted: 09/01/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
When investigating insecticide resistance of pest insects, for example, the pollen beetle Meligethes aeneus, it is relevant to differentiate toxicological and molecular genetic data between male and female specimens. A molecular sex determination method would allow resistance testing to be run without prior sorting of the samples. A one-step quantitative RT-PCR method for quantification of the yolk protein vitellogenin expression in the pollen beetle was established. The expression level of vitellogenin relative to tubulin was determined. Pollen beetles were tested at different time points during their development to determine if vitellogenin is a reliable molecular marker for detection of sexually mature females. The differentiation between females and males by relative expression of vitellogenin to tubulin is conditional regarding the life cycle. Sexually mature females and males could easily be distinguished, whereas immature specimens could not be seperated. Vitellogenin expression is a successful marker for identification of sexually mature pollen beetles. Females from the spring populations showed vitellogenin expression when the temperature was above 10.2°C. Further, detailed observations of vitellogenin throughout the spring indicated a strong relationship between daily temperatures and vitellogenin expression, which is an indicator of oviposition ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Kaiser
- Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Slagelse, Denmark
| | - Christina Lazaridou
- Department of Agricultural Technology, Alexander Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
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8
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Zhuo JC, Hu QL, Zhang HH, Zhang MQ, Jo SB, Zhang CX. Identification and functional analysis of the doublesex gene in the sexual development of a hemimetabolous insect, the brown planthopper. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2018; 102:31-42. [PMID: 30237076 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2018.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2018] [Revised: 06/25/2018] [Accepted: 09/16/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
In the sex determination cascade, the genes dsx (doublesex) in insects, mab-3 (male abnormal 3) in nematodes, and Dmrt1 (dsx/mab-3 related transcription factor-1) in vertebrates act as the base molecular switches and play important roles. Moreover, these genes share the same conserved feature domain-DNA-binding oligomerization domain (OD1), and female-specific dsx also has a conserved oligomerization domain 2 (OD2). Although sex determination and the functions of dsx in several holometabolous insects have been well documented, sex determination and the function of dsx in hemimetabolous insects remain a mystery. In this study, four dsx homologs were unexpectedly found in the Nilaparvata lugens (brown planthopper, BPH, order Hemiptera), which also showed a different evolutionary status. We found that only one of the four homologs, Nldsx, which has three alternative splicing variants (female-specific NldsxF, male-specific NldsxM, non-sex-specific NldsxC), was required in the sexual development of N. lugens. Compared with that of holometabolous species, the dsx of N. lugens contains a less conserved OD1, while the OD2 domain of BPH was not identifiable because the common region is poorly conserved, and the female-specific region is short. RNAi-mediated knockdown of Nldsx in female BPH resulted in a larger body size with a normal abdomen and reproductive system, while no changes in fertility were noted. However, adult males with RNA interference knockdown of NldsxM in nymphs became pseudofemales, were infertile, had abnormal copulatory organs, and had impassable deferent ducts with hyperplastic walls; additionally, the pseudofemales could not produce the normal courtship signals. Our results suggest that dsx plays a critical role in male BPH somatic development and mating behavior. This is the first study to show that dsx is essential for sexual development in a hemipteran species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Chong Zhuo
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Agricultural Entomology, Institute of Insect Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Qing-Ling Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Agricultural Entomology, Institute of Insect Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Hou-Hong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Agricultural Entomology, Institute of Insect Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Meng-Qiu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Agricultural Entomology, Institute of Insect Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Song Bok Jo
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Agricultural Entomology, Institute of Insect Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Kim Jong Suk University of Education, Democratic People's Republic of Korea
| | - Chuan-Xi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Agricultural Entomology, Institute of Insect Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
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Guo L, Xie W, Liu Y, Yang Z, Yang X, Xia J, Wang S, Wu Q, Zhang Y. Identification and characterization of doublesex in Bemisia tabaci. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2018; 27:620-632. [PMID: 29660189 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) is an important agricultural pest with a worldwide distribution. Although B. tabaci is known to have a unique haplodiploid reproductive strategy, its sex determination mechanism is largely unknown. In this study, we cloned the full-length sequence of B. tabaci doublesex (Btdsx) and found that Btdsx has 28 splicing isoforms. We found two new splicing isoforms of transformer 2 (Bttra2), which encode two proteins. We also confirmed that both genes lack sex-specific splicing isoforms. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis showed that the expression of Btdsx and Bttra2 is higher in males than in females. RNA interference of Bttra2 affected the expression of Btdsx and vice versa. Furthermore, silencing of Bttra2 or Btdsx caused malformation of the male genitalia (anal style). It did not affect the female phenotype, but reduced the expression of vitellogenin gene in females. These results indicate that Btdsx is associated with sex determination in B. tabaci and that Btdsx and Bttra2 affect each other and are important for male genitalia formation. In addition to increasing our understanding of the roles of dsx and tra2 in the sex determination of B. tabaci, the results will be useful for studies of sex determination in other haplodiploid species.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Guo
- Institute of Bast Fiber Crops, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - W Xie
- Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Y Liu
- Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Z Yang
- Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - X Yang
- Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - J Xia
- Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - S Wang
- Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Q Wu
- Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Y Zhang
- Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
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