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Hull JJ, Brent CS, Choi MY, Mikó Z, Fodor J, Fónagy A. Molecular and Functional Characterization of Pyrokinin-Like Peptides in the Western Tarnished Plant Bug Lygus hesperus (Hemiptera: Miridae). INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12100914. [PMID: 34680683 PMCID: PMC8541414 DOI: 10.3390/insects12100914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Neuropeptides regulate most insect biological functions. One such group of peptides, the pyrokinins (PKs), are distinguished by a C-terminal FXPRLamide. While widely distributed in most insects, they are poorly characterized in plant bugs. To address this limitation, we identified the PK transcript in the western tarnished plant bug (Lygus hesperus) and examined its expression. The Lygus PK transcript is predicted to yield three PK-like peptides but only two (LyghePKa and LyghePKb) have the characteristic C-terminal amide. The transcript is expressed throughout development and is most abundant in heads. A custom FXPRLamide antibody revealed immunoreactive cells throughout the Lygus central nervous system consistent with typical neuropeptide expression. To assess potential functional roles of the peptides, a fluorescence-based Ca2+ influx assay using cultured insect cells stably expressing a moth PK receptor was performed. LyghePKa was unable to stimulate receptor activation, whereas LyghePKb triggered a robust response. The in vivo pheromonotropic activity of the two peptides was likewise assessed using three different moth species. Like the cell culture system, only the LyghePKb peptide was active. The study suggests evolutionary divergence of the PK gene in plant bugs and provides critical insights into likely biological functions in the western tarnished plant bug. Abstract The pyrokinin (PK) family of insect neuropeptides, characterized by C termini consisting of either WFGPRLamide (i.e., PK1) or FXPRLamide (i.e., PK2), are encoded on the capa and pk genes. Although implicated in diverse biological functions, characterization of PKs in hemipteran pests has been largely limited to genomic, transcriptomic, and/or peptidomic datasets. The Lygus hesperus (western tarnished plant bug) PK transcript encodes a prepropeptide predicted to yield three PK2 FXPRLamide-like peptides with C-terminal sequences characterized by FQPRSamide (LyghePKa), FAPRLamide (LyghePKb), and a non-amidated YSPRF. The transcript is expressed throughout L. hesperus development with greatest abundance in adult heads. PRXamide-like immunoreactivity, which recognizes both pk- and capa-derived peptides, is localized to cells in the cerebral ganglia, gnathal ganglia/suboesophageal ganglion, thoracic ganglia, and abdominal ganglia. Immunoreactivity in the abdominal ganglia is largely consistent with capa-derived peptide expression, whereas the atypical fourth pair of immunoreactive cells may reflect pk-based expression. In vitro activation of a PK receptor heterologously expressed in cultured insect cells was only observed in response to LyghePKb, while no effects were observed with LyghePKa. Similarly, in vivo pheromonotropic effects were only observed following LyghePKb injections. Comparison of PK2 prepropeptides from multiple hemipterans suggests mirid-specific diversification of the pk gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Joe Hull
- Pest Management and Biocontrol Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Maricopa, AZ 85138, USA;
- Correspondence:
| | - Colin S. Brent
- Pest Management and Biocontrol Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Maricopa, AZ 85138, USA;
| | - Man-Yeon Choi
- Horticultural Crops Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA;
| | - Zsanett Mikó
- Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Eötvös Loránd Research Network (Formerly Affiliated with the Hungarian Academy of Sciences), 1051 Budapest, Hungary; (Z.M.); (J.F.); (A.F.)
| | - József Fodor
- Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Eötvös Loránd Research Network (Formerly Affiliated with the Hungarian Academy of Sciences), 1051 Budapest, Hungary; (Z.M.); (J.F.); (A.F.)
| | - Adrien Fónagy
- Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Eötvös Loránd Research Network (Formerly Affiliated with the Hungarian Academy of Sciences), 1051 Budapest, Hungary; (Z.M.); (J.F.); (A.F.)
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Ahn SJ, Mc Donnell RJ, Corcoran JA, Martin RC, Choi MY. Identification and functional characterization of the first molluscan neuromedin U receptor in the slug, Deroceras reticulatum. Sci Rep 2020; 10:22308. [PMID: 33339848 PMCID: PMC7749107 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-79047-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuromedin U (NmU) is a neuropeptide regulating diverse physiological processes. The insect homologs of vertebrate NmU are categorized as PRXamide family peptides due to their conserved C-terminal end. However, NmU homologs have been elusive in Mollusca, the second largest phylum in the animal kingdom. Here we report the first molluscan NmU/PRXamide receptor from the slug, Deroceras reticulatum. Two splicing variants of the receptor gene were functionally expressed and tested for binding with ten endogenous peptides from the slug and some insect PRXamide and vertebrate NmU peptides. Three heptapeptides (QPPLPRYa, QPPVPRYa and AVPRPRIa) triggered significant activation of the receptors, suggesting that they are true ligands for the NmU/PRXamide receptor in the slug. Synthetic peptides with structural modifications at different amino acid positions provided important insights on the core moiety of the active peptides. One receptor variant always exhibited higher binding activity than the other variant. The NmU-encoding genes were highly expressed in the slug brain, while the receptor gene was expressed at lower levels in general with relatively higher expression levels in both the brain and foot. Injection of the bioactive peptides into slugs triggered defensive behavior such as copious mucus secretion and a range of other anomalous behaviors including immobilization, suggesting their role in important physiological functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung-Joon Ahn
- Horticultural Crops Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Corvallis, OR, USA.,Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology & Plant Pathology, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, USA
| | - Rory J Mc Donnell
- Department of Crop and Soil Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Jacob A Corcoran
- Horticultural Crops Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Corvallis, OR, USA.,Biological Control of Insects Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Ruth C Martin
- Forage Seed and Cereal Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Man-Yeon Choi
- Horticultural Crops Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Corvallis, OR, USA.
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Luo M, Zhou XC, Wang Z, Chen JX, Chung H, Wei HY. Identification and Gene Expression Analysis of the Pheromone Biosynthesis Activating Neuropeptide Receptor (PBANR) From the Ostrinia furnacalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2019; 19:25. [PMID: 31222323 PMCID: PMC6488165 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/iez033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Pheromonal communication is important in insect mate finding and reproduction. Identifying components of pest insect pheromone system is a first step to disrupt pest insect reproduction. In this study, we identified and cloned the pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide receptor (PBANR) from the Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenée) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), which is one of the most damaging pests of corn and other crops in parts of Asia and Australia. The O. furnacalis PBANR (OstfuPBANR) gene has an ORF of 1,086 bp and encoded 362 amino acids with seven transmembrane domains and had a high sequence identity to known lepidopteran PBANRs. Expression analysis showed that OstfuPBANR was highly expressed in the pheromone glands compared with other tissues, consistent with other studies. Interestingly, OstfuPBANR was expressed higher in the larval stages compared to the pupal or adult stages, suggesting that OstfuPBANR may have broad functions in larva beyond adult pheromone synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Luo
- College of Agronomy, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
- Program in Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
| | - Xiao-cao Zhou
- College of Agronomy, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China
| | - Zinan Wang
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
- Program in Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
| | - Jun-xian Chen
- College of Agronomy, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China
| | - Henry Chung
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
- Program in Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
| | - Hong-yi Wei
- College of Agronomy, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China
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Shalev AH, Altstein M. Pheromonotropic and melanotropic PK/PBAN receptors: differential ligand-receptor interactions. Peptides 2015; 63:81-9. [PMID: 25451335 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2014.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2014] [Revised: 10/27/2014] [Accepted: 10/27/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to further characterize the PK/PBAN receptors and their interaction with various PK/PBAN peptides in order to get a better understanding of their ubiquitous and multifunctional nature. Two cloned receptors stably expressed in Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) cells were used in this study: a Heliothis peltigera pheromone gland receptor (Hep-PK/PBAN-R) (which stimulates sex pheromone biosynthesis) and Spodoptera littoralis larval receptor (Spl-PK/PBAN-R) (which mediates cuticular melanization in moth larvae) and their ability to respond to several native PK/PBAN peptides: β-subesophageal neuropeptide (β-SGNP), myotropin (MT) and Leucophaea maderae pyrokinin (LPK), as well as linear and cyclic analogs was tested by monitoring their ability to stimulate Ca(2+) release. The receptors exhibited a differential response to β-SGNP, which activated the Hep-PK/PBAN-R but not the Spl-PK/PBAN-R - a response opposite to that previously demonstrated with diapause hormone (DH). MT was somewhat more active on Spl-PK/PBAN-R than on Hep-PK/PBAN-R. LPK elicited similar positive responses in both receptors (like that with PBAN). A differential response toward both receptors was also noticed with the PBAN-derived backbone cyclic (BBC) conformationally constrained peptide BBC-5. The peptides BBC-7 and BBC-8 activated both receptors. The results correlate between two PK/PBAN mediated function (cuticular melanization and sex pheromone biosynthesis) and the peptides that activate them and thus advance our understanding of the mode of action of the PK/PBAN family, and might help in exploring novel high-affinity receptor-specific antagonists that could serve as a basis for development of new families of insect-control agents.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Miriam Altstein
- Department of Entomology, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel.
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Nguyen Q, Nielsen LK, Reid S. Genome scale transcriptomics of baculovirus-insect interactions. Viruses 2013; 5:2721-47. [PMID: 24226166 PMCID: PMC3856412 DOI: 10.3390/v5112721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2013] [Revised: 10/28/2013] [Accepted: 11/04/2013] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Baculovirus-insect cell technologies are applied in the production of complex proteins, veterinary and human vaccines, gene delivery vectors' and biopesticides. Better understanding of how baculoviruses and insect cells interact would facilitate baculovirus-based production. While complete genomic sequences are available for over 58 baculovirus species, little insect genomic information is known. The release of the Bombyx mori and Plutella xylostella genomes, the accumulation of EST sequences for several Lepidopteran species, and especially the availability of two genome-scale analysis tools, namely oligonucleotide microarrays and next generation sequencing (NGS), have facilitated expression studies to generate a rich picture of insect gene responses to baculovirus infections. This review presents current knowledge on the interaction dynamics of the baculovirus-insect system' which is relatively well studied in relation to nucleocapsid transportation, apoptosis, and heat shock responses, but is still poorly understood regarding responses involved in pro-survival pathways, DNA damage pathways, protein degradation, translation, signaling pathways, RNAi pathways, and importantly metabolic pathways for energy, nucleotide and amino acid production. We discuss how the two genome-scale transcriptomic tools can be applied for studying such pathways and suggest that proteomics and metabolomics can produce complementary findings to transcriptomic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quan Nguyen
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
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Hariton-Shalev A, Shalev M, Adir N, Belausov E, Altstein M. Structural and functional differences between pheromonotropic and melanotropic PK/PBAN receptors. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2013; 1830:5036-48. [PMID: 23850474 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2013.06.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2013] [Revised: 06/17/2013] [Accepted: 06/29/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The pyrokinin/pheromone biosynthesis-activating neuropeptide (PK/PBAN) plays a major role in regulating a wide range of physiological processes in insects. The ubiquitous and multifunctional nature of the PK/PBAN peptide family raises many questions regarding the mechanisms by which these neuropeptides elicit their effects and the nature of the receptors that mediate their functions. METHODS A sex pheromone gland receptor of the PK/PBAN family from Heliothis peltigera female moth and a Spodoptera littoralis larval receptor were cloned and stably expressed, and their structural models, electrostatic potentials and cellular functional properties were evaluated. RESULTS Homology modeling indicated highly conserved amino-acid residues in appropriate structural positions as experimentally shown for class A G-protein coupled receptors. Structural differences could be proposed and electrostatic potentials of the two receptor models revealed net charge differences. Calcium mobilization assays demonstrated that both receptors were fully functional and could initiate extracellular calcium influx to start PK/PBAN signal transduction. Evaluation of the signaling response of both receptors to PBAN and diapause hormone (DH) revealed a highly sensitive, though differential response. Both receptors responded to PBAN whereas only Spl-PK/PBAN-R exhibited a high response toward DH. CONCLUSIONS The structural, electrostatic and cellular functional differences indicate that different PK/PBAN in vivo functions may be mediated by different PK/PBAN receptors and elicited by different peptide(s). GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE The results advance our understanding of the mode of action of the PK/PBAN family, and might help in exploring novel high-affinity receptor-specific antagonists that can serve as a basis for the development of new families of insect-control agents.
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Hull JJ, Matsumoto S. Molecular mechanisms underlying insect behaviors: receptors, peptides, and biosynthetic pathways. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2013; 4:120. [PMID: 24062724 PMCID: PMC3770957 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2013.00120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2013] [Accepted: 08/28/2013] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- J. Joe Hull
- USDA-ARS, US Arid Land Agricultural Research Center, Maricopa, AZ, USA
- *Correspondence:
| | - Shogo Matsumoto
- Molecular Entomology Laboratory, RIKEN Advanced Science Institute, Wako, Japan
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Paluzzi JP, O'Donnell MJ. Identification, spatial expression analysis and functional characterization of a pyrokinin-1 receptor in the Chagas' disease vector, Rhodnius prolixus. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2012; 363:36-45. [PMID: 22820129 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2012.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2012] [Revised: 06/24/2012] [Accepted: 07/11/2012] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The capability or capa gene, encodes a pyrokinin-related peptide (known as pyrokinin-1, PK1) that contains the consensus carboxy-terminal sequence of WFGPRL-NH(2). Although the CAPA precursor polypeptide in Rhodnius prolixus yields the anti-diuretic hormone, RhoprCAPA-α2, no function has yet been elucidated for the pyrokinin-1 peptide, RhoprCAPA-αPK1. In order to elucidate the possible physiological roles of the PK1-related peptides in R. prolixus, we have isolated and functionally characterized the PK1 receptor, RhoprPK1-R. Additionally, we have determined a set of three optimal reference genes to utilize for normalization of data obtained when carrying out spatial expression analyses via quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-qPCR) in various tissues of fifth instar R. prolixus. The RhoprPK1-R expression profile differs strikingly from the receptor for the anti-diuretic hormone RhoprCAPA-α2, which is localized mainly to gut epithelial tissues. Instead, RhoprPK1-R expression in fifth instar stage insects was identified in tissues that are not involved in osmotic and ionic balance, including the prothoracic glands, male reproductive tissues and a pooled sample composed of fat body, dorsal vessel, abdominal nerves and female reproductive tissues. Thus, this research establishes novel possibilities for the physiological roles of the pyrokinin-related peptides in this medically relevant disease vector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Paul Paluzzi
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada L8S 4K1.
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