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Leyria J, Orchard I, Lange AB. Octopamine is required for successful reproduction in the classical insect model, Rhodnius prolixus. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0306611. [PMID: 38995904 PMCID: PMC11244822 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0306611] [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: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
In insects, biogenic amines function as neurotransmitters, neuromodulators, and neurohormones, influencing various behaviors, including those related to reproduction such as response to sex pheromones, oogenesis, oviposition, courtship, and mating. Octopamine (OA), an analog of the vertebrate norepinephrine, is synthesized from the biogenic amine tyramine by the enzyme tyramine β-hydroxylase (TβH). Here, we investigate the mechanisms and target genes underlying the role of OA in successful reproduction in females of Rhodnius prolixus, a vector of Chagas disease, by downregulating TβH mRNA expression (thereby reducing OA content) using RNA interference (RNAi), and in vivo and ex vivo application of OA. Injection of females with dsTβH impairs successful reproduction at least in part, by decreasing the transcript expression of enzymes involved in juvenile hormone biosynthesis, the primary hormone for oogenesis in R. prolixus, thereby interfering with oogenesis, ovulation and oviposition. This study offers valuable insights into the involvement of OA for successful reproduction in R. prolixus females. Understanding the reproductive biology of R. prolixus is crucial in a medical context for controlling the spread of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jimena Leyria
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
| | - Ian Orchard
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
| | - Angela B. Lange
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
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2
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Leyria J. Endocrine factors modulating vitellogenesis and oogenesis in insects: An update. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2024; 587:112211. [PMID: 38494046 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2024.112211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
The endocrine system plays a pivotal role in shaping the mechanisms that ensure successful reproduction. With over a million known insect species, understanding the endocrine control of reproduction has become increasingly complex. Some of the key players include the classic insect lipid hormones juvenile hormone (JH) and ecdysteroids, and neuropeptides such as insulin-like peptides (ILPs). Individual endocrine factors not only modulate their own target tissue but also play crucial roles in crosstalk among themselves, ensuring successful vitellogenesis and oogenesis. Recent advances in omics, gene silencing, and genome editing approaches have accelerated research, offering both fundamental insights and practical applications for studying in-depth endocrine signaling pathways. This review provides an updated and integrated view of endocrine factors modulating vitellogenesis and oogenesis in insect females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jimena Leyria
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada.
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3
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Rios T, Bomfim L, Pereira J, Miranda K, Majerowicz D, Pane A, Ramos I. Knockdown of Sec16 causes early lethality and defective deposition of the protein Rp30 in the eggshell of the vector Rhodnius prolixus. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1332894. [PMID: 38711619 PMCID: PMC11070790 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1332894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
In nearly every species of insect, embryonic development takes place outside of the mother's body and is entirely dependent on the elements that the mother had previously stored within the eggs. It is well known that the follicle cells (FCs) synthesize the eggshell (chorion) components during the process of choriogenesis, the final step of oogenesis before fertilization. These cells have developed a specialization in the massive production of chorion proteins, which are essential for the protection and survival of the embryo. Here, we investigate the function of Sec16, a protein crucial for the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to Golgi traffic, in the oocyte development in the insect Rhodnius prolixus. We discovered that Sec16 is strongly expressed in vitellogenic females' ovaries, particularly in the choriogenic oocyte and it is mainly associated with the FCs. Silencing of Sec16 by RNAi caused a sharp decline in oviposition rates, F1 viability, and longevity in adult females. In the FCs, genes involved in the unfolded protein response (UPR), the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), and autophagy were massively upregulated, whereas the mRNAs of Rp30 and Rp45-which code for the two major chorion proteins - were downregulated as a result of Sec16 silencing, indicating general proteostasis disturbance. As a result, the outer surface ultrastructure of Sec16-silenced chorions was altered, with decreased thickness, dityrosine crosslinking, sulfur signals, and lower amounts of the chorion protein Rp30. These findings collectively demonstrate the critical role Sec16 plays in the proper functioning of the FCs, which impacts the synthesis and deposition of particular components of the chorion as well as the overall reproduction of this vector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thamara Rios
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Larissa Bomfim
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Jéssica Pereira
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Kildare Miranda
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - David Majerowicz
- Departamento de Biotecnologia Farmacêutica, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biociências, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Attilio Pane
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Isabela Ramos
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Orchard I, Leyria J, Al-Dailami AN, Nachman RJ, Lange AB. Functional characterization of the kinin receptor in the Chagas disease vector Rhodnius prolixus; activity of native kinins and potent biostable Aib-containing insect kinin analogs. Peptides 2024; 172:171135. [PMID: 38103839 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2023.171135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
The causative agent for Chagas disease, Trypanosoma cruzi, is transmitted to a human host in the urine/feces of the kissing bug, Rhodnius prolixus, following blood feeding. Kinins are important chemical messengers in the overall control of blood feeding physiology in R. prolixus, including hindgut contractions and excretion. Thus, disruption in kinin signaling would have damaging consequences to the insect but also interfere with the transmission of Chagas Disease. Here, a heterologous functional receptor assay was used to confirm the validity of the previously cloned putative kinin G-protein-coupled receptor, RhoprKR, in Rhodnius prolixus. Three native R. prolixus kinins were chosen for analysis; two possessing the typical kinin WGamide C-terminal motif and one that possesses an atypical C-terminal WAamide. All three are potent (EC50 values in the nM range), with high efficacy, on CHO-K1-aeq cells expressing the RhoprKR, thereby confirming ligand binding. Members of three other R. prolixus peptide families, which are also myotropins (tachykinins, pyrokinins and sulfakinins) elicited little or no response. In addition, this heterologous receptor assay was used to test characteristics of kinin mimetics previously tested on tick and mosquito kinin receptors. Five α-aminoisobutyric acid (Aib) containing analogs were tested, and four found to have considerably higher potencies than the native kinins, with EC50 values in the pM range. Interestingly, adding Aib to the atypical WAamide kinin improves its EC50 value from 2 nM to 39 pM. Biostable kinin analogs may prove useful leads for novel pest control strategies. Since T. cruzi is transmitted to a human host in the urine/feces after blood feeding, disruption in kinin signaling would also interfere with the transmission of Chagas Disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Orchard
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada.
| | - Jimena Leyria
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
| | - Areej N Al-Dailami
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
| | - Ronald J Nachman
- Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center, USDA, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Angela B Lange
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
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Halberg KV, Denholm B. Mechanisms of Systemic Osmoregulation in Insects. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ENTOMOLOGY 2024; 69:415-438. [PMID: 37758224 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ento-040323-021222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Water is essential to life. Terrestrial insects lose water by evaporation from the body surface and respiratory surfaces, as well as in the excretory products, posing a challenge made more acute by their high surface-to-volume ratio. These losses must be kept to a minimum and be offset by water gained from other sources. By contrast, insects such as the blood-sucking bug Rhodnius prolixus consume up to 10 times their body weight in a single blood meal, necessitating rapid expulsion of excess water and ions. How do insects manage their ion and water budgets? A century of study has revealed a great deal about the organ systems that insects use to maintain their ion and water balance and their regulation. Traditionally, a taxonomically wide range of species were studied, whereas more recent research has focused on model organisms to leverage the power of the molecular genetic approach. Key advances in new technologies have become available for a wider range of species in the past decade. We document how these approaches have already begun to inform our understanding of the diversity and conservation of insect systemic osmoregulation. We advocate that these technologies be combined with traditional approaches to study a broader range of nonmodel species to gain a comprehensive overview of the mechanism underpinning systemic osmoregulation in the most species-rich group of animals on earth, the insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth Veland Halberg
- Section for Cell and Neurobiology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark;
| | - Barry Denholm
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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Orchard I, Lange AB. The neuroendocrine and endocrine systems in insect - Historical perspective and overview. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2024; 580:112108. [PMID: 37956790 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2023.112108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
A complex cascade of events leads to the initiation and maintenance of a behavioral act in response to both internally and externally derived stimuli. These events are part of a transition of the animal into a new behavioral state, coordinated by chemicals that bias tissues and organs towards a new functional state of the animal. This form of integration is defined by the neuroendocrine (or neurosecretory) system and the endocrine system that release neurohormones or hormones, respectively. Here we describe the classical neuroendocrine and endocrine systems in insects to provide an historic perspective and overview of how neurohormones and hormones support plasticity in behavioral expression. Additionally, we describe peripheral tissues such as the midgut, epitracheal glands, and ovaries, which, whilst not necessarily being endocrine glands in the pure sense of the term, do produce and release hormones, thereby providing even more flexibility for inter-organ communication and regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Orchard
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Rd., Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada.
| | - Angela B Lange
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Rd., Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada.
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Zhu J, Li Z, Zhang M, Qin W, Park Y, He Y. Transcriptome of Excretory Organs Revealed Potential Targets for the Control of Nilaparvata lugens. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2023; 71:17733-17741. [PMID: 37934932 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c05276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
The excretory organs of insects offer potential physiological targets for insect control. In this study, RNA-seq was utilized to identify a set of transporter and receptor genes enriched in the excretory organs of the brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens, which is considered the most important phloem-feeding insect pest in rice. A total of 1565 and 1084 transcripts were upregulated in the excretory organs, Malpighian tubules, and hindgut, respectively, compared to the midgut, which was enriched for transport activity and oxidoreductase activity. Eight potentially important genes were selected for the exploration of biological function, including one sodium/potassium-ATPase (NKA) subunit (ATP1A1), five aquaporins (AQPs), and two neuropeptide receptors. RNA interference (RNAi) assays showed that the knockdown of ATP1A1 and two AQP genes in BPH resulted in significant lethal phenotypes (corrected mortalities = 42.9-63.6%, 7 days after injection) and significantly reduced honeydew amounts. Our findings suggest that several genes enriched in excretory organs were important for BPH survival, which could be new insect control targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinghua Zhu
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Zengxin Li
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Meng Zhang
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Weiwei Qin
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Yoonseong Park
- Department of Entomology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas 66506, United States
| | - Yueping He
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
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8
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Yoon HJ, Price BE, Parks RK, Ahn SJ, Choi MY. Diuretic hormone 31 activates two G protein-coupled receptors with differential second messengers for diuresis in Drosophila suzukii. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 162:104025. [PMID: 37813200 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2023.104025] [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: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
Diuretic hormones (DHs) bind to G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), regulating water and ion balance to maintain homeostasis in animals. Two distinct DHs are known in insects: calcitonin (CT)-like DH31 and corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)-like DH44. In this study, we identified and characterized DH31 and two DH31 GPCR variants, DH31-Ra and DH31-Rb, from spotted-wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii, a globally prevalent vinegar fly causing severe damage to small fruits. Both GPCRs are active, but DH31-Ra is the dominant receptor based on gene expression analyses and DH31 peptide binding affinities. A notable difference between the two variants lies in 1) the GPCR structures of their C-termini and 2) the utilization of second messengers, and the amino acid sequences of the two variants are identical. DH31-Ra contains 12 additional amino acids, providing different intracellular C-terminal configurations. DH31-Ra utilizes both cAMP and Ca2+ as second messengers, whereas DH31-Rb utilizes only cAMP; this is the first time reported for an insect CT-like DH31 peptide. DH31 stimulated fluid secretion in D. suzukii adults, and secretion increased in a dose-dependent manner. However, when the fly was injected with a mixture of DH31 and CAPA, an anti-diuretic hormone, fluid secretion was suppressed. Here, we discuss the structures of the DH31 receptors and the differential signaling pathways, including second messengers, involved in fly diuresis. These findings provide fundamental insights into the characterization of D. suzukii DH31 and DH31-Rs, and facilitate the identification of potential biological targets for D. suzukii management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ho Jung Yoon
- USDA-ARS, Horticultural Crops Research Unit, 3420 NW Orchard Ave, Corvallis, OR, 97330, USA; Department of Horticulture, Oregon State University, 3420 NW Orchard Ave, Corvallis, OR, 97330, USA
| | - Briana E Price
- USDA-ARS, Horticultural Crops Research Unit, 3420 NW Orchard Ave, Corvallis, OR, 97330, USA
| | - Ryssa K Parks
- USDA-ARS, Horticultural Crops Research Unit, 3420 NW Orchard Ave, Corvallis, OR, 97330, USA; Department of Horticulture, Oregon State University, 3420 NW Orchard Ave, Corvallis, OR, 97330, USA
| | - Seung-Joon Ahn
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology, and Plant Pathology, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, 39762, USA
| | - Man-Yeon Choi
- USDA-ARS, Horticultural Crops Research Unit, 3420 NW Orchard Ave, Corvallis, OR, 97330, USA.
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Al-Dailami AN, Orchard I, Lange AB. Corticotropin-releasing factor-like diuretic hormone acts as a gonad-inhibiting hormone in adult female, Rhodnius prolixus. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1279929. [PMID: 37842303 PMCID: PMC10570869 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1279929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Within insects, corticotropin-releasing factor/diuretic hormones (CRF/DHs) are responsible for the modulation of a range of physiological and behavioural processes such as feeding, diuresis, and reproduction. Rhopr-CRF/DH plays a key role in feeding and diuresis in Rhodnius prolixus, a blood-gorging insect and a vector for human Chagas disease. Here, we extend our understanding on the role of this neurohormone in reproduction in adult female R. prolixus. Double-label immunohistochemistry displays co-localized staining of CRF-like and the glycoprotein hormone (GPA2/GPB5) subunit GPB5-like immunoreactivity in the same neurosecretory cells (NSCs) in the mesothoracic ganglionic mass (MTGM) and in their neurohemal sites in adult female R. prolixus, suggesting these peptides could work together to regulate physiological processes. qPCR analysis reveals that the transcript for Rhopr-CRF/DH receptor 2 (Rhopr-CRF/DH-R2) is expressed in reproductive tissues and fat body (FB) in adult female R. prolixus, and its expression increases post blood meal (PBM), a stimulus that triggers diuresis and reproduction. Using RNA interference, transcript expression of Rhopr-CRF/DH-R2 was knocked down, and egg production monitored by examining the major yolk protein, vitellogenin (Vg), the number and quality of eggs laid, and their hatching ratio. Injection of dsCRFR2 into adult females reduces Rhopr-CRF/DH-R2 transcript expression, accelerates oogenesis, increases the number of eggs produced, and reduces hatching rate in female R. prolixus. Downregulation of Rhopr-CRF/DH-R2 leads to an increase in the transcript expression of RhoprVg1 in the fat body and ovaries, and increases the transcript level for the Vg receptor, RhoprVgR, in the ovaries. A significant increase in Vg content in the fat body and in the hemolymph is also observed. Incubation of isolated tissues with Rhopr-CRF/DH leads to a significant decrease in transcript expression of RhoprVg1 in the fat body and RhoprVg1 in the ovaries. In addition, Rhopr-CRF/DH reduces transcript expression of the ecdysteroid biosynthetic enzymes and reduces ecdysteroid titer in the culture medium containing isolated ovaries. These results suggest the involvement of the CRF-signaling pathway in reproduction, and that Rhopr-CRF/DH acts as a gonad-inhibiting hormone in the adult female R. prolixus, as previously shown for the colocalized glycoprotein, GPA2/GPB5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Areej N. Al-Dailami
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
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Leyria J, Guarneri AA, Lorenzo MG, Nouzova M, Noriega FG, Benrabaa SAM, Fernandez-Lima F, Valadares Tose L, Orchard I, Lange AB. Effects of mating on female reproductive physiology in the insect model, Rhodnius prolixus, a vector of the causative parasite of Chagas disease. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2023; 17:e0011640. [PMID: 37729234 PMCID: PMC10545099 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011640] [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: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The blood-sucking hemipteran Rhodnius prolixus is one of the main vectors of Chagas disease, a neglected tropical disease that affects several million people worldwide. Consuming a blood meal and mating are events with a high epidemiological impact since after each meal, mated females can lay fertile eggs that result in hundreds of offspring. Thus, a better knowledge of the control of R. prolixus reproductive capacity may provide targets for developing novel strategies to control vector populations, thereby reducing vector-host contacts and disease transmission. Here, we have used a combination of gene transcript expression analysis, biochemical assays, hormone measurements and studies of locomotory activity to investigate how mating influences egg development and egg laying rates in R. prolixus females. The results demonstrate that a blood meal increases egg production capacity and leads to earlier egg laying in mated females compared to virgins. Virgin females, however, have increased survival rate over mated females. Circulating juvenile hormone (JH) and ecdysteroid titers are increased in mated females, a process mainly driven through an upregulation of the transcripts for their biosynthetic enzymes in the corpus allatum and ovaries, respectively. Mated females display weaker locomotory activity compared to virgin females, mainly during the photophase. In essence, this study shows how reproductive output and behaviour are profoundly influenced by mating, highlighting molecular, biochemical, endocrine and behavioral features differentially expressed in mated and virgin R. prolixus females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jimena Leyria
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Canada
| | | | - Marcelo G. Lorenzo
- Instituto René Rachou, Avenida Augusto de Lima, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Biotecnología (INBIOTEC-CONICET), Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marcela Nouzova
- Biology Center of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Institute of Parasitology, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Fernando G. Noriega
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biomolecular Science Institute, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, United States of America
- Department of Parasitology, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | | | - Francisco Fernandez-Lima
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Biomolecular Science Institute, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, United States of America
| | - Lilian Valadares Tose
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Biomolecular Science Institute, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, United States of America
| | - Ian Orchard
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Canada
| | - Angela B. Lange
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Canada
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Gao H, Li Y, Zhang H, Wang S, Feng F, Tang J, Li B. Comparative study of neuropeptide signaling systems in Hemiptera. INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 30:705-724. [PMID: 36165207 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 08/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Numerous physiological processes in insects are tightly regulated by neuropeptides and their receptors. Although they form an ancient signaling system, there is still a great deal of variety in neuropeptides and their receptors among different species within the same order. Neuropeptides and their receptors have been documented in many hemipteran insects, but the differences among them have been poorly characterized. Commercial grapevines worldwide are plagued by the bug Daktulosphaira vitifoliae (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha). Here, 33 neuropeptide precursors and 48 putative neuropeptide G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) genes were identified in D. vitifoliae. Their expression profiles at the probe and feeding stages reflected potential regulatory roles in probe behavior. By comparison, we found that the Releasing Hormone-Related Peptides (GnRHs) system of Sternorrhyncha was differentiated from those of the other 2 suborders in Hemiptera. Independent secondary losses of the adipokinetic hormone/corazonin-related peptide receptor (ACP) and corazonin (CRZ) occurred during the evolution of Sternorrhyncha. Additionally, we discovered that the neuropeptide signaling systems of Sternorrhyncha were very different from those of Heteroptera and Auchenorrhyncha, which was consistent with Sternorrhyncha's phylogenetic position at the base of the order. This research provides more knowledge on neuropeptide systems and sets the groundwork for the creation of novel D. vitifoliae management strategies that specifically target these signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Gao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yanxiao Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hui Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Suisui Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Fan Feng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jing Tang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Bin Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
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Lamattina D, Salomón OD. Triatoma infestans, to be or not to be autogenic? Acta Trop 2023; 237:106727. [DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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Al-Dailami AN, Orchard I, Lange AB. Investigating the role of glycoprotein hormone GPA2/GPB5 signaling in reproduction in adult female Rhodnius prolixus. FRONTIERS IN INSECT SCIENCE 2022; 2:1096089. [PMID: 38468806 PMCID: PMC10926448 DOI: 10.3389/finsc.2022.1096089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Glycoprotein hormones are essential for regulating various physiological activities in vertebrates and invertebrates. In vertebrates, the classical glycoprotein hormones include follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and chorionic gonadotropin (CG), which have crucial roles in growth, development, metabolism, and reproduction. In female mammals, FSH stimulates egg production in the ovaries, whereas LH and CG act as the triggers for follicular ovulation. The more recently discovered heterodimeric glycoprotein hormone GPA2/GPB5 (called thyrostimulin in vertebrates) is suggested to be involved in reproductive processes in arthropods. Here, we focus on understanding the role of GPA2/GPB5 and its receptor, LGR1, in the reproductive success of adult female Rhodnius prolixus, a vector of Chagas disease. qPCR was used to monitor the expression of GPA2 and GPB5 transcripts and their receptor in different tissues. Immunohistochemistry was used to show the distribution of GPB5 in the nervous system and reproductive system, and RNA interference was used to disrupt the glycoprotein hormone signaling pathway. Both subunit transcripts, GPA2 and GPB5, are present in a variety of tissues, with the greatest expression in the central nervous system; whereas the LGR1 transcript is present in peripheral tissues, including the fat body and the reproductive system of adult females. In the adult female, GPB5-like immunoreactive axonal projections are present in the trunk nerves extending onto the reproductive tissues, with processes overlaying the ovaries, oviducts, spermatheca, and bursa, indicating the possibility of neural control by neurons containing GPA2/GPB5. In addition, GPB5-like immunostaining is present in muscles encircling the ovarioles, and in the cytoplasm of trophocytes (nurse cells) located in the tropharium. GPB5-like immunoreactive processes and blebs are also localized to the previtellogenic follicles, suggesting an involvement of this glycoprotein hormone signaling in oocyte development. LGR1 transcript expression increases in the adult female reproductive system post-feeding, a stimulus that initiates reproductive development, adding further support to an involvement in reproduction. We have investigated the effect of LGR1 downregulation on reproductive processes, monitoring the number and the quality of eggs laid, hatching ratio, and production of vitellogenin (Vg), the major yolk protein for developing eggs. Downregulation of LGR1 leads to increases in transcript expression of vitellogenin, RhoprVg1, in the fat body and the vitellogenin receptor, RhoprVgR, in the ovaries. Total protein in the fat body and hemolymph of dsLGR1-injected insects increased compared to controls and associated with this effect was a significant increase in vitellogenin in these tissues. dsLGR1-injection leads to accelerated oogenesis, an increase in the number of eggs produced and laid, an increase in egg size and a reduction in hatching rate. Our results indicate that GPA2/GPB5 signaling acts to delay egg production in adult female R. prolixus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Areej N. Al-Dailami
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
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Crosstalk between Nutrition, Insulin, Juvenile Hormone, and Ecdysteroid Signaling in the Classical Insect Model, Rhodnius prolixus. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 24:ijms24010007. [PMID: 36613451 PMCID: PMC9819625 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24010007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The rigorous balance of endocrine signals that control insect reproductive physiology is crucial for the success of egg production. Rhodnius prolixus, a blood-feeding insect and main vector of Chagas disease, has been used over the last century as a model to unravel aspects of insect metabolism and physiology. Our recent work has shown that nutrition, insulin signaling, and two main types of insect lipophilic hormones, juvenile hormone (JH) and ecdysteroids, are essential for successful reproduction in R. prolixus; however, the interplay behind these endocrine signals has not been established. We used a combination of hormone treatments, gene expression analyses, hormone measurements, and ex vivo experiments using the corpus allatum or the ovary, to investigate how the interaction of these endocrine signals might define the hormone environment for egg production. The results show that after a blood meal, circulating JH levels increase, a process mainly driven through insulin and allatoregulatory neuropeptides. In turn, JH feeds back to provide some control over its own biosynthesis by regulating the expression of critical biosynthetic enzymes in the corpus allatum. Interestingly, insulin also stimulates the synthesis and release of ecdysteroids from the ovary. This study highlights the complex network of endocrine signals that, together, coordinate a successful reproductive cycle.
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Leyria J, Orchard I, Lange AB. Impact of JH Signaling on Reproductive Physiology of the Classical Insect Model, Rhodnius prolixus. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232213832. [PMID: 36430311 PMCID: PMC9692686 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232213832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In adult females of several insect species, juvenile hormones (JHs) act as gonadotrophic hormones, regulating egg production. JH binds to its nuclear receptor, Methoprene tolerant (Met), triggering its dimerization with the protein Taiman (Tai). The resulting active complex induces transcription of JH response genes, such as Krüppel homolog 1 (Kr-h1). In this study we report for the first time the participation of the isoform JH III skipped bisepoxide (JHSB3) and its signaling pathway in the reproductive fitness of the classical insect model Rhodnius prolixus. The topical application of synthetic JHSB3 increases transcript and protein expression of yolk protein precursors (YPPs), mainly by the fat body but also by the ovaries, the second source of YPPs. These results are also confirmed by ex vivo assays. In contrast, when the JH signaling cascade is impaired via RNA interference by downregulating RhoprMet and RhoprTai mRNA, egg production is inhibited. Although RhoprKr-h1 transcript expression is highly dependent on JHSB3 signaling, it is not involved in egg production but rather in successful hatching. This research contributes missing pieces of JH action in the insect model in which JH was first postulated almost 100 years ago.
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Leyria J, Philip R, Orchard I, Lange AB. Gonadulin: A newly discovered insulin-like peptide involved in ovulation and oviposition in Rhodnius prolixus, a vector of Chagas disease. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 150:103848. [PMID: 36191853 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2022.103848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Insulin-like peptides (ILPs) are vital hormones involved in a wide range of physiological processes in all organisms. In insects, insulin signaling has a key role in detecting and interpreting nutrient levels for egg production. Based on publicly available transcriptomes, a new ILP named gonadulin has been reported and suggested to be expressed by the gonads (hence its name). Although the identification of gonadulin establishes its existence, its physiological relevance remains poorly understood. Rhodnius prolixus is an obligate hematophagous insect and a primary vector of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease. In this study, we report for the first time the participation of gonadulin in reproductive performance of an hemipteran. By quantitative PCR and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), we find that the R. prolixus gonadulin transcript is highly expressed in the reproductive system, particularly in the calyx, a structure through which eggs move into the lumen of the lateral oviducts during ovulation. The putative gonadulin receptor, a member of the leucine-rich repeat-containing G protein-coupled receptor subfamily (LGR3), is most highly expressed in the central nervous system with lower levels in the reproductive tissue and other tissues. Interestingly, when the gonadulin signaling cascade is impaired using RNA interference (RNAi), eggs are retained primarily in the ovarioles and calyx, indicating that ovulation and oviposition are inhibited. Understanding the physiological processes involved in reproduction in R. prolixus will shed light on potential targets for effective production of biopesticides by translational research, thereby controlling insect populations and transmission of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jimena Leyria
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada.
| | - Riya Philip
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada.
| | - Ian Orchard
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada.
| | - Angela B Lange
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada.
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Lange AB, Leyria J, Orchard I. The hormonal and neural control of egg production in the historically important model insect, Rhodnius prolixus: A review, with new insights in this post-genomic era. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2022; 321-322:114030. [PMID: 35317995 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2022.114030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2021] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Rhodnius prolixus, the blood gorging kissing bug, is a model insect, extensively used by Sir Vincent Wigglesworth and others, upon which the foundations of insect physiology, endocrinology, and development are built. It is also medically important, being a principal vector of Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease in humans. The blood meal stimulates and enables egg production, and since an adult mated female can take several blood meals, each female can produce hundreds of offspring. Understanding the reproductive biology of R. prolixus is therefore of some critical importance for controlling the transmission of Chagas disease. The R. prolixus genome is available and so the post-genomic era has arrived for this historic model insect. This review focuses on the female reproductive system and coordination over the production of eggs, emphasizing the classical (neuro)endocrinological studies that led to a model describing inputs from feeding and mating, and the neural control of egg-laying. We then review recent insights brought about by molecular analyses, including transcriptomics, that confirm, support, and considerably extends this model. We conclude this review with an updated model describing the events leading to full expression of egg production, and also provide a consideration of questions for future exploration and experimentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela B Lange
- University of Toronto Mississauga, Department of Biology, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada.
| | - Jimena Leyria
- University of Toronto Mississauga, Department of Biology, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada.
| | - Ian Orchard
- University of Toronto Mississauga, Department of Biology, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada.
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Haddad AN, Leyria J, Lange AB. Identification of a tachykinin receptor and its implication in carbohydrate and lipid homeostasis in Rhodnius prolixus, a chagas disease vector. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2022; 320:114010. [PMID: 35231487 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2022.114010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Neuropeptides and their receptors are fundamentally important in regulating many physiological and behavioural processes in insects. In this work, we have identified, cloned, and sequenced the tachykinin receptor (Rhopr-TKR) from Rhodnius prolixus, a vector of Chagas disease. The receptor is a G protein-coupled receptor belonging to the Rhodopsin Family A. The total length of the open reading frame of the Rhopr-TKR transcript is 1110 bp, which translates into a receptor of 338 amino acids. Fluorescent in-situ RNA-hybridization (FISH) for the Rhopr-TKR transcript shows a signal in a group of six bilaterally paired neurons in the protocerebrum of the brain, localized in a similar region as the insulin producing cells. To examine the role of tachykinin signaling in lipid and carbohydrate homeostasis we used RNA interference. Downregulation of the Rhopr-TKR transcript led to a decrease in the size of blood meal consumed and a significant increase in circulating carbohydrate and lipid levels. Further investigation revealed a close relationship between tachykinin and insulin signaling since the downregulation of the Rhopr-TKR transcript negatively affected the transcript expression for insulin-like peptide 1 (Rhopr-ILP1), insulin-like growth factor (Rhopr-IGF) and insulin receptor 1 (Rhopr-InR1) in both the central nervous system and fat body. Taken together, these findings suggest that tachykinin signaling regulates lipid and carbohydrate homeostasis via the insulin signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- A N Haddad
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada.
| | - J Leyria
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada.
| | - A B Lange
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada.
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