TDRD5 Is Required for Spermatogenesis and Oogenesis in Locusta migratoria

Identification of genetic variants affecting reproduction traits in Vrindavani cattle

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) are one of the best ways to look into the connection between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and the phenotypic performance. This study aimed to identify the genetic variants that significantly affect the important reproduction traits in Vrindavani cattle using genome-wide SNP chip array data. In this study, 96 randomly chosen Vrindavani cows were genotyped using the Illumina Bovine50K BeadChip platform. A linear regression model of the genome-wide association study was fitted in the PLINK program between genome-wide SNP markers and reproduction traits, including age at first calving (AFC), inter-calving period (ICP), dry days (DD), and service period (SP) across the first three lactations. Information on different QTLs and genes, overlapping or adjacent to genomic coordinates of significant SNPs, was also mined from relevant databases in order to identify the biological pathways associated with reproductive traits in bovine. The Bonferroni correction resulted in total 39 SNP markers present on different chromosomes being identified that significantly affected the variation in AFC (6 SNPs), ICP (7 SNPs), DD (9 SNPs), and SP (17 SNPs). Novel potential candidate genes associated with reproductive traits that were identified using the GWAS methodology included UMPS, ITGB5, ADAM2, UPK1B, TEX55, bta-mir-708, TMPO, TDRD5, MAPRE2, PTER, AP3B1, DPP8, PLAT, TXN2, NDUFAF1, TGFA, DTNA, RSU1, KCNQ1, ADAM32, and CHST8. The significant SNPs and genes associated with the reproductive traits and the enriched genes may be exploited as candidate biomarkers in animal improvement programs, especially for improved reproduction performance in bovines.

A ferritin protein is involved in the development and reproduction of the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci

Ferritins are conserved iron-binding proteins that exist in most living organisms and play an essential role in the maintenance of cellular iron homeostasis. Although ferritin has been studied in many species, little is known about its role in the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci. In this study, we identified an iron-binding protein from B. tabaci and named it BtabFer1. The full-length cDNA of BtabFer1 is 1,043 bp and encodes a protein consisting of 224 amino acids with a deduced molecular weight of 25.26 kDa, and phylogenetic analysis shows that BtabFer1 is conserved among Hemiptera insects. The expression levels of BtabFer1 in different developmental stages and tissues were analyzed by real-time PCR, and results showed that BtabFer1 was ubiquitously expressed at all developmental stages and in all examined tissues. The RNAi-mediated knockdown of BtabFer1 caused a significant reduction in survival rate, egg production, and egg hatching rate of whiteflies. Knockdown of BtabFer1 also inhibited the transcription of genes in the juvenile hormone signal transduction pathway. Taken together, these results suggest that BtabFer1 plays a critical role in the development and reproduction of whiteflies. This study can broaden our understanding of ferritin in insect fecundity and development, as well as provide baseline data for future studies.

Identification and functional analysis of isopentenyl pyrophosphate isomerase genes in the whiteflies Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae)

The juvenile hormone (JH) plays a vital role in the regulation of a number of physiological processes, including development, reproduction, and ovarian maturation. Isopentenyl pyrophosphate isomerase (IPPI) is a key enzyme in the biosynthetic pathway of JH. In this study, we identified an isopentenyl pyrophosphate isomerase protein from Bemisia tabaci and named it BtabIPPI. The open reading frame (ORF) of BtabIPPI is 768 bp and encodes a protein of 255 amino acids that contains a conserved domain of the Nudix family. The temporal and spatial expression profiles showed that BtabIPPI was highly expressed in the female adults.RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated silencing of BtabIPPI reduced JH titers and the relative expression of vitellogenin receptor (VgR) and JH signaling pathway genes, resulting in a dramatic reduction in fecundity and hatchability. These results indicate that the BtabIPPI gene plays an important role in the female fecundity of B. tabaci. This study will broaden our understanding of the function of IPPI in regulating insect reproduction and provide a theoretical basis for targeting IPPI for pest control in the future.