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Sollazzo G, Nikolouli K, Gouvi G, Aumann RA, Schetelig MF, Bourtzis K. Deep orange gene editing triggers temperature-sensitive lethal phenotypes in Ceratitis capitata. BMC Biotechnol 2024; 24:7. [PMID: 38302991 PMCID: PMC10835909 DOI: 10.1186/s12896-024-00832-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata, is a significant agricultural pest managed through area-wide integrated pest management (AW-IPM) including a sterile insect technique (SIT) component. Male-only releases increase the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of SIT programs, which can be achieved through the development of genetic sexing strains (GSS). The most successful GSS developed to date is the C. capitata VIENNA 8 GSS, constructed using classical genetic approaches and an irradiation-induced translocation with two selectable markers: the white pupae (wp) and temperature-sensitive lethal (tsl) genes. However, currently used methods for selecting suitable markers and inducing translocations are stochastic and non-specific, resulting in a laborious and time-consuming process. Recent efforts have focused on identifying the gene(s) and the causal mutation(s) for suitable phenotypes, such as wp and tsl, which could be used as selectable markers for developing a generic approach for constructing GSS. The wp gene was recently identified, and efforts have been initiated to identify the tsl gene. This study investigates Ceratitis capitata deep orange (Ccdor) as a tsl candidate gene and its potential to induce tsl phenotypes. RESULTS An integrated approach based on cytogenetics, genomics, bioinformatics, and gene editing was used to characterize the Ccdor. Its location was confirmed on the right arm of chromosome 5 in the putative tsl genomic region. Knock-out of Ccdor using CRISPR/Cas9-NHEJ and targeting the fourth exon resulted in lethality at mid- and late-pupal stage, while the successful application of CRISPR HDR introducing a point mutation on the sixth exon resulted in the establishment of the desired strain and two additional strains (dor 12del and dor 51dup), all of them expressing tsl phenotypes and presenting no (or minimal) fitness cost when reared at 25 °C. One of the strains exhibited complete lethality when embryos were exposed at 36 °C. CONCLUSIONS Gene editing of the deep orange gene in Ceratitis capitata resulted in the establishment of temperature-sensitive lethal mutant strains. The induced mutations did not significantly affect the rearing efficiency of the strains. As deep orange is a highly conserved gene, these data suggest that it can be considered a target for the development of tsl mutations which could potentially be used to develop novel genetic sexing strains in insect pests and disease vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Germano Sollazzo
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Friedensstrasse 1, Seibersdorf, 2444, Austria
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Department of Insect Biotechnology in Plant Protection, Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Winchesterstr. 2, Gießen, 35394, Germany
- Present address: Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College Road, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Katerina Nikolouli
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Friedensstrasse 1, Seibersdorf, 2444, Austria
| | - Georgia Gouvi
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Friedensstrasse 1, Seibersdorf, 2444, Austria
- Laboratory of Systems Microbiology and Applied Genomics, Department of Sustainable Agriculture, University of Patras, 2 G. Seferi St., Agrinio, 30100, Greece
- Present address: Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College Road, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Roswitha A Aumann
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Department of Insect Biotechnology in Plant Protection, Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Winchesterstr. 2, Gießen, 35394, Germany
| | - Marc F Schetelig
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Department of Insect Biotechnology in Plant Protection, Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Winchesterstr. 2, Gießen, 35394, Germany.
| | - Kostas Bourtzis
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Friedensstrasse 1, Seibersdorf, 2444, Austria.
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Cáceres C, Bourtzis K, Gouvi G, Vreysen MJB, Bimbilé Somda NS, Hejníčková M, Marec F, Meza JS. Development of a novel genetic sexing strain of Ceratitis capitata based on an X-autosome translocation. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16167. [PMID: 37758733 PMCID: PMC10533888 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43164-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic sexing strains (GSS), such as the Ceratitis capitata (medfly) VIENNA 8 strain, facilitate male-only releases and improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of sterile insect technique (SIT) applications. Laboratory domestication may reduce their genetic diversity and mating behaviour and hence, refreshment with wild genetic material is frequently needed. As wild males do not carry the T(Y;A) translocation, and wild females do not easily conform to artificial oviposition, the genetic refreshment of this GSS is a challenging and time-consuming process. In the present study, we report the development of a novel medfly GSS, which is based on a viable homozygous T(XX;AA) translocation using the same selectable markers, the white pupae and temperature-sensitive lethal genes. This allows the en masse cross of T(XX;AA) females with wild males, and the backcrossing of F1 males with the T(XX;AA) females thus facilitating the re-establishment of the GSS as well as its genetic refreshment. The rearing efficiency and mating competitiveness of the novel GSS are similar to those of the T(Y;A)-based VIENNA 8 GSS. However, its advantage to easily allow the genetic refreshment is of great importance as it can ensure the mass production of high-quality males and enhanced efficacy of operational SIT programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Cáceres
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, International Atomic Energy Agency, 2444, Seibersdorf, Austria.
| | - Kostas Bourtzis
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, International Atomic Energy Agency, 2444, Seibersdorf, Austria
| | - Georgia Gouvi
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, International Atomic Energy Agency, 2444, Seibersdorf, Austria
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, South Kensington Campus, London, UK
| | - Marc J B Vreysen
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, International Atomic Energy Agency, 2444, Seibersdorf, Austria
| | - Nanwintoum Séverin Bimbilé Somda
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, International Atomic Energy Agency, 2444, Seibersdorf, Austria
- Unité de Formation et de Recherche en Sciences et Technologies (UFR/ST), Université Norbert ZONGO (UNZ), BP 376, Koudougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Martina Hejníčková
- Biology Centre CAS, Institute of Entomology, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - František Marec
- Biology Centre CAS, Institute of Entomology, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - José S Meza
- Programa Operativo de Moscas, SADER-SENASICA/IICA, Camino a los Cacaotales S/N, CP 30860, Metapa de Domínguez, Chiapas, México
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Drosopoulou E, Gariou-Papalexiou A, Gouvi G, Augustinos AA, Bourtzis K, Zacharopoulou A. A comparative analysis of the chromosomes of three FARQ species complex members, Ceratitis rosa, C. quilicii, and C. fasciventris F2 (Diptera: Tephritidae). Bull Entomol Res 2023; 113:537-545. [PMID: 37325903 DOI: 10.1017/s0007485323000214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The Ceratitis FARQ species complex consists of four highly destructive agricultural pests of Africa, namely C. fasciventris, C. anonae, C. rosa, and C. quilicii. The members of the complex are considered very closely related and the species limits among them are rather obscure. Their economic significance and the need for developing biological methods for their control makes species identification within the complex an important issue, which has become clear that can only be addressed by multidisciplinary approaches. Chromosomes, both mitotic and polytene, can provide a useful tool for species characterization and phylogenetic inference among closely related dipteran species. In the current study, we present the mitotic karyotype and the polytene chromosomes of C. rosa and C. quilicii together with in situ hybridization data. We performed a comparative cytogenetic analysis among the above two species and C. fasciventris, the only other cytogenetically studied member of the FARQ complex, by comparing the mitotic complement and the banding pattern of the polytene chromosomes of each species to the others, as well as by studying the polytene chromosomes of hybrids between them. Our analysis revealed no detectable chromosomal rearrangements discriminating the three FARQ members studied, confirming their close phylogenetic relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Drosopoulou
- Department of Genetics, Development and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | | | - Georgia Gouvi
- Laboratory of Systems Microbiology and Applied Genomics, Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Patras, Greece
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Seibersdorf, Austria
| | - Antonios A Augustinos
- Department of Plant Protection Patras, Institute of Industrial and Forage Crops, Hellenic Agricultural Organization 'DIMITRA', Patras, Greece
| | - Kostas Bourtzis
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Seibersdorf, Austria
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Sollazzo G, Gouvi G, Nikolouli K, Aumann RA, Djambazian H, Whitehead MA, Berube P, Chen SH, Tsiamis G, Darby AC, Ragoussis J, Schetelig MF, Bourtzis K. Genomic and cytogenetic analysis of the Ceratitis capitata temperature-sensitive lethal region. G3 (Bethesda) 2023:7093084. [PMID: 36988332 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkad074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
Genetic sexing strains (GSS) are an important tool in support of sterile insect technique (SIT) applications against insect pests and disease vectors. The yet unknown temperature-sensitive lethal (tsl) gene and the recently identified white pupae (wp) gene have been used as selectable markers in the most successful GSS developed so far, the Ceratitis capitata (medfly) VIENNA 8 GSS. The molecular identification of the tsl gene may open the way for its use as a marker for the development of GSS in other insect pests and disease vectors of SIT importance. Prior studies have already shown that the tsl gene is located on the right arm of chromosome 5, between the wp and Zw loci (tsl genomic region). In the present study, we used genomic, transcriptomic, bioinformatic, and cytogenetic approaches to characterize and analyze this genomic region in wild-type and tsl mutant medfly strains. Our results suggested the presence of 561 genes, with 322 of them carrying SNPs and/or insertion-deletion (indel) mutations in the tsl genomic region. Furthermore, comparative transcriptomic analysis indicated the presence of 32 differentially expressed genes, and bioinformatic analysis revealed the presence of 33 orthologs with a described heat-sensitive phenotype of Drosophila melanogaster in this region. These data can be used in functional genetic studies to identify the tsl gene(s) and the causal mutation(s) responsible for the temperature-sensitive lethal phenotype in medfly, and potentially additional genes causing a similar phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Germano Sollazzo
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Friedensstrasse 1, 2444 Seibersdorf, Austria
- Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Department of Insect Biotechnology in Plant Protection, Winchesterstr. 2, 35394 Gießen, Germany
| | - Georgia Gouvi
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Friedensstrasse 1, 2444 Seibersdorf, Austria
- Laboratory of Systems Microbiology and Applied Genomics, Department of Sustainable Agriculture, University of Patras, 2 G. Seferi St., 30100, Agrinio, Greece
| | - Katerina Nikolouli
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Friedensstrasse 1, 2444 Seibersdorf, Austria
| | - Roswitha A Aumann
- Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Department of Insect Biotechnology in Plant Protection, Winchesterstr. 2, 35394 Gießen, Germany
| | - Haig Djambazian
- McGill University Genome Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
| | - Mark A Whitehead
- Centre for Genomic Research, Institute of Integrative Biology, The Biosciences Building, Crown Street, L69 7ZB Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Pierre Berube
- McGill University Genome Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
| | - Shu-Huang Chen
- McGill University Genome Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
| | - George Tsiamis
- Laboratory of Systems Microbiology and Applied Genomics, Department of Sustainable Agriculture, University of Patras, 2 G. Seferi St., 30100, Agrinio, Greece
| | - Alistair C Darby
- Centre for Genomic Research, Institute of Integrative Biology, The Biosciences Building, Crown Street, L69 7ZB Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Jiannis Ragoussis
- McGill University Genome Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
| | - Marc F Schetelig
- Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Department of Insect Biotechnology in Plant Protection, Winchesterstr. 2, 35394 Gießen, Germany
| | - Kostas Bourtzis
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Friedensstrasse 1, 2444 Seibersdorf, Austria
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Sollazzo G, Gouvi G, Nikolouli K, Martinez EIC, Schetelig MF, Bourtzis K. Temperature Sensitivity of Wild-Type, Mutant and Genetic Sexing Strains of Ceratitis capitata. Insects 2022; 13:943. [PMID: 36292891 PMCID: PMC9604331 DOI: 10.3390/insects13100943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Area-wide integrated pest management (AW-IPM) programmes with a sterile insect technique component (SIT) are used to control populations of insect pests worldwide, including the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata. SIT consists of the mass rearing, radiation-induced sterilization, handling, and release of sterile insects over the target area. Although SIT can be performed by using both sterile males and females, male-only releases significantly increase the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of SIT applications. Male-only releases can be achieved by using genetic sexing strains (GSS). The medfly VIENNA 8 GSS is based on two selectable markers, the white pupae (wp) gene, and the temperature-sensitive lethal (tsl) genes. The latter allows the elimination of females by exposing embryos to elevated temperatures. This study assessed the temperature sensitivity of twenty-seven medfly strains through a TSLT. Our results indicated significant differences among the strains regarding egg hatching as well as pupal and adult recovery rates due to the presence or absence of the tsl mutation and/or the genetic background of the strains. Our findings are discussed in the context of SIT applications, the importance of the tsl gene for developing genetic sexing strains, and climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Germano Sollazzo
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, IAEA Laboratories, 2444 Seibersdorf, Austria
- Department of Insect Biotechnology in Plant Protection, Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Winchesterstr. 2, 35394 Gießen, Germany
| | - Georgia Gouvi
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, IAEA Laboratories, 2444 Seibersdorf, Austria
- Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Patras, 2 Seferi Str., 30100 Agrinio, Greece
| | - Katerina Nikolouli
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, IAEA Laboratories, 2444 Seibersdorf, Austria
| | - Elena I. Cancio Martinez
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, IAEA Laboratories, 2444 Seibersdorf, Austria
| | - Marc F. Schetelig
- Department of Insect Biotechnology in Plant Protection, Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Winchesterstr. 2, 35394 Gießen, Germany
| | - Kostas Bourtzis
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, IAEA Laboratories, 2444 Seibersdorf, Austria
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Gouvi G, Gariou-Papalexiou A, Augustinos AA, Drosopoulou E, Tsiamis G, Bourtzis K, Zacharopoulou A. The Chromosomes of Zeugodacus tau and Zeugodacus cucurbitae: A Comparative Analysis. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.854723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Availability of polytene chromosomes and development of polytene chromosome maps have greatly facilitated genetic analysis in Diptera and understanding of chromosomal organization. In tephritids, following the first polytene chromosome maps constructed for the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata, additional maps have been developed for only few species belonging to the main genera of agricultural importance that are Anastrepha, Bactrocera, Ceratitis, Dacus, Rhagoletis, and Zeugodacus. Comparison of the polytene chromosomes of these species has pointed to the presence of chromosomal rearrangements that can, at least partially, shed light to the chromosomal evolution in this family. Up to now, polytene chromosome maps are available only for one Zeugodacus species, that is Zeugodacus cucurbitae. Here we report the cytogenetic analysis of the mitotic and polytene chromosomes of the pumpkin fly, Zeugodacus tau, along with a comparative analysis with polytene chromosomes of Zeugodacus cucurbitae as well as other tephritids. In situ hybridization experiments resulting to chromosomal localization of selected genes in both species are also presented. The genes used as markers are hsp70, hsp83, scarlet and white pupae. The established homologies presented in this study verify that the two Zeugodacus species are genetically close and support the current taxonomic placement of the Zeugodacus genus. The differences in polytene chromosome level, in combination with results of in situ hybridization experiments, reveal the presence of chromosomal rearrangements, mainly inversions, to both closely and distantly related species, which could potentially be a useful diagnostic tool.
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Ramírez-Santos E, Rendon P, Gouvi G, Zacharopoulou A, Bourtzis K, Cáceres C, Bloem K. A Novel Genetic Sexing Strain of Anastrepha ludens for Cost-Effective Sterile Insect Technique Applications: Improved Genetic Stability and Rearing Efficiency. Insects 2021; 12:insects12060499. [PMID: 34072029 PMCID: PMC8228190 DOI: 10.3390/insects12060499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Anastrepha ludens (Loew) is one of the most destructive insect pests damaging several fruits of economic importance. The sterile insect technique (SIT) is used under an area-wide integrated pest management approach, to suppress these pest populations. Mass rearing facilities were initially established to produce sterile males of bi-sexual strains in support of SIT. The first genetic sexing strain (GSS) for A. ludens, Tapachula-7, based on pupal color dimorphism, was a key development since the release of males-only significantly increases the SIT efficiency. In this study, we document the development of a novel pupal color-based GSS. Twelve radiation-induced translocation lines were assessed as potential GSS in terms of recombination rates and rearing efficiency at a small scale. The best one, GUA10, was cytogenetically characterized: it was shown to carry a single translocation between the Y chromosome and chromosome 2, which is known to carry the black pupae marker. This GSS was further evaluated at medium and large scales regarding its genetic stability, productivity and quality versus Tapachula-7. GUA10 presented better genetic stability, fecundity, fertility, production efficiency, flying ability, and male mating, clear indicators that GUA10 GSS can significantly improve the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of SIT applications against this pest species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edwin Ramírez-Santos
- Laboratorio El Pino, Programa MOSCAMED, Km 47.5 Carretera a El Salvador, Parque Nacional Laguna El Pino, 06002 Santa Rosa, Guatemala
- Correspondence:
| | - Pedro Rendon
- International Atomic Energy Agency–Technical Cooperation TCLAC, Programa Moscamed/USDA, Guatemala;
| | - Georgia Gouvi
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Seibersdorf, A-1400 Vienna, Austria; (G.G.); (K.B.); (C.C.)
- Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Patras, 2 Seferi Street, 30100 Agrinio, Greece
| | | | - Kostas Bourtzis
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Seibersdorf, A-1400 Vienna, Austria; (G.G.); (K.B.); (C.C.)
| | - Carlos Cáceres
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Seibersdorf, A-1400 Vienna, Austria; (G.G.); (K.B.); (C.C.)
| | - Kenneth Bloem
- Retired, USDA-APHIS-PPQ, Science and Technology, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA;
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Tsironis I, Paganos P, Gouvi G, Tsimpos P, Stamopoulou A, Arnone MI, Flytzanis CN. Coup-TF: A maternal factor essential for differentiation along the embryonic axes in the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. Dev Biol 2021; 475:131-144. [PMID: 33484706 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2020.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2020] [Revised: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Coup-TF, a member of the nuclear receptor super-family, is present in the pool of maternal mRNAs and proteins in the sea urchin egg. The presence of this protein seems to be essential for the execution of the early developmental program, leading to all three embryonic layers. Our results demonstrate that Pl-Coup-TF morphants, i.e. Pl-Coup-TF morpholino knockdown embryos, resemble blastulae that lack archenteron at 24 hpf (hours post fertilization), a stage at which normal embryos reach the end of gastrulation in Paracentrotus lividus. At 48 hpf, when normal embryos reach the pluteus larva stage, the morphants are seemingly underdeveloped and lack the characteristic skeletal rods. Nevertheless, the morphant embryos express vegetal endomesodermal marker genes, such as Pl-Blimp1, Pl-Endo16, Pl-Alx1 and Pl-Tbr as judged by in situ hybridization experiments. The anterior neuroectoderm genes, Pl-FoxQ2, Pl-Six3 and Pl-Pax6, are also expressed in the morphant embryos, but Pl-Hbn and Pl-Fez mRNAs, which encode proteins significant for the differentiation of serotonergic neurons, are not detected. Consequently, Pl-Coup-TF morphants at 48 hpf lack serotonergic neurons, whereas normal 48 hpf plutei exhibit the formation of two bilateral pairs of such neurons in the apical organ. Furthermore, genes indicative of the ciliary band formation, Pl-Hnf6, Pl-Dri, Pl-FoxG and Pl-Otx, are not expressed in Pl-Coup-TF morphants, suggesting the disruption of this neurogenic territory as well. In addition, the Pl-SynB gene, a marker of differentiated neurons, is silent leading to the hypothesis that Pl-Coup-TF morphants might lack all types of neurons. On the contrary, the genes expressing signaling molecules, which establish the ventral/dorsal axis, Pl-Nodal and Pl-Lefty show the characteristic ventral lateral expression pattern, Pl-Bmp2/4, which activates the dorsal ectoderm GRN is down-regulated and Pl-Chordin is aberrantly over-expressed in the entire ectoderm. The identity of ectodermal cells in Pl-Coup-TF morphant embryos, was probed for expression of the ventral marker Pl-Gsc which was over-expressed and dorsal markers, Pl-IrxA and Pl-Hox7, which were silent. Therefore, we propose that maternal Pl-Coup-TF is essential for correct dissemination of the early embryonic signaling along both animal/vegetal and ventral/dorsal axes. Limiting Pl-Coup-TF's quantity, results in an embryo without digestive and nervous systems, skeleton and ciliary band that cannot survive past the initial 48 h of development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis Tsironis
- Department of Biology, University of Patras, Patras, 26500, Greece
| | - Periklis Paganos
- Department of Biology, University of Patras, Patras, 26500, Greece; Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121, Naples, Italy
| | - Georgia Gouvi
- Department of Biology, University of Patras, Patras, 26500, Greece
| | | | | | - Maria Ina Arnone
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121, Naples, Italy
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Ward CM, Aumann RA, Whitehead MA, Nikolouli K, Leveque G, Gouvi G, Fung E, Reiling SJ, Djambazian H, Hughes MA, Whiteford S, Caceres-Barrios C, Nguyen TNM, Choo A, Crisp P, Sim SB, Geib SM, Marec F, Häcker I, Ragoussis J, Darby AC, Bourtzis K, Baxter SW, Schetelig MF. White pupae phenotype of tephritids is caused by parallel mutations of a MFS transporter. Nat Commun 2021; 12:491. [PMID: 33479218 PMCID: PMC7820335 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20680-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Mass releases of sterilized male insects, in the frame of sterile insect technique programs, have helped suppress insect pest populations since the 1950s. In the major horticultural pests Bactrocera dorsalis, Ceratitis capitata, and Zeugodacus cucurbitae, a key phenotype white pupae (wp) has been used for decades to selectively remove females before releases, yet the gene responsible remained unknown. Here, we use classical and modern genetic approaches to identify and functionally characterize causal wp- mutations in these distantly related fruit fly species. We find that the wp phenotype is produced by parallel mutations in a single, conserved gene. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of the wp gene leads to the rapid generation of white pupae strains in C. capitata and B. tryoni. The conserved phenotype and independent nature of wp- mutations suggest this technique can provide a generic approach to produce sexing strains in other major medical and agricultural insect pests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher M. Ward
- grid.1010.00000 0004 1936 7304School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, 5005 Adelaide, Australia
| | - Roswitha A. Aumann
- grid.8664.c0000 0001 2165 8627Department of Insect Biotechnology in Plant Protection, Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Winchesterstr. 2, 35394 Gießen, Germany
| | - Mark A. Whitehead
- grid.10025.360000 0004 1936 8470Centre for Genomic Research, Institute of Integrative Biology, The Biosciences Building, Crown Street, L69 7ZB Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Katerina Nikolouli
- grid.420221.70000 0004 0403 8399Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Programme of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Seibersdorf, 1400 Vienna, Austria
| | - Gary Leveque
- grid.14709.3b0000 0004 1936 8649McGill University Genome Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC Canada ,grid.14709.3b0000 0004 1936 8649Canadian Centre for Computational Genomics (C3G), McGill University, Montreal, QC Canada
| | - Georgia Gouvi
- grid.420221.70000 0004 0403 8399Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Programme of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Seibersdorf, 1400 Vienna, Austria ,grid.11047.330000 0004 0576 5395Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Patras, 2 Seferi str., 30100 Agrinio, Greece
| | - Elisabeth Fung
- grid.1010.00000 0004 1936 7304School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, 5005 Adelaide, Australia
| | - Sarah J. Reiling
- grid.14709.3b0000 0004 1936 8649McGill University Genome Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC Canada
| | - Haig Djambazian
- grid.14709.3b0000 0004 1936 8649McGill University Genome Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC Canada
| | - Margaret A. Hughes
- grid.10025.360000 0004 1936 8470Centre for Genomic Research, Institute of Integrative Biology, The Biosciences Building, Crown Street, L69 7ZB Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Sam Whiteford
- grid.10025.360000 0004 1936 8470Centre for Genomic Research, Institute of Integrative Biology, The Biosciences Building, Crown Street, L69 7ZB Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Carlos Caceres-Barrios
- grid.420221.70000 0004 0403 8399Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Programme of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Seibersdorf, 1400 Vienna, Austria
| | - Thu N. M. Nguyen
- grid.1010.00000 0004 1936 7304School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, 5005 Adelaide, Australia ,grid.1008.90000 0001 2179 088XBio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, 3010 Australia
| | - Amanda Choo
- grid.1010.00000 0004 1936 7304School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, 5005 Adelaide, Australia
| | - Peter Crisp
- grid.1010.00000 0004 1936 7304School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, 5005 Adelaide, Australia ,grid.464686.e0000 0001 1520 1671South Australian Research and Development Institute, Waite Road, Urrbrae, 5064 South Australia
| | - Sheina B. Sim
- USDA-ARS Daniel K. Inouye US Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, 64 Nowelo Street, Hilo, HI 96720 USA
| | - Scott M. Geib
- USDA-ARS Daniel K. Inouye US Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, 64 Nowelo Street, Hilo, HI 96720 USA
| | - František Marec
- Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Irina Häcker
- grid.8664.c0000 0001 2165 8627Department of Insect Biotechnology in Plant Protection, Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Winchesterstr. 2, 35394 Gießen, Germany
| | - Jiannis Ragoussis
- grid.14709.3b0000 0004 1936 8649McGill University Genome Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC Canada
| | - Alistair C. Darby
- grid.10025.360000 0004 1936 8470Centre for Genomic Research, Institute of Integrative Biology, The Biosciences Building, Crown Street, L69 7ZB Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Kostas Bourtzis
- grid.420221.70000 0004 0403 8399Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Programme of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Seibersdorf, 1400 Vienna, Austria
| | - Simon W. Baxter
- grid.1008.90000 0001 2179 088XBio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, 3010 Australia
| | - Marc F. Schetelig
- grid.8664.c0000 0001 2165 8627Department of Insect Biotechnology in Plant Protection, Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Winchesterstr. 2, 35394 Gießen, Germany
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