Neuropeptides are crucial in regulation of a rich variety of developmental,physiological,and behavioral functions throughout the life cycle of insects.Using an integrated approach of multiomics,we identified neuropept...Neuropeptides are crucial in regulation of a rich variety of developmental,physiological,and behavioral functions throughout the life cycle of insects.Using an integrated approach of multiomics,we identified neuropeptide precursors in the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella,which is a harmful pest of honeybee hives with a worldwide distribution.Here,a total of 63 and 67 neuropeptide precursors were predicted and annotated in the G.mellonella genome and transcriptome,in which 40 neuropeptide precursors were confirmed in the G.mellonella peptidome.Interestingly,we identified 12 neuropeptide precursor genes present in G.mellonella but absent in honeybees,which may be potential novel pesticide target sites.Honeybee hives were contaminated with heavy metals such as lead,enabling its bioaccumulation in G.mellonella bodies through the food chain,we performed transcriptome sequencing to analyze the effects of Pb stress on the mRNA expression level of G.mellonella neuropeptide precursors.After treatment by Pb,the expression of neuropeptide F1 was found to be significantly downregulated,implying that this neuropeptide might be associated with responding to the heavy metal stress in G.mellonella.This study comprehensively identified neuropeptide precursors in G.mellonella,and discussed the effects of heavy metals on insect neuropeptides,with the example of G.mellonella.The results are valuable for future elucidation of how neuropeptides regulate physiological functions in G.mellonella and contribute to our understanding of the insect's environmental plasticity and identify potential new biomarkers to assess heavy metal toxicity in insects.展开更多
MicroRNAs play critical roles in multiple developmental processes in insects.Our previous study showed that CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knock down of the microRNA let-7 in silkworms increased the size of larvae and silk glan...MicroRNAs play critical roles in multiple developmental processes in insects.Our previous study showed that CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knock down of the microRNA let-7 in silkworms increased the size of larvae and silk glands,thereby improving the silk production capacity.In this study,we elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying of let-7 regulates growth.Identification of differentially expressed genes in response to let-7 knock down revealed enrichment of pathways associated with cell proliferation and DNA replication.let-7 dysregulation affected the cell cycle and proliferation of the Bombyx mori cell line BmN.Dual-luciferase and target site mutation assays showed that BmCDK1 is a direct target gene of let-7,with only 1 binding site on its 3′-untranslated region.RNA interference of BmCDK1 inhibited cell proliferation,but this effect was counteracted by co-transfection with let-7 antagomir.Moreover,let-7 knock down induced BmCDK1 expression and promoted cell proliferation in multiple tissues,and further induced endomitosis in the silk gland in vivo.Knock down of BmCDK1 resulted in abnormal formation of a new epidermis,and larval development was arrested at the 2nd or 3rd molt stage.Taken together,our results demonstrated that BmCDK1 is a novel target of let-7 in cell fate determination,possessing potential for improving silk yield in silkworm.展开更多
Diaphorina citri is a global citrus pest.As a vector insect,it can transmit the causative agents of citrus huanglongbing,causing irreversible losses to the citrus industry.The acquisition of genomic information can pr...Diaphorina citri is a global citrus pest.As a vector insect,it can transmit the causative agents of citrus huanglongbing,causing irreversible losses to the citrus industry.The acquisition of genomic information can provide a molecular genetic basis for effective control of D.citri.Here,the DNBSEQ™,Oxford Nanopore Technologies,and Hi-C technologies are applied to generate a high-quality chromosome-level genome of D.citri.The genome size of D.citri was 523.78 Mb with a scaffold N50 of 47.05 Mb distributed on 13 chromosomes.A total of 250.64 Mb(47.85%)repeat sequences and 24048 protein-coding genes were predicted.Genome resequencing of female and male individuals indicated that the sex chromosome system of D.citri is XO.Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that D.citri and Pachypsylla venusta,which separated from their most recent common ancestor about 336.62 million years ago,were the most closely related.Additionally,we identified genes potentially involved in detoxification metabolism,pathogen transmission,and honeydew secretion for further investigation.The high-quality genome provides an important reference for developing effective management strategies of D.citri.展开更多
Royal jelly(RJ)is a biologically active substance secreted by the hypopharyngeal and mandibular glands of worker honeybees.It is widely claimed that RJ reduces oxidative stress.However,the antioxidant activity of RJ h...Royal jelly(RJ)is a biologically active substance secreted by the hypopharyngeal and mandibular glands of worker honeybees.It is widely claimed that RJ reduces oxidative stress.However,the antioxidant activity of RJ has mostly been determined by in vitro chemical detection methods or by external administration drugs that cause oxidative stress.Whether RJ can clear the endogenous production of reactive oxygen species(ROS)in cells remains largely unknown.Here,we systematically investigated the antioxidant properties of RJ using several endogenous oxidative stress models of Drosophila.We found that RJ enhanced sleep quality of aging Drosophila,which is decreased due to an increase of oxidative damage with age.RJ supplementation improved survival and suppressed ROS levels in gut cells of flies upon exposure to hydrogen peroxide or to the neurotoxic agent paraquat.Moreover,RJ supplementation moderated levels of ROS in endogenous gut cells and extended lifespan after exposure of flies to heat stress.Sleep deprivation leads to accumulation of ROS in the gut cells,and RJ attenuated the consequences of oxidative stress caused by sleep loss and prolonged lifespan.Mechanistically,RJ prevented cell oxidative damage caused by heat stress or sleep deprivation,with the antioxidant activity in vivo independent of Keap1/Nrf2 signaling.RJ supplementation activated oxidoreductase activity in the guts of flies,suggesting its ability to inhibit endogenous oxidative stress and maintain health,possibly in humans.展开更多
Tolfactory system of adult lepidopterans is among the best described neuronal circuits.However,comparatively little is known about the organization of the olfactory system in the larval stage of these insects.Here,we ...Tolfactory system of adult lepidopterans is among the best described neuronal circuits.However,comparatively little is known about the organization of the olfactory system in the larval stage of these insects.Here,we explore the expression of olfactory receptors and the organization of olfactory sensory neurons in caterpillars of Pieris brassicae,a significant pest species in Europe and a well-studied species for its chemical ecology.To describe the larval olfactory system in this species,we first analyzed the head transcriptome of third-instar larvae(L3)and identified 16 odorant receptors(ORs)including the OR coreceptor(Orco),13 ionotropic receptors(IRs),and 8 gustatory receptors(GRs).We then quantified the expression of these 16 ORs in different life stages,using qPCR,and found that the majority of ORs had significantly higher expression in the L4 stage than in the L3 and L5 stages,indicating that the larval olfactory system is not static throughout caterpillar development.Using an Orco-specific antibody,we identified all olfactory receptor neurons(ORNs)expressing the Orco protein in L3,L4,and L5 caterpillars and found a total of 34 Orco-positive ORNs,distributed among three sensilla on the antenna.The number of Orco-positive ORNs did not differ among the three larval instars.Finally,we used retrograde axon tracing of the antennal nerve and identified a mean of 15 glomeruli in the larval antennal center(LAC),suggesting that the caterpillar olfactory system follows a similar design as the adult olfactory system,although with a lower numerical redundancy.Taken together,our results provide a detailed analysis of the larval olfactory neurons in P brassicae,highlighting both the differences as well as the commonalities with the adult olfactory system.These findings contribute to a better understanding of the development of the olfactory system in insects and its life-stage-specific adaptations.展开更多
The Indian meal moth,Plodia interpunctella(Lepidoptera:Pyralidae),a globally distributed storage pest,relies on odors that are emitted from stored foods to select a suitable substrate for oviposition.However,the molec...The Indian meal moth,Plodia interpunctella(Lepidoptera:Pyralidae),a globally distributed storage pest,relies on odors that are emitted from stored foods to select a suitable substrate for oviposition.However,the molecular mechanism underlying the chemical communication between P.interpunctella and its host remains elusive.In this study,130 chemosensory genes were identified from the transcriptomes of 7 P.interpunctella tissues,and the quantitative expression levels of all 56 P.interpunctella odorant receptor genes(PintORs)were validated using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction.The functional characteristics of 5 PintORs with female antennae-biased expression were investigated using 2-electrode voltage clamp recordings in Xenopus laevis oocytes.PintOR23 was found to be specifically tuned to acetophenone.Acetophenone could elicit a significant electrophysiological response and only attracted mated females when compared with males and virgin females.In addition,molecular docking predicted that the hydrogen bonding sites,TRP-335 and ALA-167,might play key roles in the binding of PintOR23 to acetophenone.Our study provides valuable insights into the olfactory mechanism of oviposition substrate detection and localization in P.interpunctella and points toward the possibility of developing eco-friendly odorant agents to control pests of stored products.展开更多
Monochamus alternatus is the primary carrier of pine wood nematodes,which pose a serious threat to Pinus spp.in many countries.Newly emerging M.alternatus adults feed on heathy host pines,while matured adults transfer...Monochamus alternatus is the primary carrier of pine wood nematodes,which pose a serious threat to Pinus spp.in many countries.Newly emerging M.alternatus adults feed on heathy host pines,while matured adults transfer to stressed host pines for mating and oviposition.Several odorant-binding proteins(OBPs)of M.alternatus have been proved to aid in the complex process of host location.To clarify the corresponding relations between OBPs and pine volatiles,more OBPs need to be studied.In this research,MaltOBP19 showed a specific expression in the antennae and mouthparts of M.alternatus,and it was marked in 4 types of antenna sensilla by immunolocalization.Fluorescence binding assays demonstrated the high binding affinity of MaltOBP19 with camphene and myrcene in vitro.In Y-tube olfactory experiments,M.alternatus adults were attracted by camphene and RNAi of OBP19 via microinjection significantly decreased their attraction index.Myrcene induced phobotaxis,but RNAi had no significant effect on this behavior.Further,we found that ingesting dsOBP19 produced by a bacteria-expressed system with a newly constructed vector could lead to the knockdown of MaltOBP19.These results suggest that MaltOBP19 may play a role in the process of host conversion via the recognition of camphene,which has been identified to be strongly released in stressed host pines.In addition,it is proved that knockdown of OBP can be achieved by oral administration of bacteria-expressed double-stranded RNA in M.alternatus adults,providing a new perspective in the control of M.alternatus.展开更多
The safety of transgenic technology is a major obstacle in the popularization and use of transgenic silkworms and their products.In sericulture,only the first filial generation(F1)hybrid eggs produced by cross-breedin...The safety of transgenic technology is a major obstacle in the popularization and use of transgenic silkworms and their products.In sericulture,only the first filial generation(F1)hybrid eggs produced by cross-breeding Japanese and Chinese original strains are usually used for the large-scale breeding of silkworms,but this may result in uncontrolled transgene dispersal during the popularization and application of the F1 hybrid transgenic eggs.To address this issue,we developed a safe and efficient strategy using the GAL4/Upstream activating sequence(UAS)system,the FLP/flippase recognition target(FRT)system,and the gonad-specific expression gene promoters(RSHP1p and Nanosp)for the germ cell-specific automatic excision of foreign DNA in the F1 hybrid transgenic silkworms.We established 2 types of activator strains,R1p::GAL4-Gr and Nsp::GAL4-Gr,containing the testis-specific GAL4 gene expression cassettes driven by RSHP1p or Nanosp,respectively,and 1 type of effector strain,UAS::FLP-Rg,containing the UAS-linked FLP gene expression cassette.The FLP recombinase-mediated sperm-specific complete excision of FRT-flanked target DNA in the F1 double-transgenic silkworms resulting from the hybridization of R1p::GAL4-Gr and UAS::FLP-Rg was 100%,whereas the complete excision efficiency resulting from the hybridization of Nsp::GAL4-Gr and UAS::FLP-Rg ranged from 13.73%to 80.3%.Additionally,we identified a gene,sw11114,that is expressed in both testis and ovary of Bombyx mori,and can be used to establish novel gonad-specific expression systems in transgenic silkworms.This strategy has the potential to fundamentally solve the safety issue in the production of F1 transgenic silkworm eggs and provides an important reference for the safety of transgenic technology in other insect species.展开更多
Until the advent of phylogenomics,the atypical morphology of extant represen-tatives of the insect orders Grylloblattodea(ice-crawlers)and Mantophasmatodea(gladi-ators)had confounding effects on efforts to resolve the...Until the advent of phylogenomics,the atypical morphology of extant represen-tatives of the insect orders Grylloblattodea(ice-crawlers)and Mantophasmatodea(gladi-ators)had confounding effects on efforts to resolve their placement within Polyneoptera.This recent research has unequivocally shown that these species-poor groups are closely related and form the clade Xenonomia.Nonetheless,divergence dates of these groups re-main poorly constrained,and their evolutionary history debated,as the few well-identified fossils,characterized by a suite of morphological features similar to that of extant forms,are comparatively young.Notably,the extant forms of both groups are wingless,whereas most of the pre-Cretaceous insect fossil record is composed of winged insects,which represents a major shortcoming of the taxonomy.Here,we present new specimens em-bedded in mid-Cretaceous amber from Myanmar and belonging to the recently described species Aristovia danili.The abundant material and pristine preservation allowed a de-tailed documentation of the morphology of the species,including critical head features.Combined with a morphological data set encompassing all Polyneoptera,these new data unequivocally demonstrate that A.danili is a winged stem Grylloblattodea.This discov-ery demonstrates that winglessness was acquired independently in Grylloblattodea and Mantophasmatodea.Concurrently,wing apomorphic traits shared by the new fossil and earlier fossils demonstrate that a large subset of the former Protorthoptera"assemblage,representing a third of all known insect species in some Permian localities,are genuine representatives of Xenonomia.Data from the fossil record depict a distinctive evolution-ary trajectory,with the group being both highly diverse and abundant during the Permian but experiencing a severe decline from the Triassic onwards.展开更多
Pollination networks are increasingly used to model the complexity of interactions between pollinators and flowering plants in communities.Different methods exist to sample these interactions,with direct observations ...Pollination networks are increasingly used to model the complexity of interactions between pollinators and flowering plants in communities.Different methods exist to sample these interactions,with direct observations of plant-pollinator contacts in the field being by far the most common.Although the identification of pollen carried by pollinators allows uncovering interactions and increasing sample sizes,the methods used to build pollen-transport networks are variable and their effect on network structure remains unclear.To understand how interaction sampling influences the structure of networks,we analyzed the pollen found on wild bees from eight communities across Mallorca Island and investigated the differences in pollen loads between bee body parts(scopa vs.body)and sexes.We then assessed how these differences,as well as the uncovered interactions not detected in the field,influenced the structure of wild bee-plant networks.We identified a higher quantity and diversity of pollen in the scopa than in the rest of the female body,but these differences did not lead to differences in structure between plant-pollination(excluding scopa pollen)and bee-feeding interaction(including scopa pollen)networks.However,networks built with pollen data were richer in plant species and interactions and showed lower modularity and specialization(H2'),and higher nestedness than visitation networks based on field observations.Female interactions with plants were stronger compared to those of males,although not richer.Accordingly,females were more generalist(low d')and tended to be more central in interaction networks,indicating their more key role structuring pollination networks in comparison to males.Our study highlights the importance of palynological data to increase the resolution of networks,as well as to understand important ecological questions such as the differences between plant-pollination and bee-feeding interaction networks,and the role of sexes in pollination.展开更多
Insects are the host or vector of diverse viruses including those that infect vertebrates,plants,and fungi.Insect viruses reside inside their insect hosts and are vertically transmitted from parent to offspring.The in...Insects are the host or vector of diverse viruses including those that infect vertebrates,plants,and fungi.Insect viruses reside inside their insect hosts and are vertically transmitted from parent to offspring.The insect virus-host relationship is intricate,as these viruses can impact various aspects of insect biology,such as development,reproduction,sex ratios,and immunity.Arthropod-borne viruses(arboviruses)that cause substantial global health or agricultural problems can also be vertically transmitted to insect vector progeny.Multiple infections with insect viruses and arboviruses are common in nature.Such coinfections involve complex interactions,including synergism,dependence,and antagonism.Recent studies have shed light on the influence of insect viruses on the competence of insect vectors for arboviruses.In this review,we focus on the biological effects of insect viruses on the transmission of arboviruses by insects.We also discuss the potential mechanisms by which insect viruses affect the ability of hosts to transmit arboviruses,as well as potential strategies for disease control through manipulation of insect viruses.Analyses of the interactions among insect vectors,insect viruses and arboviruses will provide new opportunities for development of innovative strategies to control arbovirus transmission.展开更多
Agricultural pests can develop behavioral resistance to insecticides by choosing to feed or oviposit on insecticide-free hosts.As young larvae have relatively low mobility,oviposition preferences from female adults ma...Agricultural pests can develop behavioral resistance to insecticides by choosing to feed or oviposit on insecticide-free hosts.As young larvae have relatively low mobility,oviposition preferences from female adults may play a critical role in shaping the evolu-tionary trajectory of pest populations.While oviposition avoidance of insecticide-treated hosts was found in different agriculture pests,it remains unclear whether female adults actively choose to occupy insecticide-free hosts.To address this question,we investigated feeding and oviposition preferences between imidacloprid-treated and imidacloprid-free plants in the Colorado potato beetle,Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say,a major potato pest.We performed behavioral choice assays on two strains that differed in both fecundity and insecticide resistance.We found that one strain preferred to feed on the insecticide-free plants and that this preference is not innate.Meanwhile,the other strain chose plants for feeding and oviposition randomly.Further analyses of the moving patterns of the beetles suggested that the oviposition preference in the first strain is likely due to active learning.展开更多
Insect-specific neurotoxic peptides derived from the venoms of scorpions and spiders can cause acute paralysis and death when injected into insects,offering a promising insecticidal component for insect pest control.H...Insect-specific neurotoxic peptides derived from the venoms of scorpions and spiders can cause acute paralysis and death when injected into insects,offering a promising insecticidal component for insect pest control.However,effective delivery systems are required to help neurotoxic peptides pass through the gut barrier into the hemolymph,where they can act.Here,we investigated the potential of a novel nanocarrier,Drosophila X virus-like particle(DXV-VLP),for delivering a neurotoxin from the scorpion Androctonus australis Hector(AaIT)against the invasive pest fruit fly,Drosophila suzuki.Our results show that the fusion proteins of DXV polyproteins with AalT peptide at their Ctermini could be sufficiently produced in Lepidoptera Hi5 cells in a soluble form using the recombinant baculovirus expression system,and could self-assemble into VLPs with similar particle morphology and size to authentic DXV virions.In addition,the AalT peptides displayed on DXV-VLPs retained their toxicity,as demonstrated in injection bioassays that resulted in severe mortality(72%)in adults after 72 h.When fed to adults,mild mortality was observed in the group treated with DXV-AalT(38%),while no mortality occurred in the group treated with AaIT peptide,thus indicating the significant role of DXV-VLPs in delivering AalT peptides.Overall,this proof-of-concept study demonstrates for the first time that VLPs can be exploited to enhance oral delivery of insect-specific neurotoxic peptides in the context of pest control.Moreover,it provides insights for further improvements and potentially the development of neurotoxin-based bioinsecticides and/or transgenic crops for insect pest control.展开更多
Mythimna separata is a notorious phytophagous pest which poses serious threats to cereal crops owing to the gluttony of the larvae.Because short neuropeptide F(sNPF)and its receptor sNPFR are involved in a diversity o...Mythimna separata is a notorious phytophagous pest which poses serious threats to cereal crops owing to the gluttony of the larvae.Because short neuropeptide F(sNPF)and its receptor sNPFR are involved in a diversity of physiological functions,especially in functions related to feeding in insects,it is a molecular target for pest control.Herein,an sNPF and 2 sNPFRs were identified and cloned from M.separata.Bioinformatics analysis revealed that the sNPF and its receptors had a highly conserved RLRFamide C-terminus and 7 transmembrane domains,respectively.The sNPF and its receptor genes were distributed across larval periods and tissues,but 2 receptors had distinct expression patterns.The starvation-induced assay elucidated that sNPF and sNPFR expression levels were downregulated under food deprivation and recovered with subsequent re-feeding.RNA interference knockdown of sNPF,sNPFR1,and sNPFR2 by injection of double-stranded RNA into larvae not only suppressed food consumption and increased body size and weight,but also led to decrease of glycogen and total lipid contents,and increase of trehalose compared with double-stranded green fluorescent protein injection.Furthermore,molecular docking was performed on the interaction mode between sNPFR protein and its ligand sNPF based on the 3-dimensional models constructed by AlphaFold;the results indicated that both receptors were presumably activated by the mature peptide sNPF-2.These results revealed that sNPF signaling played a considerably vital role in the feeding regulation of M.separata and represents a potential control target for this pest.展开更多
Body color polyphenism is common in Diaphorina citri.Previous studies compared physiological characteristics in D.citri,but the ecological and biological significance of its body color polyphenism remains poorly under...Body color polyphenism is common in Diaphorina citri.Previous studies compared physiological characteristics in D.citri,but the ecological and biological significance of its body color polyphenism remains poorly understood.We studied the ecological and molecular effects of stressors related to body color in D.citri.Crowding or low temperature induced a high proportion of gray morphs,which had smaller bodies,lower body weight,and greater susceptibility to the insecticide dinotefuran.We performed transcriptomic and metabolomics analysis of 2 color morphs in D.citri.Gene expression dynamics revealed that the differentially expressed genes were predominantly involved in energy metabolism,including fatty acid metabolism,amino acid metabolism,and carbohydrate metabolism.Among these genes,plexin,glycosidase,phospholipase,take out,trypsin,and triacylglycerol lipase were differentially expressed in 2 color morphs,and 6 hsps(3 hsp70,hsp83,hsp90,hsp68)were upregulated in gray morphs.The metabolome data showed that blue morphs exhibited a higher abundance of fatty acid and amino acid,whereas the content of carbohydrates was elevated in gray morphs.This study partly explains the body color polyphenism of D.citri and provides insights into the molecular changes of stress response of D.citri.展开更多
Imidacloprid is a neonicotinoid insecticide used for managing the Asian citrus psyllid,Diaphorina citri Kuwayama,which serves as vector of phytopathogens causing citrus greening.However,development of resistance to ne...Imidacloprid is a neonicotinoid insecticide used for managing the Asian citrus psyllid,Diaphorina citri Kuwayama,which serves as vector of phytopathogens causing citrus greening.However,development of resistance to neonicotinoids among populations of D.citri has coincided with occasional control failures in the field.The objectives of this research were to(1)survey current levels of imidacloprid resistance in Florida citrus;(2)compare feeding behavior between imidacloprid-resistant and susceptible D.citri using electrical penetration graph recordings,and(3)investigate the possible amplification of insecticide hormoligosis associated with resistance.Field surveys confirmed that the susceptibility of D.citri populations to imidacloprid has decreased in commercial Florida citrus groves compared with a laboratory-susceptible population.Following 12 generations of selection,resistance to imidacloprid increased by 438 fold compared with the susceptible strain.Imidacloprid-susceptible D.citri feeding on citrus exhibited significantly more bouts associated with intercellular pathway(C),phloem penetration(D),phloem salivation(E1),and nonprobing(Np)activities than imidacloprid-resistant counterparts.However,there were no differences observed in the frequency or duration of phloem ingestion or xylem feeding between susceptible and resistant D.citri.There was no statistical difference in fecundity between resistant and susceptible strains.However,the fecundity of imidacloprid-susceptible female D.citri treated with a sublethal concentration of imidacloprid(LC_(25))increased significantly compared with controls,while such hormoligosis was less pronounced among imidacloprid-resistant psyllids.Our results suggest that imidacloprid-resistant psyllids may cease feeding sooner than susceptible counterparts following sublethal exposure to this insecticide,indicative of a behavioral resistance mechanism.展开更多
The tanning hormone,Bursicon,is a neuropeptide secreted by the insect nervous system that functions as a heterodimer composed of Burs-αand Burs-βsubunits.It plays a critical role in the processes of cuticle tanning ...The tanning hormone,Bursicon,is a neuropeptide secreted by the insect nervous system that functions as a heterodimer composed of Burs-αand Burs-βsubunits.It plays a critical role in the processes of cuticle tanning and wing expansion in insects.In this study,we successfully identified the AcBurs-αand AcBurs-βgenes in Aphis citricidus.The open reading frames of AcBurs-αand AcBurs-βwere 480 and 417 bp in length,respectively.Both AcBurs-αand AcBurs-βexhibited 11 conserved cysteine residues.AcBurs-αand AcBurs-βwere expressed during all developmental stages of A.citricidus and showed high expression levels in the winged aphids.To investigate the potential role of AcBurs-αand AcBurs-βin wing development,we employed RNA interference(RNAi)techniques.With the efficient silencing of AcBurs-α(44.90%)and AcBurs-β(52.31%),malformed wings were induced in aphids.The proportions of malformed wings were 22.50%,25.84%,and 38.34%in dsAcBurs-α-,dsAcBur-β-,and dsAcBurs-α+dsAcBur-β-treated groups,respectively.Moreover,feeding protein kinase A inhibitors(H-89)also increased the proportion of malformed wings to 30.00%.Feeding both double-stranded RNA and inhibitors(H-89)significantly downregulated the wing development-related genes nubbin,vestigial,notch and spalt major.Silence of vestigial through RNAi also led to malformed wings.Meanwhile,the exogenous application of 3 hormones that influence wing development did not affect the expression level of AcBursicon genes.These findings indicate that AcBursicon genes plays a crucial role in wing development in A.citricidus;therefore,it represents a potential molecular target for the control of this pest through RNAi-based approaches.展开更多
Apolipoprotein D(ApoD),a member of the lipocalin superfamily of proteins,is involved in lipid transport and stress resistance.Whereas only a single copy of the ApoD gene is found in humans and some other vertebrates,t...Apolipoprotein D(ApoD),a member of the lipocalin superfamily of proteins,is involved in lipid transport and stress resistance.Whereas only a single copy of the ApoD gene is found in humans and some other vertebrates,there are typically several ApoD-like genes in insects.To date,there have been relatively few studies that have examined the evolution and functional differentiation of ApoD-like genes in insects,particularly hemi-metabolous insects.In this study,we identified 10 ApoD-like genes(NlApoD1−10)with distinct spatiotemporal expression patterns in Nilaparvata lugens(BPH),which is an important pest of rice.NlApoD1−10 were found to be distributed on 3 chromosomes in a tandem array of NlApoD1/2,NlApoD3−5,and NlApoD7/8,and show sequence and gene structural divergence in the coding regions,indicating that multiple gene duplication events occurred during evolution.Phylogenetic analysis revealed that NlApoD1−10 can be clustered into 5 clades,with NlApoD3−5 and NlApoD7/8 potentially evolving exclusively in the Delphacidae family.Functional screening using an RNA interference approach revealed that only NlApoD2 was essential for BPH development and survival,whereas NlApoD4/5 are highly expressed in testes,and might play roles in reproduction.Moreover,stress response analysis revealed that NlApoD3−5/9,NlApoD3−5,and NlApoD9 were up-regulated after treatment with lipopolysaccharide,H2O2,and ultraviolet-C,respectively,indicating their potential roles in stress resistance.展开更多
Mosquito-borne viruses(MBVs)are a large class of viruses transmitted mainly through mosquito bites,including dengue virus,Zika virus,Japanese encephalitis virus,West Nile virus,and chikungunya virus,which pose a major...Mosquito-borne viruses(MBVs)are a large class of viruses transmitted mainly through mosquito bites,including dengue virus,Zika virus,Japanese encephalitis virus,West Nile virus,and chikungunya virus,which pose a major threat to the health of people around the world.With global warming and extended human activities,the incidence of many MBVs has increased significantly.Mosquito saliva contains a variety of bioactive protein components.These not only enable blood feeding but also play a crucial role in regulating local infection at the bite site and the remote dissemination of MBVs as well as in remodeling the innate and adaptive immune responses of host vertebrates.Here,we review the physiological functions of mosquito salivary proteins(MSPs)in detail,the influence and the underlying mechanism of MSPs on the transmission of MBVs,and the current progress and issues that urgently need to be addressed in the research and development of MSP-based MBV transmission blocking vaccines.展开更多
Microbial communities,derived from food,ambient,and inner,can affect host ecological adaption and evolution.Comparing with most phytophagous arthropods,predators may have more opportunities to develop specific microbi...Microbial communities,derived from food,ambient,and inner,can affect host ecological adaption and evolution.Comparing with most phytophagous arthropods,predators may have more opportunities to develop specific microbiota depending on the level of prey specialization.To explore how diet sources affect host microbial communities and vary across predator species,we considered 3 types of predators from Phytoseiidae(Acari:Mesostigmata):polyphagous(Amblyseius orientalis Ehara,Neoseiulus barkeri Hughes,and Amblyseius swirski Athias-Henrio),oligophagous(Neoseiulus californicus McGregor),and monophagous(Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot)predatory mites.The polyphagous species were fed on 2 types of diets,natural prey and alternative prey.By using 16S rRNA sequencing,we found that diet was the main source of microbiota in predatory mites,while there was no clear pattern affected by prey specialization.Among 3 polyphagous predators,host species had a larger impact than prey on microbial composition.Unlike A.orientalis or N.barkeri which showed consistency in their microbiota,prey switching significantly affectedβ-diversity of bacterial composition in A.swirskii,with 56%of the microbial alteration.In short,our results confirmed the substantial influence of diet on host microbial construction in predatory species,and highlighted species differences in shaping the microbiota which are not necessarily related to prey specialization.展开更多
基金supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32202295)Guizhou Provincial Science and Technology Projects(Qian Ke He Ji Chu-ZK[2022]General 051)+1 种基金Scientific Research Foundation for Talent Introduced in Guizhou University(Gui Da Te Gang He Zi[2021]22)Guizhou Provincial Science and Technology Projects(Qian Ke He Support[2019]2292,Qian Ke He NY[2013]3040).
文摘Neuropeptides are crucial in regulation of a rich variety of developmental,physiological,and behavioral functions throughout the life cycle of insects.Using an integrated approach of multiomics,we identified neuropeptide precursors in the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella,which is a harmful pest of honeybee hives with a worldwide distribution.Here,a total of 63 and 67 neuropeptide precursors were predicted and annotated in the G.mellonella genome and transcriptome,in which 40 neuropeptide precursors were confirmed in the G.mellonella peptidome.Interestingly,we identified 12 neuropeptide precursor genes present in G.mellonella but absent in honeybees,which may be potential novel pesticide target sites.Honeybee hives were contaminated with heavy metals such as lead,enabling its bioaccumulation in G.mellonella bodies through the food chain,we performed transcriptome sequencing to analyze the effects of Pb stress on the mRNA expression level of G.mellonella neuropeptide precursors.After treatment by Pb,the expression of neuropeptide F1 was found to be significantly downregulated,implying that this neuropeptide might be associated with responding to the heavy metal stress in G.mellonella.This study comprehensively identified neuropeptide precursors in G.mellonella,and discussed the effects of heavy metals on insect neuropeptides,with the example of G.mellonella.The results are valuable for future elucidation of how neuropeptides regulate physiological functions in G.mellonella and contribute to our understanding of the insect's environmental plasticity and identify potential new biomarkers to assess heavy metal toxicity in insects.
基金supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.32102614)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2022YFD1201600)+1 种基金the Natural Science Foundation of Chongqing,China(No.cstc2021jcyj-bsh0151)the Chongqing Special Support fund for Post Doctor(No.2010010006115189).
文摘MicroRNAs play critical roles in multiple developmental processes in insects.Our previous study showed that CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knock down of the microRNA let-7 in silkworms increased the size of larvae and silk glands,thereby improving the silk production capacity.In this study,we elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying of let-7 regulates growth.Identification of differentially expressed genes in response to let-7 knock down revealed enrichment of pathways associated with cell proliferation and DNA replication.let-7 dysregulation affected the cell cycle and proliferation of the Bombyx mori cell line BmN.Dual-luciferase and target site mutation assays showed that BmCDK1 is a direct target gene of let-7,with only 1 binding site on its 3′-untranslated region.RNA interference of BmCDK1 inhibited cell proliferation,but this effect was counteracted by co-transfection with let-7 antagomir.Moreover,let-7 knock down induced BmCDK1 expression and promoted cell proliferation in multiple tissues,and further induced endomitosis in the silk gland in vivo.Knock down of BmCDK1 resulted in abnormal formation of a new epidermis,and larval development was arrested at the 2nd or 3rd molt stage.Taken together,our results demonstrated that BmCDK1 is a novel target of let-7 in cell fate determination,possessing potential for improving silk yield in silkworm.
文摘Diaphorina citri is a global citrus pest.As a vector insect,it can transmit the causative agents of citrus huanglongbing,causing irreversible losses to the citrus industry.The acquisition of genomic information can provide a molecular genetic basis for effective control of D.citri.Here,the DNBSEQ™,Oxford Nanopore Technologies,and Hi-C technologies are applied to generate a high-quality chromosome-level genome of D.citri.The genome size of D.citri was 523.78 Mb with a scaffold N50 of 47.05 Mb distributed on 13 chromosomes.A total of 250.64 Mb(47.85%)repeat sequences and 24048 protein-coding genes were predicted.Genome resequencing of female and male individuals indicated that the sex chromosome system of D.citri is XO.Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that D.citri and Pachypsylla venusta,which separated from their most recent common ancestor about 336.62 million years ago,were the most closely related.Additionally,we identified genes potentially involved in detoxification metabolism,pathogen transmission,and honeydew secretion for further investigation.The high-quality genome provides an important reference for developing effective management strategies of D.citri.
基金supported by the Qi-Shan scholar grant of Fuzhou University(GXRC-20070)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31970461)the Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province(2020J02027).
文摘Royal jelly(RJ)is a biologically active substance secreted by the hypopharyngeal and mandibular glands of worker honeybees.It is widely claimed that RJ reduces oxidative stress.However,the antioxidant activity of RJ has mostly been determined by in vitro chemical detection methods or by external administration drugs that cause oxidative stress.Whether RJ can clear the endogenous production of reactive oxygen species(ROS)in cells remains largely unknown.Here,we systematically investigated the antioxidant properties of RJ using several endogenous oxidative stress models of Drosophila.We found that RJ enhanced sleep quality of aging Drosophila,which is decreased due to an increase of oxidative damage with age.RJ supplementation improved survival and suppressed ROS levels in gut cells of flies upon exposure to hydrogen peroxide or to the neurotoxic agent paraquat.Moreover,RJ supplementation moderated levels of ROS in endogenous gut cells and extended lifespan after exposure of flies to heat stress.Sleep deprivation leads to accumulation of ROS in the gut cells,and RJ attenuated the consequences of oxidative stress caused by sleep loss and prolonged lifespan.Mechanistically,RJ prevented cell oxidative damage caused by heat stress or sleep deprivation,with the antioxidant activity in vivo independent of Keap1/Nrf2 signaling.RJ supplementation activated oxidoreductase activity in the guts of flies,suggesting its ability to inhibit endogenous oxidative stress and maintain health,possibly in humans.
基金financed by a VENI grant(016.Veni.192.116)of the Dutch Research Council(NWO)to AHa China Scholarship Council grant(no.201903250092)to QW.
文摘Tolfactory system of adult lepidopterans is among the best described neuronal circuits.However,comparatively little is known about the organization of the olfactory system in the larval stage of these insects.Here,we explore the expression of olfactory receptors and the organization of olfactory sensory neurons in caterpillars of Pieris brassicae,a significant pest species in Europe and a well-studied species for its chemical ecology.To describe the larval olfactory system in this species,we first analyzed the head transcriptome of third-instar larvae(L3)and identified 16 odorant receptors(ORs)including the OR coreceptor(Orco),13 ionotropic receptors(IRs),and 8 gustatory receptors(GRs).We then quantified the expression of these 16 ORs in different life stages,using qPCR,and found that the majority of ORs had significantly higher expression in the L4 stage than in the L3 and L5 stages,indicating that the larval olfactory system is not static throughout caterpillar development.Using an Orco-specific antibody,we identified all olfactory receptor neurons(ORNs)expressing the Orco protein in L3,L4,and L5 caterpillars and found a total of 34 Orco-positive ORNs,distributed among three sensilla on the antenna.The number of Orco-positive ORNs did not differ among the three larval instars.Finally,we used retrograde axon tracing of the antennal nerve and identified a mean of 15 glomeruli in the larval antennal center(LAC),suggesting that the caterpillar olfactory system follows a similar design as the adult olfactory system,although with a lower numerical redundancy.Taken together,our results provide a detailed analysis of the larval olfactory neurons in P brassicae,highlighting both the differences as well as the commonalities with the adult olfactory system.These findings contribute to a better understanding of the development of the olfactory system in insects and its life-stage-specific adaptations.
基金This research was supported by the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2021M690588)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(135111010)+1 种基金the Young Science and Technology Talent Support Project of Jilin Province(QT202121)The authors would like to thank all the reviewers who participated in the review,as well as MJEditor(www.mjeditor.com)for providing English editing services during the preparation of this manuscript.
文摘The Indian meal moth,Plodia interpunctella(Lepidoptera:Pyralidae),a globally distributed storage pest,relies on odors that are emitted from stored foods to select a suitable substrate for oviposition.However,the molecular mechanism underlying the chemical communication between P.interpunctella and its host remains elusive.In this study,130 chemosensory genes were identified from the transcriptomes of 7 P.interpunctella tissues,and the quantitative expression levels of all 56 P.interpunctella odorant receptor genes(PintORs)were validated using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction.The functional characteristics of 5 PintORs with female antennae-biased expression were investigated using 2-electrode voltage clamp recordings in Xenopus laevis oocytes.PintOR23 was found to be specifically tuned to acetophenone.Acetophenone could elicit a significant electrophysiological response and only attracted mated females when compared with males and virgin females.In addition,molecular docking predicted that the hydrogen bonding sites,TRP-335 and ALA-167,might play key roles in the binding of PintOR23 to acetophenone.Our study provides valuable insights into the olfactory mechanism of oviposition substrate detection and localization in P.interpunctella and points toward the possibility of developing eco-friendly odorant agents to control pests of stored products.
基金This study was supported and funded by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2021YFD1400900)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31971665).
文摘Monochamus alternatus is the primary carrier of pine wood nematodes,which pose a serious threat to Pinus spp.in many countries.Newly emerging M.alternatus adults feed on heathy host pines,while matured adults transfer to stressed host pines for mating and oviposition.Several odorant-binding proteins(OBPs)of M.alternatus have been proved to aid in the complex process of host location.To clarify the corresponding relations between OBPs and pine volatiles,more OBPs need to be studied.In this research,MaltOBP19 showed a specific expression in the antennae and mouthparts of M.alternatus,and it was marked in 4 types of antenna sensilla by immunolocalization.Fluorescence binding assays demonstrated the high binding affinity of MaltOBP19 with camphene and myrcene in vitro.In Y-tube olfactory experiments,M.alternatus adults were attracted by camphene and RNAi of OBP19 via microinjection significantly decreased their attraction index.Myrcene induced phobotaxis,but RNAi had no significant effect on this behavior.Further,we found that ingesting dsOBP19 produced by a bacteria-expressed system with a newly constructed vector could lead to the knockdown of MaltOBP19.These results suggest that MaltOBP19 may play a role in the process of host conversion via the recognition of camphene,which has been identified to be strongly released in stressed host pines.In addition,it is proved that knockdown of OBP can be achieved by oral administration of bacteria-expressed double-stranded RNA in M.alternatus adults,providing a new perspective in the control of M.alternatus.
基金This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31801126)the Chongqing Talents:Exceptional Young Talents Project(cstc2022ycjhbgzxm0019)the Doctoral Start-up Foundation of Southwest University(SWU120010).
文摘The safety of transgenic technology is a major obstacle in the popularization and use of transgenic silkworms and their products.In sericulture,only the first filial generation(F1)hybrid eggs produced by cross-breeding Japanese and Chinese original strains are usually used for the large-scale breeding of silkworms,but this may result in uncontrolled transgene dispersal during the popularization and application of the F1 hybrid transgenic eggs.To address this issue,we developed a safe and efficient strategy using the GAL4/Upstream activating sequence(UAS)system,the FLP/flippase recognition target(FRT)system,and the gonad-specific expression gene promoters(RSHP1p and Nanosp)for the germ cell-specific automatic excision of foreign DNA in the F1 hybrid transgenic silkworms.We established 2 types of activator strains,R1p::GAL4-Gr and Nsp::GAL4-Gr,containing the testis-specific GAL4 gene expression cassettes driven by RSHP1p or Nanosp,respectively,and 1 type of effector strain,UAS::FLP-Rg,containing the UAS-linked FLP gene expression cassette.The FLP recombinase-mediated sperm-specific complete excision of FRT-flanked target DNA in the F1 double-transgenic silkworms resulting from the hybridization of R1p::GAL4-Gr and UAS::FLP-Rg was 100%,whereas the complete excision efficiency resulting from the hybridization of Nsp::GAL4-Gr and UAS::FLP-Rg ranged from 13.73%to 80.3%.Additionally,we identified a gene,sw11114,that is expressed in both testis and ovary of Bombyx mori,and can be used to establish novel gonad-specific expression systems in transgenic silkworms.This strategy has the potential to fundamentally solve the safety issue in the production of F1 transgenic silkworm eggs and provides an important reference for the safety of transgenic technology in other insect species.
基金This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(no.42272004,42288201,32020103006).
文摘Until the advent of phylogenomics,the atypical morphology of extant represen-tatives of the insect orders Grylloblattodea(ice-crawlers)and Mantophasmatodea(gladi-ators)had confounding effects on efforts to resolve their placement within Polyneoptera.This recent research has unequivocally shown that these species-poor groups are closely related and form the clade Xenonomia.Nonetheless,divergence dates of these groups re-main poorly constrained,and their evolutionary history debated,as the few well-identified fossils,characterized by a suite of morphological features similar to that of extant forms,are comparatively young.Notably,the extant forms of both groups are wingless,whereas most of the pre-Cretaceous insect fossil record is composed of winged insects,which represents a major shortcoming of the taxonomy.Here,we present new specimens em-bedded in mid-Cretaceous amber from Myanmar and belonging to the recently described species Aristovia danili.The abundant material and pristine preservation allowed a de-tailed documentation of the morphology of the species,including critical head features.Combined with a morphological data set encompassing all Polyneoptera,these new data unequivocally demonstrate that A.danili is a winged stem Grylloblattodea.This discov-ery demonstrates that winglessness was acquired independently in Grylloblattodea and Mantophasmatodea.Concurrently,wing apomorphic traits shared by the new fossil and earlier fossils demonstrate that a large subset of the former Protorthoptera"assemblage,representing a third of all known insect species in some Permian localities,are genuine representatives of Xenonomia.Data from the fossil record depict a distinctive evolution-ary trajectory,with the group being both highly diverse and abundant during the Permian but experiencing a severe decline from the Triassic onwards.
基金supported by the project CGL2017-89254-Rfinanced by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation,FEDER Funds and the Spanish State Research Agency,and by the project PRPPID2020-117863RB-100+3 种基金financed by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and the Spanish State Research Agency(MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033)supported by an ERASMUS+grant program of the European Unionsupported by a FPI predoctoral contract financed by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness,the Spanish Research Agency,and European Social Funds(FPI PRE2018-083185,Call 2018)supported by a Ramón y Cajal(RYC-2015-19034)contract from the Spanish Ministry of Science,Innovation and Universities,the Spanish State Research Agency,European Social Funds(ESF invests in your future)and the University of the Balearic Islands.Center of Excellence‘Maria de Maetzu'(2023-2027)to IMEDEA.
文摘Pollination networks are increasingly used to model the complexity of interactions between pollinators and flowering plants in communities.Different methods exist to sample these interactions,with direct observations of plant-pollinator contacts in the field being by far the most common.Although the identification of pollen carried by pollinators allows uncovering interactions and increasing sample sizes,the methods used to build pollen-transport networks are variable and their effect on network structure remains unclear.To understand how interaction sampling influences the structure of networks,we analyzed the pollen found on wild bees from eight communities across Mallorca Island and investigated the differences in pollen loads between bee body parts(scopa vs.body)and sexes.We then assessed how these differences,as well as the uncovered interactions not detected in the field,influenced the structure of wild bee-plant networks.We identified a higher quantity and diversity of pollen in the scopa than in the rest of the female body,but these differences did not lead to differences in structure between plant-pollination(excluding scopa pollen)and bee-feeding interaction(including scopa pollen)networks.However,networks built with pollen data were richer in plant species and interactions and showed lower modularity and specialization(H2'),and higher nestedness than visitation networks based on field observations.Female interactions with plants were stronger compared to those of males,although not richer.Accordingly,females were more generalist(low d')and tended to be more central in interaction networks,indicating their more key role structuring pollination networks in comparison to males.Our study highlights the importance of palynological data to increase the resolution of networks,as well as to understand important ecological questions such as the differences between plant-pollination and bee-feeding interaction networks,and the role of sexes in pollination.
基金supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31972239).
文摘Insects are the host or vector of diverse viruses including those that infect vertebrates,plants,and fungi.Insect viruses reside inside their insect hosts and are vertically transmitted from parent to offspring.The insect virus-host relationship is intricate,as these viruses can impact various aspects of insect biology,such as development,reproduction,sex ratios,and immunity.Arthropod-borne viruses(arboviruses)that cause substantial global health or agricultural problems can also be vertically transmitted to insect vector progeny.Multiple infections with insect viruses and arboviruses are common in nature.Such coinfections involve complex interactions,including synergism,dependence,and antagonism.Recent studies have shed light on the influence of insect viruses on the competence of insect vectors for arboviruses.In this review,we focus on the biological effects of insect viruses on the transmission of arboviruses by insects.We also discuss the potential mechanisms by which insect viruses affect the ability of hosts to transmit arboviruses,as well as potential strategies for disease control through manipulation of insect viruses.Analyses of the interactions among insect vectors,insect viruses and arboviruses will provide new opportunities for development of innovative strategies to control arbovirus transmission.
基金We are grateful to the German Research Foundation(DFG)for funding this research as part of the CRC TRR 212(NC3)-Project number 316099922。
文摘Agricultural pests can develop behavioral resistance to insecticides by choosing to feed or oviposit on insecticide-free hosts.As young larvae have relatively low mobility,oviposition preferences from female adults may play a critical role in shaping the evolu-tionary trajectory of pest populations.While oviposition avoidance of insecticide-treated hosts was found in different agriculture pests,it remains unclear whether female adults actively choose to occupy insecticide-free hosts.To address this question,we investigated feeding and oviposition preferences between imidacloprid-treated and imidacloprid-free plants in the Colorado potato beetle,Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say,a major potato pest.We performed behavioral choice assays on two strains that differed in both fecundity and insecticide resistance.We found that one strain preferred to feed on the insecticide-free plants and that this preference is not innate.Meanwhile,the other strain chose plants for feeding and oviposition randomly.Further analyses of the moving patterns of the beetles suggested that the oviposition preference in the first strain is likely due to active learning.
基金supported by the Special Research Fund of Ghent University and Research Foundation Flanders(FWO).CNTT is recipient of a senior postdoctoral fellowship from FWO(grant number 12V5722N).
文摘Insect-specific neurotoxic peptides derived from the venoms of scorpions and spiders can cause acute paralysis and death when injected into insects,offering a promising insecticidal component for insect pest control.However,effective delivery systems are required to help neurotoxic peptides pass through the gut barrier into the hemolymph,where they can act.Here,we investigated the potential of a novel nanocarrier,Drosophila X virus-like particle(DXV-VLP),for delivering a neurotoxin from the scorpion Androctonus australis Hector(AaIT)against the invasive pest fruit fly,Drosophila suzuki.Our results show that the fusion proteins of DXV polyproteins with AalT peptide at their Ctermini could be sufficiently produced in Lepidoptera Hi5 cells in a soluble form using the recombinant baculovirus expression system,and could self-assemble into VLPs with similar particle morphology and size to authentic DXV virions.In addition,the AalT peptides displayed on DXV-VLPs retained their toxicity,as demonstrated in injection bioassays that resulted in severe mortality(72%)in adults after 72 h.When fed to adults,mild mortality was observed in the group treated with DXV-AalT(38%),while no mortality occurred in the group treated with AaIT peptide,thus indicating the significant role of DXV-VLPs in delivering AalT peptides.Overall,this proof-of-concept study demonstrates for the first time that VLPs can be exploited to enhance oral delivery of insect-specific neurotoxic peptides in the context of pest control.Moreover,it provides insights for further improvements and potentially the development of neurotoxin-based bioinsecticides and/or transgenic crops for insect pest control.
基金funded by Special Fund for Agro-scientific Research in the Public Interest of China(201403031)the National Key R&D Program of China(2017YFD0201807).
文摘Mythimna separata is a notorious phytophagous pest which poses serious threats to cereal crops owing to the gluttony of the larvae.Because short neuropeptide F(sNPF)and its receptor sNPFR are involved in a diversity of physiological functions,especially in functions related to feeding in insects,it is a molecular target for pest control.Herein,an sNPF and 2 sNPFRs were identified and cloned from M.separata.Bioinformatics analysis revealed that the sNPF and its receptors had a highly conserved RLRFamide C-terminus and 7 transmembrane domains,respectively.The sNPF and its receptor genes were distributed across larval periods and tissues,but 2 receptors had distinct expression patterns.The starvation-induced assay elucidated that sNPF and sNPFR expression levels were downregulated under food deprivation and recovered with subsequent re-feeding.RNA interference knockdown of sNPF,sNPFR1,and sNPFR2 by injection of double-stranded RNA into larvae not only suppressed food consumption and increased body size and weight,but also led to decrease of glycogen and total lipid contents,and increase of trehalose compared with double-stranded green fluorescent protein injection.Furthermore,molecular docking was performed on the interaction mode between sNPFR protein and its ligand sNPF based on the 3-dimensional models constructed by AlphaFold;the results indicated that both receptors were presumably activated by the mature peptide sNPF-2.These results revealed that sNPF signaling played a considerably vital role in the feeding regulation of M.separata and represents a potential control target for this pest.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(2021YFD1400805)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32160625)+1 种基金Science and Technology Program of Jiangxi Province(20225BCJ22005)the China Agriculture Research System of MOF and MARA.
文摘Body color polyphenism is common in Diaphorina citri.Previous studies compared physiological characteristics in D.citri,but the ecological and biological significance of its body color polyphenism remains poorly understood.We studied the ecological and molecular effects of stressors related to body color in D.citri.Crowding or low temperature induced a high proportion of gray morphs,which had smaller bodies,lower body weight,and greater susceptibility to the insecticide dinotefuran.We performed transcriptomic and metabolomics analysis of 2 color morphs in D.citri.Gene expression dynamics revealed that the differentially expressed genes were predominantly involved in energy metabolism,including fatty acid metabolism,amino acid metabolism,and carbohydrate metabolism.Among these genes,plexin,glycosidase,phospholipase,take out,trypsin,and triacylglycerol lipase were differentially expressed in 2 color morphs,and 6 hsps(3 hsp70,hsp83,hsp90,hsp68)were upregulated in gray morphs.The metabolome data showed that blue morphs exhibited a higher abundance of fatty acid and amino acid,whereas the content of carbohydrates was elevated in gray morphs.This study partly explains the body color polyphenism of D.citri and provides insights into the molecular changes of stress response of D.citri.
基金supported by a grant from the Citrus Research and Development Foundation and USDA APHIS MAC funding to LLS。
文摘Imidacloprid is a neonicotinoid insecticide used for managing the Asian citrus psyllid,Diaphorina citri Kuwayama,which serves as vector of phytopathogens causing citrus greening.However,development of resistance to neonicotinoids among populations of D.citri has coincided with occasional control failures in the field.The objectives of this research were to(1)survey current levels of imidacloprid resistance in Florida citrus;(2)compare feeding behavior between imidacloprid-resistant and susceptible D.citri using electrical penetration graph recordings,and(3)investigate the possible amplification of insecticide hormoligosis associated with resistance.Field surveys confirmed that the susceptibility of D.citri populations to imidacloprid has decreased in commercial Florida citrus groves compared with a laboratory-susceptible population.Following 12 generations of selection,resistance to imidacloprid increased by 438 fold compared with the susceptible strain.Imidacloprid-susceptible D.citri feeding on citrus exhibited significantly more bouts associated with intercellular pathway(C),phloem penetration(D),phloem salivation(E1),and nonprobing(Np)activities than imidacloprid-resistant counterparts.However,there were no differences observed in the frequency or duration of phloem ingestion or xylem feeding between susceptible and resistant D.citri.There was no statistical difference in fecundity between resistant and susceptible strains.However,the fecundity of imidacloprid-susceptible female D.citri treated with a sublethal concentration of imidacloprid(LC_(25))increased significantly compared with controls,while such hormoligosis was less pronounced among imidacloprid-resistant psyllids.Our results suggest that imidacloprid-resistant psyllids may cease feeding sooner than susceptible counterparts following sublethal exposure to this insecticide,indicative of a behavioral resistance mechanism.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32272526,32302338,and 32020103010)Natural Science Foundation of Chongqing,China(CSTB2022NSCQ-MSX0750)China Agriculture Research System of the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.
文摘The tanning hormone,Bursicon,is a neuropeptide secreted by the insect nervous system that functions as a heterodimer composed of Burs-αand Burs-βsubunits.It plays a critical role in the processes of cuticle tanning and wing expansion in insects.In this study,we successfully identified the AcBurs-αand AcBurs-βgenes in Aphis citricidus.The open reading frames of AcBurs-αand AcBurs-βwere 480 and 417 bp in length,respectively.Both AcBurs-αand AcBurs-βexhibited 11 conserved cysteine residues.AcBurs-αand AcBurs-βwere expressed during all developmental stages of A.citricidus and showed high expression levels in the winged aphids.To investigate the potential role of AcBurs-αand AcBurs-βin wing development,we employed RNA interference(RNAi)techniques.With the efficient silencing of AcBurs-α(44.90%)and AcBurs-β(52.31%),malformed wings were induced in aphids.The proportions of malformed wings were 22.50%,25.84%,and 38.34%in dsAcBurs-α-,dsAcBur-β-,and dsAcBurs-α+dsAcBur-β-treated groups,respectively.Moreover,feeding protein kinase A inhibitors(H-89)also increased the proportion of malformed wings to 30.00%.Feeding both double-stranded RNA and inhibitors(H-89)significantly downregulated the wing development-related genes nubbin,vestigial,notch and spalt major.Silence of vestigial through RNAi also led to malformed wings.Meanwhile,the exogenous application of 3 hormones that influence wing development did not affect the expression level of AcBursicon genes.These findings indicate that AcBursicon genes plays a crucial role in wing development in A.citricidus;therefore,it represents a potential molecular target for the control of this pest through RNAi-based approaches.
基金This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province(LQ22C140001)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32230086).
文摘Apolipoprotein D(ApoD),a member of the lipocalin superfamily of proteins,is involved in lipid transport and stress resistance.Whereas only a single copy of the ApoD gene is found in humans and some other vertebrates,there are typically several ApoD-like genes in insects.To date,there have been relatively few studies that have examined the evolution and functional differentiation of ApoD-like genes in insects,particularly hemi-metabolous insects.In this study,we identified 10 ApoD-like genes(NlApoD1−10)with distinct spatiotemporal expression patterns in Nilaparvata lugens(BPH),which is an important pest of rice.NlApoD1−10 were found to be distributed on 3 chromosomes in a tandem array of NlApoD1/2,NlApoD3−5,and NlApoD7/8,and show sequence and gene structural divergence in the coding regions,indicating that multiple gene duplication events occurred during evolution.Phylogenetic analysis revealed that NlApoD1−10 can be clustered into 5 clades,with NlApoD3−5 and NlApoD7/8 potentially evolving exclusively in the Delphacidae family.Functional screening using an RNA interference approach revealed that only NlApoD2 was essential for BPH development and survival,whereas NlApoD4/5 are highly expressed in testes,and might play roles in reproduction.Moreover,stress response analysis revealed that NlApoD3−5/9,NlApoD3−5,and NlApoD9 were up-regulated after treatment with lipopolysaccharide,H2O2,and ultraviolet-C,respectively,indicating their potential roles in stress resistance.
基金supported by the grants from the National Key Research and Development Plan of China(2021YFC2300200,2020YFC1200104,and 2018YFA0507202)The National Natural Science Foundation of China(32188101,31825001,81730063,81961160737,and 82102389)+5 种基金Tsinghua University Spring Breeze Fund(2020Z99CFG017)Shenzhen San-Ming Project for prevention and research on vector-borne diseases(SZSM201611064)the Yunnan Cheng gong expert workstation(202005AF150034)Innovation Team Project of Yunnan Science and Technology Department(202105AE160020)Tsinghua-Foshan Innovation Special Fund(2022THFS6124)Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program(2021QNRC001).
文摘Mosquito-borne viruses(MBVs)are a large class of viruses transmitted mainly through mosquito bites,including dengue virus,Zika virus,Japanese encephalitis virus,West Nile virus,and chikungunya virus,which pose a major threat to the health of people around the world.With global warming and extended human activities,the incidence of many MBVs has increased significantly.Mosquito saliva contains a variety of bioactive protein components.These not only enable blood feeding but also play a crucial role in regulating local infection at the bite site and the remote dissemination of MBVs as well as in remodeling the innate and adaptive immune responses of host vertebrates.Here,we review the physiological functions of mosquito salivary proteins(MSPs)in detail,the influence and the underlying mechanism of MSPs on the transmission of MBVs,and the current progress and issues that urgently need to be addressed in the research and development of MSP-based MBV transmission blocking vaccines.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.32070402)Beijing Natural Science Foundation(Grant No.6222052)+1 种基金Beijing Agriculture Innovation Consortium(BAIC01-2022)Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program,CAAS“Protection Application of Insect Natural Enemies".
文摘Microbial communities,derived from food,ambient,and inner,can affect host ecological adaption and evolution.Comparing with most phytophagous arthropods,predators may have more opportunities to develop specific microbiota depending on the level of prey specialization.To explore how diet sources affect host microbial communities and vary across predator species,we considered 3 types of predators from Phytoseiidae(Acari:Mesostigmata):polyphagous(Amblyseius orientalis Ehara,Neoseiulus barkeri Hughes,and Amblyseius swirski Athias-Henrio),oligophagous(Neoseiulus californicus McGregor),and monophagous(Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot)predatory mites.The polyphagous species were fed on 2 types of diets,natural prey and alternative prey.By using 16S rRNA sequencing,we found that diet was the main source of microbiota in predatory mites,while there was no clear pattern affected by prey specialization.Among 3 polyphagous predators,host species had a larger impact than prey on microbial composition.Unlike A.orientalis or N.barkeri which showed consistency in their microbiota,prey switching significantly affectedβ-diversity of bacterial composition in A.swirskii,with 56%of the microbial alteration.In short,our results confirmed the substantial influence of diet on host microbial construction in predatory species,and highlighted species differences in shaping the microbiota which are not necessarily related to prey specialization.
