Insect Molecular Biology最新文献

{"title":"A basic helix–loop–helix/Per-Arnt-Sim transcription factor Taiman is essential for metamorphosis in Henosepilachna vigintioctomaculata","authors":"Jia-Qing Yu,&nbsp;Yi-Kuan Wu,&nbsp;Lin Jin,&nbsp;Guo-Qing Li","doi":"10.1111/imb.70023","DOIUrl":"10.1111/imb.70023","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Insect Taiman (Tai) is a basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH)/Per-Arnt-Sim (PAS) transcription factor that plays a role in juvenile hormone (JH) signalling during the larval stage in various insect species, as well as in 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) signalling during the oogenesis of <i>Drosophila melanogaster</i>. It forms a heterodimer with another bHLH-PAS transcription factor Methoprene-tolerant (Met) mediating JH signalling and acts as a steroid receptor coactivator of the functional 20E receptor heterodimer, ecdysone receptor (EcR) and ultraspiracle (USP). However, whether Tai plays the dual functions in other insects deserves further exploration. In this study, we determined the role of Tai in <i>Henosepilachna vigintioctomaculata</i>, a Coleopteran potato pest mainly distributed in northern China. <i>HvTai</i> mRNA levels were higher just before and right after the ecdysis within each larval instar and at early and late stages of prepupae than those in the intermediate days. RNA interference (RNAi)-aided knockdown of <i>Tai</i> at the second, penultimate and final larval instar stages caused 100% mortalities 9, 11 and 10 days post dsRNA administration. All <i>Tai</i> RNAi larvae failed to complete moulting; they were wrapped in the old larval exuviae, gradually darkened and shrivelled and ultimately died. The <i>Tai</i>-depleted larvae did not complete gut clearing; the larval guts contained food residues. Moreover, knockdown of <i>Tai</i> disrupted both JH and 20E pathway genes. Our findings demonstrated that Tai was necessary for metamorphosis in <i>H. vigintioctomaculata</i>. The findings also imply that <i>H. vigintioctomaculata</i> is an ideal model for further exploration of how Tai contributes specifically to hormone signalling.</p>","PeriodicalId":13526,"journal":{"name":"Insect Molecular Biology","volume":"35 2","pages":"187-196"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145742318","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Kr-h1 is vital for vitellogenesis in two ladybird beetle species","authors":"Hai-Hui Liu,&nbsp;Xiao-Qing Zhang,&nbsp;Jia-Qing Yu,&nbsp;Lin Jin,&nbsp;Guo-Qing Li","doi":"10.1111/imb.70022","DOIUrl":"10.1111/imb.70022","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Krüppel homolog1 (Kr-h1), a transcription factor with a DNA-binding motif of eight C₂H₂ zinc fingers, exerts species-specific functions by mediating juvenile hormone (JH) signal in certain physiological processes during female reproduction in insects. Nevertheless, the regulatory role of Kr-h1 on vitellogenesis deserves further exploration. Here, we found that <i>Kr-h1</i> was actively expressed from 0- to 12-day-old females and among detected tissues including fat body and ovary in two potato-defoliating beetles, <i>Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata</i> and <i>H. vigintioctomaculata</i>. RNA interference (RNAi) for <i>Kr-h1</i> significantly lengthened the preoviposition period, dramatically impaired ovarian development, and decreased oviposition. Weaker yolk accumulation occurred in the <i>Kr-h1</i> RNAi oocytes, in contrast to a larger quantity of yolk granules in controls. Correspondingly, <i>Vg</i> transcript levels in the fat bodies and ovaries and of <i>VgR</i> amounts in the ovarian tissues were substantially reduced in the <i>Kr-h1</i> knockdown samples. In <i>H. vigintioctomaculata</i>, RNAi for the other two JH signal genes, <i>HvmHairy</i> and <i>HvmGroucho</i>, was also performed. Silencing either or both genes affected neither female reproduction nor the mRNA levels of <i>Vg</i> and <i>VgR</i>. Therefore, our findings suggest Kr-h1, rather than Hairy/Groucho, regulates vitellogenesis in the two <i>Henosepilachna</i> species. Moreover, targeting <i>Kr-h1</i> could potentially be a new way to control potato pests.</p>","PeriodicalId":13526,"journal":{"name":"Insect Molecular Biology","volume":"35 2","pages":"177-186"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145742296","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"","authors":"","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":13526,"journal":{"name":"Insect Molecular Biology","volume":"35 2","pages":"E1-E3"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148065121","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Requirement of group I lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase for turnover of chitinous cuticle during moulting in two forest pest beetles, Monochamus alternatus and Psacothea hilaris","authors":"Daehyeong Kim,&nbsp;Subbaratnam Muthukrishnan,&nbsp;Karl J. Kramer,&nbsp;Yasuyuki Arakane,&nbsp;Mi Young Noh","doi":"10.1111/imb.70013","DOIUrl":"10.1111/imb.70013","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) that are capable of oxidative cleavage of glycosidic bonds in crystalline polysaccharides including chitin and cellulose are widely distributed among organisms. Insect LPMOs belong to auxiliary activity family 15 (LPMO15/AA15) and have been classified further into at least four subgroups. However, unlike LPMOs from microorganisms and viruses, their physiological functions in insects have not been well studied. In the present work, we investigated the functions of two group I LPMO15s, MaLPMO15-1 and PhLPMO15-1, in chitinous cuticle turnover during moulting of two important forest pest longhorn beetles—the Japanese pine sawyer beetle, <i>Monochamus alternatus</i>, and the yellow spotted longicorn beetle, <i>Psacothea hilaris</i>. Real-time qPCR showed a similar pattern of expression of <i>MaLPMO15-1</i> and <i>PhLPMO15-1</i> during late stages of development with high levels present at young pharate pupal and young pupal stages and declining thereafter. Injection of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) for <i>MaLPMO15-1</i> (ds<i>MaLPMO15-1</i>) or <i>PhLPMO15-1</i> (ds<i>PhLPMO15-1</i>) into last instar larvae of <i>M. alternatus</i> and <i>P. hilaris</i>, respectively, did not affect subsequent larval-pupal moulting and the resulting pupae exhibited normal development. However, the pupae were unable to eclose to the adult stage and died entrapped inside their old pupal cuticle. TEM analysis revealed that, unlike the respective dsRNA for the enhanced green fluorescent protein (ds<i>EGFP</i>)-treated control insects, both ds<i>MaLPMO15-1</i>- and ds<i>PhLPMO15-1</i>-treated pharate adults failed to degrade the endocuticular layer of their pupal cuticle in which the horizontal chitinous laminae remained largely intact. These results demonstrate that the group I LPMO15-1 enzymes play a role in pupal cuticle chitin turnover, which is critical for moulting to the adult. Because LPMO15-1 is highly conserved among many insect species, this gene/enzyme is a potential target for the control of populations of both <i>M. alternatus</i> and <i>P. hilaris</i> as well as other pest insect species.</p>","PeriodicalId":13526,"journal":{"name":"Insect Molecular Biology","volume":"35 2","pages":"115-125"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12955341/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145212657","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Multiple CRISPR/Cas9 modifications of an esterase reveal its role in influencing acetate esters in the pheromone blend of a moth","authors":"Elise Fruitet,&nbsp;Arthur de Fouchier,&nbsp;David G. Heckel,&nbsp;Astrid T. Groot","doi":"10.1111/imb.70016","DOIUrl":"10.1111/imb.70016","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Sexual signalling by pheromones is essential for mate finding and mate choice in moths and plays an important role in reproductive isolation. Acetates (i.e., acetate esters) produced by females of <i>Heliothis (Chloridea) subflexa</i> Fabricius, 1777 (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) attract conspecific males but repel <i>Heliothis virescens</i> Fabricius, 1777 (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) males. A QTL (quantitative trait locus) harbouring carboxylesterases and lipases was previously shown to affect acetates, and CRISPR/Cas9-induced knockouts increased acetate amounts by blocking hydrolysis of the esters as expected. A second, unlinked QTL, containing a cluster of three different carboxylesterases (CXEs), unexpectedly yielded decreased acetate amounts. In one of these genes, esterase CXE24, we found a naturally occurring transposable element insertion in exon 8. A CRISPR/Cas9-induced frameshift at the same position yielded the same results. The paradox was resolved by a CRISPR/Cas9-induced frameshift in exon 2 of CXE24 which increased acetate amounts. The frameshift in exon 2 produced a truncated protein lacking the substrate binding site and the catalytic triad, while the frameshift in exon 8 removed only the third residue of the catalytic triad. In silico modelling showed that the exon-8-truncated protein could not hydrolyse the esters by itself, which likely explains the decreased acetate amounts. To place our findings in an evolutionary context, we explored variation in the esterase cluster in 16 species of Lepidoptera with completely sequenced genomes. Geographic and temporal variation in acetates has been observed in <i>H. subflexa</i>, and variation in the frequency of the transposable element could be a possible explanation.</p>","PeriodicalId":13526,"journal":{"name":"Insect Molecular Biology","volume":"35 2","pages":"166-176"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145809844","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The genome and stage-specific transcriptomes of the carrot weevil, Listronotus oregonensis, reveal adaptive mechanisms for host specialisation and symbiotic interactions","authors":"Dave T. Ste-Croix,&nbsp;Annie-Ève Gagnon,&nbsp;Benjamin Mimee","doi":"10.1111/imb.70012","DOIUrl":"10.1111/imb.70012","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Throughout their evolution, insects have become specialised to occupy diverse ecological niches. The carrot weevil, <i>Listronotus oregonensis</i>, is an important agricultural pest that exhibits a very specific host range. In this study, we characterised the genome and transcriptomes of each developmental stage of <i>L. oregonensis</i> and its <i>Wolbachia</i> endosymbiont to gain deeper knowledge of the genetic determinants controlling its biology. We annotated 14,637 genes and showed expression profiles across the developmental stages. We also compared orthologous genes between <i>L. oregonensis</i> and nine other species, with particular focus on chemoreceptors and detoxification genes. We identified 24 distinct odorant-binding protein genes and 41 genes for receptors involved in stimulus perception, relatively low numbers compared with other species, which would be consistent with a narrow host range. In contrast, we found a high number of detoxification genes, with significant expansion of certain gene families. Among the annotated genes, 46 were putatively acquired through horizontal gene transfer, with 17 showing strong evidence for this, including several cell-wall degrading enzymes. The phylogeny of a cytolethal distending toxin gene also suggests an initial transfer from a prokaryotic source and vertical dissemination in members of Curculionidae through recent evolution. The presence of the endosymbiotic bacterium <i>Wolbachia</i> (supergroup A) was confirmed in all tested <i>L. oregonensis</i> individuals from several regions in northeastern North America and showed very little diversity. This study enhances our understanding of the genomic, functional, and evolutionary aspects of a significant agricultural pest and makes important and useful databases available to the scientific community.</p>","PeriodicalId":13526,"journal":{"name":"Insect Molecular Biology","volume":"35 2","pages":"126-138"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12955340/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145191144","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"ζTrypsin is required for spermatid elongation and individualization in Drosophila spermatogenesis","authors":"Yang Fang,&nbsp;Feng-Chao Zhang,&nbsp;Jia-Yu He,&nbsp;Yang Liu,&nbsp;Ling-Zhi Chen,&nbsp;Cui Yu,&nbsp;Yi-Xin Zhang,&nbsp;Zhen He,&nbsp;Fan Wu","doi":"10.1111/imb.70014","DOIUrl":"10.1111/imb.70014","url":null,"abstract":"<p>During <i>Drosophila</i> spermatogenesis, mitochondria undergo elongation along the entire length of the spermatid tail, thereby establishing a structural framework that facilitates microtubule reorganization and the synchronized individualization of spermatids. This process ultimately culminates in the production of functional, mature sperm. Despite this understanding, the regulatory mechanisms governing elongation and individualization remain largely unexplored. The gene <i>ζTrypsin</i> encodes a member of the serine protease enzyme family. However, its molecular function remains to be elucidated. In this study, we elucidated the critical role of <i>ζTrypsin</i> in the process of spermatid individualization. In <i>ζTrypsin</i> knockdown testes, spermatid individualization complexes with F-actin cones were either entirely absent or disrupted, leading to an absence of mature sperm in the seminal vesicle and resulting in reduced male fertility. The most significant effects included reduced tubulin polyglycylation and disrupted mitochondrial function. Transcriptome analysis identified 1878 differentially expressed genes, with 814 genes upregulated and 1064 genes downregulated. These findings suggest that <i>ζTrypsin</i> is essential for spermatid maturation by influencing mitochondrial morphogenesis.</p>","PeriodicalId":13526,"journal":{"name":"Insect Molecular Biology","volume":"35 2","pages":"151-165"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145292176","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Role of UGT344J7 in the response of the bird cherry-oat aphid to starvation and high temperature stress","authors":"Mengtian Li,&nbsp;Ni Wang,&nbsp;Suji J. Wang,&nbsp;Xi Liu,&nbsp;Wenhua H. Hou,&nbsp;Xiong Peng,&nbsp;Maohua H. Chen","doi":"10.1111/imb.70011","DOIUrl":"10.1111/imb.70011","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The response of insects to stress, particularly starvation and high temperature stress, is a crucial area of insect research. Uridine diphosphate-glucosyltransferases (UGTs) are key enzymes involved in the detoxification of exogenous substances. This study analysed the role of the <i>UGT344J7</i> gene in the response of <i>Rhopalosiphum padi</i> to starvation and high temperature stress. <i>UGT344J7</i> was significantly upregulated under conditions of high temperature and food scarcity. Following RNAi targeting <i>UGT344J7</i>, the mortality of <i>R. padi</i> increased significantly under both high temperature and starvation conditions. Knockdown of the <i>UGT344J7</i> gene led to a significant increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in <i>R. padi</i>, accompanied by a significant downregulation of four heat shock protein genes (<i>Hsp70-1</i>, <i>Hsp70-2</i>, <i>Hsp68</i>, <i>Hsp90</i>). Based on these results, we speculate that <i>UGT344J7</i> regulates the expression of heat shock protein genes by modulating ROS levels, thereby helping <i>R. padi</i> cope with high temperature and starvation stress. This is the first report on the role of the UGT gene in starvation and high temperature stress in an aphid species. This research suggests that silencing <i>UGT344J7</i> could serve as a potential strategy for controlling <i>R. padi</i>, and novel insecticides targeting this gene may be developed to disrupt the physiological processes of this significant pest.</p>","PeriodicalId":13526,"journal":{"name":"Insect Molecular Biology","volume":"35 2","pages":"105-114"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145086058","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Eye can see clearly now: Identifying the locus associated with a white-eye mutation in honey bees (Apis mellifera)","authors":"Riley R. Shultz,&nbsp;Dylan K. Ryals,&nbsp;Phillip Patterson,&nbsp;Jonathan M. Nixon,&nbsp;Izaak R. Gilchrist,&nbsp;Brock A. Harpur","doi":"10.1111/imb.70019","DOIUrl":"10.1111/imb.70019","url":null,"abstract":"<p>In insects, eye pigmentation is vital for various adaptive functions, including foraging, mating and predator avoidance. Due to its visible and often heritable variation, altered eye pigmentation in mutants provides an excellent model for studying biosynthetic pathways and identifying new genes involved in pigmentation. Eye mutants can also be valuable in science communication as they offer simplified examples to help the public understand complex genetic concepts. In this study, we used a community science-based approach to identify the inheritance pattern and mutation(s) responsible for white-eye pigmentation in honey bees. With the help of the beekeeping community, we identified a honey bee queen that produced a fraction of haploid sons (called drones) with white-eyes. As the queen was wild-type, we predicted that the mutation is most likely recessive to wild-type. Using genome-wide association and differentiation scans of wild-type and white-eyed drone brothers, we identified a single elevated region (52 kb) of chromosome 11. This region contains four non-coding RNA (ncRNA) and one protein-coding gene. We identified an eight-base pair region with two SNPs and a four-nucleotide deletion that are likely responsible for the phenotype. The mutation likely affects the expression and/or downstream effects of an uncharacterized ncRNA (LOC100578475). Our efforts highlight the value of community-based science in novel gene discovery. We hope this serves, not only as a new example for the burgeoning field of honey bee functional genomics, but also as a teaching tool for both researchers and educators.</p>","PeriodicalId":13526,"journal":{"name":"Insect Molecular Biology","volume":"35 2","pages":"209-215"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12955342/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145632477","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"","authors":"","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":13526,"journal":{"name":"Insect Molecular Biology","volume":"35 3","pages":"323-337"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148091112","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}