Insect Molecular Biology最新文献

{"title":"Heat-responsive ame-miR-1-3p modulates thermotolerance in honeybees (Apis mellifera L.)","authors":"Teng-Fei Shi,&nbsp;Zhen-Qing Feng,&nbsp;Zhuang Li,&nbsp;Liang Ye,&nbsp;Xing-Chuan Jiang,&nbsp;Hai-Qun Cao,&nbsp;Lin-Sheng Yu","doi":"10.1111/imb.70004","DOIUrl":"10.1111/imb.70004","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Thermal stress significantly harms the survival, physiology and development of honeybees (<i>Apis mellifera</i> L.). miRNAs are emerging as key regulators of environmental stress responses. This study investigated honeybee's miRNA expression under heat stress and clarified the role of ame-miR-1-3p in thermotolerance. Global miRNA expression profiles were analysed in forager bees exposed to 45°C for 2 and 4 h using small RNA sequencing (sRNA-seq). To explore the effects of ame-miR-1-3p, young bees were fed miRNA mimics or antagonists to either overexpress or knock down its expression. The impact on target gene expression (<i>Hsp90</i> and <i>LOC413120</i>) and the bees' heat susceptibility was then assessed. A dual luciferase reporter assay was used to confirm the direct targeting relationship between ame-miR-1-3p and <i>LOC413120</i>. The results showed that exposure to 45°C led to seven and five differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) at 2 and 4 h, respectively, all of which were suppressed. Bioinformatic analyses indicated that DEM target genes were enriched in stress-related signalling pathways including MAPK, phosphatidylinositol and Notch. ame-miR-1-3p, the most abundant DEM, was significantly down-regulated under heat exposure, as validated by qRT-PCR. Conversely, the expression of <i>LOC413120</i> (encoding DnaJ homologue subfamily B member 12), a potential target of ame-miR-1-3p, was upregulated. Increasing ame-miR-1-3p expression significantly suppressed <i>LOC413120</i> expression and reduced heat resistance, whereas decreasing ame-miR-1-3p expression significantly enhanced <i>LOC413120</i> expression and increased heat resistance. Furthermore, dual luciferase analysis confirmed that <i>LOC413120</i> is a direct target of ame-miR-1-3p. These findings reveal a novel function of miRNAs in honeybee heat resistance.</p>","PeriodicalId":13526,"journal":{"name":"Insect Molecular Biology","volume":"35 1","pages":"56-65"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144707390","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 1","pages":"E1-E3"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148068602","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":"SYNCAS-mediated CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing in the Jewel wasp, Nasonia vitripennis","authors":"Filippo Guerra,&nbsp;Sander De Rouck,&nbsp;Eveline C. Verhulst","doi":"10.1111/imb.70002","DOIUrl":"10.1111/imb.70002","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Genetic engineering is a formidable approach to studying biology. The development of CRISPR-Cas9 has allowed the genetic engineering of insect species from several orders, and in some species, this tool is used routinely for genetic research. However, insect gene editing often relies on the delivery of CRISPR-Cas9 components via embryo injection. This technique has a limitation: some species lay their eggs inside hard substrates or living hosts, making embryo collection impossible or labour intensive. Recently, a variety of techniques that exploit maternal injection of nucleases have been developed to circumvent embryo injection. Yet, despite this variety of maternal delivery techniques, some insects remain refractory to gene editing. One of these is the parasitoid wasp, <i>Nasonia vitripennis</i>, an important hymenopteran model species. In this study, a recently developed method termed SYNCAS was used to perform knock-out (KO) of the <i>cinnabar</i> gene in this wasp, obtaining KO efficiencies up to 10 times higher than reported for other maternal injection approaches. We found up to 2.73% of all offspring to display a KO phenotype, and we obtained up to 68 KO offspring per 100 injected mothers. The optimal timing of injection and provision of hosts for egg laying was determined. With this protocol, routine applications of CRISPR-Cas9 become feasible in this species, allowing reverse genetics studies of genes with unknown associated phenotypes and paving the way for more advanced editing techniques.</p>","PeriodicalId":13526,"journal":{"name":"Insect Molecular Biology","volume":"35 1","pages":"48-55"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://resjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/imb.70002","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144649317","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":"Ame-miR-2161 affects the survival and development of honeybee larvae through the juvenile hormone acid methyltransferase gene","authors":"Yu-xuan Song,&nbsp;Ya-ping Ren,&nbsp;You-yu Ran,&nbsp;Nian Fan,&nbsp;Tao Wu,&nbsp;He Zang,&nbsp;Ming-xing Jiao,&nbsp;Ti-zhen Yan,&nbsp;Qing-ming Luo,&nbsp;Da-fu Chen,&nbsp;Rui Guo,&nbsp;Jian-feng Qiu","doi":"10.1111/imb.70009","DOIUrl":"10.1111/imb.70009","url":null,"abstract":"<p>MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous small non-coding RNAs that play crucial regulatory roles in insect growth and development. However, the coordinated regulation of honeybee development by miRNAs and hormones remains poorly understood. In this study, the regulatory network of target genes for <i>Apis mellifera</i> miRNA-2161 (ame-miR-2161) was constructed, and its association with the survival and development of worker larvae was investigated. The results showed that ame-miR-2161 potentially targets 22 mRNAs, with particular emphasis on the target gene juvenile hormone acid methyltransferase (<i>Jhamt</i>), a key rate-limiting enzyme in the final step of the juvenile hormone (JH) biosynthesis. RT-qPCR analysis showed concordant expression patterns between ame-miR-2161 and <i>Jhamt</i> across larval developmental stages. Dual-luciferase assays confirmed that <i>Jhamt</i> is a direct target of ame-miR-2161. Functional studies revealed that overexpression of ame-miR-2161 upregulated the <i>Jhamt</i> expression, leading to a significant increase in JH titre in 4- to 6-day-old larvae, accompanied by a gradual upregulation of the JH downstream response gene <i>Kr</i>-<i>h</i>1. Conversely, inhibition of ame-miR-2161 downregulated the <i>Jhamt</i> expression, reducing JH titre and markedly suppressing <i>Kr</i>-<i>h</i>1 expression, indicating that ame-miR-2161 positively regulates the expression of <i>Jhamt</i>. Furthermore, ame-miR-2161 overexpression enhanced larval survival, whereas its inhibition decreased survival rates. Although pupation rates remained unaffected, ame-miR-2161 modulation influenced larval body weight changes. These results suggest that ame-miR-2161 regulates JH levels by targeting <i>Jhamt</i>, thereby modulating larval survival and development in honeybees. Our findings provide novel insights into the miRNA-mediated regulation of hormone signalling and metamorphic development in honeybees.</p>","PeriodicalId":13526,"journal":{"name":"Insect Molecular Biology","volume":"35 1","pages":"79-90"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144835007","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":"Transcriptomic, proteomic and biochemical comparison of luminescent and non-luminescent Keroplatinae larvae (Diptera: Keroplatidae)","authors":"Jaqueline R. Silva,&nbsp;Gabriel F. Pelentir,&nbsp;Danilo T. Amaral,&nbsp;Cassius Stevani,&nbsp;Vadim R. Viviani","doi":"10.1111/imb.70008","DOIUrl":"10.1111/imb.70008","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Bioluminescence (BL) in the Keroplatinae subfamily (Diptera: Keroplatidae) is found in <i>Keroplatus, Neoceroplatus</i> and <i>Orfelia fultoni</i> larvae. In <i>O. fultoni</i>, BL involves an oligomeric luciferase, a luciferin called <i>keroplatin</i>, which is associated with a substrate binding fraction (SBF), whose molecular identity and function remain uncertain. Non-luminescent web-constructing predatory larvae of <i>Neoditomyia</i> sp. (Keroplatinae) also contain keroplatin and SBF in their bodies, suggesting additional unknown roles for this compound in this subfamily. To identify gene products differentially expressed between luminescent and non-luminescent larvae, especially those associated with luciferase, SBF and keroplatin synthesis, here we compared the transcriptional and proteomic profiles of <i>Neoditomyia</i> sp., <i>O. fultoni</i> and <i>Arachnocampa</i> larvae and conducted biochemical assays. Similarly to <i>O. fultoni</i>, <i>Neoditomyia</i> sp. displays an abundance of hexamerin isoforms and transcripts associated with the tryptophan and kynurenine pathway, which is potentially involved with keroplatin synthesis and silk production. Despite displaying a similar electrophoretic pattern of <i>Orfelia</i> luciferase purified fractions, no luciferase activity was detected in <i>Neoditomyia</i> purified fractions. The SBF-enriched fractions from <i>O. fultoni</i> and <i>Neoditomyia</i> revealed a similar abundance of hexamerins, the presence of flavin-dependent reductases, keroplatin and riboflavin. The results indicate that the SBF consists of protein aggregates associated with riboflavin and keroplatin, which is used as luciferin in bioluminescent species and for other still unveiled physiological functions in non-luminescent species.</p>","PeriodicalId":13526,"journal":{"name":"Insect Molecular Biology","volume":"35 1","pages":"34-47"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://resjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/imb.70008","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144952644","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":"Correction to “Transcription factor CAAT/enhancer-binding protein is involved in regulation of expression of sterol carrier protein x in Spodoptera litura”","authors":"","doi":"10.1111/imb.70017","DOIUrl":"10.1111/imb.70017","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Liang, L.N., Zhang, L.L., Zeng, B.J., Zheng, S.C. &amp; Feng, Q.L. (2015) Transcription factor CAAT/enhancer-binding protein is involved in regulation of expression of sterol carrier protein x in <i>Spodoptera litura</i>. <i>Insect Molecular Biology</i>, 24(5), 551–560. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1111/imb.12182.</p><p>This correction does not change the conclusions of the paper.</p><p>We apologize for this error.</p>","PeriodicalId":13526,"journal":{"name":"Insect Molecular Biology","volume":"35 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://resjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/imb.70017","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145444717","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 2","pages":"166-176"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148091274","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 3","pages":"246-256"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148089071","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 3","pages":"232-245"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148087437","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":"177-186"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148073398","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}