Insect Science最新文献

{"title":"Knockdown of the adipokinetic hormone receptor inhibits the reproduction of female Culex pipiens pallens (Diptera: Culicidae) by downregulating L-homoserine and serotonin levels.","authors":"Xin Wang, Ruixin Chu, Siyao Li, Shiyao Xu, Jingwen Lv, Siwei Bu, Yan Sun, Bo Shen, Dan Zhou","doi":"10.1111/1744-7917.70061","DOIUrl":"10.1111/1744-7917.70061","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The adipokinetic hormone (AKH) receptor, interacting with AKH, regulates the metabolism of amino acids, carbohydrates, and lipids. The AKH receptor is abundant in mosquito primary and secondary sexual organs; however, the exact role of the AKH receptor in mosquito reproductive processes and the specific mechanisms involved are unclear. Among different tissues of adult female mosquitoes (Culex pipiens pallens), the ovaries and fat body showed high expression of the AKH receptor gene. Silencing this gene led to anti-reproductive effects, including abnormal ovarian morphology, reduced follicle number, and a decreased egg-laying count. Meanwhile, decreased yolk accumulation and iron deposition in the ovaries during the vitellogenesis phase were observed, accompanied by reduced expression levels of the vitellogenin-A1 precursor gene and transferrin gene. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis revealed a decrease in L-homoserine and serotonin levels following AKH receptor gene knockdown, and supplementation with the above 2 metabolites partly rescued the anti-reproductive phenotype and increased the expression of the vitellogenin-A1 precursor gene and transferrin gene in the AKH receptor gene knockdown mosquitoes. Consistent with the gene knockdown results, Relugolix, an inhibitor of this receptor, likewise affected egg production. Herein, we revealed evidence for the function and potential mechanism of the AKH receptor during female mosquito reproduction, possibly offering an alternative method to control mosquitoes.</p>","PeriodicalId":13618,"journal":{"name":"Insect Science","volume":" ","pages":"1494-1512"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13440988/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143991807","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"The role of BmsPLA2-4 in tissue defense against pathogens in silkworm, Bombyx mori.","authors":"Jiangtao Xiong, Zunmei Hu, Gemin Wang, Chunyang Wang, Ping Chen","doi":"10.1111/1744-7917.70049","DOIUrl":"10.1111/1744-7917.70049","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Lepidoptera, one of the largest orders within the class Insecta, accounts for approximately 70% of known pests affecting crops and forests. Therefore, immune research in the lepidopteran model Bombyx mori offers valuable insights for refining pest control strategies. Although numerous studies have investigated the role of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) in immunity, research on its role in tissues remains lacking in insects. We previously found that BmsPLA2-4 is highly expressed in the midgut, a key immune tissue in silkworms. In this study, we successfully generated BmsPLA2-4 overexpressing and knockout transgenic strains using the piggyBac system, microinjection, and fluorescence screening. The target sequence was inserted into NSCAF6497 on chromosome 15 in overexpressing individuals, and deletions or mutations of 13 or 14 bp occurred near genomic guide RNA targets in knockout individuals. Upon oral bacterial challenge, midgut bacterial load was significantly reduced in overexpressing individuals and markedly elevated in knockout individuals. Furthermore, bacterial growth was significantly promoted by hemolymph from knockout individuals. Expression levels of various immunity-related genes in the midgut were significantly altered in transgenic individuals following pathogen infection. These suggested that BmsPLA2-4 plays an important role in immune tissue resistance to pathogens in silkworm. Interestingly, BmsPLA2-4 protein expressed in vitro in eukaryotic systems inhibits bacterial growth without binding to bacteria, providing new data for studying the mechanism of BmsPLA2-4 in immunity. Our work, for the first time in insects, demonstrates PLA2's role in tissues against pathogens, offering reliable data for applications in silkworms or other insects.</p>","PeriodicalId":13618,"journal":{"name":"Insect Science","volume":" ","pages":"1525-1540"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13441014/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143984888","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"Reduction of Buchnera with rifampicin impairs the density-dependent induction of winged morph in pea aphid.","authors":"Erliang Yuan, Bingru Du, Yucheng Sun","doi":"10.1111/1744-7917.70098","DOIUrl":"10.1111/1744-7917.70098","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Wing dimorphism is a critical trait that helps insects better adapt to environments. High population density and poor nutrition are known to induce winged morph in aphids. Buchnera aphidicola, an obligate endosymbiont of aphids, supplies the host with essential amino acids and B vitamins, while the mechanistic basis of Buchnera's role in density-dependent production of winged aphids is largely unclear. Reduction of Buchnera from maternal aphids or the 1st instar nymphs with antibiotic rifampicin reduced the proportion of winged aphids. In contrast, for the 2nd instar nymphs, reduction of Buchnera failed to decline the proportion of winged aphids, suggesting the 1st instar is a critical period for wing plasticity. Genes associated with amino acid transport and insulin signaling were identified by RNA sequencing as differentially expressed genes between rifampicin and dimethyl sulfoxide-treated 1st instar nymphs. Proton-assisted amino acid transporter 1 (PAT1), was down-regulated by rifampicin. Knockdown of PAT1 in 1st instar nymphs reduced the proportion of winged aphids. In addition, reduction of Buchnera with rifampicin up-regulated several marker genes of the insulin signaling pathway, and reduced the phosphorylation level of forkhead transcription factor subgroup O (FOXO), a determinant of wing morph downstream of insulin signaling. Application of FOXO phosphorylation inhibitor LY2780301 decreased the proportion of winged aphids, while the agonist SC79 increased the proportion of winged aphids. These results revealed that reduction of Buchnera sharply declined the proportion of winged aphids, indicating that the vertical transmission of Buchnera could bring on a maternal signal of crowding perception, which was required for the production of winged offspring.</p>","PeriodicalId":13618,"journal":{"name":"Insect Science","volume":" ","pages":"1554-1566"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13441009/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144316844","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"Mycotoxins-contaminated wheat matrices bioconversion by Tenebrio molitor larvae (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae).","authors":"Valentina Candian, Valentina Scarpino, Alessandro Bona, Rosemarie Tedeschi, Massimo Blandino","doi":"10.1111/1744-7917.70066","DOIUrl":"10.1111/1744-7917.70066","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Tenebrio molitor is proposed for the valorization of mycotoxins-contaminated substrates no longer usable for other purposes. Larvae were reared on three different wheat matrices (wholegrain flour, shorts and bran) contaminated with different levels of mycotoxins. Nine diets (3 matrices × 3 contamination levels) were assessed. Larval development time, average daily gain (ADG), substrate consumption, survival rate, and the capacity of T. molitor to accumulate and excrete different mycotoxins, through exuviae and frass, were evaluated. Larval development time, ADG, survival rate and substrate consumption were not negatively affected by the mycotoxins, but only by the rearing matrix, depending on the nutritive value. The ability of larvae to excrete DON and its derivatives through exuviae and frass was observed. Within each matrix, DON contamination in larvae increased significantly moving from poorly to highly contaminated ones. Overall, the ratio between the modified form (deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside) and the native one (DON), increased from 7%, in the raw materials, to 101% in the larvae, highlighting their ability to modify this mycotoxin and accumulate it in their body. Larvae accumulated also nivalenol, zearalenone, and enniatins showing a higher concentration in larvae reared on substrates with high level of contamination, while moniliformin was never found in larvae. Overall, the levels of mycotoxins recorded in larvae was always below the current legal limits for livestock feed, thanks to their ability to excrete them through exuviae and frass. These interesting data open new scenarios on the valorization of mycotoxin-contaminated matrices, not suitable for other livestock farming, by means of insects.</p>","PeriodicalId":13618,"journal":{"name":"Insect Science","volume":" ","pages":"1691-1705"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13440987/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143998479","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"Function analysis of flightin gene in the global tortricid fruit borer Grapholita molesta using CRISPR/Cas9.","authors":"Sha Su, Zhimin Xu, Jinbo Suo, Yurong Zhou, Xiaohe Zhang, Xiong Peng, Maohua Chen, Fei Li","doi":"10.1111/1744-7917.70079","DOIUrl":"10.1111/1744-7917.70079","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Many tortricid moths are significant fruit borers characterized by limited flight capacity. However, some individuals within a population of tortricid species exhibit extended flight capabilities, facilitating gene flow between orchards and enabling host switching. To date, research on the proteins involved in flight among fruit borers is limited. Flightin is recognized as a flight muscle protein, yet its function remains unexplored in lepidopteran insects. In this study, quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed that the flightin gene is expressed at various developmental stages and tissues of Grapholita molesta, with the highest expression in adults and the thorax. Using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) / CRISPR-associated nuclease 9 (Cas9) gene editing technology, we successfully generated a homozygous flightin gene knockout strain of G. molesta. The knockout of the flightin gene resulted in contraction of indirect flight muscle fibers, irregularities in the Z-disc of the flight muscles, and a significant elongation of sarcomere length. Additionally, cumulative flight distance and flight time were significantly reduced. The larval period and preoviposition period were significantly prolonged, while larval weight, pupal weight, longevity, and fecundity were all significantly decreased. The results indicate that the flightin gene not only plays an important role in the flight capacity of G. molesta, but also has an effect on the growth and development, and reproduction of the insect, suggesting that flightin may be a potential target for pest management of G. molesta. This is the first investigation into the function of the flightin gene using CRISPR/Cas9.</p>","PeriodicalId":13618,"journal":{"name":"Insect Science","volume":" ","pages":"1357-1368"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13441022/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144233922","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"Duplicated paralog of insulin receptor functions distinctively in locust reproduction for high fecundity.","authors":"Libin Yang, Yan Liu, Zhongxia Wu, Shutang Zhou","doi":"10.1111/1744-7917.70076","DOIUrl":"10.1111/1744-7917.70076","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Insulin receptor (InR) mediates the highly conserved insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling pathway that regulates a broad range of life-history traits. Most insects encode 2 InR paralogs, but their functional divergence and redundancy remain to be explored. Here, we pursued the functionality of 2 InRs, LmInR1, and LmInR2, in the migratory locust Locusta migratoria. LmInR1 is clustered into the clade of ancestral InR, and LmInR2 belongs to the clade of InR gene duplication. While LmInR1 expression was at the highest levels in nymphal stage and adult ovary, LmInR2 was predominantly expressed in adult fat body. Loss of LmInR1 function led to defective nymph-adult transition and reproduction. LmInR2 depletion had little effect on metamorphosis, but caused severe defects in female reproduction, including remarkable reduction of Vitellogenin (Vg) expression and arrested egg development. Interestingly, LmInR1 expression responded to lower levels of glucose, whereas LmInR2 was expressed in response to increasing concentrations of glucose. Moreover, the expression of LmInR2 but not LmInR1 was responsive to juvenile hormone (JH) and its receptor. The results suggest that LmInR2 has evolved neofunctionalization for massive Vg synthesis required for synchronous maturation of dozens of oocytes in a high-fecundity insect. This study reveals a novel aspect of differential functions of InR paralogs and provides new insights into understanding of the insulin signaling cascade in insects.</p>","PeriodicalId":13618,"journal":{"name":"Insect Science","volume":" ","pages":"1383-1395"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13440983/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144142101","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"SV2B is a crucial factor for early larval development in the silkworm, Bombyx mori.","authors":"Yuting Zhang, Zhiping Xing, Hui Dong, Tao Lu, Yuping Deng, Zhipeng Li, Bo Hu, Anjiang Tan","doi":"10.1111/1744-7917.70070","DOIUrl":"10.1111/1744-7917.70070","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2B (SV2B) gene plays a crucial role in neuromodulation and neurotransmission and is a key regulator of synaptotagmin trafficking. However, physiological functions of this gene in insects remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the function of the BmSV2B gene in growth and development of silkworms. Tissue expression profiling revealed that BmSV2B is highly expressed in head and midgut. A phylogenetic tree and sequence alignment demonstrated that this gene is highly conserved among lepidopteran insects. Knockout of BmSV2B using the clustered regularly interspaced small palindromic repeats (CRISPR) / CRISPR-associated nuclease 9 (Cas9) system resulted in smaller body size compared to the wild type (WT) strain. In the BmSV2B mutants, the levels of triacylglycerol were dramatically lower than that in WT. Furthermore, we found that deletion of BmSV2B extended the developmental time of larvae and led to early larval death. High-throughput RNA sequencing and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that the expression levels of juvenile hormone-degrading genes, digestive genes, 20-hydroxyecdysone -response genes and forkhead box O (FOXO) were significantly affected by the absence of BmSV2B. Taken together, BmSV2B is essential for early larval development in silkworms and could serve as a potential target for insecticides, offering a more effective approach to pest control management.</p>","PeriodicalId":13618,"journal":{"name":"Insect Science","volume":" ","pages":"1345-1356"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13440980/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144077850","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"Artificial light source combined with functional microorganism improves reproductive performance of black soldier fly.","authors":"Yuanpu Zhang, Ahmed R Henawy, Kashif Ur Rehman, Arnold van Huis, Minmin Cai, Longyu Zheng, Feng Huang, Xiaomin Ding, Hongsheng Lei, Jibin Zhang","doi":"10.1111/1744-7917.70064","DOIUrl":"10.1111/1744-7917.70064","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Black soldier fly (BSF, Hermetia illucens) has been recognized as a promising insect species for sustainable conversion of organic waste into valuable biomass. Many studies have focused on the use of BSF larvae to improve the recycling of organic waste. However, few studies have been conducted on the reproductive efficiency of BSF adults. In particular, the major problems with artificial systems are directed oviposition and the poor oviposition rate due to inadequate sunlight. This study aimed to address the bottleneck by developing an effective artificial source and finding effective attractants. Results showed that our homemade artificial light significantly enhanced the number of BSF eggs and elevated the egg hatching rate compared to commercial artificial light. Simultaneously, the isolated strain of Trichosporon asahii BSFL-2 can induce gravid BSF females to oviposit and the combination of homemade artificial light with BSFL-2 resulted in a notable increase in the number of eggs collected in the BSF adults rearing system. Analysis of the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry results and experimental validation showed that 2,5-dimethylpyrazine produced by BSFL-2 strain was able to attract gravid females to aggregate and oviposit. This study demonstrates that the use of effective artificial light source and attractant is a crucial element in addressing the bottleneck of efficient indoor reproduction of BSF.</p>","PeriodicalId":13618,"journal":{"name":"Insect Science","volume":" ","pages":"1581-1592"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13441017/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144004144","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"Characterization, functional exploration, and evolutionary analysis of mirtronic microRNAs reveal their origin in the invasive vector mosquito, Aedes albopictus.","authors":"Yonghui Gao, Lu Yang, Yifan Guo, Wankui Zhou, Shuyi Ren, Yulan Chen, Xiao-Guang Chen, Peiwen Liu, Jinbao Gu","doi":"10.1111/1744-7917.70045","DOIUrl":"10.1111/1744-7917.70045","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The mirtron pathway represents a distinct category of noncanonical microRNA (miRNA) biogenesis mechanisms. Current studies suggest that the mirtron pathway may be widely prevalent across various taxa, including animals and plants, but investigation of this pathway has focused mainly on mammals, particularly humans, and the biological functions and emerging roles of several mirtrons in human diseases have been elucidated. In the context of insects, mirtrons have only been comprehensively characterized and preliminarily functionally analyzed in Drosophila. The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, is a highly invasive species and an important vector of arbovirus transmission to humans. Although canonical miRNA function has been studied in depth in mosquitoes, the role of mirtrons in this species remains to be revealed. In this study, we identified and validated 2 novel conventional mirtrons in Ae. albopictus that are precursors of miR-11900 and miR-11893. Mirtronic miRNA biogenesis depends on the splicing of introns and cleavage by Dicer but does not necessarily correlate with intron location in host genes. The molecular evolution of mirtrons was analyzed using methods based on host genes and their exon‒intron architecture; the results indicate that mirtronic miRNAs are relatively young and that they may have appeared in Culicinae after the Anophelinae and Culicinae diverged. According to small RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and RNA-seq data on post-mirtronic miRNA overexpression, mosquito mirtronic miRNAs are present in low abundance, and the absence of typical target genes in Ae. albopictus suggests they are not involved in post-transcriptional gene regulation. Overall, our results indicate that the emergence of 2 mirtrons in Ae. albopictus is likely due to the formation of Dicer-recognized secondary structures during the evolution of the intron sequence; these structures are similar to byproducts processed by Dicer, and their abundance is controlled by an alternative adventitious mirtron emergence-dependent mechanism. Our study identifies for the 1st time mirtrons in insect species distinct from Drosophila melanogaster, provides new insights into mirtron evolution, and provides a reference for the functional analysis of mirtrons.</p>","PeriodicalId":13618,"journal":{"name":"Insect Science","volume":" ","pages":"1295-1314"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13441032/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144021343","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"Identification of the key regulatory network and genes highly associated with the synthesis of cantharidin in Epicauta chinensis by transcriptome and metabolome analyses.","authors":"Xing Tian, Shirong Li, Dong Cheng, Di Tong, Ting Zhou, Lei Yi, Yalin Zhang, Shumin Lü","doi":"10.1111/1744-7917.70102","DOIUrl":"10.1111/1744-7917.70102","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cantharidin, as a defensive toxin of blister beetles, has attracted widespread attention in the agricultural and medical fields. However, knowledge about the cantharidin biosynthetic pathway remains limited to date. In this study, we performed transcriptome and metabolome analyses of fat bodies in Epicauta chinensis to reveal the key genes and metabolites related to cantharidin biosynthesis. The identified differentially expressed genes and differentially accumulated metabolites were primarily enriched in biosynthesis of secondary metabolites and metabolic pathways. Through weighted gene co-expression network analysis, 327 genes consistent with the variation of cantharidin content were identified, and cytochrome P450s (CYPs) and phytanoyl-CoA dioxygenase (Phyh) were novel candidate genes due to their high correlation with hub genes involved in cantharidin biosynthesis. Metabolome profiling identified the key cantharidin precursor isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP). The results of integrated analysis revealed that 49 and 11 genes interact with IPP and cantharidin, respectively. Correlation analysis showed that EcCYP6BK33, EcCYP4TT1, and EcPhyh were positively and significantly correlated with cantharidin. Furthermore, knockdown of EcCYP4TT1 and EcPhyh led to significant reductions of cantharidin synthesis; however, RNA interference of EcCYP6BK33 had no significant influence on cantharidin synthesis. These results indicate the importance of fat body in cantharidin biosynthesis. Together, our results also reveal a series of candidate genes for cantharidin biosynthesis, and generated transcriptome and metabolome data as well as a gene regulatory network, which are valuable resources for future characterization of cantharidin biosynthesis in blister beetles.</p>","PeriodicalId":13618,"journal":{"name":"Insect Science","volume":" ","pages":"1426-1446"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13441048/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144316842","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}