{"title":"Metabolization of the two most abundant polysaccharides, cellulose and chitin, by an extreme generalist insect, the American cockroach","authors":"Yechzkel Trablsi , Eran Levin , Sofia Bouchebti","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104880","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104880","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cellulose and chitin are the two most abundant polysaccharides on Earth. To digest these structural carbohydrates, herbivorous and omnivorous insects typically rely on cellulases, while insectivorous species often express chitinases. The American cockroach (<em>Periplaneta americana</em>), an extreme generalist omnivore, is known to thrive on a variety of diets. However, little is known about its ability to metabolize structural polysaccharides such as cellulose and chitin. In this study, we fed cockroaches <sup>13</sup>C-labeled cellulose and chitin to assess their metabolic capacity and the tissue-level allocation of these polysaccharides across sexes and life stages. Our results show that <em>P. americana</em> metabolized chitin at a significantly higher rate than cellulose and incorporated only chitin-derived carbon into body tissues, with clear sex- and life stage-specific patterns: nymphs allocated more chitin-derived carbon to their muscles, while females incorporated more into the fat body and reproductive tissues.</div><div>These results provide in vivo evidence of <em>P. americana</em>’s capacity to metabolize both cellulose and chitin but also reveal a strong preference for chitin utilization under carbohydrate-rich conditions. This study contributes to our understanding of nutrient allocation strategies in generalist insects and offers evolutionary insight into the digestive capabilities of Blattodea, shedding light on their adaptive strategies for utilizing a wide range of dietary materials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"166 ","pages":"Article 104880"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145005155","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}
Nathalia R. Moreira, Christiane Cardoso, Renata O. Dias, Clelia Ferreira, Walter R. Terra
{"title":"Corrigendum to “A physiologically-oriented transcriptomic analysis of the midgut of Tenebrio molitor”. [J. Insect Physiol. 99 (2017) 58–66]","authors":"Nathalia R. Moreira, Christiane Cardoso, Renata O. Dias, Clelia Ferreira, Walter R. Terra","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104854","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104854","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"165 ","pages":"Article 104854"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144649688","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}
Anam Noreen Abbas , Mubashir Tariq , Faisal Munir , Uroosa Zaheer , Ibrahim Adam , Muhammad Asad , Guang Yang
{"title":"Roles of Fox gene in the development and reproduction of diamondback moth","authors":"Anam Noreen Abbas , Mubashir Tariq , Faisal Munir , Uroosa Zaheer , Ibrahim Adam , Muhammad Asad , Guang Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104868","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104868","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The forkhead box (Fox) family of transcription factors is essential for controlling physiological functions, metabolism and development in insects. However, the role of the Fox gene in the diamondback moth, <em>Plutella xylostella</em>, a major agricultural pest of cruciferous crops, is still unknown. The purpose of this work was to characterize the <em>PxFox1</em> gene and investigate its role in the reproduction and development of <em>P. xylostella</em>. The <em>Fox</em> gene in <em>P. xylostella (PxFox1</em>) is identified from the <em>P. xylostella</em> genome. The <em>Fox</em> gene was conserved in lepidoptera with the presence of Forkhead domain. <em>PxFox1</em> was expressed in different developmental stages and tissues of <em>P. xylostella</em>, highly in the female adult and integument. The <em>PxFox1</em> knockout mutants were generated by using the CRISPR/Cas9 technique. The significant reduction in the number of eggs and hatching rate was observed in mutants as compared with the wild-type. Meanwhile, an extended larval duration, shortened pupal phase, and reduced adult lifespan were observed in the mutants. Furthermore, <em>PxFox1</em> mutants displayed significant phenotypic abnormalities such as malformed wings, irregular body segmentation, and reduced body size, highlighting the gene’s essential role in the morphological development. These results showed that <em>PxFox1</em> is necessary for <em>P. xylostella</em> development, survival, and reproduction. Targeting <em>PxFox1</em> could provide a potential genetic pest control strategy for managing <em>P. xylostella</em> populations, offering new insights into insect gene regulation for sustainable pest management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"165 ","pages":"Article 104868"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144912428","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}
Aleksandr V. Zhuravlev, Oleg V. Vetrovoy, Sofiya Potapova, Elena V. Savvateeva-Popova
{"title":"Redox processes in male Drosophila with the cd1 mutation","authors":"Aleksandr V. Zhuravlev, Oleg V. Vetrovoy, Sofiya Potapova, Elena V. Savvateeva-Popova","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104871","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104871","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The <em>Drosophila melanogaster cardinal</em> mutant (<em>cd<sup>1</sup></em>) is characterized by a deletion in the gene for phenoxazinone synthase (PHS), which converts 3-hydroxykynurenine (3HOK) to the screening eye pigment xanthommatin (XAN). This results in altered locomotor activity and loss of long-term memory, as well as in age-related loss of middle-term memory, distortion of courtship song, and heat-induced apoptosis in the brain. Hence, <em>cd<sup>1</sup></em> can be considered as a model of senile memory impairment and neurodegeneration. Its behavioral disturbances are believed to be a result of elevated levels of 3HOK, which can induce oxidative stress and neuronal apoptosis. However, 3HOK can also act as an antioxidant. In this study, we measured age-related changes in hydrogen peroxide levels and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in <em>cd<sup>1</sup></em> males. Surprisingly, both young and old <em>cd<sup>1</sup></em> had lower level of hydrogen peroxide compared to the wild-type strain <em>Canton-S</em> (<em>CS</em>). No interstrain differences in SOD activity were observed, but it was reduced in <em>cd<sup>1</sup></em> compared to <em>CS</em> after hypomagnetic conditioning (HMC). Mean levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the brain of young and old flies showed no significant interstrain differences. Transcription activity of the catalase (<em>Cat</em>) and <em>Sod1</em> genes was reduced in young <em>cd<sup>1</sup></em>, whereas <em>Cat</em> expression was increased in old <em>cd<sup>1</sup></em>. Thus, the PHS dysfunction and the increase in 3HOK in <em>cd<sup>1</sup></em> do not result in increased hydrogen peroxide levels. Activation of <em>Cat</em> expression in old <em>cd<sup>1</sup></em> may compensate for the development of oxidative stress.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"165 ","pages":"Article 104871"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144907273","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}
Álvaro Hernández-Rivera , Ramsés Chávez-Ríos , Wesley Dáttilo , Andrea Esquivel‐Román , Francisco Castelán , Bibiana Montoya , Daniel González-Tokman
{"title":"Stress response of the honey bee exposed to warming, starvation and neonicotinoids","authors":"Álvaro Hernández-Rivera , Ramsés Chávez-Ríos , Wesley Dáttilo , Andrea Esquivel‐Román , Francisco Castelán , Bibiana Montoya , Daniel González-Tokman","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104870","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104870","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Honey bees are the world’s most important crop pollinators, but their populations have recently shown significant declines, likely due to multiple stressors. Bees and other insects rely on heat shock proteins (HSP) and antioxidant defense systems to buffer against potentially noxious effects coming from challenges such as rising temperatures, starvation, and pesticide exposure. Nevertheless, our understanding of how combined stressors impact honey bee physiology, and the extent to which HSPs and antioxidants can protect against biomolecular damage, remains incomplete. In our study, we examined the isolated and combined effects of three stressors (temperature increase, starvation, and exposure to the neonicotinoid insecticide imidacloprid at two realistic doses) on HSP levels, total antioxidant capacity, and antioxidant protective effect against lipid oxidative damage in <em>Apis mellifera ligustica</em>, using a full factorial experimental design. We found a positive relationship between lipid peroxidation and total antioxidant capacity throughout all conditions tested, indicating a limited capacity of antioxidants to protect against oxidative damage. Moreover, when bees were exposed to starvation or increased temperature alone, the antioxidant protective effect against lipid peroxidation was improved, but when both stressors were present together such an antioxidant protective effect was reduced, suggesting an antagonist effect of combined exposure to heat and starvation. These findings provide evidence that exposure to multiple stressors may produce sublethal effects by overwhelming antioxidant defenses. We discuss potential implications of these results for the management of honey bee colonies, particularly in the context of global environmental change, to ensure the health of honey bees and protect the essential ecosystem services they provide.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"165 ","pages":"Article 104870"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144912425","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}
Lucia Calbacho-Rosa , Mónica Cunningham , Franco Cargnelutti , Carlos Fernando García , Alfredo V. Peretti
{"title":"Reproductive investment in spiders: how female condition and oviposition timing influence egg sac quality","authors":"Lucia Calbacho-Rosa , Mónica Cunningham , Franco Cargnelutti , Carlos Fernando García , Alfredo V. Peretti","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104869","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104869","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Maternal condition and environmental factors can strongly influence reproductive investment and offspring quality. We investigated how female body condition and oviposition timing (first versus second half of the reproductive season) affect egg sac characteristics and biochemical composition in the spider <em>Holocnemus pluchei</em>. We analyzed egg sac weight, egg number, and the characterization and concentration of proteins, lipids, and fatty acids in postvitellogenic females and their egg sacs. Females in good condition produced heavier egg sacs with more eggs, particularly when oviposition occurred early in the season. Total protein concentrations in egg sacs and females remained constant across groups, although hemocyanin levels varied without a clear association with condition or timing. Lipid analysis revealed greater investment in early-season reproduction, with females allocating approximately 52% of their lipid reserves to eggs. Notably, females in poor condition during the second half of the season exhibited the lowest total lipid levels. Fatty acid profiles indicated limited seasonal or condition-dependent changes, suggesting stable prey types throughout the season but reduced prey quantity later in the reproductive period. Our results highlight how both maternal condition and oviposition timing shape reproductive strategies and resource allocation in <em>H. pluchei</em>, with potential consequences for offspring survival and population dynamics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"165 ","pages":"Article 104869"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144903109","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":"Fat bodies responsible for the degradation of encapsulated foreign substances in the body cavity of Mythimna separata larvae","authors":"Tomomi Sawa , Yuki Okumura , Toshiharu Tanaka , Yutaka Nakamatsu","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104867","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104867","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the immune systems of insects, the fat body synthesizes most of the immune proteins found in the hemolymph. We investigated a novel role for the fat body in immune processing of encapsulated parasitoid larvae using fat bodies from <em>Mythimna separata</em> (Ms) larvae. When first instar larvae of <em>Cotesia kariyai</em> (Ck) were transplanted into Ms larvae, time-dependent melanization and encapsulation occurred, and the surface area of Ck larvae began to decrease 24 h post-transplantation. Histological analysis revealed physical contact between encapsulated Ck larvae and the fat body of the host. In vitro co-culture experiments showed that the size of Ck larvae decreased significantly when incubated with fat bodies, and this effect could be inhibited by leupeptin, a serine protease inhibitor. Immunofluorescence staining detected the presence of trypsin in the fat body, and qPCR analysis demonstrated upregulation of trypsin mRNA following co-culture. These findings suggest that at least Ms fat bodies are involved in the enzymatic degradation of encapsulated foreign substances via trypsin expression and secretion, and highlight a novel effector function of insect fat bodies in the later stages of innate immune defense.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"165 ","pages":"Article 104867"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144862282","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":"Effects of parental photoperiod and elevation on egg diapause, mortality, and synchronous hatching of Mormon crickets Anabrus simplex","authors":"Robert B. Srygley","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104866","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104866","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Some katydid species remain in the egg stage for multiple years in prolonged diapause. Because the egg has yet to develop a nervous system, the parental generation is believed to play a large role in determining the duration of egg diapause through adult photoperiod and selection of the egg laying environment. However, little evidence exists that compares the relative influences of parental photoperiod and the egg environment on diapause. I investigated the relative effects of parental photoperiod and egg environment on diapause by burying two sets of Mormon cricket <em>Anabrus simplex</em> eggs, one from long-day parents and the other from short-day parents, at seven sites on an elevational gradient (1200–2800 m). As predicted, the effect of parental photoperiod on the diapause duration of the offspring was more pronounced at lower elevations than at high elevation sites. Contrary to results from a laboratory experiment, offspring of short-day parents developed faster. The field experiment confirmed that for Mormon crickets, parental photoperiod is a soft cue for prolonged diapause, especially when compared with the effects of the environment on egg diapause. Median hatching time ranged from two to eight years, depending on the elevation and microhabitat. Soil temperature was a critical factor in determining the persistence of Mormon cricket eggs in egg banks. Moreover, mortality was greater for the short-day photoperiod, particularly at higher elevations where the eggs were in the soil longer. At high elevation sites, the season for embryonic development is short and embryonic growth can only occur when the soil heats up during the day. Hence, multi-year diapause and slow embryonic development is a natural consequence of temperatures at high elevation. Mountains and canyons provide a patchy thermal environment where multiple generations of eggs are likely to be banked in the soil by which favorable environmental conditions can lead to developmental synchronization, hatching, and outbreaks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"165 ","pages":"Article 104866"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144766789","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":"Comparison of electrophysiological and behavioral responses of tephritid (Diptera: Tephritidae) pests to cucurbit host odors","authors":"Yoseph Baraki , Yitbarek Woldehawariat , Teun Dekker , Tibebe Dejene Biasazin","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104865","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104865","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Developing species-specific lures for female tephritid fruit flies is crucial for sustainable pest management, yet remains a significant challenge. This study aimed to identify potential attractants for <em>Zeugodacus cucurbitae</em>, a major pest on cucurbit crops, by comparing the olfactory responses of females to host plant volatiles with those of two related fruit-infesting species, <em>Bactrocera dorsalis</em> and <em>Ceratitis capitata</em>. Using gas chromatography coupled electroantennogram detection (GC-EAD) and GC-mass spectrometry (GC–MS), we identified 28 antenna-active compounds from flowers and fruits of <em>Cucumis sativus</em> L., <em>Cucurbita pepo</em> L., and <em>Cucurbita mixta</em> L. While eight compounds elicited responses in all three tephritid species, indicating shared olfactory sensitivity, <em>B. dorsalis</em> and <em>C. capitata</em> detected a broader range of volatiles than <em>Z. cucurbitae</em>. Behavioral assays in a six-choice olfactometer demonstrated that synthetic blends based on cucurbit host odors attracted females of all three species. These findings suggest that, while there is some overlap in host odor perception, subtle differences exist that could be exploited for species-specific lure development. Further optimization and field testing of these promising blends are recommended to enhance targeted pest management strategies for <em>Z. cucurbitae</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"165 ","pages":"Article 104865"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-08-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144757759","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}
Tomáš Štětina , Lukáš Kučera , Martin Moos , Jan Rozsypal , Vladimír Koštál
{"title":"Pitfalls in insect cryoprotectant functional studies: A case study of myo-inositol in Drosopila lummei","authors":"Tomáš Štětina , Lukáš Kučera , Martin Moos , Jan Rozsypal , Vladimír Koštál","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104864","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104864","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The correlation between the accumulation of a potentially cryoprotective substance and the increase in cold hardiness has been documented in many cold-acclimated insects. Nevertheless, the literature offers scant direct evidence for the cryoprotective function of the accumulated substances. Here, we sought to obtain direct evidence of non-colligative cryoprotective function of <em>myo</em>-inositol in adults of boreal fly, <em>Drosophila lummei</em>. The diapause flies accumulated <em>myo</em>-inositol in concentration of up to 500 mmol·kg<sup>−1</sup> fresh mass during several weeks of gradual cold acclimation simulating winter onset. Concurrently, their cold hardiness, measured by five different metrics, substantially increased. We found that the primary source of <em>myo</em>-inositol is glycogen breakdown to glucose units, followed by their subsequent conversion through the activity of <em>myo</em>-inositol phosphate synthase, which is encoded by the <em>Inos</em> gene. The relative expression of <em>Inos</em> increased 86-fold during cold acclimation. We successfully augmented the levels of <em>myo</em>-inositol in the bodies of pre-acclimated flies, achieving levels comparable to those attained through cold acclimation. However, the study demonstrated that both methods of exogenous <em>myo</em>-inositol delivery (microinjection into the hemolymph and feeding enriched diets) were unsuccessful in achieving proper tissue localization of <em>myo</em>-inositol, which naturally accumulates primarily in the thoracic flight muscles and CNS. At the same time, the artificial increase in <em>myo</em>-inositol concentration did not affect any of the five measured cold hardiness metrics. We conclude by discussing various pitfalls of functional studies of insect cryoprotectants and identify ways to overcome them.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"165 ","pages":"Article 104864"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144757758","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}