Journal of insect physiology最新文献

{"title":"Timing of starvation determines its effects on susceptibility to bacterial infection in female fruit flies independent of host evolutionary history","authors":"Aabeer Basu ,&nbsp;Aparajita Singh,&nbsp;Nagaraj Guru Prasad","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104794","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104794","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>An organism’s susceptibility to pathogens is contingent on various environmental factors, including the availability of nutrition. Starvation can alter host susceptibility to infections, either directly via depletion of resources essential for proper functioning of the immune system, or indirectly via the various physiological changes it induces within the host body. We tested if the susceptibility of <em>Drosophila melanogaster</em> populations to <em>Enterococcus faecalis</em> infection is interactively affected by (a) whether the hosts are starved before or after the infection, and (b) the evolutionary history of the host. Hosts from laboratory fly populations that have been experimentally evolved to be more resistant to <em>E. faecalis</em>, and their corresponding control populations, were subjected to infection with or without being starved prior to and after being infected. We found that the effect of starvation on susceptibility to <em>E. faecalis</em> changed with the timing of starvation: starvation after infection improved survival of infected hosts, irrespective of how they were treated before infection, while starving only prior to infection (and not after) compromised post-infection survival. The changes in infection susceptibility were uniform in both the evolved and the control populations, suggesting that the effects of starvation are not dependent on pre-existing resistance to the infecting pathogen.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"162 ","pages":"Article 104794"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143649124","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":"LmCHS1 mediates pro-nymphal cuticle formation in Locusta migratoria embryogenesis","authors":"Yanjun Huo ,&nbsp;Qing Dong ,&nbsp;Xiaojian Liu ,&nbsp;Jianzhen Zhang ,&nbsp;Xueyao Zhang ,&nbsp;Min Zhang ,&nbsp;Tingting Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104792","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104792","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The pro-nymphal cuticle, serving as a protective structure that facilitates environmental adaptation, is critical for insect embryonic development. However, the mechanisms governing its formation remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the important role of chitin synthase (LmCHS1) in the formation of the pro-nymphal cuticle during embryonic development in <em>Locusta migratoria</em>. The pro-nymphal cuticle begins to form in 8-day-old embryos (E8) and undergoes degradation by E12, coinciding with the preparatory phase (E13-E14) for hatching of the first-instar nymph. Spatiotemporal expression analysis indicated that <em>LmCHS1</em> mRNA levels are elevated before cuticle formation, with protein localization peaking at the plasma membrane during active chitin synthesis (E8-E11). Targeting <em>LmCHS1</em> through embryonic RNA interference (RNAi) resulted in developmental failures during late embryogenesis. Additionally, ultrastructural analysis confirmed that silencing <em>LmCHS1</em> disrupts the normal chitin structure in the pro-nymphal cuticle. Further investigation into the ecological function of <em>LmCHS1</em> in adapting the pro-nymphal cuticle to dry environments revealed that the tolerance of embryo to various dry conditions is significantly reduced after konckdown of <em>LmCHS1</em>. In summary, these findings highlight the essential role of chitin synthase in the formation of the pro-nymphal cuticle in locust embryos, underscoring its importance in embryonic development and adaptation to environmental challenges like desiccation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"162 ","pages":"Article 104792"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143619532","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":"Differential regulation of reproduction and molting by juvenile hormone in aphids","authors":"Haolin Li ,&nbsp;Xue Kong ,&nbsp;Dongyu Yang ,&nbsp;Yan Fang ,&nbsp;Han Yang ,&nbsp;Wenjie Zhang ,&nbsp;Jiguang Wei ,&nbsp;Xuesheng Li","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104791","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104791","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Insects rely on juvenile hormones to regulate various physiological processes, including reproduction and molting; currently eight forms of this hormone are known. In most insects, only JH Ⅲ is synthesized. Meanwhile, aphids produce JH Ⅲ and JH Ⅲ skipped bisepoxide (JHSB₃). However, it remains unclear whether these compounds play distinct roles in functional regulation. In this study, we demonstrated that the tested concentrations of JH Ⅲ effectively increased the number of aphid offspring, whereas high concentrations of JHSB₃ affected the molting process. Drip experiments showed that 10 mg/L JH Ⅲ increased the number of offspring from 39.38 ± 8.03 to 56.50 ± 13.17, whereas 10 mg/L JHSB₃ resulted in a 60.00 %± 5.77 % failure rate in molting before adulthood. Transcriptomic analysis also revealed that in the JH Ⅲ treatment group, 9 genes and 7 pathways associated with reproduction were expressed, but not genes or pathways associated with molting. In addition, 16 genes and 9 pathways associated with molting as well as 5 genes and 4 pathways associated with reproduction were identified in the JHSB₃ treatment group. JH Ⅲ promotes reproduction in aphids by enhancing <em>Vg</em> expression, whereas JHSB₃ affects molting by inhibiting the synthesis of molting hormone–related enzymes. The results indicate that JH Ⅲ and JHSB₃ exhibit diverse functions in <em>Aphis craccivora</em>. The findings have significant implications for further studies on the physiological functions of different JHs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"162 ","pages":"Article 104791"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143567399","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":"AaHR78 mediates the effects of 20E on growth and reproduction in Aedes aegypti","authors":"Yaneng Huang ,&nbsp;Xue Gong ,&nbsp;Lingling Yu ,&nbsp;Yanan Yin ,&nbsp;Yuqi Huang ,&nbsp;Mingtian Jiang ,&nbsp;Qian Han ,&nbsp;Chenghong Liao","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104790","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104790","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nuclear receptors are critical components of various physiological pathways, significantly influencing insect signal transduction. Although the role of HR78 in tracheal and nervous system development has been well-studied, its function during transformation and reproduction remains underexplored. This study characterizes the nuclear receptor gene <em>AaHR78</em> in <em>Aedes aegypti</em>, which possesses distinct sequence features, including a DNA-binding domain and a ligand-binding domain. <em>AaHR78</em> spans 3117 base pairs with an open reading frame (ORF) of 1892 base pairs. Temporal and spatial transcription abundance analysis revealed that <em>AaHR78</em> is predominantly expressed during the pupal stage, peaking at the white pupal phase. Notable transcription abundance levels were detected in the ovaries, thoraxes, and heads of female mosquitoes. Using RNA interference (RNAi) in <em>Ae. aegypti</em> larvae and adults, we investigated the functional role of <em>AaHR78</em>. Larval interference experiments demonstrated that <em>AaHR78</em> knockdown disrupted genes associated with the 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) synthesis and signaling pathways, resulting in elevated 20E levels and accelerated pupation. In adult females, <em>AaHR78</em> knockdown impaired ovarian development by reducing systemic 20E levels, subsequently decreasing egg production. Furthermore, our results confirm that 20E can directly induce <em>AaHR78</em> transcription abundance. In conclusion, <em>AaHR78</em> plays a pivotal role in mediating the effects of 20E on larval development and adult reproduction in <em>Ae. aegypti</em>. These findings provide valuable insights into the <em>AaHR78</em>-20E regulatory network and its potential as a molecular target for mosquito control strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"162 ","pages":"Article 104790"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143529766","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":"Reviewing the female accessory glands of insects: Where they come from, what they do, and where they are going","authors":"Iago Bueno da Silva ,&nbsp;Ana Maria Costa-Leonardo","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104780","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104780","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Female accessory glands (AGs) are structures associated with the reproductive system of many arthropods. In insects, the glands are mostly related to oviposition by secreting egg coatings and adhesives. Nevertheless, the AGs are versatile concerning their function, and show a high diversity of chemical compounds. Here we aim to review the AGs in insects, highlighting their distribution among the orders, origins, location, chemical nature of the secretions, development, endocrine control, and morphological features. We also propose dividing the glands into epidermal and mesodermal, according to their origin, avoiding the general term “accessory gland” to refer to non-homologous structures. The main functions of the AGs are: I) secretion of the egg coverings, adhesive, and lubricant, II) oviposition pheromones, III) egg fertilization, IV) antibiotic activity, V) nutrient production, VI) anti-desiccation/thermal tolerance. We also discuss the Dufour’s and venom glands of Hymenoptera and, based on recent studies, argue that they are not homologous to the AGs of other insects. Given the vast diversity of insect species and reproductive mechanisms, it is quite plausible that unknown functions of the AGs remain to be explored. Finally, the potential use of the glands as targets to control disease vectors, crop pests, and food supply is discussed. We expect our study to guide researchers interested in the function of AGs and how they evolved in the different insect groups.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"161 ","pages":"Article 104780"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143419494","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 flavouring agent, 2-octenoic acid kills Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) by affecting their immunocompetent cells and cuticular FFA profiles","authors":"Agata Kaczmarek ,&nbsp;Mieczysława Irena Boguś","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104779","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104779","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the effects of the naturally occurring flavouring agent, <em>trans</em>-2-octenoic acid, on the insect model <em>Galleria mellonella</em> by examining its impact on immunocompetent cells and free fatty acid (FFA) profiles in the cuticle. The value of LD50 for 2-octenoic acid has been calculated as 9.66 µg/mg of insect body mass, this value is outside the GHS scale, indicating that the compound is unlikely to cause acute toxicity after dermal application and is safe for humans and mammals. The<!--> <!-->treatment with 2-octenoic acid caused several changes in the insect defence mechanismes, <em>viz.</em> changes in cuticular FFA profiles and death of immunocompetent cells. In larvae, topical treatment of 2-octenoic acid increased the concentration of cuticular FFAs, particularly C6:0 (245 times higher), C15:0 (110 times higher), and C16:1 (1608 times higher), and 2-octenoic acid (C8:1) accumulated significantly on the surface of the cuticle. In adults, treatment resulted in lower cuticular C8:1concentrations than in larvae, which might indicate that 2-octenoic acid penetrates more effectively through the adult cuticle. The 2-octenoic acid application demonstrated considerable cytotoxicity against insect cell line Sf9 and <em>G. mellonella</em> hemocytes, with both <em>in vivo</em> and <em>in vitro</em> treatment. Our findings contribute to the broader understanding of how synthetic and naturally occurring chemicals may interact with the immune and physiological systems of insects, particularly focusing on <em>G. mellonella</em> as a model organism for toxicological studies. Given the increasing interest in the ecological and physiological impacts of food additives, our research provides novel insights into the biological interactions of 2-octenoic acid and its potential role as an insecticide.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"161 ","pages":"Article 104779"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143395532","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":"Editorial 2025: Changes and the future of JIP","authors":"John S. Terblanche ,&nbsp;H. Arthur Woods","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104772","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104772","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"161 ","pages":"Article 104772"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143408676","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":"Trends and emerging hotspots in RNAi-based arthropod pest control: A comprehensive bibliometric analysis","authors":"Wenbin Liu ,&nbsp;Xinyu Wang ,&nbsp;Anmo Zhou ,&nbsp;Junyu Zhang ,&nbsp;Xinyu Ge ,&nbsp;Bernard Moussian ,&nbsp;Chuncai Yan ,&nbsp;Shaobo Gao ,&nbsp;Yiwen Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104754","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104754","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>RNA interference (RNAi)-based pest control has emerged as a cutting-edge and highly promising approach in pest control, especially for insect pests, due to its advantages of reduced environmental risk, degradability, and good selectivity. This study provides a bibliometric analysis of RNAi-based pest control, evaluating the global scientific output in this field from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) and PubMed. From 2007, when the first RNAi-based Arthropod pest control strategy suited for field application was published, to August 2024, 722 English research articles were identified, focusing only on dsRNA delivery modes including feeding, soaking, and spraying, which hold high potential for field application. Articles examining gene function and potential targets by dsRNA injection were excluded. The 722 eligible articles were published in 132 journals by 3112 authors from 563 institutions in fifty countries. Over these 17 years, the number of publications on RNAi-based pest control has shown a trend of accelerating growth. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE published the most articles, followed by PESTICIDE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY, SCIENTIFIC REPORTS. China produced most articles, followed by the United States. However, China is significantly behind the United States in developing commercial products in this field. Hot target insects in RNAi-based pest control research included <em>Bemisia tabaci</em>, <em>Helicoverpa armigera</em>, <em>Aphis gossypii</em> Glover, <em>Leptinotarsa decemlineata</em>, and <em>Diabrotica virgifera virgifera</em>. Frequently studied target genes included <em>vATPaseA</em>, <em>CHS1</em>, <em>SNF7</em>, <em>EcR</em> and <em>β-actin</em>, ect. In recent years, various advanced technologies for dsRNA delivery have been developed and utilized in RNAi-based pest control system, including nanoparticle-enabled, symbiont-mediated, and plant-mediated deliveries. This study represents the first comprehensive analysis based on bibliometric methods, aiming to investigate the forefront hotspots and research trends of RNAi-based pest control, providing valuable references for researchers and developers in this field.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"161 ","pages":"Article 104754"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143378117","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":"Timing of the co-activation of antagonist muscles affects foreleg movements during mantis strikes","authors":"Sho Ogawa,&nbsp;Yoshifumi Yamawaki","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104753","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104753","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The foreleg movements during mantis strikes can be determined by three joint angles: the prothorax–coxa (P–C), coxa–trochanter (C–T), and femur–tibia (F–T). To understand how foreleg movements are controlled by muscle activities in the Chinese mantis, we combined motion analysis with electromyogram (EMG) recordings from three antagonist pairs, one at a time: the coxal promotor and remotor in the P–C joint, the trochanteral extensor and flexor in the C–T joint, and the tibial extensor and flexor in the F–T joint. During the P–C joint angle increase, a burst of spikes was observed in the EMG recordings from the coxal promotor. The promotor burst was accompanied by a burst of spikes in the coxal remotor. Co-activation of antagonist muscles, the extensor and flexor, was also observed at the C–T joint, but not at the F–T joint. The burst duration of the promotor or extensor mainly determined the peak angle of the P–C, C–T, and F–T joints. Co-activation of antagonists observed during P–C and C–T joint angle increases likely plays a role in adjusting the peak joint angle; the peak joint angle became smaller as remotor (or flexor) bursts occurred earlier. Variation in the timing of antagonist bursts may finely regulate the peak joint angle.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"161 ","pages":"Article 104753"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143391023","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":"Plastic responses in sperm expenditure to sperm competition risk in black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens, Diptera) males","authors":"Frédéric Manas,&nbsp;Carole Labrousse,&nbsp;Christophe Bressac","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104751","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104751","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In polyandrous species, competition between males for offspring paternity goes on after copulation through the competition of their ejaculates for the fertilisation of the female’s oocytes. Given that males allocating more spermatozoa often have greater fertilisation success, different models of sperm competition predict adaptive plasticity in male sperm production and allocation. These predictions were tested experimentally in the black soldier fly (BSF) <em>Hermetia illucens</em>. In this farmed insect, adult biology is little known despite the economic interest of larvae for bioconversion, and as authorized feedstuff. In lab conditions, two sets of experiments were carried out to modify the risk of sperm competition perceived by males. The first consisted of placing adult males alone or in groups of 10 – modifying the mean risk of sperm competition – and then measuring their sperm production. The second took place at the beginning of copulation; pairs with males from the two treatments were transferred to different contexts of immediate risk of sperm competition: empty cages, cages containing 10 males, or cages containing 10 females. In all cases, spermatozoa transferred to mated females were counted. Males reared in groups of 10 showed more spermatozoa in their seminal vesicles than males reared alone. Regarding sperm allocation, females that mated in the presence of conspecifics – either 10 males or 10 females – received more spermatozoa than those that mated in isolation. In BSF, sperm production and allocation are influenced by the risk of sperm competition, demonstrating reproductive plasticity in response to socio-sexual conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"161 ","pages":"Article 104751"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143074786","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}