Journal of insect physiology最新文献

{"title":"Feeding site selection in Rhodnius prolixus nymphs, American trypanosomiasis vector","authors":"Lucas Silva Azeredo ,&nbsp;Marcos Horácio Pereira ,&nbsp;Alessandra Aparecida Guarneri","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2026.104960","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2026.104960","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Thermal cues are fundamental for host-seeking in kissing bugs, primary vectors of American trypanosomiasis. Host surface temperature may reflect underlying vascular richness, potentially guiding feeding site selection. In this study, we investigated whether <em>Rhodnius prolixus</em> nymphs preferentially select specific regions of a mammalian host and whether local skin temperature influences this choice. Nymphs from first to fifth instars were allowed to feed on anesthetized mice, and insect densities were recorded across distinct body regions (head, lateral abdomen, paws and tail). Mouse body temperature was recorded using a thermal imaging camera and analyzed with generalized linear and mixed-effects models. Nymphs of all instars distributed across the host body but consistently preferred the paws, particularly in early instars. Local skin temperature was associated with attachment rates, with each 1 °C increase associated with a 9% rise in insect density. Thermographic analyses revealed that mice exposed to feeding nymphs exhibited greater temperature declines in the paws and tail, suggesting localized effects of blood extraction on heat distribution. Together, these results indicate that <em>R. prolixus</em> nymphs integrate physical accessibility and thermal cues when selecting feeding sites, a behavior that may optimize blood acquisition under natural conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"169 ","pages":"Article 104960"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147306764","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":"Mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit Ⅳ supports CncC-mediated detoxification genes to confer dimefluthrin resistance in Aedes albopictus","authors":"Xiangrong Zhou ,&nbsp;Lulu Ma ,&nbsp;Qi Xu ,&nbsp;Yizhi Dong ,&nbsp;Dingxin Jiang","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2026.104940","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2026.104940","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Insecticide detoxification in mosquitoes involves multiple metabolic enzymes. The transcription factor <em>CncC</em> participates in insecticide detoxification, while its role in dimefluthrin resistance of <em>Aedes albopictus</em> remains undefined. Building on previous findings of <em>COX1</em> and <em>ND4</em> overexpression associated ROS bursts in resistant strains, we found that <em>AalND4</em> exhibited eleven amino acid mutations in the resistant strains, postulated to induce mitochondrial ROS overproduction and activated the CncC pathway. RNAi-mediated knockdown of <em>AalND4</em> suppressed <em>AalCncC</em>, GSTs, and ABCs expression, and reduced activities of GST enzymes as well as CYP450s protein and ABCs transporter abundance. Correspondingly, silencing <em>AalCncC</em> downregulated CYP450s, GSTs, and ABCs expression and restored dimefluthrin sensitivity. Our results demonstrate that <em>AalND4</em> and <em>AalCncC</em> are essential for dimefluthrin resistance, likely through a mechanism where mutation-induced ROS bursts activate the CncC-mediated detoxification program. This study completes the delineation of the mitochondrial ROS-<em>AalAMPKα</em>-<em>AalCncC-</em>detoxification enzyme pathway underlying resistance development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"169 ","pages":"Article 104940"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145989685","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":"Proteomic changes associated with the initiation and termination of aestivation in the cabbage stem flea beetle","authors":"Gözde Güney ,&nbsp;Doga Cedden ,&nbsp;Stefan Scholten ,&nbsp;Michael Rostás","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2026.104955","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2026.104955","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The cabbage stem flea beetle (CSFB<em>, Psylliodes chrysocephala</em>) is a major pest of oilseed rape crops and exhibits obligatory adult aestivation that coincides with the summer season. The aestivation in CSFB is characterized by metabolic suppression, cessation of feeding, and reproductive activities. Previous investigations have employed RNA-seq to explore gene expression changes associated with aestivation, providing initial insights into the molecular pathways. However, studies assessing proteomic changes during aestivation in this species and insects more broadly have been lacking. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive quantitative proteomic analysis of adult CSFB at four time points: aestivation preparatory phase (pre-aestivation, day 5), early (day 15) and late (day 30) aestivation maintenance, and post-aestivation (day 55), to investigate proteomic changes associated with aestivation. We found that proteins related to the central dogma decreased in abundance, and metabolism-related proteins were altered during the initiation of aestivation. The proteomic changes during aestivation were minor and included a reduction in mitochondrial proteins. Notably, the proteolysis-related proteins were enriched at the termination of aestivation. Interestingly, we observed discrepancies between our previous RNA-seq results and the proteomic data, particularly in the genes that increased in abundance during aestivation compared to post-aestivation. This highlights the importance of proteomic analysis for a more complete understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying aestivation. Body composition measurements showed that TAG and chitin levels peaked, while ATP and glucose got depleted during aestivation, following the changes in proteins belonging to different biological pathways.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"169 ","pages":"Article 104955"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147271243","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":"Insect polyploid adaptation for cell number and size varies in longstanding versus neopolyploid lines of the wasp Nasonia vitripennis","authors":"Saminathan Sivaprakasham Murugesan ,&nbsp;Kelley Leung ,&nbsp;Keita Yamaguchi ,&nbsp;Emei Thompson ,&nbsp;Leo W. Beukeboom ,&nbsp;Eveline C. Verhulst","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2026.104941","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2026.104941","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Polyploidisation (whole genome duplication) is pervasive in eukaryotic evolution but poses significant challenges. Longstanding polyploid lines may have specialised coping mechanisms, but neopolyploids must overcome immediate impediments. In particular, larger polyploid cells disrupt development and physiological function. Some vertebrate polyploids have larger but fewer cells (cell reduction); in invertebrates, such coping mechanisms are unstudied. Here we study polyploid cellular and morphological responses by comparing wings of a longstanding polyploid line (Whiting Polyploid Line, WPL) and neopolyploid lines of the wasp <em>Nasonia vitripennis</em>. As with all hymenopterans, in wasps males are haploid and females are diploid. Polyploids are diploid males and triploid females. We created neopolyploid lines with RNA interference of female development genes <em>transformer</em> (TRA) and <em>wasp-overruler-of-masculinisation</em> (WOM). We analysed differences in wing cell counts, wing surface area, and wing cell size between these polyploid lines. There were sex-specific and line differences, with female WPL exhibiting no difference in cell count between the diploids and triploids, whereas the neopolyploid lines had significantly reduced cell counts in triploids. In males, both the WPL and WOM neopolyploid line had lower cell counts in diploids than in haploids, with a less pronounced effect in the TRA neopolyploid line. Wing surface area and cell size also varied, with the longstanding WPL having greater similarity between polyploids and non-polyploids than the newly generated TRA and WOM lines. Variation in cellular size and reduction between polyploid lines suggests greater stabilization and a possible signature of re-diploidisation in the long-standing line compared to the neopolyploid lines. We discuss implications for polyploid adaptation and evolution, including effects on reproductive success.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"169 ","pages":"Article 104941"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146029942","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":"Transcriptome analysis of immune-related genes in Blaps rynchopetera Fairmaire in response to bacterial attack","authors":"Yahan Yang ,&nbsp;Yaoqiang Shi ,&nbsp;Qi Liu ,&nbsp;Chao Li ,&nbsp;Yuzhu Song","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2026.104938","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2026.104938","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Given the escalating global antibiotic resistance crisis, the discovery of novel agents with low resistance potential has become an urgent research priority to combat drug-resistant pathogens. <em>Blaps rynchopetera Fairmaire</em> (<em>B. rynchopetera</em>), a traditional medicinal and edible insect in Southwest China, has long been used in folk medicine for its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, detoxifying, and immunomodulatory properties. These characteristics highlight its potential as a valuable source of bioactive compounds, with antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) representing one important component of the insect innate immune repertoire. Insects rely on innate immunity to produce AMPs, which are currently recognized as one of the most promising alternatives to conventional antibiotics. In this study, the immune response of <em>B. rynchopetera</em> was activated through artificial infection with a mixed culture of <em>Escherichia coli</em> and <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em>, followed by transcriptomic profiling to identify genes involved in innate immune, particularly those encoding AMPs. The transcriptomic analysis identified 4,484 differentially expressed genes, including 3,289 upregulated and 1,195 downregulated genes. Among these, immune-related genes were significantly upregulated, including those encoding ubiquitin, proteases, AMPs, and immune recognition receptors. Furthermore, pathway enrichment analysis revealed 37 significantly enriched biological pathways, primarily associated with metabolic processes, biosynthesis, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, and antigen presentation. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that bacterial infection elicits a complex transcriptional immune response and provide a resource for identifying candidate immune-related genes, including AMPs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"169 ","pages":"Article 104938"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145989630","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 effects of temperature, urbanisation, and artificial light on phototaxis in eusocial and non-eusocial bees","authors":"Emma Webster ,&nbsp;Leslie Ng ,&nbsp;Kit Prendergast ,&nbsp;Scarlett R. Howard","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104927","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104927","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Climate change and urbanisation are major drivers of global insect pollinator decline. However, the combined effects of these stressors remain poorly understood, particularly in relation to pollinator behaviour. Understanding how these threats alter key foraging behaviours is critical for developing effective conservation and management strategies. Our study explores how temperature and urbanisation impact positive phototaxis (attraction and movement towards light) in native Australian non-eusocial bees, predominantly <em>Lasioglossum</em>, and the eusocial introduced European honeybee (<em>Apis mellifera</em>). The study was conducted in a large, urbanised city, characterised by a growing population and urban sprawl. Using bees collected from urban and natural sites across Greater Melbourne in Australia, we measured phototactic responses under varying temperatures (28 °C and 32 °C) towards narrowband ultraviolet (UV) light (simulating more ecologically relevant light) and artificial white light (simulating less ecologically relevant light). Our results revealed significant differences in phototactic behaviour between native bees and honeybees, with honeybees exhibiting faster responses under all conditions. Temperature significantly impacted phototaxis for honeybees, with the higher temperature resulting in slower phototaxis, but no significant effect was observed for native bees. We found that neither urbanisation nor light type had a significant effect on response time in either honeybee or native bees. This study contributes to our growing understanding of how anthropogenic disturbance may alter critical pollinator behaviours, which in turn, may impact ecosystem function as bees are keystone species in many environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"169 ","pages":"Article 104927"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145878441","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":"A cuticular protein mediates thermal and desiccation tolerance through dual regulation of barrier function and water homeostasis","authors":"Haiyin Su ,&nbsp;Guilei Hu ,&nbsp;Bingwei Chen ,&nbsp;Qing Hou ,&nbsp;Xin Miao ,&nbsp;Mengdi Shen ,&nbsp;Hang Xiao ,&nbsp;Tianpu Li ,&nbsp;Yuanyuan Liu ,&nbsp;Shijun You ,&nbsp;Gaoke Lei","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2026.104950","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2026.104950","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Environmental temperature and humidity fluctuations influence insect survival and adaptation, with relevance to both contemporary pest management and future climate scenarios. The cuticle, as the primary physical barrier against environmental stress, critically determines insect adaptive capacity. Here, we investigated the role of <em>PxPCP</em>, a pupal cuticular protein gene, in environmental adaptation of the diamondback moth <em>Plutella xylostella</em>, a globally distributed pest, using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing. <em>PxPCP</em> knockout significantly impaired developmental performance and reproductive capacity under high temperature while reducing tolerance to temperature extremes and desiccation stress. Mutants displayed increased cuticular permeability and, unexpectedly, elevated body water content under desiccation, indicating that <em>PxPCP</em> regulates active water homeostasis beyond forming passive physical barriers. Transcriptional analysis revealed that <em>PxPCP</em> deficiency triggered compensatory upregulation of cuticle-related genes, including chitin synthase and cuticular lipid metabolism enzymes; however, these transcriptional compensations failed to fully restore cuticular barrier function. Moreover, <em>PxPCP</em> deletion disrupted expression of water homeostasis-related genes, including downregulation of hygroreception sensors and diuretic hormone signaling components, coupled with dysregulated ion transport and osmoprotectant biosynthesis genes, providing molecular evidence for the observed systemic water balance dysfunction. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that PxPCP plays a pivotal role in environmental adaptation by regulating cuticle formation and water homeostasis, providing a molecular basis for understanding the persistent outbreak success of this pest under climate change. These findings offer novel insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying insect climate adaptation and identify a promising molecular target for developing climate-informed pest management strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"169 ","pages":"Article 104950"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146142579","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":"CRISPR/Cas9-mediated LmSerpin5 knockout causes midgut dysplasia and leads to embryonic lethality in Locusta migratoria","authors":"Lixia Ma ,&nbsp;Baiqi Wu ,&nbsp;Shujing Li ,&nbsp;Xueyao Zhang ,&nbsp;Xiaoming Zhao ,&nbsp;Jianzhen Zhang ,&nbsp;Ming Zhang ,&nbsp;Min Zhang ,&nbsp;Li Ma ,&nbsp;Caixia Guo ,&nbsp;Tingting Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104925","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104925","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Serpins play a crucial role in in various physiological processes of insects. Previous studies have suggested that Serpins regulated processes like egg diapause, melanization, and antimicrobial peptide synthesis in <em>Locusta migratoria</em>, but their overall functional characterization remains insufficient. In this study, the functions of <em>LmSerpin5</em> in regulating developmental processes and innate immunity were investigated via CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout. Homozygous <em>LmSerpin5</em> mutation caused complete embryonic lethality. By contrast, chimeric mutants showed elevated mortality during embryonic-to-first-instar nymph transition, though chitinous tissue development remained unaffected. Additionally, adult mutants exhibited no external malformations but displayed pathological changes in immune organs, including fat body cells with enlarged lipid droplets and nuclei, and midgut absorptive cells lacking brush borders. Furthermore, pro-nymphal midguts exhibited reduced microvilli density, structural defects, and inflammatory intestinal folds. Molecular analysis confirmed upregulation of Toll pathway downstream genes (<em>LmMyd88</em>, <em>LmPelle</em> and <em>LmTube</em>) in mutant tissues, with midgut-specific activation of <em>LmTube</em> and <em>LmPelle</em> linking structural damage to immune dysregulation. These results demonstrated <em>LmSerpin5</em> maintains homeostasis through dual mechanisms: ensuring embryonic survival and suppressing excessive Toll activation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 104925"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145804687","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 transcription factor E93 modulates Mmp1 expression to regulate testicular fusion during the prepupal stage in Helicoverpa armigera","authors":"Kai Wang ,&nbsp;Mengdan Zhang ,&nbsp;Ping Zheng,&nbsp;Guiying Xie,&nbsp;Wenbo Chen,&nbsp;Xincheng Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104924","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104924","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The cotton bollworm (<em>Helicoverpa armigera</em>) is a major globally distributed agricultural pest. A notable aspect of its male gonad development is testicular fusion during the larval-pupal transition, though the underlying regulatory mechanisms are poorly understood. In this study, we determined that the critical period for testicular fusion occurs at the pre-pupal stage in <em>Helicoverpa armigera</em>. RNAi-mediated knockdown of <em>HaE93</em> in last-instar larvae disrupted this process. Comparative transcriptomic analysis revealed that <em>HaE93</em> knockdown disrupts juvenile hormone (JH) and 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) signaling and significantly alters the expression of genes encoding extracellular matrix (ECM) components, remodeling enzymes, cadherins, and integrins. RT-qPCR analysis showed that the expression peaks of matrix metalloproteinases (Mmps) in testes coincided with the period of testicular fusion, with <em>HaMmp1</em> being particularly highly expressed in the testicular sheath. Furthermore, knockdown of <em>HaMmp1</em> recapitulated the testicular fusion failure phenotype. Mating trials and egg hatchability assays demonstrated that ds<em>HaMmp1</em>-treated males had significantly reduced mating success and offspring survival. The observed significant downregulation of spermatogenesis-related genes in these males suggests that complete testicular fusion is crucial for male reproduction. In summary, our findings demonstrate that <em>HaE93</em> regulates testicular fusion by modulating <em>HaMmp1</em> expression, thus identifying <em>HaMmp1</em> as a potential target for genetic pest management strategies aimed at inducing male sterility.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 104924"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145827232","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":"Mechanism of differential efficiency in expression of sericin 3 and silk fibroin heavy chain-like protein in the posterior silk gland of the domestic silkworm (Bombyx mori)","authors":"Yongfeng Wang ,&nbsp;Yuguo Wang ,&nbsp;Qiuying Li ,&nbsp;Ruji Peng ,&nbsp;Xinyin Liang ,&nbsp;Xuedong Chen ,&nbsp;Guang Wang ,&nbsp;Yanghu Sima ,&nbsp;Shiqing Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104926","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104926","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The silk gland of the domestic silkworm (<em>Bombyx mori</em>) holds tremendous application prospects as a bioreactor. However, expressing exogenous proteins in the silk gland faces bottlenecks, especially aberrant silk gland development and low efficiency in silk protein synthesis and secretion. This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms underlying the differential outcomes of genic engineering to promote protein synthesis of posterior silk gland (PSG)-specific transgenic expression of <em>Sericin 3</em> (<em>Ser3</em>) and the silk fibroin heavy chain-like protein HPL gene (<em>Hpl</em>), which influence silk gland development and silk synthesis and secretion. The results demonstrated that PSG-specific expression of the <em>Hpl</em> gene reduced silk protein synthesis and secretion by inhibiting endoreplication. Concurrently, activation of the Hippo signaling pathway and elevated autophagy/apoptosis in the PSG resulted in imbalanced cell development across the gland, ultimately leading to structural collapse. In contrast, PSG-specific expression of the <em>Ser3</em> gene did not activate the Hippo pathway, nor increase autophagy or apoptosis. Furthermore, enhanced endoreplication not only maintained normal tissue morphology but also significantly improved silk protein synthesis and secretion as compared to the wild-type group. These findings clarified the role of the Hippo signaling pathway in silkworm silk gland development and provided insights to improve silk gland development in transgenic silkworms and optimized PSG-specific transgene targeting strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 104926"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145819652","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}