Journal of insect physiology最新文献

{"title":"Dual-function trehalose transporters link metabolic adaptation to diapause plasticity and fecundity in Trichogramma dendrolimi (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae)","authors":"Xue Zhang ,&nbsp;Xiaoyang Song ,&nbsp;Meixin Zheng ,&nbsp;Jiaqing Guo ,&nbsp;Yanan Fan ,&nbsp;Jianbo Huang ,&nbsp;Qianyu Zhang ,&nbsp;Junjie Zhang ,&nbsp;Changchun Ruan","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104923","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104923","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Trehalose transporters (Trets) play a pivotal role in mediating metabolic adaptation in insects by regulating trehalose distribution across tissues. However, their functional differentiation and contribution to key life-history traits such as diapause and reproduction remain poorly understood in parasitoid wasps. In this study, we investigated two trehalose transporter genes, <em>Tret1</em> and <em>Tret1-2</em>, in the parasitic wasp <em>Trichogramma dendrolimi</em>, an important biological control agent. Using stage-specific RNA interference, we demonstrated that knockdown of either gene significantly impaired diapause induction and delayed larval–prepupal transition, accompanied by downregulation of trehalose-6-phosphate synthase and trehalose content. Moreover, <em>Tret1</em> silencing broadly suppressed the expression of juvenile hormone epoxide hydrolase and ecdysone receptor (<em>EcR</em>), whereas <em>Tret1-2</em> knockdown specifically reduced <em>EcR</em> transcript levels. Intriguingly, only adult-stage silencing of <em>Tret1-2</em> severely compromised female fecundity, reducing both ovarian egg load and total number of parasitized eggs, and led to disrupted ovarian morphology and downregulation of vitellogenin receptor (<em>VgR</em>). These results reveal that <em>Tret1</em> and <em>Tret1-2</em> have evolved specialized, stage-specific functions: <em>Tret1</em> primarily supports larval development and diapause preparation, while <em>Tret1-2</em> is essential for adult reproductive performance, likely through regulating <em>VgR</em>-mediated oogenesis. Our findings provide novel insights into the functional divergence of trehalose transporters in linking metabolic reprogramming to diapause plasticity and fecundity in a parasitoid wasp, with implications for improving its mass rearing and field application in biological control programs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 104923"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145762752","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":"Pigment-dispersing factor is not essential for eclosion rhythm and inducing the photoperiodic diapause in the silkworm, Bombyx mori","authors":"Hisashi Tobita ,&nbsp;Takashi Kiuchi","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104914","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104914","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The neuropeptide pigment-dispersing factor (PDF) functions as a key circadian clock output that regulates circadian rhythmicity at physiological and behavioral levels in the fruit fly <em>Drosophila melanogaster</em>. Similarly, the involvement of PDF in circadian behavioral rhythmicity and photoperiodism has been demonstrated across a wide range of insect orders. However, in Lepidoptera, the second largest insect order, the function of PDF remains poorly elucidated. The silkworm <em>Bombyx mori</em>, which exhibits clear circadian rhythmicity and photoperiodism, represents a suitable model for exploring the role of PDF in lepidopterans. Herein, we investigated whether PDF acts as a circadian clock output regulating circadian behavior and photoperiodic diapause induction in <em>B. mori</em>. Using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutagenesis, we introduced a frameshift mutation into <em>pdf</em> in a bivoltine strain. The mutated allele was predicted to encode a protein lacking the mature PDF region due to a premature stop codon. However, the <em>pdf</em> mutant retained the circadian eclosion rhythm and the ability to induce diapause in response to photoperiodic conditions during the larval stage. Comparative analysis of PDF sequences from multiple insect orders retrieved from the NCBI database revealed that lepidopteran PDF amino acid sequences are less conserved than those of other insect orders. These findings suggest that the PDF of lepidopterans has undergone divergent evolution, and at least in <em>B. mori</em>, it lost function in circadian clock-related output. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the function of PDF in Lepidoptera using reverse genetics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 104914"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145701183","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 hidden costs of regeneration in ladybird beetles","authors":"Sanjeev Kumar,&nbsp;Deeksha Jattan,&nbsp;Tripti Yadav,&nbsp;Geetanjali Mishra,&nbsp;Omkar","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104928","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104928","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Insects exhibit complex physiological responses to injury, including wound healing, immune activation, and tissue regeneration, all of which impose energetic costs. Regeneration, though adaptive for survival, incurs significant physiological costs, particularly to developmental and reproductive fitness. This study investigates the developmental and reproductive trade-offs associated with limb regeneration in the ladybird beetle <em>Cheilomenes sexmaculata</em> (Fabricius). Third-instar larvae were subjected to leg amputation and observed through pupation to adulthood. Regenerated individuals were compared with controls across multiple traits including body weight, developmental duration, leg length, gonadal morphology, gonadosomatic index, and reproductive output. Injured larvae showed delayed development and reduced adult body mass. Although 100% leg regeneration occurred, both regenerated and contralateral legs were shorter than those of controls, suggesting systemic growth constraints. Injured individuals exhibited lower gonad weight, reduced GSI, and diminished gonadal size, with shorter and fewer testicular lobules/ovarioles. These effects were observed throughout early adulthood and varied with both sex and age, accompanied by reduced mating success and reproductive output. The observed trade-offs indicate a resource allocation shift prioritizing somatic maintenance over reproduction during regeneration.</div><div>Reduced reproductive investment under injury stress highlights the need to consider internal anatomical and developmental consequences, not just external morphology, when evaluating regeneration. These findings clarify how injury-driven resource allocation shapes life-history traits and emphasize the importance of accounting for sublethal injury and environmental stress when assessing natural enemies in biological control programs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 104928"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145878438","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":"Effect of diapause duration on thermal tolerance in the cabbage beetle Colaphellus bowringi Baly","authors":"Yan Ni ,&nbsp;Ying-Fang Li ,&nbsp;Fang-Sen Xue ,&nbsp;Li-Li Huang ,&nbsp;Hai-Min He","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104912","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104912","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Insect diapause duration has a profound impact on post-diapause fitness and physiological performance. This study explores how diapause duration (ranging from 0.5 to 2 years) affects heat tolerance in both adult cabbage beetles, <em>Colaphellus bowringi</em> Baly, and their offspring. The investigation integrates survival assays, LT₅₀ analysis, and respiratory metabolism. Results indicate that shorter diapause durations significantly enhance heat tolerance in adult beetles, demonstrating a clear negative correlation between diapause duration and thermal resilience. Specifically, adult beetles undergoing 0.5 years of diapause exhibited an LT₅₀ of 36.79 °C, whereas those with 2 years of diapause showed an LT₅₀ of 29.58 °C. However, no significant differences in thermal tolerance were observed among offspring across all tested life stages (eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults), regardless of parental diapause duration. Larval respiratory responses to acute heat stress displayed a consistent thermal performance curve peaking at 39 °C and declining sharply at higher temperatures. These findings highlight a trade-off between diapause duration and heat tolerance, suggesting a potential role for metabolic costs and stress defense mechanisms. These findings highlight the importance of diapause duration in shaping thermal tolerance and suggest complex interactions between dormancy and stress resilience. Future research should aim to uncover the molecular mechanisms involved and examine the broader ecological implications of diapause duration on population dynamics under changing climatic conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"167 ","pages":"Article 104912"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145582027","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":"Body alignment enhances foraging performance of honey bees in the absence of visual cues","authors":"Weijie Yuan ,&nbsp;Jiangkun Wei ,&nbsp;Junkai Lian ,&nbsp;Caiying Liao ,&nbsp;Matthew S. Lehnert ,&nbsp;Stanislav N. Gorb ,&nbsp;Zhigang Wu ,&nbsp;Jianing Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104909","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104909","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nectar sources are often confined to limited amounts of liquid in the microgrooves of floral nectaries. We show that in complete darkness, bees actively tapped their antennae to detect these microgrooves, and then rapidly aligned their body axis with these structures. Mechanical measurements confirm that aligning the body with the microgrooves at <em>θ</em> = 0 deg. reduces the external force on the proboscis during nectar feeding. Energy calculations demonstrate that feeding with an aligned body reduces foraging costs by 53.41 % compared to feeding with a vertical body at <em>θ</em> = 90 deg. By demonstrating the bee’s capacity for sensory-behavioral integration and adaptation in absence of visual cues, this body alignment response, which also mitigates potential proboscis damage, provides new insights into their energy-saving strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"167 ","pages":"Article 104909"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145564256","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":"Chromosomal influence on variation in the timing of diapause termination in Cydia pomonella","authors":"Christian Oehlmann ,&nbsp;Peter Neulichedl ,&nbsp;David G. Heckel ,&nbsp;Jörg T. Wennmann ,&nbsp;Roland Zelger ,&nbsp;Johannes A. Jehle ,&nbsp;Katrin Janik","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104904","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104904","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Diapause is a period of suspended development at a specific period of the life cycle, in order to avoid times that are unfavourable for activity. In the codling moth (CM) <em>Cydia pomonella</em>, an overwintering diapause occurs in the fifth larval instar, and termination of diapause in the spring is indicated by ecdysis and pupation. There is geographic variation as well as large within-population variation (up to 90 days) in the timing of diapause termination in this species. Accompanied by 15 years of observing diapause termination of a CM field population, an artificial selection for early and late diapause termination resulted in two inbred strains, ES (Early strain) and LS (Late strain) which differ in pupation timing after diapause by nearly 90 days. We have initiated a genetic study utilizing most of the possible intercrosses and backcrosses of these two strains and analysed the possible contributions of the autosomes (A) and the sex chromosomes (Z, W) by considering their relative effects on diapause termination time. A large effect of the Z chromosome can be detected because of its unique sex-associated inheritance pattern. Deviations from Z-based predictions can be detected in crosses where ES- and LS-derived autosomes segregate independently from the Z chromosomes. However, not all predictions based on chromosomal inheritance alone are borne out by the data, suggesting involvement of maternal effects, epigenetics, epistasis, or genetic heterogeneity in one or both of the parent strains. These predictions are the basis of further studies to design a cost-effective approach to linkage mapping, to eventually identify the underlying genetic variation causing differences in diapause termination time.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"167 ","pages":"Article 104904"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145513065","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":"Precocene-I mediated reduction of juvenile hormone titers and ovarian activity is ephemeral in a bumble bee","authors":"Tzvi S. Goldberg ,&nbsp;Yuval Shalem ,&nbsp;Daiki Fujinaga ,&nbsp;Kerry E. Mauck ,&nbsp;S.Hollis Woodard ,&nbsp;Naoki Yamanaka ,&nbsp;Guy Bloch","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104902","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104902","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Juvenile hormones (JHs) are key insect endocrine signals regulating pre-adult development and adult life history strategies, physiology, and behavior. The importance of this endocrine signal has led to the development of insecticides targeting JH signaling pathways. While effective against target pests, they can also affect beneficial insects, such as pollinators and natural pest enemies, many of which are hymenopterans. Research on JH, which is crucial for understanding the physiology, behavior, and organization of social insects, requires effective means to manipulate JH signaling pathways. A common method for reducing JH titers includes applying the phytotoxin precocene-I (P-I), which abolishes JH biosynthesis in the corpora allata (CA). However, achieving consistently effective topical treatments has proven challenging. Here, we investigated the dynamics of the effect of P-I manipulations on JH titers and reproductive development in orphan worker groups of a key pollinator bumble bee. A single P-I treatment effectively reduced circulating JH levels in newly emerged workers, even after 12 days. The treatment delayed but did not prevent ovarian activation. Multiple treatments failed to further reduce JH titers or ovarian activity, and were overall less effective than surgically removing the CA. Finally, we suggest guidelines for developing P-I manipulation studies, and more generally, compare methods for reducing circulating JH levels in insects.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"167 ","pages":"Article 104902"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145458975","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":"Diapause history has lasting effects on adult brain gene expression in monarch butterflies","authors":"Samuel M. Stratton,&nbsp;Delbert A. Green II","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104893","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104893","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Diapause is an environmentally induced, transcriptionally driven alternative developmental program that enables organisms to withstand adverse environmental conditions. The lasting consequences of diapause experience once development is resumed in permissible conditions have not been extensively explored. The monarch butterfly provides an interesting system to address this question as reproductive diapause is a critical component of their annual North American migration. Post-diapause female monarchs remigrate to the southern US after mating at overwintering sites in Mexico yet show evidence of potentially increased robustness (greater reproductive capacity and longevity) compared to summer non-migratory monarchs. Here we further investigate the phenotypic effects of diapause experience on monarch butterflies. Monarchs reared under different pre-adult conditions, either natural fall (diapause inducing) or laboratory summer-like (non-diapause development), were shifted to identical natural fall conditions upon eclosion and then assayed for adult brain transcription under identical controlled conditions. We find that fall conditions during pre-adult development are necessary to induce diapause. Diapause history is a strong predictor of adult brain transcription. Post-diapause individuals retained signatures of diapause maintenance-like processes, such as altered protein production, mitochondrial metabolism, and lipid regulation. However, the post-diapause response is transcriptionally distinct. Genes related to translation, with particular emphasis on mitochondrial ribosomal proteins, have increased expression post-diapause, while genes enriched for phospholipid metabolism and neurodevelopmental function have decreased expression in post-diapause individuals. Post-diapause individuals also show evidence of enhanced stress response and mechanisms that promote longevity. Overall, diapause history has lasting consequences on environmental response that may impact monarchs’ remigratory flights.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"167 ","pages":"Article 104893"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145337116","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":"An insulin-like peptide mediates trehalose storage in the western tarnished plant bug, Lygus hesperus","authors":"Devin T. Mazolewski ,&nbsp;J.Joe Hull ,&nbsp;Colin S. Brent ,&nbsp;Andrew B. Nuss","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104885","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104885","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Insulin signaling controls many physiological processes in insects, and it has a demonstrated role in cellular uptake of circulating sugars. Although model insects have pioneered much of our understanding of insulin signaling, high throughput genetic sequencing has enabled opportunities for the physiological study of less explored insect species. <em>Lygus hesperus</em>, the western tarnished plant bug, is a significant agricultural pest of numerous crops and recent efforts have focused on molecular approaches for identifying new pest management strategies. In this work, three insulin-like peptides (LhILP1, LhILP2, and LhILP3) were characterized from the transcriptome of <em>L. hesperus</em>. LhILP1 and LhILP2 structurally resemble classic insulin-like peptides while LhILP3 resembles arthropod Insulin-like Growth Factors (aIGFs). All three LhILPs were primarily expressed in the head, and were observed throughout development. We examined their function by observing clearance rates of injected trehalose from the hemolymph in adult <em>L</em>. <em>hesperus</em> males following RNAi knockdown of the respective LhILPs. Untreated males cleared the trehalose within 6 h and showed a corresponding increase in glycogen content. While knockdown of LhILP1 did not impact clearance rate, knockdown of LhILP2 prevented clearance of circulating trehalose and glycogen accumulation. Knockdown of LhILP3 also prevented trehalose clearance, but this appears to be influenced by co-knockdown of LhILP2, rather than a direct effect. Head ligation stopped the release of head-produced LhILPs, preventing the clearance of injected trehalose, a condition that could be rescued with co-injection of heterologous insulin. Stage-specific expression in LhILP RNAi insects suggest that LhILPs have multiple additional roles besides hemolymph carbohydrate homeostasis in <em>L. hesperus</em> that remain to be explored.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"167 ","pages":"Article 104885"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145080874","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":"MicroRNA miR-iab-8 modulates the diapause of Ostrinia furnacalis larvae by targeting the circadian clock gene cycle and affecting the ecdysone signaling pathway","authors":"Hongyue Ma ,&nbsp;Ye Liu ,&nbsp;Shengyan Cao ,&nbsp;Xun Tian ,&nbsp;Yujie Chen ,&nbsp;Shujing Gao ,&nbsp;Feng Yan","doi":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104911","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jinsphys.2025.104911","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Diapause in insects signifies a critical developmental adjustment to unfavorable seasonal conditions. It involves complex interactions across several signaling pathways, including juvenile hormone, ecdysteroid (20-hydroxyecdysone, 20E), insulin, circadian clock genes, and microRNAs (miRNAs). However, the role of miRNAs and their regulatory circadian genes in diapause and metamorphosis, particularly in the Asian corn borer (<em>Ostrinia furnacalis</em>), remains insufficiently characterized. In this study, a target site of <em>miR-iab-8</em> was identified in the 3′ untranslated region (3′UTR) of <em>OfCycle</em> (<em>OfCyc)</em>, and dual-luciferase assays confirmed <em>miR-iab-8</em>-mediated suppression of <em>OfCyc</em> expression <em>in vitro</em>. Similar to the effects of dsRNA targeting the <em>Cycle</em> gene (<em>dsCyc)</em>, <em>in vivo</em> administration of <em>miR-iab-8</em> agomir (a synthetic miRNA agonist that enhances endogenous miRNA activity) to diapausing larvae resulted in inhibition of <em>OfCyc</em> expression, decreased lipid total content, diapause termination, and the development of malformed pupae. However, when <em>miR-iab-8</em> antagomir (a synthetic miRNA antagonist that inhibits endogenous miRNA function) was administered to non-diapause individuals, it induced<!--> <!-->diapause entry, increased larval lipid content, and upregulated<!--> <em>OfCyc</em> expression. Furthermore, exogenous 20E increased the expression of <em>miR-iab-8</em> and decreased the expression of <em>OfCyc</em> in non-diapause larvae, substantially rescuing the diapause phenotype induced by <em>miR-iab-8</em> antagomir. This study demonstrated that precise regulation of the cascade expression of<!--> <!-->the 20E/<em>miR-iab-8</em>/<em>Cyc</em> axis is crucial for the development of diapause and metamorphosis in <em>O. furnacalis</em> larvae, thus improving understanding of the molecular mechanisms of microRNA target circadian clock gene regulating insect diapause.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16189,"journal":{"name":"Journal of insect physiology","volume":"167 ","pages":"Article 104911"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145596778","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}