Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology最新文献

{"title":"Collagen type XV regulation via MMP2-dependent degradation governs ovarian development in the rice stem borer, Chilo suppressalis","authors":"Yue Li ,&nbsp;Suijie Kuang ,&nbsp;Yan Tang ,&nbsp;Zhuotian Yao ,&nbsp;Yechen Pan ,&nbsp;Ziren Zang ,&nbsp;Yang Cui ,&nbsp;Hongshuai Gao ,&nbsp;Lin Qiu ,&nbsp;Yansong Xiao ,&nbsp;Tin Liu ,&nbsp;Qi Su ,&nbsp;Youzhi Li","doi":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2026.104490","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2026.104490","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Female reproductive development is fundamental to the remarkable reproductive capacity of insects, and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling plays a critical role in ovarian development. However, the function of Collagen, a major ECM component, in female insect ovarian development remains poorly characterized. Using the major rice pest <em>Chilo suppressalis</em> as a model, we investigated the role of Col XV in insect reproduction. We cloned and characterized <em>Cscol15</em>, a gene encoding a 1077-amino acid protein. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis revealed peak <em>Cscol15</em> expression during the egg stage and was significantly higher in the head of female pupae compared to other examined tissues. RNAi-mediated knockdown of the <em>Cscol15</em> gene in female <em>C. suppressalis</em> pupae severely disrupted ovarian development, manifesting as reduced ovarian length and width, decreased vitellogenin deposition, and lower collagen fiber abundance. To further validate these findings, we employed CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of <em>Cscol15</em>, which confirmed that its loss impairs ovarian development and significantly compromises female fertility in <em>C. suppressalis</em>.As a key regulator of collagen synthesis and degradation, we further investigated the role of MMP2 in regulating Collagen XV. Our analysis revealed that overexpression of <em>Cs</em><em>MMP2</em> reduced the level of Collagen XV, thereby impairing insect reproductive capacity. These findings establish Collagen XV as a key ECM component, likely directly degraded by MMP2. This mechanism governs ovarian morphogenesis in <em>C. suppressalis</em>, positioning Collagen XV as a promising target for reproductive disruption in pest management strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":330,"journal":{"name":"Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology","volume":"188 ","pages":"Article 104490"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145948299","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":"Morphogen-driven melanin pathway dynamics regulated by Wnt1 and apontic-like underlie larval spot coloration in Bombyx mori","authors":"Shinichi Yoda","doi":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2026.104497","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2026.104497","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In insects, conspicuous larval pigmentation patterns serve critical ecological roles such as warning signals and mimicry, yet their underlying genetic regulation remains poorly understood. In this study, I investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying black and yellow pigmentation patterns in three distinct larval spot types of the silkworm <em>Bombyx mori</em>: large, diffuse <em>L</em>-spots of the <em>Multilunar</em> (<em>L</em>) mutant; small, sharply defined +^<em>p</em>-spots of the <em>Normal</em> strain; oval <em>p</em>^<em>M</em>-hybrid spots of an interspecific hybrid with <em>Bombyx mandarina</em>. Each spot type comprises a yellowish center surrounded by a black periphery, forming crescent-shaped pigmentation patterns. Chemical treatments confirmed that both colors are melanin-based. Using quantitative PCR and RNA interference (RNAi), I analyzed six melanin synthesis genes (<em>tyrosine</em> <em>hydroxylase</em>, <em>dopa</em> <em>decarboxylase</em>, <em>laccase2</em>, <em>yellow</em>, <em>tan</em>, and <em>ebony</em>) and discovered that black pigmentation involves both dopa/dopamine- and NBAD-melanin synthesis, whereas yellow pigmentation primarily reflects only the latter. I further examined <em>Wnt1</em> and <em>apontic-like</em> (<em>apt-like</em>) using qRT-PCR, RNAi, and TALEN-mediated mosaic analysis. <em>Wnt1</em> expression localized to presumptive spot areas, suggesting a concentration-dependent role in regulating both spot size and pigment composition: higher <em>Wnt1</em> levels were associated with larger spots with yellow centers, while reduced <em>Wnt1</em> expression resulted in black pigmentation and smaller spots. <em>Wnt1</em>-activated transcription factor <em>apt-like</em> was required for pigmentation in all spot types without influencing spot size. Taken together, the results of this study reveal a morphogen-driven gene regulatory network in which <em>Wnt1</em> expression levels and downstream transcriptional cascades orchestrate pigment placement and patterning, offering new insights into the modular genetic control of insect pigmentation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":330,"journal":{"name":"Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology","volume":"188 ","pages":"Article 104497"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145994094","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":"Structural and mechanistic insights into BoCSP1-mediated resistance to neonicotinoids in Bradysia odoriphaga","authors":"Xingyu Ma,&nbsp;Junjie Zeng,&nbsp;Chunni Zhang,&nbsp;Wu Dai","doi":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2026.104489","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2026.104489","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The chemosensory protein (CSP)-mediated sequestration resistance mechanism has attracted increasing attention. This study revealed that a laboratory-selected clothianidin-resistant strain of <em>Bradysia odoriphaga</em> exhibited moderate cross-resistance to thiamethoxam. qPCR analysis demonstrated significant upregulation of <em>BoCSP1</em> expression in the resistant strain, and its transcription could be induced by clothianidin exposure. RNAi-mediated silencing of <em>BoCSP1</em> increased the susceptibility of resistant larvae to both clothianidin and thiamethoxam. Fluorescence competitive binding assays showed strong binding affinity between BoCSP1 and clothianidin/thiamethoxam, with <em>Ki</em> values &lt; 3 μM. Molecular dynamics simulations and binding mode analysis further revealed that the stability of BoCSP1-clothianidin and BoCSP1-thiamethoxam complexes is primarily governed by van der Waals interactions. Computational alanine scanning (CAS) and site-directed mutagenesis identified Asn74 and Ile90 as critical residues mediating BoCSP1-clothianidin binding, while Trp101 was essential for BoCSP1-thiamethoxam interaction. Binding pocket analysis of the mutant proteins revealed that alanine substitutions disrupted hydrogen bonding networks and altered local conformational rigidity, leading to substantially reduced ligand affinity. These findings elucidate a novel CSPs-mediated resistance mechanism and provide a theoretical foundation for developing precision-engineered insecticides that exploit CSPs as unique molecular targets.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":330,"journal":{"name":"Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology","volume":"188 ","pages":"Article 104489"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145916318","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":"DIL-CRISPR: a practical approach to mitigate G0 mosaic lethality in insect gene editing","authors":"Hiiragi Nishizawa,&nbsp;Takaaki Daimon","doi":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2026.104492","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2026.104492","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Genome editing in insects is typically conducted by injecting genome editing reagents into early embryos, producing generation zero (G₀) individuals that develop as genetic mosaics. Targeting genes whose disruption induces mosaic lethality is therefore challenging, since most or all G₀ individuals frequently fail to survive to adulthood, preventing germline transmission of edited alleles. Here, we present a straightforward and practical approach, DIL-CRISPR, to mitigate G₀ mosaic lethality by systematically diluting the CRISPR/Cas9 injection mix. Using the tobacco cutworm <em>Spodoptera litura</em> and the juvenile hormone receptor gene <em>Met1</em> as a benchmark, we demonstrate that dilution of the injection mix lessens the severity of larval–pupal mosaic phenotypes and increases G₀ survival in a dose-dependent manner. Amplicon sequencing further showed that somatic mutation frequencies decline with dilution, while germline mutation rates remain sufficient to establish mutant lines. Notably, we detected a substantial discrepancy between somatic and germline editing efficiencies, likely reflecting selective loss of highly edited, lethal mosaics before they reach adulthood. We conclude that DIL-CRISPR therefore offers a reliable means to balance G₀ survival with germline editing, converting an empirically used dilution practice into a generalizable strategy. Overall, this approach provides a practical solution for generating mutant lines of mosaic lethal genes and is broadly applicable across diverse insect species, facilitating functional genetic studies in non-model insects.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":330,"journal":{"name":"Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology","volume":"188 ","pages":"Article 104492"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145951024","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":"Interaction of ML1 and SRB1-12 mediates cholesterol transport in the brown planthopper","authors":"Xu Cheng ,&nbsp;Yaxin Liu ,&nbsp;Chenxu Zeng ,&nbsp;Chang Liu ,&nbsp;Zihan Zhang ,&nbsp;Yanyuan Bao","doi":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2026.104499","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2026.104499","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cholesterol transport plays a pivotal role in maintaining sterol homeostasis within eukaryotic cells. In mammals, Niemann-Pick Type C (NPC) proteins are known to participate in cholesterol transport. However, the precise pathways remain largely unexplored in insects. Here, we reported ML1, a lipid-recognition protein in a rice pest <em>Nilaparvata lugens</em>, specifically bound cholesterol. In addition, we identified a scavenger receptor class B Type Ⅰ (SRB1-12) protein as the receptor for ML1. <em>SRB1-12</em> was predominantly expressed in the integument and regulated cuticular chitin biosynthesis and lipid metabolism in nymphs to ensure molting success. ML1 delivered cholesterol to SRB1-12 and supplied the steroid precursor for 20E biosynthesis, as reflected by altered whole-body 20E titers. <em>ML1</em> and <em>SRB1-12</em> co-regulated the expression of a newly identified gene <em>MLSR</em>, which played important roles in nymphal development and egg hatching. This study establishes a pathway of cholesterol trafficking within tissues and deepens the understanding of sterol homeostasis in insects.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":330,"journal":{"name":"Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology","volume":"188 ","pages":"Article 104499"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145996748","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":"NPF-OBP5 regulate sugar sensitivity and feeding behavior of rice planthoppers","authors":"Ruichuan Duan,&nbsp;Yewei Jia,&nbsp;Xinru Xiao,&nbsp;Shuqi Ren,&nbsp;Guijun Wan,&nbsp;Fajun Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2026.104495","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2026.104495","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Neuropeptide F (NPF) is considered to be related to the feeding behavior and odorant binding protein (OBP) is very important for the chemical perception of herbivorous insects to host plants, while, food sugar is a strong inducer for insect feeding. However, it is unknown whether NPF and OBP can regulate the sugar perception, thus affecting the feeding behavior and sugar metabolism in brown planthopper (BPH) <em>Nilaparvata lugens</em>. The results showed that Nl<em>OBP1</em>, Nl<em>OBP5</em>-<em>8</em> and Nl<em>OBP10</em> were highly expressed in <em>N. lugens</em> heads. Fluorescence competitive binding assays demonstrated that only NlOBP5 exhibited strong combination to soluble sugars (including glucose, fructose, and sucrose). Additionally, Nl<em>NPF</em> was predominantly expressed in <em>N. lugens</em> brain. Nl<em>NPF</em> knockdown resulted in upregulated Nl<em>OBP5</em> expression and enhanced the sensitivity of <em>N. lugens</em> to soluble sugars. Conversely, Nl<em>OBP5</em> knockdown reduced the sugar sensitivity of <em>N. lugens</em>, while simultaneous knockdown of both Nl<em>NPF</em> and Nl<em>OBP5</em> partially rescued the sugar sensitivity impairment caused by Nl<em>OBP5</em> knockdown individually. Furthermore, Nl<em>NPF</em> knockdown promoted feeding and led to trehalose accumulation in <em>N. lugens</em>. In contrast, Nl<em>OBP5</em> knockdown inhibited feeding and decreased trehalose levels in <em>N. lugens</em>, while simultaneous knockdown of Nl<em>NPF</em> and Nl<em>OBP5</em> partially reversed the negative effects on feeding and trehalose metabolism observed with Nl<em>OBP5</em> knockdown individually. Nl<em>NPF</em> knockdown decreased the survival of <em>N. lugens</em> more than Nl<em>OBP5</em> knockdown. These findings confirm the regulation of Nl<em>NPF</em>-Nl<em>OBP5</em> on sugar sensitivity, feeding behavior and trehalose metabolism of <em>N. lugens</em>, providing potential targets for the control strategies on rice planthoppers.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":330,"journal":{"name":"Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology","volume":"188 ","pages":"Article 104495"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145974045","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":"Energy production is suppressed by vcircRNA_000048- bom-miR-2753-METTL20 regulatory axis in the BmCPV-infected silkworm, Bombyx mori","authors":"Huilin Pang ,&nbsp;Yuting Li ,&nbsp;Min Zhu ,&nbsp;Xinyu Tong ,&nbsp;Qunnan Qiu ,&nbsp;Liuyang Li ,&nbsp;Xiaolong Hu ,&nbsp;Chengliang Gong ,&nbsp;Yunshan Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2026.104496","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2026.104496","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>VcircRNA_000048 is a viral circRNA (vcircRNA) derived from the region 164–1245 nt on the genomic dsRNA S5 segment (GQ294468.1) of <em>Bombyx mori</em> cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus (BmCPV). Our previous studies indicated that BmCPV replication is suppressed by the activation of the NF-κB/autophagy pathway through the interaction of vsp21 translated by vcircRNA_000048 with ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase (UCH). However, it remains unknown whether vcircRNA_000048 can hijack host metabolism through interaction with microRNAs (miRNAs). In this study, we found that vcircRNA_000048 upregulated methyltransferase-like 20 (METTL20) expression by acting as a sponge for the silkworm miRNA bmo-miR-2753, which leads to the inhibition of electron transfer flavoprotein β-subunit (ETFβ) gene expression and an increase in the trimethylation level of ETFβ. Furthermore, we demonstrated that vcircRNA_000048 damages mitochondria, reduces energy production, represses locomotor-related gene expression,and restrains BmCPV replication by promoting the trimethylation of ETFβ via the vcircRNA_000048-bmo-miR-2753-METTL20 <em>regulatory</em> axis. These findings revealed the mechanisms by which viral circRNAs affect both host energy production and viral replication, offering new insights for potential therapeutic strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":330,"journal":{"name":"Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology","volume":"188 ","pages":"Article 104496"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145974044","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":"Transcription factor Schlank positively regulates odorant-binding protein 9 expression to mediate recognition of two volatiles in Nilaparvata lugens (Stål)","authors":"Rui-Lin Zhang,&nbsp;Hao-Wei Wang,&nbsp;Man-Qun Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104471","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104471","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) are crucial components of the insect olfactory system, serving as the initial step in peripheral olfactory signal transduction. They mediate odorant detection by selectively binding and transporting volatile chemical cues through the sensillum lymph to olfactory receptors. To elucidate the transcriptional mechanisms that regulate insect olfactory gene expression, this study focuses on the <em>NlOBP9</em> gene in the brown planthopper, <em>Nilaparvata lugens</em>. Here, we employed dual-luciferase reporter assays and yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) experiments to demonstrate that the transcription factor Schlank specifically binds to the promoter region of <em>NlOBP9</em>, thereby modulating its transcriptional activity. Tissue-specific expression profiling revealed that Schlank is highly expressed in the antennae of female adults. RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated silencing of <em>Schlank</em> significantly reduced <em>NlOBP9</em> expression and abolished the avoidance behaviour of female adults towards linalool and methyl benzoate. This study provides the first evidence that Schlank specifically regulates members of the <em>NlOBPs</em> family within the olfactory system, offering new molecular insights into the precise regulatory mechanisms underlying insect olfactory gene expression.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":330,"journal":{"name":"Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology","volume":"187 ","pages":"Article 104471"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145814929","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-based evidence that overexpression of Gm-mGST1 mediates abamectin resistance in the oriental fruit moth, Grapholita molesta","authors":"Sha Su ,&nbsp;Xiaohe Zhang ,&nbsp;Xinyu Wang ,&nbsp;Caiyun Qiu ,&nbsp;Zhimin Xu ,&nbsp;Jaime C. Piñero ,&nbsp;Xiong Peng ,&nbsp;Fei Li ,&nbsp;Yayun Zuo ,&nbsp;Maohua Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104472","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104472","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Abamectin-based insecticides are widely used in integrated pest management and are particularly effective against fruit borers such as the oriental fruit moth, <em>Grapholita molesta</em>. However, rapid resistance evolution threatens their long-term efficacy. This study elucidates the role of the glutathione S-transferase gene <em>Gm-mGST1</em> in abamectin resistance in <em>G. molesta</em>. A laboratory-selected resistant strain (AB-R) exhibited an 85.5-fold increase in resistance compared with a susceptible strain (AB-S). Sequencing of glutamate-gated chloride channel (<em>GmGluCl</em>) gene revealed no target-site mutations, implicating a metabolic resistance mechanism. In AB-R, GST enzymatic activity was significantly elevated. GST synergist diethyl maleate (DEM) increased the toxicity of abamectin more strongly in the abamectin-resistant <em>G. molesta</em> strain than in the susceptible strain, indicating that GSTs contribute to abamectin resistance. <em>Gm-mGST1</em> showed strong and stage-specific overexpression under abamectin exposure. Functional analysis using CRISPR/Cas9 knockout of <em>Gm-mGST1</em> in the AB-R strain reduced resistance 16.3-fold, providing the definitive evidence that a <em>GST</em> gene directly mediates abamectin resistance in <em>G. molesta</em>. The catalytic activity of recombinant Gm-mGST1 was verified <em>in vitro</em> using CDNB as the substrate. Additionally, abamectin exhibited a certain degree of inhibitory effect on the activity of Gm-mGST1. HPLC analysis further revealed that the peak area of abamectin significantly decreased in the presence of recombinant Gm-mGST1, while ectopic expression in <em>Drosophila melanogaster</em> increased abamectin tolerance by 1.97-fold. There is a significant positive correlation between the abamectin resistance levels and the expression levels of <em>Gm-mGST1</em> in field populations of <em>G. molesta</em>. These findings identify <em>Gm-mGST1</em> as a critical gene involved in abamectin resistance and establish it as a potential molecular marker for monitoring resistance in field populations. More broadly, this study sets a precedent for integrating CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing into insecticide resistance research, bridging the gap between correlative evidence and functional validation, and providing a framework for developing GST-targeted resistance management strategies in orchard pests. This study provides evidence using CRISPR/Cas9 to confirm the contribution of GST to abamectin resistance in insects.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":330,"journal":{"name":"Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology","volume":"187 ","pages":"Article 104472"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145852868","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":"UGT35B1 is the principal enzyme mediating nicotine glycosylation in adult Drosophila melanogaster","authors":"Luke J. Pfannenstiel ,&nbsp;Rachel H. Norris ,&nbsp;Tobias Ziemke ,&nbsp;Christophe Duplais ,&nbsp;Nicolas Buchon ,&nbsp;Jeffrey G. Scott","doi":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104456","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104456","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nicotine is a plant-derived pyridine alkaloid with potent neurotoxic properties. A major pathway for detoxification of nicotine in mammals is via glucuronidation to produce nicotine <em>N</em>-glucuronide, but this process in insects remains poorly understood. Using mass spectrometry, we demonstrate that <em>Drosophila melanogaster</em> detoxifies nicotine through glycosylation, producing nicotine <em>N</em>-glycoside. Given that many new agrochemicals contain pyridine rings, we also investigated the metabolism of flonicamid and imidacloprid. We detected glycosylation of flonicamid, but not imidacloprid. A targeted RNAi screen across 21 UDP-glycosyltransferases (<em>Ugt</em>s) identified <em>Ugt35B1</em> as important for survival of nicotine exposure. CRISPR-based knockout of <em>Ugt35B1</em> increases sensitivity to nicotine and flonicamid, but not to imidacloprid, nor to a structurally distinct neonicotinoid (thiamethoxam). Mass spectrometry of knockout and control flies confirms that <em>Ugt35B1</em> glycosylates nicotine, its metabolite cotinine, and flonicamid. Together these findings establish <em>Ugt35B1</em> as an important UGT mediating nicotine detoxification in adult <em>D. melanogaster</em>, revealing a previously uncharacterized insect glycosylation pathway with potential implications for herbivory, insecticide detoxification and toxicology.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":330,"journal":{"name":"Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology","volume":"187 ","pages":"Article 104456"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145675883","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}