Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology最新文献

{"title":"Myoglianin is a crucial factor for the transition to the juvenile hormone-dependent phase during hemimetabolous nymphal development","authors":"Kohei Kawamoto ,&nbsp;Yoshiyasu Ishimaru ,&nbsp;Sayuri Tomonari ,&nbsp;Takahito Watanabe ,&nbsp;Sumihare Noji ,&nbsp;Taro Mito","doi":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104274","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104274","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In hemimetabolous insects, the developmental process of nymphs is divided into three growth phases, i.e., juvenile hormone (JH)-independent, JH-dependent, and JH-free phases. The wing primordium in hemimetabolous insects is formed latently in the JH-independent phase and manifests and grows in the JH-dependent phase. Myoglianin (Myo) is known to be a key factor of metamorphosis in the JH-free phase of nymphs, regulating negatively JH synthesis. Here we find the role of Myo in earlier phases in the cricket <em>Gryllus bimaculatus</em> via gene knockout analysis using CRISPR/Cas9. In the <em>myo</em> knockout (KO) mutants, developmental delay during embryogenesis was observed, and nymphal body size and the timing of molting were affected. The KO nymphs underwent multiple molts, typically around seven, but remained significantly smaller in body size compared to wild-type individuals. The KO nymphs also did not exhibit the expected growth of wing primordia, implying that transition to JH-dependent phase was failed. This failure in phase transition could have been caused by excessive JH because titers of JH I and JH II were remarkably increased in the KO mutants. Our results suggest that Myo plays a crucial role not only in regulating timing of molting but also in the transition to the nymphal growth phases associated with growth of wing primordia and nymphal body size.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":330,"journal":{"name":"Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology","volume":"178 ","pages":"Article 104274"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143412671","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":"Regulation of feeding and defecation in Drosophila by trpγ, piezo, and DH44R2","authors":"Sonali Puri,&nbsp;Dharmendra Kumar Nath,&nbsp;Youngseok Lee","doi":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104267","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104267","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Normal gastrointestinal (GI) motility, including defecation, is crucial for nutrient absorption, energy balance, and overall health in species ranging from insects to humans. Disruptions in GI motility can lead to conditions like constipation or severe diseases. Mechanosensors, including TRP channels and Piezo, are known to play key roles in regulating gut physiology in <em>Drosophila melanogaster</em>, but their precise involvement in defecation is not fully understood. Additionally, neuropeptides like DH44 have been implicated in gut regulation. This study explores the roles of Trpγ, Diuretic hormone 44 Receptor 2 (DH44R2), and Piezo in controlling feeding amount, gut motility, and defecation using genetic mutants and RNAi techniques. Mutants for these genes exhibited increased excreta production and size, whereas <em>Dh44</em> and <em>Dh44R1</em> mutants had a reduced number of excreta, but with increased size. Co-expression and rescue experiments further confirmed the critical roles of these genes in the same gut cells. The findings reveal that local gut-specific mechanisms are the primary drivers of defecation. The results highlight the collaboration between Trpγ, Piezo, and DH44R2 in regulating gut motility and defecation. By uncovering how these mechanosensory proteins and cells work together, this research may offer insights into human GI disorders like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Hirschsprung's disease, shedding light on the complex regulatory network underlying defecation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":330,"journal":{"name":"Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology","volume":"179 ","pages":"Article 104267"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143254263","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":"Identification and functional analysis of sex-determining genes in the spongy moth, Lymantria dispar (lepidoptera: Erebidae)","authors":"Yuto Moronuki ,&nbsp;Ryota Kasahara ,&nbsp;Hideshi Naka ,&nbsp;Masataka G. Suzuki","doi":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104219","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104219","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The spongy moth (<em>Lymantria dispar</em>) employs a female heterogametic sex-determination system, where the female sex-determining factor (F factor) is located on the W chromosome, and the male sex-determining factor (M factor) is located on the Z chromosome. The sex-determining capabilities of the F factor and M factor vary among subspecies. Consequently, <em>L</em>. <em>dispar</em> serves as an excellent model for studying the mechanisms underlying the evolution and diversity of sex-determining genes. However, the genes encoding the F and M factors, as well as the molecular functions of their translation products, remain unidentified.</div><div>In this study, we identified a <em>L</em>. <em>dispar Masculinizer</em> ortholog (<em>LdMasc</em>) and found that this gene is highly expressed in male embryos during the sex-determination stage. When <em>LdMasc</em> expression was silenced using embryonic RNA interference (RNAi), the expression pattern of <em>L</em>. <em>dispar doublesex</em> (<em>Lddsx</em>), the master regulatory gene for sex differentiation, shifted from the male-specific form to the female-specific form in male embryos. To identify potential F factors, we screened for genes that were exclusively expressed in females across multiple tissues and located only within the female genome. This screening yielded four unigenes with sequences displaying high homology to each other. These unigenes formed a tandem repeat, comprising approximately 100 copies within a 200 kbp region of the W chromosome-derived contig. We designated these unigenes as <em>Fet-W</em> (female-specifically expressed transcript from the W chromosome). RT-PCR analysis revealed that <em>Fet-W</em> was expressed in a female-specific manner during the sex-determination stage. Suppression of <em>Fet-W</em> expression by embryonic RNAi led to an increase in <em>LdMasc</em> expression in females and a corresponding shift in <em>dsx</em> expression patterns from the female-specific to the male-specific form. These findings strongly suggest that the F factor in <em>L</em>. <em>dispar</em> is <em>Fet-W</em>, whereas the M factor is <em>LdMasc</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":330,"journal":{"name":"Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology","volume":"177 ","pages":"Article 104219"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142694937","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":"Exploring the adaptation mechanism of Spodoptera litura to xanthotoxin: Insights from transcriptional responses and CncC signaling pathway-mediated UGT detoxification","authors":"Zhiming Yang ,&nbsp;Mengqing Deng ,&nbsp;Wenxiu Wang ,&nbsp;Tianxiang Xiao ,&nbsp;Xiaodan Huang ,&nbsp;Xinyu Zhao ,&nbsp;Xiyue Xu ,&nbsp;Jun Li ,&nbsp;Zhongxiang Sun ,&nbsp;Kai Lu","doi":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104259","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104259","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>During the long-term interaction between plants and phytophagous insects, plants generate diverse plant secondary metabolites (PSMs) to defend against insects, whereas insects persistently cause harm to plants by detoxifying PSMs. Xanthotoxin is an insect-resistant PSM that is widely found in plants. However, the understanding of detoxification mechanism of xanthotoxin in insects is still limited at present. In this study, RNA-seq analysis showed that uridine diphosphate (UDP)-glycosyltransferases (UGTs) and cap ‘n’ collar isoform C (CncC) signaling pathway were specifically retrieved from the midgut and fat body of xanthotoxin-administrated <em>Spodoptera litura</em> larvae. The larvae were sensitive to xanthotoxin when the transcriptional expression and enzyme activity of UGTs were inhibited. Bacteria co-expressing UGT had a high survival rate after exposure to xanthotoxin and displayed high metabolic activity to xanthotoxin, which indicated that UGTs were involved in xanthotoxin detoxification. As the pivotal transcription factors, RNA interference against <em>CncC</em> and its partner, muscle aponeurosis fibromatosis isoform K (<em>MafK</em>), reduced larval tolerance to xanthotoxin as well as <em>UGT</em> expressional levels. Dual-luciferase reporter assay demonstrated that <em>UGT</em> promoter activity was activated by CncC and MafK, and was suppressed once CncC/MafK binding site was mutated. This study revealed that CncC signaling pathway regulated <em>UGT</em> transcriptional expression to mediate xanthotoxin detoxification in <em>S. litura</em>, which will facilitate a better understanding of the adaptive mechanism of phytophagous insects to host plants and provide more valuable insecticide targets for pest control.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":330,"journal":{"name":"Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology","volume":"177 ","pages":"Article 104259"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142997497","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":"Allatotropin, DH31, and proctolin reduce chill tolerance in the two-spotted cricket, Gryllus bimaculatus","authors":"Zhen Zhu,&nbsp;Shinji Nagata","doi":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104222","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104222","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The ability of insects to tolerate low temperatures, known as chill tolerance, contributes to their global distribution. However, the mechanisms underlying insect chill tolerance remain poorly understood. At low temperatures, insects enter chill coma, a reversible state of paralysis, owing to disrupted ion and water homeostasis. Upon returning to normal temperatures, insects reestablish ion and water homeostasis and recover the ability to move. In this study, we used the two-spotted cricket, <em>Gryllus bimaculatus</em>, as an experimental model and unveiled the roles of neuropeptides in regulating chill tolerance, typically evaluated by the time taken to recover from chill coma. Screening of 37 neuropeptides revealed that Allatotropin, DH31, and Proctolin inhibited chill coma recovery and decreased the survival rate under cold stress. RT-qPCR analyses revealed that the receptors for Allatotropin and DH31 were predominantly expressed in the hindgut. Injection of the three neuropeptides decreased both hemolymph mass and gut water content at low temperatures, most likely by increasing water excretion from the hindgut due to their effects on the rectum contraction. Additionally, Allatotropin and DH31 were produced by the terminal abdominal ganglion (TAG) innervating the hindgut since they were partly co-localized in the TAG, and their mature peptides were detected in the TAG-hindgut nerves. Moreover, the transcriptional levels of the neuropeptides in the TAG and receptors in the hindgut changed with cold exposure and rewarming. Based on these findings, we propose that Allatotropin, DH31, and Proctolin affect the physiological activities of the gut, probably the hindgut, to disrupt water homeostasis at low temperatures, thereby reducing chill tolerance in crickets.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":330,"journal":{"name":"Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology","volume":"177 ","pages":"Article 104222"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142749855","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":"Molecular basis of E93-dependent tissue morphogenesis and histolysis during insect metamorphosis","authors":"Mei Zeng ,&nbsp;Zi-Yu Yan ,&nbsp;Ya-Nan Lv ,&nbsp;Jia-Ming Zeng ,&nbsp;Ning Ban ,&nbsp;Dong-Wei Yuan ,&nbsp;Sheng Li ,&nbsp;Yun-Xia Luan ,&nbsp;Yu Bai","doi":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104249","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104249","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The evolution of insect metamorphosis has profoundly influenced their successful adaptation and diversification. Two key physiological processes during insect metamorphosis are notable: wing maturation and prothoracic gland (PG) histolysis. The ecdysone-induced protein 93 (E93) is a transcription factor indispensable for metamorphosis. While it has been established that both wing maturation and PG histolysis are dependent on E93, the molecular mechanisms through which E93 regulates these seemingly ‘opposing’ events remain poorly understood. In this study, time-course transcriptome profiles were generated for wing pads and PGs during metamorphosis in <em>Blattella germanica</em>, a hemimetabolous model insect. Comparative transcriptomic analyses demonstrated that E93 exerts predominant control over extensive gene transcription during wing morphogenesis and PG histolysis. During wing morphogenesis, E93 selectively enhances the expression of genes associated with cell proliferation, energy supply, signal transduction, actin cytoskeleton organization, and cell adhesion, etc. Additionally, E93 activates the transcription of the majority of genes within the wing gene network that are crucial for wing development in <em>B. germanica</em>. During PG histolysis, E93 preferentially promotes the expression of genes related to endocytosis, focal adhesion, the AMPK signaling pathway, adipocytokine signaling pathway, Toll and Imd signaling pathways, and autophagy, etc. The key genes involved in the aforementioned pathways were subsequently confirmed to contribute to the E93-dependent degeneration of the PG in <em>B. germanica</em>. In summary, our results reveal that E93 functions as a master transcriptional regulator orchestrating both tissue morphogenesis and histolysis during insect metamorphosis. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the genetic underpinnings of insect metamorphosis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":330,"journal":{"name":"Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology","volume":"177 ","pages":"Article 104249"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142823504","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 parasitoid Exorista sorbillans exploits host silkworm encapsulation to build respiratory funnel for survival","authors":"Qian Xu ,&nbsp;Jialei Lu ,&nbsp;Xinran Gu ,&nbsp;Fupeng Chi ,&nbsp;Yue Zhao ,&nbsp;Fanchi Li ,&nbsp;Xuejian Jiang ,&nbsp;Bing Li ,&nbsp;Jing Wei","doi":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104255","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104255","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Insect parasitoids have evolved sophisticated strategies to evade or modulate host immunity for parasitic infections. The precise mechanisms by which parasitoids counteract host anti-parasitic responses are poorly defined. Here we report a novel immune evasion strategy employed by the parasitoid <em>Exorista sorbillans</em> (Diptera: Tachinidae) to establish infection. We find that <em>E. sorbillans</em> larva construct a respiratory funnel that gradually increases in size as development progresses. This respiratory funnel, which connect to the parasitoid invasion aperture on the host silkworm epidermis, proves essential for <em>E. sorbillans</em> development, as sealing the invasion aperture results in complete mortality of larval parasitoids. Our investigation reveals that <em>E. sorbillans</em> infection reduces both host silkworms' hemocyte counts and the expression of hemocyte-specific genes, while simultaneously inducing varying degrees of host silkworm encapsulation at different parasitic stages. Nevertheless, more complete inhibition of host silkworm encapsulation through RNAi leads to parasitoid's defective respiratory funnel formation and increased mortality rates of the parasitoid. Further observations demonstrate that this suppressed encapsulation response triggers an enhanced activation of Toll/IMD pathways in the host silkworm. Take together, we show that <em>E. sorbillans</em> may utilize host silkworm encapsulation to construct a respiratory funnel for both respiration and immune evasion. Our findings provide new insights into the evasion tactics employed by parasitoids win out in the ongoing parasite-host evolutionary arms race.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":330,"journal":{"name":"Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology","volume":"177 ","pages":"Article 104255"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142913359","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":"Cis-regulation of the CYP6CS1 gene and its role in mediating cross-resistance in a pymetrozine-resistant strain of Nilaparvata lugens","authors":"Pin-Xuan Lin ,&nbsp;Yu-Xuan Peng ,&nbsp;Ji-Yang Xing ,&nbsp;Zhao-Yu Liu ,&nbsp;Fang-Rui Guo ,&nbsp;Joshua A. Thia ,&nbsp;Cong-Fen Gao ,&nbsp;Shun-Fan Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104261","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104261","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pymetrozine is currently one of the primary insecticides used to control the brown planthopper, <em>Nilaparvata lugens</em> Stål (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), but the long-term effectiveness of this chemical is threatened by growing issues of resistance. Previous studies in a laboratory selected strain of <em>N. lugens</em>, Pym-R, have shown that resistance to pymetrozine can evolve without target-site mutations. A key candidate gene identified is the cytochrome P450 gene <em>CYP6CS1</em>, which is overexpressed in the resistant Pym-R strain compared to the laboratory susceptible strain, Pym-S. In this study, we provide a deeper characterization of the regulatory mechanism and phenotypic effects of <em>CYP6CS1</em> by comparing the resistant and susceptible variants of this gene. Using artificial constructs in Luciferase activity assays, we elucidate the role of indels in the overexpression of <em>CYP6CS1</em> in the resistant strain. Additionally, transgenic <em>Drosophila</em> experiments also revealed that the <em>CYP6CS1</em> gene not only contributes to resistance against pymetrozine, but is able to confer moderate to low cross-resistance to several other pesticides. This research provides vital insights into the possible genetic mechanisms that may contribute to pymetrozine resistance in field populations. Future work will aim to examine the relevance of <em>CYP6CS1</em> variation in the field with the aim of developing diagnostic markers of resistance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":330,"journal":{"name":"Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology","volume":"177 ","pages":"Article 104261"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143035510","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":"Regulation of tick attachment and rapid engorgement via dopamine receptors in the Asian longhorned tick Haemaphysalis longicornis","authors":"Seoyul Hwang ,&nbsp;Donghun Kim","doi":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104262","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104262","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Dopamine plays multifaceted roles in the physiology of insects and ticks, acting as a key neurotransmitter and modulator of various biological processes. In ticks, it plays a particularly important role in regulating salivary gland function, which is essential for successful tick feeding on hosts. Salivary secretion in ticks is orchestrated by the collection of saliva in the acinar lumen mediated by the dopamine receptor (D1) and the expulsion of collected saliva into the salivary duct mediated by the invertebrate specific D1-like dopamine receptor (InvD1L). However, the function of dopamine receptors in different feeding stages and other tissues remains unclear. In this study, D1 and InvD1L of <em>Haemaphysalis longicornis</em> (Haelo-D1 and Haelo-InvD1L, respectively) were found to be involved in tick attachment and the rapid phase of blood feeding. Both receptors were identified and profiled in the synganglion, salivary glands, and midgut of <em>H. longicornis</em> females across different feeding stages. Functional analyses revealed that both receptors were activated by dopamine in a concentration-dependent manner with distinct sensitivities. RNA interference (RNAi) targeting these receptors significantly reduced dopamine-mediated salivation and delayed tick attachment and blood feeding. Furthermore, RNAi prolonged rapid engorgement phases and reduced the final body weight of replete ticks. These results highlight the crucial roles of D1 and InvD1L in regulating salivary secretion in ixodid ticks and facilitating their attachment and rapid engorgement, thereby offering potential targets for novel tick control strategies aimed at disrupting feeding and reducing pathogen transmission.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":330,"journal":{"name":"Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology","volume":"177 ","pages":"Article 104262"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143035511","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":"Disruption of the odorant receptor co-receptor (Orco) reveals its critical role in multiple olfactory behaviors of a cosmopolitan pest","authors":"Xuanhao Chen ,&nbsp;Shuyuan Yao ,&nbsp;Liangqian Xie ,&nbsp;Jinyang Li ,&nbsp;Lei Xiong ,&nbsp;Xiaozhen Yang ,&nbsp;Yi Chen ,&nbsp;Fang Cao ,&nbsp;Qing Hou ,&nbsp;Minsheng You ,&nbsp;Yuanyuan Liu ,&nbsp;Geoff M. Gurr ,&nbsp;Shijun You","doi":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104248","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104248","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The olfactory system of insects plays a pivotal role in multiple, essential activities including feeding, mating, egg laying, and host localization. The capacity of odorant receptors to recognize odor molecules relies on odorant receptor co-receptors forming heterodimers. Here we report the successful engineering a homozygous mutant strain of diamondback moth (<em>Plutella xylostella</em>) in which the odorant receptor co-receptor <em>PxOrco</em> was silenced using CRISPR/Cas9. This insect is a globally important crop pest for which novel control methods are urgently required. Behavioral assays demonstrated that <em>PxOrco</em> knockout males exhibited abolished courtship behaviors, inability to mate, and loss of selective preference for <em>P. xylostella</em>'s key sex pheromone components. Whilst female mating behavior and fecundity remained unaffected by <em>PxOrco</em> knockout, oviposition response to leaf alcohol, a key cue for normal oviposition behavior, was lost. Electroantennography revealed drastically reduced responses to sex pheromones and plant volatiles in <em>PxOrco</em>-deficient adults but food location by larvae was unaffected. Moreover, expression analysis of <em>PxOrco-</em>deficient pheromone receptors (PRs) indicated varied regulation patterns, with down-regulation observed in several PRs in both sexes. These findings underscore the critical role of <em>PxOrco</em> in regulating multiple olfactory aspects in <em>P. xylostella</em>, including feeding, mating, and host location. Our study identifies the potential of disrupting the <em>Orco</em> gene in this and other pest species to provide novel avenues for future pest control.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":330,"journal":{"name":"Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology","volume":"177 ","pages":"Article 104248"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142823500","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}