Luke J. Pfannenstiel , Rachel H. Norris , Tobias Ziemke , Christophe Duplais , Nicolas Buchon , Jeffrey G. Scott
{"title":"UGT35B1 is the principal enzyme mediating nicotine glycosylation in adult Drosophila melanogaster","authors":"Luke J. Pfannenstiel , Rachel H. Norris , Tobias Ziemke , Christophe Duplais , Nicolas Buchon , 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}
Chaoyan Wu , Yuhan Liu , Jianfei Dao , Tao Zhu , Guoxing Wu , Jiaying Zhu
{"title":"Sgie3, a venomous carboxylesterase from the ectoparasitoid of Sclerodermus guani exhibits lipolytic activity to modulate host lipid metabolism","authors":"Chaoyan Wu , Yuhan Liu , Jianfei Dao , Tao Zhu , Guoxing Wu , Jiaying Zhu","doi":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104470","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104470","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Carboxylesterases are commonly found in the venom of parasitoids, yet their physiological roles as venom proteins in parasitoids remain to be elucidated. This study identified 19 carboxylesterase genes within the genome of <em>Sclerodermus guani</em>, with Sgie3 showing specific and abundant expression in the venom gland, implicating it as a key venom constituent with a vital role in host regulation. Functional characterization demonstrated that Sgie3 displays hydrolytic activity towards triglycerides <em>in vitro</em>. Injection of Sgie3 induces triglyceride increase and reduction in lipid droplet size in <em>Tenebrio molitor</em> pupae, the host of <em>S. guani</em>, resulting in dose-dependent developmental arrest effects in the pupae. Lipidomic analysis indicated that Sgie3 injection altered 436 lipid metabolites after one day, notably enriched in glycerophospholipid, arachidonic acid, α-linolenic acid, glycerolipid metabolism, as well as fatty acid elongation and degradation, and fatty acid autophagy pathways. These findings highlight the specific role of Sgie3 in modulating host lipid metabolism, providing insights into how parasitoids employ venom to manipulate host nutritional metabolism to support the successful development of their offsprings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":330,"journal":{"name":"Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology","volume":"187 ","pages":"Article 104470"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145792825","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":"Two cytochrome P450 epoxidases mediate juvenile hormone biosynthesis in Drosophila melanogaster","authors":"Daiki Fujinaga , Yuya Ohhara , Naoki Okamoto , Hannah Chu , Kerry E. Mauck , Naoki Yamanaka","doi":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104475","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104475","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Juvenile hormones (JHs) mediate various biological processes such as development and reproduction in insects. Although pleiotropic functions of JHs are well investigated in the fruit fly <em>Drosophila melanogaster</em>, their biosynthetic mechanisms are less well understood, partly because many JH biosynthetic enzymes still remain unidentified in this important model species. Here we report that two cytochrome P450 (CYP) epoxidases mediate JH biosynthesis in <em>D. melanogaster</em>. In addition to previously reported Cyp6g2, a second epoxidase, Cyp6a13, also functions in the corpus allatum, the major JH biosynthetic endocrine gland. Combined mutations of the genes encoding these enzymes cause developmental and reproductive defects, which can be rescued by JH application. JH biosynthetic functions of these genes were further confirmed by using a heterologous expression system and <em>ex vivo</em> tissue culture. Collectively, our results indicate that these two CYP epoxidases function cooperatively to mediate JH biosynthesis in <em>D. melanogaster</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":330,"journal":{"name":"Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology","volume":"187 ","pages":"Article 104475"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145880990","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}
Fuqiang Rao , Jie Yang , Danhao Peng , Xinghao Li , Zhaoqun Li , Deguang Liu
{"title":"Odorant receptor CaspOR39 underpinned cineole-mediated oviposition repellency in the rape stem weevil Ceutorhynchus asper","authors":"Fuqiang Rao , Jie Yang , Danhao Peng , Xinghao Li , Zhaoqun Li , Deguang Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104473","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104473","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Herbivorous insects rely on olfactory cues to select oviposition sites on host plants, which is a process critical for their reproductive success. The rape stem weevil, <em>Ceutorhynchus asper</em> Roel. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is a major pest that causes significant damage to rapeseed and other cruciferous crop production, yet the chemical and molecular mechanisms underlying its oviposition preference remain unknown. Our behavioral assays revealed that <em>C. asper</em> females strongly avoided pre-infested rapeseed plants. Five monoterpenes (p-cymene, 1,8-cineole, ocimene, camphor, and α-pinene) were identified as herbivore-induced plant volatiles of <em>C. asper</em>-infested plants, with their emission levels significantly higher than those in healthy plants. Among these five compounds, subsequent electroantennogram (EAG) screening revealed that only 1,8-cineole triggered significant responses in <em>C. asper</em> and showed a concentration-dependent sensitivity. Behavioral assays showed that female <em>C. asper</em> exhibited significant behavioral and oviposition avoidance when exposed to 1,8-cineole. We identified CaspOR39 as the specific odorant receptor for 1,8-cineole, with molecular docking for prediction of the binding affinity and key residues. RNAi of <em>CaspOR39</em> abolished female EAG responses, as well as behavioral and oviposition avoidance of 1,8-cineole. These results revealed a sex-specific chemical sensing mechanism: female <em>C. asper</em> can utilize CaspOR39 to detect 1,8-cineole as a key cue of plant infestation, driving adaptive oviposition behaviors of this beetle. Our results provide mechanistic and molecular insights into CaspOR39-mediated oviposition behaviors of <em>C. asper</em>, and a basis for the development of semiochemical-based strategies for management of this weevil.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":330,"journal":{"name":"Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology","volume":"187 ","pages":"Article 104473"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145861595","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}
Luis Hernández-Pelegrín , Swati Mishra , Juan Luis Jurat-Fuentes , Salvador Herrero
{"title":"Antiviral RNAi is preserved in dsRNA-resistant Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata)","authors":"Luis Hernández-Pelegrín , Swati Mishra , Juan Luis Jurat-Fuentes , Salvador Herrero","doi":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104469","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104469","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Biocontrol strategies based on RNA interference (RNAi) hold great potential against the Colorado potato beetle (<em>Leptinotarsa decemlineata</em>), but the emergence of dsRNA-resistant populations threatens their sustained efficacy. In insects, RNAi constitutes a major antiviral defense mechanism, primarily through the production of virus-derived small interfering RNAs (vsiRNAs) and, in certain species, PIWI-interacting RNAs (vpiRNAs). Certain viruses can muffle this response by expressing viral suppressors of RNAi (VSRs). We hypothesized that viruses encoding VSRs may contribute to the high resistance levels to dsRNA reported in a population of <em>L. decemlineata</em> (CEAS 300). In testing this hypothesis, we first characterized the virome of two susceptible and the dsRNA-resistant CEAS 300 <em>L. decemlineata</em> populations and identified eight novel RNA viruses. Comparative analysis revealed no association between RNA virus abundance and incidence among the populations and the dsRNA resistance phenotype. Small RNA profiling revealed a combination of vsiRNAs (widespread) and vpiRNAs (against a single virus) in all three <em>L. decemlineata</em> populations, confirming that the antiviral RNAi machinery remains active in the dsRNA-resistant population and that resistance is not due to defects in core RNAi components. Conversely, dsRNA treatment affected the abundance and vsiRNA response to one virus, and these effects were predominantly observed in the dsRNA-resistant population. Overall, our findings provide new insights into resistance to RNAi and host-virus interactions, highlighting the relevance of RNA viruses in the context of RNAi-based pest control strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":330,"journal":{"name":"Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology","volume":"187 ","pages":"Article 104469"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145773199","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}
Woo-Ram Park , Byungyoon Choi , Nanthini Sadasivam , Hui-Jin Bae , Sunmin Kim , Eunae Kim , Hueng-Sik Choi , In-Hong Jeong , Don-Kyu Kim
{"title":"Nuclear receptor ERR contributes to imidacloprid resistance by upregulating cytochrome P450 in Nilaparvata lugens","authors":"Woo-Ram Park , Byungyoon Choi , Nanthini Sadasivam , Hui-Jin Bae , Sunmin Kim , Eunae Kim , Hueng-Sik Choi , In-Hong Jeong , Don-Kyu Kim","doi":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104457","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104457","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Insecticides are widely used in pest control; however, the increasing development of resistance in pests poses a significant global challenge. Nuclear receptors (NRs), ligand-dependent transcription factors, regulate the expression of genes involved in diverse metabolic processes, including development, detoxification, and innate immunity. However, the role of NRs in the detoxification processes of the brown planthopper, <em>Nilaparvata lugens</em> (<em>N. lugens</em>), remains poorly understood. Here, we show that estrogen-related receptor (NlERR) is a novel regulator of cytochrome P450 (CYP) genes for imidacloprid (IMD) resistance in <em>N. lugens</em>. Interestingly, the NlERR was significantly overexpressed in IMD-resistant strains. Genome-wide transcriptome analysis of NlERR-deficient <em>N. lugens</em> showed a positive correlation between the NlERR and the transcription of genes associated with detoxification metabolism. In addition, IMD treatment significantly increased the gene expression of phase I P450 enzymes in suspectable <em>N. lugens</em>, which was reversed by NlERR knockdown. Moreover, chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis confirmed that the NlERR directly binds to the ERR-response elements on the promoter of the CYP4CE1 gene. Consequently, NlERR knockdown in IMD-resistant strains significantly reduced the survival rate following IMD treatment and decreased expression of its target genes, CYP4CE1 and CYP6CW1. Finally, silencing either CYP4CE1 or CYP6CW1 in IMD-resistant strains significantly decreased the survival rate of the strains treated with IMD treatment. These findings establish NlERR as a key genetic factor for conferring IMD resistance in the <em>N. lugens</em>. Selectively controlling NlERR activity with a specific modulator will provide critical insights for developing new strategies to combat insecticide resistance in the <em>N. lugens</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":330,"journal":{"name":"Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology","volume":"187 ","pages":"Article 104457"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145658832","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}
Yajie Kong , Xing Geng , Huiru Zhou , Xinyue Su , Kairan Zuo , Huidong Wang , Angela Hayward , Chris Bass , Shutang Zhou
{"title":"Expanded UDP-glycosyltransferase gene clusters underlie insecticide detoxification in Spodoptera frugiperda","authors":"Yajie Kong , Xing Geng , Huiru Zhou , Xinyue Su , Kairan Zuo , Huidong Wang , Angela Hayward , Chris Bass , Shutang Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104468","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104468","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As Phase II detoxification enzymes, UDP-glycosyltransferases (UGTs) catalyze the conjugation of sugar moieties to various hydrophobic xenobiotics, thereby increasing their solubility and facilitating excretion. Certain UGT gene families are often massively expanded as clusters in insect genomes, yet whether such expansions confer a preadaptive advantage for insecticide detoxification remains unclear. In this study, we employed three previously generated <em>Spodoptera frugiperda</em> knockout strains, in which three UGT gene clusters—comprising ten and four UGT33 genes and fifteen UGT40 genes—were deleted using CRISPR-Cas9. By comparing the insecticide susceptibility of these knockout strains to that of the background strain across six insecticides with distinct modes of action, we found that the UGT40 gene cluster contributes to tolerance to emamectin benzoate and lambda-cyhalothrin. Further functional assays using transgenic <em>Drosophila melanogaster</em> lines overexpressing each of the 15 UGT40 genes identified five genes involved in insecticide detoxification, including four associated with emamectin benzoate (<em>UGT40R14</em>, <em>UGT40F19</em>, <em>UGT40M10</em>, and <em>UGT40L10</em>) and one (<em>UGT40R17</em>) with lambda-cyhalothrin. Computational modelling of protein structure and ligand binding analyses suggested that, in the case of the UGTs associated with emamectin benzoate tolerance, the main component of the insecticide, emamectin B1a, binds in a position where the key interactions are with the N-terminal domain, an orientation with the sugar acceptor and metabolic activity. Together, our results provide a systematic dissection of UGT gene cluster function in insecticide detoxification and highlight UGTs as an underappreciated but important component of metabolic resistance in agricultural pests.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":330,"journal":{"name":"Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology","volume":"187 ","pages":"Article 104468"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145720175","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}
Wen-qing Lai , Zhan-peng Lu , Qiang Zhang , Zuo-min Shao , Han Gao , Xia Sun , Sheng Qin , Xue-yang Wang , Mu-wang Li
{"title":"Hypoxanthine accumulation caused by mutations of Bombyx mori xanthine dehydrogenase triggers female sterility","authors":"Wen-qing Lai , Zhan-peng Lu , Qiang Zhang , Zuo-min Shao , Han Gao , Xia Sun , Sheng Qin , Xue-yang Wang , Mu-wang Li","doi":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104450","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104450","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Insect reproductive capacity is a key determinant of population fitness, though its regulatory mechanisms remain limited. Here, we identified an op50 silkworm mutant (derived from p50 strain) exhibiting female-specific reproductive defects, which provided an important model for studying insect reproductive regulation mechanism. We found that <em>Bombyx mori xanthine dehydrogenase 1</em> (<em>BmXDH1</em>) in op50 contained a single-base insertion causing premature termination, deleting 154 C-terminal amino acids and losing catalytic activity. <em>ΔBmXDH1</em> mutants recapitulated the op50 phenotype with 50 % reduced oviposition and 90 % lower hatchability, attributed to severe structural impairments of the eggshell surface and egg surface pore. In addition, female reproductive defects initiated at the pupal stage, characterized by oviduct malformation and impaired oviposition. This phenotype was associated with excessive accumulation of hypoxanthine, leading to ovarian and embryonic developmental disruption, including extracellular matrix remodeling, cellular signaling pathways, and oxidative stress regulation. The results uncovered how <em>BmXDH1</em> regulates hypoxanthine metabolism to control silkworm reproduction, advancing understanding of insect reproductive networks and providing targets for pest control/economic insect breeding.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":330,"journal":{"name":"Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology","volume":"186 ","pages":"Article 104450"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145562280","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":"Genome-wide identification of cuticular protein genes in the social aphid Pseudoregma bambucicola and the functional role of PbamCPR-54 in soldier hindleg development","authors":"Fenglan Li, Jianjun Lu, Zhixiang Liu, Xiaolei Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104455","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104455","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cuticular proteins (CPs) constitute the primary structural components of the insect cuticle and play crucial roles in cuticle formation. In the social aphid <em>Pseudoregma bambucicola</em>, sterile soldiers cease molting and evolve specialized defensive structures, including enlarged forelegs and elongated hindlegs, whereas normal nymphs lack these features. However, it remains unclear whether soldier caste-specific CPs are involved in regulating reproductive sterility, suppression of molting, and the formation of defensive leg structures. To explore this, we identified 89 CP genes in the <em>P. bambucicola</em> genome. Chromosomal mapping revealed multiple gene duplication events. Transcriptomic analysis demonstrated distinct temporal expression patterns of CP genes between soldiers and normal nymphs. Cluster II genes are associated with molting and development of normal nymphs, while soldiers exhibit the opposite pattern for these genes. Cluster I genes show transient expression at the early stage of post-embryonic development in soldiers, whereas Cluster III genes maintain stable expression levels throughout postnatal development. Among these, <em>PbamCPR-54</em>, a pro-resilin-like gene containing the RR-2 motif, exhibits upregulated expression from 2 to 72 h during post-embryonic development of soldiers, with the highest levels detected in hindleg tissues. To investigate its function, RNA interference (RNAi) knockdown of <em>PbamCPR-54</em> was performed, resulting in deformities and bending of soldier hind tibiae. Eosin Y staining further revealed that gene silencing altered the structural integrity of hindleg cuticle. These findings provide novel insights into the roles of CP genes in caste-specific development and morphological differentiation in social insects.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":330,"journal":{"name":"Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology","volume":"186 ","pages":"Article 104455"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145675931","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}