Current opinion in insect science最新文献

The use of pheromones, while common, remains underexplored in mosquito research. Understanding Aedes aegypti’s mating behaviour and pheromones is crucial for expanding knowledge and advancing vector control strategies. Unlike other species, Aedes mosquitoes have adaptable mating behaviour, complicating the study of their communication mechanisms. Current literature on Aedes communication is sparse, not due to lack of effort but because of its complexity. Ae. aegypti’s mating behaviour is influenced by sensory cues and environmental factors. Swarming, which facilitates mating aggregation, is triggered by host odours, highlighting the role of semiochemicals alongside aggregation pheromones. Cuticular hydrocarbons may act as chemical signals in mating, though their roles are unclear. Acoustic signals significantly contribute to mate attraction and male fitness assessment, showcasing the multidimensional nature of Ae. aegypti sexual communication. Understanding these aspects can enhance targeted control strategies and reduce mosquito populations and disease transmission.

Insects have sophisticated olfactory systems that enable them to detect and respond to complex exogenous chemical cues. The encoding mechanisms of these chemical signals have been studied both in their peripheral and central nervous systems (CNS). While many neuromodulators have been shown to play significant roles in olfactory processing within the antennal lobes of the brain, their roles in peripheral olfactory sensory systems, such as the antennae, are less understood. This review focuses on the role of serotonin (5-HT) receptor in the locust antenna, specifically the modulatory function of the serotonin receptor₂ on odour inputs. We also review recent studies on the modulation of olfaction in the peripheral nervous systems of other insects and discuss potential directions for future research on the role of neuromodulators in insect peripheral olfactory systems.

Juvenile hormone (JH) signaling is realized at the gene regulatory level by receptors of the bHLH-PAS transcription factor family. The sesquiterpenoid hormones and their synthetic mimics are agonist ligands of a unique JH receptor (JHR) protein, methoprene-tolerant (MET). Upon binding an agonist to its PAS-B cavity, MET dissociates from a cytoplasmic chaperone complex including HSP83 and concomitantly switches to a bHLH-PAS partner taiman, forming a nuclear, transcriptionally active JHR heterodimer. This course of events resembles the vertebrate aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), activated by a plethora of endogenous and synthetic compounds. Like in AHR, the pliable PAS-B cavity of MET adjusts to diverse ligands and binds them through similar mechanisms. Despite recent progress, we only begin to discern agonist-induced conformational shifts within the PAS-B domain, with the ultimate goal of understanding how these localized changes stimulate the assembly of the active JHR complex and, thus, fully grasp the mechanism of JHR signaling.

Social insects exhibit a high degree of intraspecific behavioral variation. Moreover, they often harbor specialized microbial communities in their gut. Recent studies suggest that these two characteristics of social insects are interlinked: insect behavioral phenotypes affect their gut microbiota composition, partly through exposure to different environments and diet, and in return, the gut microbiota has been shown to influence insect behavior. Here, we discuss the bidirectional relationship existing between intraspecific variation in gut microbiota composition and behavioral phenotypes in social insects.

Pest arthropods cause significant crop damage or are vectors of pathogens for both plants and animals. The current standard of pest management prevents against crop losses and protects human and animal health, but shortcomings exist, such as insecticide resistance and environmental damage to nontarget organisms. New management methods are therefore needed. The development of new tools, such as site-specific gene editing, has accelerated the study of gene function and phenotype in nonmodel arthropod species and may enable the development of new strategies for pathogen and arthropod control. Here, the most recent developments in gene editing in arthropod pests are briefly reviewed. Additionally, technological advances that could be applicable to new species or enhance the success rates of gene editing in species with already established protocols are highlighted.

While genomic resources for social insects have vastly increased over the past two decades, we are still far from understanding the genetic and molecular basis of eusociality. Here, we briefly review three scientific advancements that, when integrated, can be highly synergistic for advancing our knowledge of the genetics and evolution of eusocial traits. Population genomics provides a natural way to quantify the strength of natural selection on coding and regulatory sequences, highlighting genes that have undergone adaptive evolution during the evolution or maintenance of eusociality. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) can be used to characterize the complex genetic architecture underlying eusocial traits and identify candidate causal variants. Concurrently, CRISPR/Cas9 enables the precise manipulation of gene function to both validate genotype–phenotype associations and study the molecular biology underlying interesting traits. While each approach has its own advantages and disadvantages, which we discuss herein, we argue that their combination will ultimately help us better understand the genetics and evolution of eusocial behavior. Specifically, by triangulating across these three different approaches, researchers can directly identify and study loci that have a causal association with key phenotypes and have evidence of positive selection over the relevant timescales associated with the evolution and maintenance of eusociality in insects.

We often consider mosquitoes through an ‘anthropocentric lens’ that disregards their interactions with nonhuman and nonpathogenic organisms, even though these interactions can be harnessed for mosquito control. Mosquitoes have been recognized as floral visitors, and pollinators, for more than a century. However, we know relatively little about mosquito–plant interactions, excepting some nutrition and chemical ecology-related topics, compared with mosquito–host interactions, and frequently use flawed methodology when investigating them. Recent work demonstrates mosquitoes use multimodal sensory cues to locate flowers, including ultraviolet visual cues, and we may underestimate mosquito pollination. This review focuses on current knowledge of how mosquitoes locate flowers, floral visitation assay methodology, mosquito pollination, and implications for technologies such as sterile male mosquito release through genetic control programs or Wolbachia infection.

This review focuses on biological control interactions in arid areas and is motivated by the need to devise sustainable agricultural practices for a warming and drying world. Parasitoids, important natural enemies of crop pests, are diverse and abundant in natural arid habitats. Dryland croplands, which are usually irrigated, are also rich in local parasitoids. Nevertheless, biological control projects in arid croplands mostly involve imported parasitoids (classical biological control) rather than the conservation of native species. Dryland parasitoids experience heat, drought, low relative humidity, sparse vegetation, and low host densities. Heat resistance combines local genetic adaptations, behavioral and physiological flexibility, and microbial symbioses, but how parasitoids cope with other aridity-related challenges is insufficiently understood. How dryland conditions impact host–parasitoid population dynamics also requires further study.

The ecological effects of plant diversity have been well studied, but the extent to which they are driven by variation in specialized metabolites is not well understood. Here, we provide theoretical background on phytochemical diversity effects on herbivory and its expanded consequences for higher trophic levels. We then review empirical evidence for effects on predation and parasitism by focusing on a handful of studies that have undertaken manipulative approaches and link back their results to theory on mechanisms. We close by summarizing key aspects for future research, building on knowledge gained thus far.