Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology最新文献_第9页

Functional analysis of vesicular glutamate transporter in Chilo suppressalis: Implications for glutamate transport and pest management 抑制辣椒水疱谷氨酸转运蛋白的功能分析：谷氨酸转运和害虫管理的意义。

IF 3.7 2区农林科学 Q2 BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Pub Date : 2025-07-23 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104376

Xin Mao , Yichi Zhang , Qiwen Pu , Ali Hasnain , Xinyu Liu , Guanghua Luo , Chunqing Zhao

Glutamate is the primary excitatory neurotransmitter in animals, and its storage and release are regulated by vesicular glutamate transporters (vGluTs) in mammals. However, the function of vGluTs in agricultural pests remains largely unexplored. In this study, we successfully cloned the full-length vGluT gene from the rice striped stem borer (RSB) Chilo suppressalis, a major rice pest. Multiple sequence alignment revealed that the amino acid sequence of CsvGluT shared more than 69.82 % similarity with other known insect vGluTs. In the phylogenetic tree, CsvGluT was clustered into a clade with the Asian corn borer Ostrinia furnacalis, which also belongs to Crambidae family. Spatial-temporal expression analysis showed that CsvGluT was highly expressed in the larval heads and abundant in the 1^st- and 2^nd-instar larvae, whose expression levels are more than three-fold higher than those in the 3^rd- to 6^th -instar larvae. Electrophysiological recordings indicated that CsvGluT exhibited functional properties like mammalian vGluTs under high concentrations of protons and chloride ions. Furthermore, inhibitors of mammalian vGluTs, including evans blue (EB) and 4,4′-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2′-disulfonic acid (DIDS), significantly inhibited CsvGluT activity. RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated knockdown of CsvGluT significantly reduced the survival rate of RSB to 66 %, highlighting its physiological role and a potential target for RNAi-based RSB control. In summary, our findings elucidated the physiological function of vGluT in RSB and provide a theoretical foundation for advanced research in the development of RNAi-based transporter-targeted strategies for pest management.

谷氨酸是动物主要的兴奋性神经递质，其储存和释放受哺乳动物水疱性谷氨酸转运蛋白（vGluTs）的调控。然而，vglut在农业害虫中的作用在很大程度上仍未被探索。在本研究中，我们成功克隆了水稻螟虫（RSB） Chilo suppressalis的全长vGluT基因。多序列比对结果表明，CsvGluT与其他已知昆虫vglut的氨基酸序列相似性超过69.82%。在系统发育树上，CsvGluT与亚洲玉米螟（Ostrinia furnacalis）聚为一个分支，后者也属于玉米螟科。时空表达分析表明，CsvGluT在幼虫头部高度表达，在1龄和2龄幼虫中表达量丰富，表达量是3 ~ 6龄幼虫的3倍以上。电生理记录表明，CsvGluT在高浓度质子和氯离子作用下表现出与哺乳动物vglut类似的功能特性。此外，哺乳动物vglut的抑制剂，包括evans蓝（EB）和4,4'-二异硫氰基二苯乙烯-2,2'-二磺酸（DIDS），显著抑制了CsvGluT的活性。RNA干扰（RNAi）介导的CsvGluT敲低可显著降低RSB的存活率至66%，突出了其生理作用和基于RNAi的RSB控制的潜在靶点。综上所述，我们的研究结果阐明了vGluT在RSB中的生理功能，为进一步研究基于rnai的转运蛋白靶向害虫防治策略提供了理论基础。

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引用次数: 0

Cullin1 orchestrates insulin/mTOR signaling to drive endocycle progression and ecdysteroid production in Drosophila prothoracic glands during critical weight attainment 在果蝇达到临界体重时，Cullin1调控胰岛素/mTOR信号传导，驱动前胸腺内循环进程和表皮甾体生成。

IF 3.2 2区农林科学 Q2 BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Pub Date : 2025-07-19 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104374

Xiangyan Xue, Zonghao Liu, Ze Zhang, Wei Sun

Critical weight (CW) is a key developmental threshold in insects, beyond which larvae initiate the transformation into pupae. The prothoracic gland (PG), responsible for producing ecdysteroids, plays a crucial role in controlling the timing of this transition. The nutrition dependent endocycle, a modified cell cycle that omits mitosis, coordinates the PG size and activity to influence the timing of CW attainment. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying how nutrient signals determine the endocycle process in PG cells are still not fully uncovered. In this study, we found a conserved SCF (SkpA-Cullin1-Slmb) E3 ligase complex that plays a critical role in regulating endocycle events in Drosophila melanogaster PG cells. Functional disruption of cullin1 (cul1), a core component of this complex, could cause endocycle inhibition, decrease the biosynthesis of ecdysteriod and developmental arrest. The phenotype can be rescued by overexpression cyclin E which may induce rounds of endocycles in the steroidogenic tissue. Remarkably, Cul1 was highly expressed during the CW checkpoint. Starvation before the CW period could repress its expression. In line with this, loss of insulin or target of rapamycin (TOR) signaling could significantly decrease the Cul1 signal during around CW indicating the gene is a nutrient responsive gene. Taken together, our data revealed that Cul1 could serve as downstream regulator of insulin/mTOR signaling pathway to determine the endocycling process around CW in PG cells.

临界体重（CW）是昆虫发育的一个关键阈值，超过这个阈值，幼虫就开始向蛹转化。前胸腺（PG），负责产生外甾体，在控制这种转变的时间方面起着至关重要的作用。营养依赖的内循环是一种经过修饰的细胞周期，它忽略了有丝分裂，协调PG的大小和活性，从而影响CW获得的时间。然而，营养信号如何决定PG细胞内循环过程的分子机制仍未完全揭示。在这项研究中，我们发现了一个保守的SCF (SkpA-Cullin1-Slmb) E3连接酶复合物，在调节果蝇PG细胞的内循环事件中起关键作用。cullin1 （cul1）是该复合物的核心成分，其功能破坏可引起内周期抑制，减少体外甾体激素的生物合成和发育停滞。这种表型可以通过过度表达细胞周期蛋白E来挽救，细胞周期蛋白E可以在类固醇组织中诱导轮内环。值得注意的是，Cul1在CW检查点高表达。CW期前的饥饿可以抑制其表达。因此，胰岛素或雷帕霉素（TOR）信号靶点的缺失可以显著降低Cul1信号，表明该基因是一个营养应答基因。综上所述，我们的数据显示Cul1可能作为胰岛素/mTOR信号通路的下游调节因子，决定PG细胞中CW周围的内环过程。

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引用次数: 0

Killing of Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes by selective triketone inhibitors of 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase depends on a high protein meal 选择性4-羟基苯基丙酮酸三酮双加氧酶抑制剂杀灭斯氏按蚊依赖于高蛋白餐。

IF 3.7 2区农林科学 Q2 BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Pub Date : 2025-07-18 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104361

Matěj Kučera , David Hartmann , James J. Valdés , Adéla Palusová , Avinash Sheshachalam , Marnix Vlot , Martijn W. Vos , Koen J. Dechering , Jan Perner

The malaria vector Anopheles stephensi has expanded from Asia into Eastern Africa, posing a growing global health threat due to its adaptive biology and increasing resistance to conventional control methods. Here, we characterise 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD), a crucial enzyme in the tyrosine degradation pathway, and demonstrate its potential as a novel drug target in An. stephensi. Homology modeling combined with molecular dynamics simulations confirmed that key inhibitor-binding residues are highly conserved across mosquito HPPDs and predicted potent inhibition by triketone-based compounds. Using cell-based assay with codon-optimized recombinant expression in Escherichia coli, we screened several triketone and diketonitrile HPPD inhibitors and identified nitisinone as the most potent inhibitor, displaying nanomolar-range IC₅₀ values. Membrane feeding assays showed that nitisinone's insecticidal activity relies on ingestion of a high-protein meal, with haemoglobin identified as the potent dietary factor driving toxicity. These results highlight HPPD inhibition as a promising blood-meal-dependent vector control strategy specifically targeting haematophagous mosquitoes.

疟疾病媒斯氏按蚊已从亚洲扩展到东非，由于其适应性生物学和对常规控制方法的抵抗力日益增强，对全球健康构成日益严重的威胁。在这里，我们描述了4-羟基苯基丙酮酸双加氧酶（HPPD），酪氨酸降解途径中的一个关键酶，并证明了它作为一种新的药物靶点在斯蒂芬按蚊中的潜力。同源性模型结合分子动力学模拟证实了关键抑制剂结合残基在蚊子HPPDs中高度保守，并预测了三酮类化合物的强抑制作用。利用基于细胞的密码子优化重组表达法，我们在大肠杆菌中筛选了几种三酮和二酮腈HPPD抑制剂，并鉴定了nitisinone是最有效的抑制剂，显示出纳米级的IC50值。膜饲养试验表明，尼替西酮的杀虫活性依赖于摄入高蛋白膳食，血红蛋白被确定为驱动毒性的有效膳食因素。这些结果强调了HPPD抑制是一种有前途的血食性媒介控制策略，特别是针对吸血蚊子。

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引用次数: 0

Endocrine responses in the pheromone induction of male sexual maturation in an insect 昆虫信息素诱导雄性性成熟过程中的内分泌反应。

IF 3.2 2区农林科学 Q2 BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Pub Date : 2025-07-18 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104365

Stéphane Debernard , Paleo Aguilar , Annick Maria , Annabelle Fuentes , Philippe Couzi , Françoise Bozzolan , Edmundo Gassias , Evan Force

In animals, sexual maturation is marked by the development of reproductive behaviors in synchronism with the acquisition of fertility, and this timing is influenced by chemosensory experiences. In naïve and immature individuals, exposure to sex pheromones may accelerate sexual development, and mechanisms underlying this pheromone induction are not fully identified. Using the moth Agrotis ipsilon, we showed that pre-exposure of immature males to female sex pheromones led to early increases in the performance of sex pheromone-triggered oriented flight as well as in the maturation of accessory sex glands (ASGs) producing seminal proteins. Conjointly, biosynthesis and circulating amounts of juvenile hormone (JH) raised with an upregulation of the expression of JH receptor, Methoprene-tolerant 1 (Met1) and the JH-inducible transcription factor, Krüppel homolog 1 (Kr-h1) in ASGs and the primary olfactory centers, the antennal lobes (ALs). In the sex pheromone pre-exposed immature males, the loss of function of Met1 or Kr-h1 caused a reduction in the induction of the sex pheromone behavioral responsiveness and the ASG secretory activity. Taken together, our results showed that the accelerated effects of sex pheromone pre-exposure on male sexual maturation are mediated by increased JH biosynthesis. This ultimately leads to early induction of JH signaling in ASGs for seminal protein production and in ALs for the central processing of pheromone information, which causes the display of sexual behavior in male A. ipsilon. Finally, this study expands our understanding of endocrine mechanisms by which animals can modulate their fitness according to past olfactory experiences.

在动物中，性成熟的标志是生殖行为的发展与生育能力的获得同步，这个时间受到化学感觉经验的影响。在naïve和不成熟的个体中，暴露于性信息素可能会加速性发育，并且这种信息素诱导的机制尚未完全确定。研究人员发现，将未成熟的雄性蛾预先暴露于雌性蛾的性信息素中，会导致性信息素引发的定向飞行行为的早期增加，以及产生精液蛋白的副性腺（ASGs）的成熟。同时，幼崽激素（JH）的生物合成和循环量随着JH受体甲基戊二烯耐受性1 （Met1）和JH诱导转录因子kr ppel同源物1 （Kr-h1）在asg和初级嗅觉中心触角叶（ALs）中的表达上调而升高。在性信息素暴露前的未成熟雄性中，Met1或Kr-h1的功能缺失导致性信息素行为反应的诱导和ASG分泌活性的降低。综上所述，我们的研究结果表明，性信息素预暴露对雄性性成熟的加速作用是通过增加JH生物合成介导的。这最终导致asg中用于产生精液蛋白的JH信号和ALs中用于信息素信息的中央处理的JH信号的早期诱导，从而导致雄性伊普西隆的性行为表现。最后，这项研究扩大了我们对内分泌机制的理解，通过内分泌机制，动物可以根据过去的嗅觉经验调节它们的适应性。

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引用次数: 0

The evolutionary history of the Methyltransf_FA domain and its role in JH signal in silkworm, Bombyx mori 家蚕甲基转移fa结构域的进化历史及其在JH信号中的作用

IF 3.2 2区农林科学 Q2 BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Pub Date : 2025-07-17 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104375

Chunyang Wang , Yang Yu , Qi Shen , Rong Xiong , Meiwei Guo , Jiamei Zhao , Dongsheng Yan , Rongcheng Zhang , Ping Chen

The Methyltransf_farnesoic acid (MtFA) domain is a characteristic domain of farnesoic acid O-methyltransferase (FAMeT). FAMeT serves as a key enzyme in crustaceans, catalyzing the rate-limiting step in the biosynthesis of methyl farnesoate (MF). Although homologs of FAMeT have been widely identified in insects, their role in the juvenile hormone (JH) signaling pathway remains unclear. Moreover, the origin and evolutionary history of the MtFA domain remain poorly understood. Interestingly, insect FAMeT contains the MtFA domain and the DUF3421 domain of unknown function. In this study, we found that the MtFA domain was widely distributed across diverse taxa, including protists, vertebrates, and angiosperms. MtFA domain–containing genes likely originated from the common ancestor of prokaryotes and eukaryotes but were lost in archaea. The clustering of MtFA sequences was generally consistent with the classification of MtFA fusion proteins, indicating that domain variation might have been related to protein type. Overexpression of BmFAMeT-2 (which encodes a protein containing 2 MtFA domains and 1 DUF3421 domain) or BmFAMeT-1 (which encodes a protein containing 1 MtFA domain and 1 DUF3421 domain) led to the upregulation of BmKr-h1 expression. In contrast, overexpression of BGIBMGA006319 (encoding a protein containing only 1 DUF3421 domain) led to the downregulation of BmKr-h1 expression. Knockdown of BGIBMGA006319 led to an increase in JH titers, whereas knockdown of BmFAMeT-1 or BmFAMeT-2 resulted in a decrease, with the effect being more pronounced for BmFAMeT-2 than for BmFAMeT-1. These findings suggest that the MtFA domain plays a promoting role in JH signaling, while the DUF3421 domain plays an inhibitory role in JH signaling in silkworms.

甲基转移法尼松酸（MtFA）结构域是法尼松酸o -甲基转移酶（FAMeT）的特征结构域。FAMeT是甲壳类动物的一种关键酶，它催化了法尼索酸甲酯（methyl farnesoate， MF）生物合成的限速步骤。虽然FAMeT的同系物已在昆虫中广泛发现，但它们在幼年激素（JH）信号通路中的作用尚不清楚。此外，MtFA结构域的起源和进化历史仍然知之甚少。有趣的是，昆虫的FAMeT含有功能未知的MtFA结构域和DUF3421结构域。在本研究中，我们发现MtFA结构域广泛分布于不同的分类群中，包括原生动物、脊椎动物和被子植物。含有MtFA结构域的基因可能起源于原核生物和真核生物的共同祖先，但在古细菌中丢失了。MtFA序列的聚类与MtFA融合蛋白的分类基本一致，表明结构域变异可能与蛋白类型有关。BmFAMeT-2（编码含有2个MtFA结构域和1个DUF3421结构域的蛋白）或BmFAMeT-1（编码含有1个MtFA结构域和1个DUF3421结构域的蛋白）的过表达导致bmpr -h1表达上调。相比之下，BGIBMGA006319（编码仅含有1个DUF3421结构域的蛋白）的过表达导致BmKr-h1表达下调。敲低BGIBMGA006319导致JH滴度升高，而敲低BmFAMeT-1或BmFAMeT-2导致JH滴度降低，且BmFAMeT-2的效果比BmFAMeT-1更明显。这些结果表明，MtFA结构域在家蚕JH信号传导中起促进作用，而DUF3421结构域在家蚕JH信号传导中起抑制作用。

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引用次数: 0

Function of the zasp52 gene detected by CRISPR/Cas9 in the global fruit borer Grapholita molesta 利用CRISPR/Cas9技术检测全球果螟zasp52基因的功能

IF 3.2 2区农林科学 Q2 BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Pub Date : 2025-07-16 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104363

Sha Su , Zhimin Xu , Jinbo Suo , Yurong Zhou , Xiaohe Zhang , Amedius Dwigo Ignatus , Yayun Zuo , Xiong Peng , Fei Li , Maohua Chen

Zasp (Z band alternatively spliced PDZ-motif protein) is the core component of the Z-disc in muscle tissue and plays a vital role in the assembly and maintenance of myofibrils. The zasp has been studied in vertebrates, but it has only been reported in model organisms (e.g. Drosophila melanogaster) among insect species. Grapholita molesta is an important fruit pest with weak flight capacity. Flight capacity is important for the seasonal host switch of this pest. So far, the genes involved in the flight of G. molesta have not been analyzed. In this study, we identified and cloned the Gmzasp52 gene from G. molesta. This gene was expressed in different tissues and developmental stages of G. molesta. Using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology, a homozygous Gmzasp52 gene knockout strain of G. molesta was successfully constructed. Knockout of the Gmzasp52 gene significantly prolonged the larval and preoviposition periods of G. molesta, and shortened the pupal period; the larval weight, pupal weight and fecundity decreased significantly, and the pupal mortality increased significantly; the Z-disc structure of the flight muscle was destroyed, and the myofibrils were damaged, resulting in a significant decrease in flight capacity. These results indicate that the Gmzasp52 plays an important role in the growth and development, reproduction, flight muscle structure and flight capacity of G. molesta. Our study reveals the role of zasp52 gene in a non-model insect species for the first time. The results not only analyzed the role of Gmzasp52 gene in G. molesta, but also further characterized the function of zasp52 gene in non-model organisms and provided possible target gene for the control of this pest.

Zasp （Z带选择性剪接pdz基序蛋白）是肌肉组织中Z盘的核心成分，在肌原纤维的组装和维持中起着至关重要的作用。zasp已经在脊椎动物中进行了研究，但在昆虫物种中仅在模式生物（如果蝇）中有报道。小蠹蛾是一种重要的水果害虫，其飞行能力较弱。飞行能力对该害虫的季节性寄主转换很重要。到目前为止，还没有分析过与毛蝇飞行有关的基因。在本研究中，我们鉴定并克隆了G. molesta Gmzasp52基因。该基因在不同组织和发育阶段均有表达。利用CRISPR/Cas9基因编辑技术，成功构建了G. molesta Gmzasp52基因纯合子敲除菌株。敲除Gmzasp52基因显著延长了小蠹蛾的幼虫期和产卵前期，缩短了蛹期；幼虫重、蛹重、繁殖力显著降低，蛹死亡率显著升高；飞行肌z盘结构被破坏，肌原纤维受损，飞行能力明显下降。上述结果表明，Gmzasp52基因在飞蛾的生长发育、繁殖、飞行肌肉结构和飞行能力等方面发挥着重要作用。我们的研究首次揭示了zasp52基因在非模式昆虫物种中的作用。研究结果不仅分析了Gmzasp52基因在鼠夜蛾中的作用，还进一步表征了zasp52基因在非模式生物中的功能，为鼠夜蛾的防治提供了可能的靶基因。

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引用次数: 0

Genome assembly of Diadegma fenestrale (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), and genome integration of its symbiotic virus, DfIV 姬蜂（膜翅目：姬蜂科）基因组组装及其共生病毒DfIV基因组整合

IF 3.2 2区农林科学 Q2 BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Pub Date : 2025-07-16 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104366

Juil Kim , Murtaza Khan

Diadegma fenestrale is a parasitic wasp of ecological and agricultural significance, regulating pest populations. However, limited genomic resources have hindered a deeper understanding of its biology and symbiotic interactions. This study presents a chromosome-level genome assembly of D. fenestrale using Nanopore and Illumina sequencing. The assembled 221.1 Mb genome comprises 68 scaffolds, including 11 at the chromosomal level, and exhibits high completeness with a BUSCO completeness score of 99.6 %. A total of 13,544 protein-coding genes were predicted, with BUSCO assessment of the gene set indicating 97.5 % completeness (single-copy: 96.8 %, duplicated: 0.7 %), 0.7 % fragmented, and 1.8 % missing genes. Comparative genomic analysis with closely related hymenopteran species provides new insights into genome evolution, including gene family expansion, contraction patterns, and chromosomal rearrangements. Additionally, this study examines DfIV, a symbiotic virus associated with D. fenestrale, identifying 62 genome segments integrated into the host genome. Most segments are present in one or two copies, while four segments exhibit three copies, suggesting a dynamic interaction between the virus and the host genome that may influence gene regulation and chromosomal stability. This study provides a comprehensive genomic resource for D. fenestrale, enhancing our understanding of its genomic architecture, evolutionary dynamics, and functional adaptations. The findings contribute to broader research on parasitoid wasps, and symbiotic virus-host interactions, with implications for biological pest control and evolutionary biology.

窗角斑姬蜂是一种具有生态和农业意义的寄生蜂，具有调节害虫种群的作用。然而，有限的基因组资源阻碍了对其生物学和共生相互作用的深入了解。本研究利用纳米孔和Illumina测序技术，建立了fenestrale的染色体水平基因组组装。组装的221.1 Mb基因组包含68个支架，其中11个位于染色体水平，具有较高的完整性，BUSCO完整性评分为99.6%。共预测了13544个蛋白质编码基因，BUSCO评估表明基因集的完整性为97.5%（单拷贝：96.8%，重复：0.7%），片段化为0.7%，缺失基因为1.8%。与近亲膜翅目昆虫的比较基因组分析为基因组进化提供了新的见解，包括基因家族扩展、收缩模式和染色体重排。此外，本研究还检测了DfIV，一种与雌蜂D. fenestrale相关的共生病毒，鉴定了整合到宿主基因组中的62个基因组片段。大多数片段出现在一个或两个拷贝中，而四个片段出现在三个拷贝中，这表明病毒与宿主基因组之间存在动态相互作用，可能影响基因调控和染色体稳定性。该研究提供了一个全面的基因组资源，增强了我们对其基因组结构、进化动力学和功能适应的理解。这些发现有助于对拟寄生蜂和共生病毒-宿主相互作用的更广泛研究，对生物害虫防治和进化生物学具有重要意义。

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引用次数: 0

Melanization immune response of Spodoptera frugiperda to an endoparasitoid Microplitis pallidipes 夜蛾对类内寄生虫苍白微囊炎的黑化免疫反应

IF 3.2 2区农林科学 Q2 BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Pub Date : 2025-07-16 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104364

Hao Zhang , Jin-Yan Wang , Lan-Lan Huang , Chris Bass , Jun-Xiang Zhou , Yi-Juan Chen , Jie-Xian Jiang , Xiang-Yun Ji , Nian-Feng Wan

Spodoptera frugiperda Smith (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a worldwide invasive pest. Microplitis pallidipes Szépligeti (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is an endoparasitoid of this pest. However, the melanization immune response of this pest to M. pallidipes, has not yet been explored. We found that the parasitism of S. frugiperda by M. pallidipes severely inhibited hemolymph melanization and phenoloxidase activity of larvae. Transcriptomic and proteomic analysis indicated that 1128 genes and 594 proteins were significantly altered in expression following parasitism. These included 12 of the 23 candidate genes involved in melanization in S. frugiperda (i.e., 7 recognition protein genes, 10 prophenoloxidase (PPO) cascade genes, and 6 melanin synthesis genes). Eight of these 12 melanization genes were significantly downregulated in S. frugiperda larvae 24 h or 48 h after treatment with siRNAs. Of these, RNAi knockdown of PPO1, PPO2 and TH (tyrosine hydroxylase) increased parasitism rate by 13.3 %–23.3 % and decreased hemymphatic melanization rate by 36.7–66.7 %. Our results provide insight into the melanization response of S. frugiperda and identify genes that appear to play a key role in this process. These findings shed light on the mechanisms by which insect herbivores respond to parasitism, and have applied implications for the biological control of insect pests by parasitic wasps.

夜蛾（鳞翅目：夜蛾科）是一种世界性入侵害虫。斑胸小蜂（膜翅目：小蜂科）是该害虫的一种内寄生昆虫。然而，这种害虫对白僵菌的黑化免疫反应尚未被探索。结果表明，白僵菌寄生于果蚜后，严重抑制了果蚜幼虫血淋巴黑色素化和酚氧化酶活性。转录组学和蛋白质组学分析表明，1128个基因和594个蛋白在寄生后表达显著改变。其中包括23个参与frugiperda黑色素化的候选基因中的12个（即7个识别蛋白基因、10个酚氧化酶原级联基因和6个黑色素合成基因）。在sirna处理后24 h或48 h，这12个黑化基因中的8个在frugiperda幼虫中显著下调。其中，RNAi敲低PPO1、PPO2和TH（酪氨酸羟化酶）可使寄生率提高13.3% ~ 23.3%，使淋巴黑化率降低36.7% ~ 66.7%。我们的研究结果提供了对S. frugiperda黑化反应的深入了解，并确定了在这一过程中发挥关键作用的基因。这些发现揭示了食草昆虫对寄生的反应机制，并对寄生蜂对害虫的生物防治具有应用意义。

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引用次数: 0

Laterally acquired chitinase genes in venom facilitate parasitism in egg parasitoid wasps 毒液中侧向获得的几丁质酶基因促进了卵类寄生蜂的寄生。

IF 3.2 2区农林科学 Q2 BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Pub Date : 2025-07-14 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104362

Xu Chen , Guy Smagghe , Yong-Ming Chen , Lian-Sheng Zang

Parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera) play a crucial role in ecosystems and agroforestry pest management as biological control agents. These wasps utilize venom proteins to suppress host immunity and regulate physiology, facilitating offspring development. Although venom functions have been studied in some parasitoids, their roles in egg parasitoids remain poorly understood. In this study, we employed genomic and transcriptomic sequencing to identify venom proteins in Anastatus japonicus and Anastatus fulloi, two egg parasitoids used in biological control. We discovered a significant expansion of GH19 chitinase in their genomes, with phylogenetic analysis indicating acquisition via lateral gene transfer (LGT) from microsporidian. Functional characterization revealed that four highly expressed GH19 chitinases, Aj13071/Aj13072 in A. japonicus and Af23628/Af23629 in A. fulloi are essential for host egg penetration; silencing these genes increased penetration time and resulted in smaller or incomplete holes. Additionally, silencing Aj13071 and Aj13072 in A. japonicus impaired female fecundity, while Af23628 and Af23629 in A. fulloi affected venom reservoir development and egg load, respectively. These findings underscore the critical roles of GH19 chitinases in host penetration and reproduction, offering new insights into the molecular mechanisms driving parasitism in egg parasitoids. This study advances our understanding of venom evolution and supports the development of targeted biological control strategies.

寄生蜂（膜翅目）作为生物防治剂在生态系统和农林病虫害治理中发挥着重要作用。这些黄蜂利用毒液蛋白抑制宿主免疫和调节生理，促进后代发育。虽然已经研究了毒液在一些类寄生物中的作用，但它们在卵类寄生物中的作用仍然知之甚少。本研究采用基因组测序和转录组测序技术，对两种用于生物防治的卵寄生蜂——日本Anastatus japonicus和fulloi的毒液蛋白进行了鉴定。我们发现GH19几丁质酶在它们的基因组中显著扩增，系统发育分析表明是通过微孢子虫的侧基因转移（LGT）获得的。功能鉴定结果表明，4种高表达的GH19几丁质酶（Aj13071 / Aj13072）和Af23628 / Af23629是侵染寄主卵所必需的；沉默这些基因增加了穿透时间，导致更小或不完整的孔。另外，在日本刺蜂中沉默Aj13071和Aj13072会影响雌性的繁殖力，而在中华刺蜂中沉默Af23628和Af23629会分别影响毒液库的发育和卵量。这些发现强调了GH19几丁质酶在寄主渗透和繁殖中的关键作用，为卵类寄生物寄生的分子机制提供了新的见解。这项研究促进了我们对毒液进化的理解，并支持了有针对性的生物控制策略的发展。

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引用次数: 0

Spatiotemporal dynamics of histone H3K27 demethylase during development 组蛋白H3K27去甲基化酶在发育过程中的时空动态。

IF 3.2 2区农林科学 Q2 BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Pub Date : 2025-07-12 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2025.104360

Yu-Chen Tsai , Yun-Chen Chung , Cheng-Chan Yang , Cheng-Hsien Lee , Che-Wei Liu , Shih-Ming Huang , Lan-Hsin Wang

Spatiotemporal gene expression is fundamental to cellular identity and function, ensuring proper development and tissue homeostasis. Histone modifications, such as H3K4 methylation (associated with active transcription) and H3K27 methylation (linked to repression), act as molecular switches that fine-tune gene expression. However, it remains largely unclear whether and how the histone modifying enzymes are regulated during normal development. In Drosophila, Utx, the sole H3K27 demethylase, plays a crucial role in removing di- and trimethylation marks on H3K27 across the genome. Here, we provide the first evidence that Utx transcription is dynamically regulated, with its regulatory elements exhibiting distinct temporal and spatial activity throughout development. Despite this variability at the transcriptional level, Utx protein is ubiquitously expressed and relatively stable. We found that the regulatory elements of Utx are highly active during embryogenesis but become largely inactivated in wing, eye and leg progenitor tissues during larval and pupal stages. Intriguingly, these regulatory elements are persistently active in the brain into adulthood. Disrupting this dynamic regulation activates a surveillance mechanism that limits excess Utx from translocating into the nucleus, thereby ensuring optimal nuclear protein levels. Moreover, while the Jumonji C (JmjC) demethylase activity of Utx is essential for Drosophila viability, we also discovered that the integrity of this domain is crucial for Utx protein expression. Our findings uncover a previously unrecognized aspect of Utx regulation, highlighting how precise control of its expression and localization safeguards developmental processes and maintains epigenetic stability.

时空基因表达是细胞身份和功能的基础，确保正常发育和组织稳态。组蛋白修饰，如H3K4甲基化（与主动转录相关）和H3K27甲基化（与抑制相关），作为微调基因表达的分子开关。然而，在正常发育过程中是否以及如何调节组蛋白修饰酶仍不清楚。在果蝇中，唯一的H3K27去甲基化酶Utx在去除整个基因组中H3K27的二甲基化和三甲基化标记中起着至关重要的作用。在这里，我们提供了第一个证据，证明Utx转录是动态调控的，其调控元件在整个发育过程中表现出不同的时间和空间活动。尽管在转录水平上存在这种可变性，但Utx蛋白普遍表达且相对稳定。我们发现Utx的调控元件在胚胎发生期间高度活跃，但在幼虫和蛹阶段的翅膀、眼睛和腿祖组织中大部分失活。有趣的是，这些调节因素在成年后仍在大脑中持续活跃。破坏这种动态调节激活了一种监视机制，该机制限制了过量的Utx转运到细胞核中，从而确保了最佳的核蛋白水平。此外，虽然Utx的Jumonji C （JmjC）去甲基酶活性对果蝇的生存至关重要，但我们也发现该结构域的完整性对Utx蛋白的表达至关重要。我们的研究结果揭示了Utx调控的一个以前未被认识到的方面，强调了其表达和定位的精确控制如何保护发育过程并维持表观遗传稳定性。

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引用次数: 0