Pub Date : 2026-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.cris.2025.100121
Jozsef Takacs , Astrid Bryon , Annette B. Jensen , Joop J.A. van Loon , Vera I.D. Ros
The house cricket, Acheta domesticus, is commonly reared for food and feed purposes and is often infected with the Acheta domesticus densovirus (AdDV). This single-stranded DNA virus can cause high mortality in crickets resulting in colony collapse. AdDV disease outbreaks in cricket mass-rearing can be prevented by either obtaining virus-free crickets or by reducing virus spread. Therefore, insight into viral levels in cricket developmental stages and into viral transmission routes is needed. Viral levels were monitored using quantitative PCR on samples collected 1) simultaneously from different life stages present in the rearing room and 2) weekly from a single rearing container during the successive developmental stages. To study viral tissue tropism and to infer the route of virus transmission, viral levels were measured in cricket tissues and in mated and non-mated adult crickets. Results showed that viral levels increased when developing from nymphs into adults and that unmated individuals had significantly lower viral levels than mated individuals. Furthermore, AdDV was present in every tested tissue and the gut and ovaries of females showed the highest viral levels. Our results suggest that AdDV is both horizontally and vertically transmitted among house crickets and provide relevant information to establish virus-free cricket lines.
{"title":"Tissue tropism and viral levels of Acheta domesticus densovirus throughout the house cricket production","authors":"Jozsef Takacs , Astrid Bryon , Annette B. Jensen , Joop J.A. van Loon , Vera I.D. Ros","doi":"10.1016/j.cris.2025.100121","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cris.2025.100121","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The house cricket, <em>Acheta domesticus,</em> is commonly reared for food and feed purposes and is often infected with the Acheta domesticus densovirus (AdDV). This single-stranded DNA virus can cause high mortality in crickets resulting in colony collapse. AdDV disease outbreaks in cricket mass-rearing can be prevented by either obtaining virus-free crickets or by reducing virus spread. Therefore, insight into viral levels in cricket developmental stages and into viral transmission routes is needed. Viral levels were monitored using quantitative PCR on samples collected 1) simultaneously from different life stages present in the rearing room and 2) weekly from a single rearing container during the successive developmental stages. To study viral tissue tropism and to infer the route of virus transmission, viral levels were measured in cricket tissues and in mated and non-mated adult crickets. Results showed that viral levels increased when developing from nymphs into adults and that unmated individuals had significantly lower viral levels than mated individuals. Furthermore, AdDV was present in every tested tissue and the gut and ovaries of females showed the highest viral levels. Our results suggest that AdDV is both horizontally and vertically transmitted among house crickets and provide relevant information to establish virus-free cricket lines.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34629,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Insect Science","volume":"9 ","pages":"Article 100121"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145926526","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.cris.2026.100122
Stéphane Debernard , Edmundo Gassias , Paleo Aguilar , Annick Maria , Annabelle Fuentes , Philippe Couzi , Françoise Bozzolan , Nicolas Durand , Evan Force
In insects, juvenile hormone (JH) is essential for orchestrating reproductive events. For example, in the male moth Agrotis ipsilon, the behavioral response to female sex pheromone is linked to neuronal sensitivity in the primary olfactory centers (antennal lobes, ALs), and the maturation of accessory sex glands (ASGs) are known to be age- and JH-dependent. The molecular basis of this regulatory action of JH is not fully deciphered, and we show here that the heterodimerizing partner of Methoprene-tolerant called Taiman (Tai) is essential for the sexual maturation of male A. ipsilon. Tai expression in ALs and ASGs is elevated from the third day of adult life and is responsible for the acquisition of behavioral responsiveness to the sex pheromone and ASG maturation. Tai-deficient old males exhibited altered sexual behavior and delayed ASG maturation. Moreover, the expression levels of Tai and Krüppel homolog 1 (Kr-h1), an early JH-induced transcription factor, were reduced in ALs and ASGs of JH-deprived and Tai-deficient old males, respectively. Exogenous JH injection into young males resulted in precocious sexual maturation and this JH induction was suppressed by Tai silencing. Our results demonstrate that Tai is an actor of the JH signaling pathway that operates in ALs and ASGs to promote pheromone information processing and consequently the display of sexual behavior in synchrony with ASG maturation, ultimately optimizing male reproductive success. Thus, this study provides additional insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying hormonal regulation of sexual maturation in insects.
{"title":"Involvement of Taiman in juvenile hormone signaling controlling sexual maturation in a male moth","authors":"Stéphane Debernard , Edmundo Gassias , Paleo Aguilar , Annick Maria , Annabelle Fuentes , Philippe Couzi , Françoise Bozzolan , Nicolas Durand , Evan Force","doi":"10.1016/j.cris.2026.100122","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cris.2026.100122","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In insects, juvenile hormone (JH) is essential for orchestrating reproductive events. For example, in the male moth <em>Agrotis ipsilon</em>, the behavioral response to female sex pheromone is linked to neuronal sensitivity in the primary olfactory centers (antennal lobes, ALs), and the maturation of accessory sex glands (ASGs) are known to be age- and JH-dependent. The molecular basis of this regulatory action of JH is not fully deciphered, and we show here that the heterodimerizing partner of Methoprene-tolerant called Taiman (Tai) is essential for the sexual maturation of male <em>A. ipsilon. Tai</em> expression in ALs and ASGs is elevated from the third day of adult life and is responsible for the acquisition of behavioral responsiveness to the sex pheromone and ASG maturation. <em>Tai</em>-deficient old males exhibited altered sexual behavior and delayed ASG maturation. Moreover, the expression levels of <em>Tai</em> and <em>Krüppel homolog 1</em> (<em>Kr-h1</em>), an early JH-induced transcription factor, were reduced in ALs and ASGs of JH-deprived and <em>Tai</em>-deficient old males, respectively. Exogenous JH injection into young males resulted in precocious sexual maturation and this JH induction was suppressed by <em>Tai</em> silencing. Our results demonstrate that Tai is an actor of the JH signaling pathway that operates in ALs and ASGs to promote pheromone information processing and consequently the display of sexual behavior in synchrony with ASG maturation, ultimately optimizing male reproductive success. Thus, this study provides additional insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying hormonal regulation of sexual maturation in insects.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34629,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Insect Science","volume":"9 ","pages":"Article 100122"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146037902","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.cris.2026.100123
Britney N. Picinic , Amber Reinsborough , Sima Jonusaite , Jean-Paul V. Paluzzi , Andrew Donini
Chironomus riparius midge larvae are ubiquitous in freshwater ecosystems throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Recently, freshwater in temperate regions has experienced a threat from salinization due to the use of road de-icers. As ambient temperatures fluctuate, snow and ice melt carry the de-icers into nearby freshwater and significantly raise salt levels. Recently, organic de-icers including brine beet juice de-icer (BBJD) have been implemented as an “ecofriendly” alternative to traditional road salt. Not much is known about the effects of BBJD on freshwater invertebrates. Aquatic insects respond to salinity by adjusting the ion transport functions of osmoregulatory organs. A key component in insect osmoregulation is the presence of water channel proteins known as aquaporins (AQPs) that allow movement of water along an osmotic gradient. To date, there is limited knowledge on the effects of salinity on AQP function in aquatic insects. In this study, we characterized a water-specific AQP known as CrAQP2 (a PRIP homolog) in the osmoregulatory organs of C. riparius larvae. CrAQP2 was immunolocalized in osmoregulatory organs with greatest transcript abundance in the Malpighian tubules. NaCl caused differential Craqp2 transcript expression in some of the organs, whereas BBJD had little effect on Craqp2 transcript levels. Craqp2 knockdown decreased total body water regardless of treatment and reduced survival of larvae in BBJD and NaCl. Therefore, CrAQP2 appears to be important in maintaining total body water levels stable and likely plays a role in the ability of midge larvae to respond to salinity.
{"title":"Discovery of an aquaporin (CrAQP2) in the freshwater larval midge, Chironomus riparius and its role in response to road de-icers","authors":"Britney N. Picinic , Amber Reinsborough , Sima Jonusaite , Jean-Paul V. Paluzzi , Andrew Donini","doi":"10.1016/j.cris.2026.100123","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cris.2026.100123","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Chironomus riparius</em> midge larvae are ubiquitous in freshwater ecosystems throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Recently, freshwater in temperate regions has experienced a threat from salinization due to the use of road de-icers. As ambient temperatures fluctuate, snow and ice melt carry the de-icers into nearby freshwater and significantly raise salt levels. Recently, organic de-icers including brine beet juice de-icer (BBJD) have been implemented as an “ecofriendly” alternative to traditional road salt. Not much is known about the effects of BBJD on freshwater invertebrates. Aquatic insects respond to salinity by adjusting the ion transport functions of osmoregulatory organs. A key component in insect osmoregulation is the presence of water channel proteins known as aquaporins (AQPs) that allow movement of water along an osmotic gradient. To date, there is limited knowledge on the effects of salinity on AQP function in aquatic insects. In this study, we characterized a water-specific AQP known as CrAQP2 (a PRIP homolog) in the osmoregulatory organs of <em>C. riparius</em> larvae. CrAQP2 was immunolocalized in osmoregulatory organs with greatest transcript abundance in the Malpighian tubules. NaCl caused differential <em>Craqp2</em> transcript expression in some of the organs, whereas BBJD had little effect on <em>Craqp2</em> transcript levels. <em>Craqp2</em> knockdown decreased total body water regardless of treatment and reduced survival of larvae in BBJD and NaCl. Therefore, CrAQP2 appears to be important in maintaining total body water levels stable and likely plays a role in the ability of midge larvae to respond to salinity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34629,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Insect Science","volume":"9 ","pages":"Article 100123"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146037901","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-03DOI: 10.1016/j.cris.2025.100119
Kurtis F. Turnbull , Alkistis Elliott-Graves , Susan E. Anthony , Jens Roland , Stephen F. Matter , Brent J. Sinclair
Parnassius smintheus is an alpine butterfly that overwinters as a first-instar caterpillar within its egg and often beneath the snow. While extreme temperatures in early winter appear pivotal to year-to-year population change of P. smintheus in the Rocky Mountains of Canada, the sources of mortality for these eggs are unclear. Here we tested three hypotheses about the vulnerability of eggs to warming and extreme weather in early winter (i.e. upper quartile of daily maximum and minimum microclimate temperatures in November): (1) warming disrupts the acquisition of cold tolerance, making eggs susceptible to subsequent cold snaps; (2) warming drives premature development and hatch, such that precocious hatchlings either starve or freeze; and (3) warming depletes the energy stores of dormant eggs. We then used these hypotheses to guide a simulation of the risk of winter mortality for eggs over the last half-century (1971 – 2020) in the Rocky Mountains of Canada. Early winter warming did not interrupt the acquisition of cold tolerance by freeze-avoidant eggs. Eggs did risk lethal freezing in simulated winters when extreme low temperatures coincided with an absence of snow cover. Early winter warming increased the risk of subsequent hatching, and precocious larvae were less cold-tolerant than eggs. Our simulation found that precocious larvae risked freezing during snow-free cold snaps in spring. Early winter warming did not appreciably drawdown energy stores, and we found that P. smintheus could not only fuel overwintering but tolerate several days of starvation after hatch. We conclude that eggs risk precocious development after early winter warming and are likely vulnerable in winters that lack persistent snow cover. Together, these sources of winter mortality may explain year-to-year change in P. smintheus populations. Identifying unidirectional thresholds, such as hatching and freezing, may be important for predicting the susceptibility of some alpine insects to future winter warming.
{"title":"Vulnerability of alpine butterfly eggs to early winter warming","authors":"Kurtis F. Turnbull , Alkistis Elliott-Graves , Susan E. Anthony , Jens Roland , Stephen F. Matter , Brent J. Sinclair","doi":"10.1016/j.cris.2025.100119","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cris.2025.100119","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Parnassius smintheus</em> is an alpine butterfly that overwinters as a first-instar caterpillar within its egg and often beneath the snow. While extreme temperatures in early winter appear pivotal to year-to-year population change of <em>P. smintheus</em> in the Rocky Mountains of Canada, the sources of mortality for these eggs are unclear. Here we tested three hypotheses about the vulnerability of eggs to warming and extreme weather in early winter (i.e. upper quartile of daily maximum and minimum microclimate temperatures in November): (1) warming disrupts the acquisition of cold tolerance, making eggs susceptible to subsequent cold snaps; (2) warming drives premature development and hatch, such that precocious hatchlings either starve or freeze; and (3) warming depletes the energy stores of dormant eggs. We then used these hypotheses to guide a simulation of the risk of winter mortality for eggs over the last half-century (1971 – 2020) in the Rocky Mountains of Canada. Early winter warming did not interrupt the acquisition of cold tolerance by freeze-avoidant eggs. Eggs did risk lethal freezing in simulated winters when extreme low temperatures coincided with an absence of snow cover. Early winter warming increased the risk of subsequent hatching, and precocious larvae were less cold-tolerant than eggs. Our simulation found that precocious larvae risked freezing during snow-free cold snaps in spring. Early winter warming did not appreciably drawdown energy stores, and we found that <em>P. smintheus</em> could not only fuel overwintering but tolerate several days of starvation after hatch. We conclude that eggs risk precocious development after early winter warming and are likely vulnerable in winters that lack persistent snow cover. Together, these sources of winter mortality may explain year-to-year change in <em>P. smintheus</em> populations. Identifying unidirectional thresholds, such as hatching and freezing, may be important for predicting the susceptibility of some alpine insects to future winter warming.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34629,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Insect Science","volume":"9 ","pages":"Article 100119"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145738957","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-03DOI: 10.1016/j.cris.2025.100120
Alessia Saul , Louise M. Stevenson , Kevin E. McCluney
Per-/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been commonly used over several decades for a variety of products and are very persistent in the environment. However, not much is known about their direct effects on aquatic invertebrates and their ecosystems. We examined the survival, behavior, development, and predation susceptibility of mosquito larvae Culex quinquefasciatus exposed to concentrations of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) ranging from 0.02 to 453.7 µg/L. PFOS exposure resulted in reduced larval survival, with a 48 hour LC50 (concentration with 50 % mortality) of 255.99 µg/L. PFOS exposure also resulted in reduced developmental success and slower maturation to adulthood (and thus slower emergence from the water) compared to control larvae. PFOS also resulted in delays in reaction to prodding stimuli, which were meant to simulate a predator attack, and longer reactions to prodding. Larvae exposed to PFOS also spent more time at the bottom of the water column, rather than at the surface where respiration takes place. Effects of larval mosquito PFOS exposure on predation by unexposed damselfly naiads (genus Ischnura) were not detected. Overall, this research suggests that PFOS impacts mosquito larvae survival, behavior, development, and adult emergence, which could have important implications for food webs or public health given the role of mosquitos as disease vectors.
{"title":"Effects of PFOS on the behavior, growth, emergence, and predation susceptibility of larval mosquitoes (Culex quinquefasciatus)","authors":"Alessia Saul , Louise M. Stevenson , Kevin E. McCluney","doi":"10.1016/j.cris.2025.100120","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cris.2025.100120","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Per-/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been commonly used over several decades for a variety of products and are very persistent in the environment. However, not much is known about their direct effects on aquatic invertebrates and their ecosystems. We examined the survival, behavior, development, and predation susceptibility of mosquito larvae <em>Culex quinquefasciatus</em> exposed to concentrations of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) ranging from 0.02 to 453.7 µg/L. PFOS exposure resulted in reduced larval survival, with a 48 hour LC50 (concentration with 50 % mortality) of 255.99 µg/L. PFOS exposure also resulted in reduced developmental success and slower maturation to adulthood (and thus slower emergence from the water) compared to control larvae. PFOS also resulted in delays in reaction to prodding stimuli, which were meant to simulate a predator attack, and longer reactions to prodding. Larvae exposed to PFOS also spent more time at the bottom of the water column, rather than at the surface where respiration takes place. Effects of larval mosquito PFOS exposure on predation by unexposed damselfly naiads (genus <em>Ischnura</em>) were not detected. Overall, this research suggests that PFOS impacts mosquito larvae survival, behavior, development, and adult emergence, which could have important implications for food webs or public health given the role of mosquitos as disease vectors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34629,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Insect Science","volume":"9 ","pages":"Article 100120"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145705695","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.cris.2025.100109
Jacinta D. Kong, Émile Vadboncoeur, Susan M. Bertram, Heath A. MacMillan
Optimisation of life history and organismal performance underlies success in insect mass-rearing. Rearing schedules, resource use and production yield depend on many aspects of insect fitness and performance within and across generations, such as growth, development, longevity, and fecundity, which are all temperature dependent. Despite this general understanding, we often lack species-specific information needed to make informed decisions about manipulating rearing temperatures to optimise insect growth and development. Here, we characterise the effects of rearing temperature on nymph to adult development and lifespan (20 – 38 °C), and reproductive output (30 – 38 °C) in a farmed cricket (Gryllodes sigillatus). Crickets grew larger and reached adulthood sooner at higher developmental temperatures at the expense of longevity. Reproductive output was similar across a range of temperatures but decreased at 38 °C. Therefore, while temperature control is necessary to maximise production rates, temperature is unlikely to affect production yield in a fixed harvest cycle provided it is maintained within the narrow range enabling both fast growth and stable reproduction (32 – 36 °C). Our study provides a fundamental basis for further optimisation of insect rearing operations and a deeper understanding of the thermal biology of this commonly farmed species.
{"title":"Temperature-dependence of life history in an edible cricket: Implications for optimising mass-rearing","authors":"Jacinta D. Kong, Émile Vadboncoeur, Susan M. Bertram, Heath A. MacMillan","doi":"10.1016/j.cris.2025.100109","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cris.2025.100109","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Optimisation of life history and organismal performance underlies success in insect mass-rearing. Rearing schedules, resource use and production yield depend on many aspects of insect fitness and performance within and across generations, such as growth, development, longevity, and fecundity, which are all temperature dependent. Despite this general understanding, we often lack species-specific information needed to make informed decisions about manipulating rearing temperatures to optimise insect growth and development. Here, we characterise the effects of rearing temperature on nymph to adult development and lifespan (20 – 38 °C), and reproductive output (30 – 38 °C) in a farmed cricket (<em>Gryllodes sigillatus</em>). Crickets grew larger and reached adulthood sooner at higher developmental temperatures at the expense of longevity. Reproductive output was similar across a range of temperatures but decreased at 38 °C. Therefore, while temperature control is necessary to maximise production rates, temperature is unlikely to affect production yield in a fixed harvest cycle provided it is maintained within the narrow range enabling both fast growth and stable reproduction (32 – 36 °C). Our study provides a fundamental basis for further optimisation of insect rearing operations and a deeper understanding of the thermal biology of this commonly farmed species.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34629,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Insect Science","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100109"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143579973","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.cris.2024.100103
Sara Zuluaga , Geysson Javier Fernandez , Ana María Mejía-Jaramillo , Carl Lowenberger , Omar Triana-Chavez
Pyrethroids are the most widely used insecticides for controlling insect vectors carrying medically and economically significant pathogens. In Colombia, studies on triatomine insecticide resistance are limited. Due to the increasing challenge of insecticide resistance, this work focuses on determining resistance to different pyrethroid insecticides in populations of Triatoma dimidiata from Colombia. To define the possible causes of resistance, three potential molecular mechanisms were explored: 1) mutations in the coding region of the voltage-gated sodium channel gene (vgsc), the insecticide target site; 2) modulation of enzymatic activity associated with metabolic resistance; and 3) changes in the mRNA profiles using RNA-seq. The results showed that the field population of T. dimidiata was resistant to lambda-cyhalothrin and deltamethrin insecticides. Insects surviving sublethal doses of insecticides did not exhibit the classical mutations in the vgsc gene. Transcriptomic profile analyses of T. dimidiata revealed differentially regulated genes in field and laboratory populations under selective pressure with lambda-cyhalothrin. Gene enrichment analysis showed the positive regulation of transcripts related to detoxifying enzymes and mitochondrial proteins, which could play a significant role in insecticide resistance. This comprehensive investigation is crucial for providing insights into resistance mechanisms and generating strategies to manage these critical vector species.
{"title":"Exploring novel pyrethroid resistance mechanisms through RNA-seq in Triatoma dimidiata from Colombia","authors":"Sara Zuluaga , Geysson Javier Fernandez , Ana María Mejía-Jaramillo , Carl Lowenberger , Omar Triana-Chavez","doi":"10.1016/j.cris.2024.100103","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cris.2024.100103","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pyrethroids are the most widely used insecticides for controlling insect vectors carrying medically and economically significant pathogens. In Colombia, studies on triatomine insecticide resistance are limited. Due to the increasing challenge of insecticide resistance, this work focuses on determining resistance to different pyrethroid insecticides in populations of <em>Triatoma dimidiata</em> from Colombia. To define the possible causes of resistance, three potential molecular mechanisms were explored: 1) mutations in the coding region of the voltage-gated sodium channel gene (<em>vgsc</em>), the insecticide target site; 2) modulation of enzymatic activity associated with metabolic resistance; and 3) changes in the mRNA profiles using RNA-seq. The results showed that the field population of <em>T. dimidiata</em> was resistant to lambda-cyhalothrin and deltamethrin insecticides. Insects surviving sublethal doses of insecticides did not exhibit the classical mutations in the <em>vgsc</em> gene. Transcriptomic profile analyses of <em>T. dimidiata</em> revealed differentially regulated genes in field and laboratory populations under selective pressure with lambda-cyhalothrin. Gene enrichment analysis showed the positive regulation of transcripts related to detoxifying enzymes and mitochondrial proteins, which could play a significant role in insecticide resistance. This comprehensive investigation is crucial for providing insights into resistance mechanisms and generating strategies to manage these critical vector species.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34629,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Insect Science","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100103"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11696854/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142932734","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.cris.2025.100113
J. Wesley Robinson , Abigail T. Bechard , Ariel K. Frame , Micah R. Evans , Angeline-Claudia Atheby , Shaunik Sharma , Hakeem O. Lawal , Anne F. Simon
This short review is targeted at researchers new to the Drosophila model (thereafter: a Drosophilist) in the field of neuroscience. We aim to provide an introductory overview of our current understanding of the adult Drosophila melanogaster (thereafter: Drosophila) brain, its structures, circuitry, and associated behaviours, as well as links to additional resources for more in-depth information. Throughout this overview, we mostly provide references to seminal review articles instead of the original research articles that are thoroughly provided within each review. We do not claim to present an exhaustive exploration of this rapidly expanding field, or of its history. Rather, the field currently lacks a short and simple up-to-date guide to the adult Drosophila brain. Finally, even though connectomes for the full larval brain and the adult ventral nerve cord have recently been made available, we are restricting our focus to the adult brain.
{"title":"The Drosophila adult brain: short overview of structure, function, and resources Graphical Review Paper","authors":"J. Wesley Robinson , Abigail T. Bechard , Ariel K. Frame , Micah R. Evans , Angeline-Claudia Atheby , Shaunik Sharma , Hakeem O. Lawal , Anne F. Simon","doi":"10.1016/j.cris.2025.100113","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cris.2025.100113","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This short review is targeted at researchers new to the Drosophila model (thereafter: a Drosophilist) in the field of neuroscience. We aim to provide an introductory overview of our current understanding of the adult <em>Drosophila melanogaster</em> (thereafter: Drosophila) brain, its structures, circuitry, and associated behaviours, as well as links to additional resources for more in-depth information. Throughout this overview, we mostly provide references to seminal review articles instead of the original research articles that are thoroughly provided within each review. We do not claim to present an exhaustive exploration of this rapidly expanding field, or of its history. Rather, the field currently lacks a short and simple up-to-date guide to the adult Drosophila brain. Finally, even though connectomes for the full larval brain and the adult ventral nerve cord have recently been made available, we are restricting our focus to the adult brain.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34629,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Insect Science","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100113"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144131436","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.cris.2025.100117
Mason H. Lee , Rachel A. Morris, Ryan Phillips, Rita V.M. Rio
Tsetse flies are the primary vectors of African trypanosomes, which are transmitted through blood feeding. To supplement this nutritionally limited diet, tsetse evolved an obligate mutualism with the bacterium Wigglesworthia glossinidia, housed within a specialized organ called the bacteriome. While the functional contributions of this symbiosis towards tsetse fitness have been studied, host morphological changes that accommodate this relationship remain less understood. In pregnant flies, variable expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) regulates protein expression, but the specific impacts are unknown. During pregnancy, high expression of fatty acyl-CoA reductase (far) within the bacteriome is indirectly correlated with miR-31 abundance and coincides with bacteriome size increase. We explored the roles of far and miR-31 towards this morphological change. Although RNAi effectively reduced far expression, bacteriome size still increased, suggesting its expansion is independent of far. In contrast, disrupting miR-31 activity resulted in significantly enlarged bacteriomes in virgin flies, resembling those of mated females. These results suggest that gene(s) other than far are regulated by miR-31 and may contribute to bacteriome remodeling during pregnancy, potentially to meet increased symbiosis demands. Ultimately, disrupting this obligate mutualism may present a promising target for future vector control strategies.
{"title":"mir-31 mediated control of bacteriome size in tsetse flies","authors":"Mason H. Lee , Rachel A. Morris, Ryan Phillips, Rita V.M. Rio","doi":"10.1016/j.cris.2025.100117","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cris.2025.100117","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Tsetse flies are the primary vectors of African trypanosomes, which are transmitted through blood feeding. To supplement this nutritionally limited diet, tsetse evolved an obligate mutualism with the bacterium <em>Wigglesworthia glossinidia</em>, housed within a specialized organ called the bacteriome. While the functional contributions of this symbiosis towards tsetse fitness have been studied, host morphological changes that accommodate this relationship remain less understood. In pregnant flies, variable expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) regulates protein expression, but the specific impacts are unknown. During pregnancy, high expression of fatty acyl-CoA reductase (<em>far</em>) within the bacteriome is indirectly correlated with miR-31 abundance and coincides with bacteriome size increase. We explored the roles of <em>far</em> and miR-31 towards this morphological change. Although RNAi effectively reduced <em>far</em> expression, bacteriome size still increased, suggesting its expansion is independent of <em>far</em>. In contrast, disrupting miR-31 activity resulted in significantly enlarged bacteriomes in virgin flies, resembling those of mated females. These results suggest that gene(s) other than <em>far</em> are regulated by miR-31 and may contribute to bacteriome remodeling during pregnancy, potentially to meet increased symbiosis demands. Ultimately, disrupting this obligate mutualism may present a promising target for future vector control strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34629,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Insect Science","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100117"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145120467","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.cris.2024.100104
Melise C. Lecheta , Chad Nielson , B. Wade French , Emily A.W. Nadeau , Nicholas M. Teets
Diapause is a programmed developmental arrest that can occur at any developmental stage depending on species, but the mechanisms that underscore embryonic diapause are poorly understood. Here, we identified molecular mechanisms underscoring distinct phases of diapause in the Diabrotica spp. complex. This species complex includes economically significant agricultural pests, notably the western corn rootworm (WCR) and northern corn rootworm (NCR), which cause major losses in maize production. Rootworms undergo an obligate embryonic diapause to synchronize their life cycles with host plants, and we sequenced transcriptomes from both species at five time points (pre-diapause, diapause initiation, diapause maintenance, diapause termination, and post-diapause). Our results indicate that transcriptional regulation is dynamic during diapause. Diapause initiation involves shutdown of the cell cycle by downregulating cyclin-related genes, downregulation of aerobic metabolism, with concurrent upregulation of stress-related genes, especially heat shock proteins, the proteasome, and immune-related genes. During post-diapause development, there is a dramatic activation cellular respiration, which may be controlled by insulin signaling. Comparative transcriptomic analyses between WCR and NCR indicated that while many gene expression changes were conserved across species, overall gene expression profiles were distinct, indicating that many transcriptional changes are species-specific, despite the close phylogenetic relationship and phenotypic similarity between these species. This study sheds light on the suite of mechanisms that allow some organisms to pause the symphony of cellular events that occur during embryonic development and persist for several months as a tiny egg. Further, the mechanisms identified here may contribute to further research and pest management efforts in this economically important pest group.
{"title":"Molecular mechanisms and comparative transcriptomics of diapause in two corn rootworm species (Diabrotica spp.)","authors":"Melise C. Lecheta , Chad Nielson , B. Wade French , Emily A.W. Nadeau , Nicholas M. Teets","doi":"10.1016/j.cris.2024.100104","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cris.2024.100104","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Diapause is a programmed developmental arrest that can occur at any developmental stage depending on species, but the mechanisms that underscore embryonic diapause are poorly understood. Here, we identified molecular mechanisms underscoring distinct phases of diapause in the <em>Diabrotica</em> spp. complex. This species complex includes economically significant agricultural pests, notably the western corn rootworm (WCR) and northern corn rootworm (NCR), which cause major losses in maize production. Rootworms undergo an obligate embryonic diapause to synchronize their life cycles with host plants, and we sequenced transcriptomes from both species at five time points (pre-diapause, diapause initiation, diapause maintenance, diapause termination, and post-diapause). Our results indicate that transcriptional regulation is dynamic during diapause. Diapause initiation involves shutdown of the cell cycle by downregulating cyclin-related genes, downregulation of aerobic metabolism, with concurrent upregulation of stress-related genes, especially heat shock proteins, the proteasome, and immune-related genes. During post-diapause development, there is a dramatic activation cellular respiration, which may be controlled by insulin signaling. Comparative transcriptomic analyses between WCR and NCR indicated that while many gene expression changes were conserved across species, overall gene expression profiles were distinct, indicating that many transcriptional changes are species-specific, despite the close phylogenetic relationship and phenotypic similarity between these species. This study sheds light on the suite of mechanisms that allow some organisms to pause the symphony of cellular events that occur during embryonic development and persist for several months as a tiny egg. Further, the mechanisms identified here may contribute to further research and pest management efforts in this economically important pest group.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34629,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Insect Science","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100104"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11786089/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143081362","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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