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Santos-Araujo S, Gomes F, Carvalho-Kelly LF, Meyer-Fernandes JR, Gondim KC, Ramos I. In the fed state, autophagy plays a crucial role in assisting the insect vector Rhodnius prolixus mobilize TAG reserves under forced flight activity. Front Physiol 2024; 15:1352766. [PMID: 38725570 PMCID: PMC11079428 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2024.1352766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Autophagy is a cellular degradation pathway mediated by highly conserved autophagy-related genes (Atgs). In our previous work, we showed that inhibiting autophagy under starvation conditions leads to significant physiological changes in the insect vector of Chagas disease Rhodnius prolixus; these changes include triacylglycerol (TAG) retention in the fat body, reduced survival and impaired locomotion and flight capabilities. Herein, because it is known that autophagy can be modulated in response to various stimuli, we further investigated the role of autophagy in the fed state, following blood feeding. Interestingly, the primary indicator for the presence of autophagosomes, the lipidated form of Atg8 (Atg8-II), displayed 20%-50% higher autophagic activation in the first 2 weeks after feeding compared to the third week when digestion was complete. Despite the elevated detection of autophagosomes, RNAi-mediated suppression of RpAtg6 and RpAtg8 did not cause substantial changes in TAG or protein levels in the fat body or the flight muscle during blood digestion. We also found that knockdown of RpAtg6 and RpAtg8 led to modest modulations in the gene expression of essential enzymes involved in lipid metabolism and did not significantly stimulate the expression of the chaperones BiP and PDI, which are the main effectors of the unfolded protein response. These findings indicate that impaired autophagy leads to slight disturbances in lipid metabolism and general cell proteostasis. However, the ability of insects to fly during forced flight until exhaustion was reduced by 60% after knockdown of RpAtg6 and RpAtg8. This change was accompanied by TAG and protein increases as well as decreased ATP levels in the fat body and flight muscle, indicating that autophagy during digestion, i.e., under fed conditions, is necessary to sustain high-performance activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samara Santos-Araujo
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Fabio Gomes
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | | | - Katia C. Gondim
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Isabela Ramos
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Arora G, Tang X, Cui Y, Yang J, Chuang YM, Joshi J, Sajid A, Dong Y, Cresswell P, Dimopoulos G, Fikrig E. mosGILT controls innate immunity and germ cell development in Anopheles gambiae. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:42. [PMID: 38191283 PMCID: PMC10775533 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09887-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Gene-edited mosquitoes lacking a gamma-interferon-inducible lysosomal thiol reductase-like protein, namely (mosGILTnull) have lower Plasmodium infection, which is linked to impaired ovarian development and immune activation. The transcriptome of mosGILTnull Anopheles gambiae was therefore compared to wild type (WT) mosquitoes by RNA-sequencing to delineate mosGILT-dependent pathways. Compared to WT mosquitoes, mosGILTnull A. gambiae demonstrated altered expression of genes related to oogenesis, 20-hydroxyecdysone synthesis, as well as immune-related genes. Serendipitously, the zero population growth gene, zpg, an essential regulator of germ cell development was found to be one of the most downregulated genes in mosGILTnull mosquitoes. These results provide a crucial missing link between two previous studies on the role of zpg and mosGILT in ovarian development. This study further demonstrates that mosGILT has the potential to serve as a target for the biological control of mosquito vectors and to influence the Plasmodium life cycle within the vector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gunjan Arora
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, 06520, USA.
| | - Xiaotian Tang
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, 06520, USA
| | - Yingjun Cui
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, 06520, USA
| | - Jing Yang
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, 06520, USA
- Current Affiliation: Cuiying Biomedical Research Center, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730030, China
| | - Yu-Min Chuang
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, 06520, USA
| | - Jayadev Joshi
- Genomic Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, 44195, USA
| | - Andaleeb Sajid
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, 06520, USA
| | - Yuemei Dong
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, 21205, USA
| | - Peter Cresswell
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, 06510, USA
| | - George Dimopoulos
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, 21205, USA
| | - Erol Fikrig
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, 06520, USA.
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Kelley M, Holmes CJ, Herbert C, Rayhan A, Joves J, Uhran M, Frigard R, Singh K, Limbach PA, Addepalli B, Benoit JB. Tyrosine transfer RNA levels and modifications during blood-feeding and vitellogenesis in the mosquito, Aedes aegypti. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.29.569187. [PMID: 38076852 PMCID: PMC10705485 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.29.569187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Mosquitoes such as Aedes aegypti must consume a blood meal for the nutrients necessary for egg production. Several transcriptome and proteome changes occur post blood meal that likely corresponds with codon usage alterations. Transfer RNA (tRNA) is the adapter molecule that reads messenger RNA (mRNA) codons to add the appropriate amino acid during protein synthesis. Chemical modifications to tRNA enhance codons' decoding, improving the accuracy and efficiency of protein synthesis. Here, we examined tRNA modifications and transcripts associated with the blood meal and subsequent periods of vitellogenesis in A. aegypti. More specifically, we assessed tRNA transcript abundance and modification levels in the fat body at critical times post blood-feeding. Based on a combination of alternative codon usage and identification of particular modifications, we identified that increased transcription of tyrosine tRNAs is likely critical during the synthesis of egg yolk proteins in the fat body following a blood meal. Altogether, changes in both the abundance and modification of tRNA are essential factors in the process of vitellogenin production after blood-feeding in mosquitoes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Kelley
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45211
| | | | - Cassandra Herbert
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45211
| | - Asif Rayhan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45211
| | - Judd Joves
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45211
| | - Melissa Uhran
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45211
| | - Ronja Frigard
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45211
| | - Khwahish Singh
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45211
| | | | | | - Joshua B. Benoit
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45211
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4
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Dong S, Dimopoulos G. Aedes aegypti Argonaute 2 controls arbovirus infection and host mortality. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5773. [PMID: 37723154 PMCID: PMC10507101 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41370-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Ae. aegypti mosquitoes transmit some of the most important human viral diseases that are responsible for a significant public health burden worldwide. The small interfering RNA (siRNA) pathway is considered the major antiviral defense system in insects. Here we show that siRNA pathway disruption by CRISPR/Cas9-based Ago2 knockout impaired the mosquitoes' ability to degrade arbovirus RNA leading to hyper-infection accompanied by cell lysis and tissue damage. Ago2 disruption impaired DNA repair mechanisms and the autophagy pathway by altering histone abundance. This compromised DNA repair and removal of damaged cellular organelles and dysfunctional aggregates promoted mosquito death. We also report that hyper-infection of Ago2 knockout mosquitoes stimulated a broad-spectrum antiviral immunity, including apoptosis, which may counteract infection. Taken together, our studies reveal novel roles for Ago2 in protecting mosquitoes from arbovirus infection and associated death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengzhang Dong
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21205-2179, USA
| | - George Dimopoulos
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21205-2179, USA.
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5
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Arora G, Tang X, Cui Y, Yang J, Chuang YM, Joshi J, Sajid A, Dong Y, Cresswell P, Dimopoulos G, Fikrig E. Anopheles gambiae mosGILT regulates innate immune genes and zpg expression. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.01.551536. [PMID: 37577703 PMCID: PMC10418185 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.01.551536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Gene-edited mosquitoes lacking a g amma-interferon-inducible lysosomal thiol reductase-like protein, namely ( mosGILT null ) have lower Plasmodium infection, which is linked to impaired ovarian development and immune activation. The transcriptome of mosGILT null A. gambiae was therefore compared to wild type (WT) by RNA-sequencing to delineate mosGILT-dependent pathways. Compared to WT mosquitoes, mosGILT null A. gambiae demonstrated altered expression of genes related to oogenesis, 20-hydroxyecdysone synthesis, as well as immune-related genes. Serendipitously, the zero population growth gene, zpg , an essential regulator of germ cell development was found to be one of the most downregulated genes in mosGILT null mosquitoes. These results provide the crucial missing link between two previous studies on the role of zpg and mosGILT in ovarian development. This study further demonstrates that mosGILT has the potential to serve as a target for the biological control of mosquito vectors and to influence the Plasmodium life cycle within the vector.
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6
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Yadav M, Dahiya N, Sehrawat N. Mosquito gene targeted RNAi studies for vector control. Funct Integr Genomics 2023; 23:180. [PMID: 37227504 DOI: 10.1007/s10142-023-01072-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Vector-borne diseases are serious public health concern. Mosquito is one of the major vectors responsible for the transmission of a number of diseases like malaria, Zika, chikungunya, dengue, West Nile fever, Japanese encephalitis, St. Louis encephalitis, and yellow fever. Various strategies have been used for mosquito control, but the breeding potential of mosquitoes is such tremendous that most of the strategies failed to control the mosquito population. In 2020, outbreaks of dengue, yellow fever, and Japanese encephalitis have occurred worldwide. Continuous insecticide use resulted in strong resistance and disturbed the ecosystem. RNA interference is one of the strategies opted for mosquito control. There are a number of mosquito genes whose inhibition affected mosquito survival and reproduction. Such kind of genes could be used as bioinsecticides for vector control without disturbing the natural ecosystem. Several studies have targeted mosquito genes at different developmental stages by the RNAi mechanism and result in vector control. In the present review, we included RNAi studies conducted for vector control by targeting mosquito genes at different developmental stages using different delivery methods. The review could help the researcher to find out novel genes of mosquitoes for vector control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahima Yadav
- Department of Genetics, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana, India
| | - Nisha Dahiya
- Department of Genetics, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana, India
| | - Neelam Sehrawat
- Department of Genetics, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana, India.
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7
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Pujhari S, Heu CC, Brustolin M, Johnson RM, Kim D, Rasgon JL. Sindbis virus is suppressed in the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti by ATG-6/Beclin-1 mediated activation of autophagy. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.02.526867. [PMID: 36778292 PMCID: PMC9915692 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.02.526867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Autophagy is a critical modulator of pathogen invasion response in vertebrates and invertebrates. However, how it affects mosquito-borne viral pathogens that significantly burden public health remains underexplored. To address this gap, we use a genetic approach to activate macroautophagy/autophagy in the yellow fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti), infected with a recombinant Sindbis virus (SINV) expressing an autophagy activator. We first demonstrate a 17-amino acid peptide derived from the Ae. aegypti autophagy-related protein 6 (ATG-6/beclin-1-like protein) is sufficient to induce autophagy in C6/36 mosquito cells, as marked by lipidation of ATG-8 and puncta formation. Next, we engineered a recombinant SINV expressing this bioactive beclin-1-like peptide and used it to infect and induce autophagy in adult mosquitoes. We find that modulation of autophagy using this recombinant SINV negatively regulated production of infectious viruses. The results from this study improve our understanding of the role of autophagy in arboviruses in invertebrate hosts and also highlight the potential for the autophagy pathway to be exploited for arboviral control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujit Pujhari
- Department of Entomology, the Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
| | - Chan C. Heu
- Department of Entomology, the Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
- USDA-ARS, Maricopa, AZ, USA
| | - Marco Brustolin
- Department of Entomology, the Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
- Unit of Entomology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Rebecca M. Johnson
- Department of Entomology, the Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
- Department of Entomology, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, CT
| | - Donghun Kim
- Department of Entomology, the Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
- Department of Vector Entomology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Jason L. Rasgon
- Department of Entomology, the Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
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8
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Albishi NM, Palli SR. Autophagy genes AMBRA1 and ATG8 play key roles in midgut remodeling of the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti. FRONTIERS IN INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 3:1113871. [PMID: 38469502 PMCID: PMC10926384 DOI: 10.3389/finsc.2023.1113871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
The function of two autophagy genes, an activating molecule BECN1 regulated autophagy (AMBRA1) and autophagy-related gene 8 (ATG8) in the midgut remodeling of Aedes aegypti was investigated. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analysis of RNA samples collected from the last instar larvae and pupae showed that these two genes are predominantly expressed during the last 12 h and first 24 h of the last larval and pupal stages, respectively. Stable ecdysteroid analog induced and juvenile hormone (JH) analog suppressed these genes. RNA interference (RNAi) studies showed that the ecdysone-induced transcription factor E93 is required for the expression of these genes. JH-induced transcription factor krüppel homolog 1 (Kr-h1) suppressed the expression of these genes. RNAi-mediated silencing of AMBRA1 and ATG8 blocked midgut remodeling. Histological studies of midguts from insects at 48 h after ecdysis to the final larval stage and 12 h after ecdysis to the pupal stage showed that ATG gene knockdown blocked midgut remodeling. AMBRA1 and ATG8 double-stranded (dsRNA)-treated insects retained larval midgut cells and died during the pupal stage. Together, these results demonstrate that ecdysteroid induction of ATG genes initiates autophagy programmed cell death during midgut remodeling. JH inhibits midgut remodeling during metamorphosis by interfering with the expression of ATG genes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Subba Reddy Palli
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
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Airs PM, Nazarchyk MJ, Tucker BJ, Bartholomay LC. Characterizing oogenesis and programmed cell death in the eastern tree hole mosquito Aedes (Protomacleaya) triseriatus. FRONTIERS IN INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 2:1073308. [PMID: 38468807 PMCID: PMC10926484 DOI: 10.3389/finsc.2022.1073308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Oogenesis in flies manifests as a carefully orchestrated cascade of developmental gates and growth events, punctuated by programmed cell death (PCD) and follicular resorption events. In anautogenous mosquitoes, a blood meal stimulates growth of primary follicles, but the timing of developmental stages is species-specific, and few species have been characterized. Here, we characterize the first gonotrophic cycle of oogenesis in Aedes triseriatus (Diptera: Culicidae), the principal vector of La Crosse Virus (LACV), a major cause of pediatric encephalitis in North America. We note significant differences in the timing and appearance of developmental stages from previous studies of other mosquito species, particularly Aedes aegypti. We also describe the appearance and timing of PCD events including atresia, nurse cell death, and follicular epithelium death and show that the majority of follicular epithelium cells do not undergo apoptosis during oogenesis but persist in the ovariole at least until the second gonotrophic cycle. This thorough characterization of oogenesis and PCD in Ae. triseriatus, through which LACV must persist in order to achieve filial infection, also serves as a baseline to study host-pathogen interactions during transovarial transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul M. Airs
- Department of Entomology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | | | - Bradley J. Tucker
- Department of Entomology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Midwest Center of Excellence for Vector-Borne Disease, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Lyric C. Bartholomay
- Department of Entomology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Midwest Center of Excellence for Vector-Borne Disease, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
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Cardoso-Jaime V, Tikhe CV, Dong S, Dimopoulos G. The Role of Mosquito Hemocytes in Viral Infections. Viruses 2022; 14:v14102088. [PMID: 36298644 PMCID: PMC9608948 DOI: 10.3390/v14102088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 09/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Insect hemocytes are the only immune cells that can mount a humoral and cellular immune response. Despite the critical involvement of hemocytes in immune responses against bacteria, fungi, and parasites in mosquitoes, our understanding of their antiviral potential is still limited. It has been shown that hemocytes express humoral factors such as TEP1, PPO, and certain antimicrobial peptides that are known to restrict viral infections. Insect hemocytes also harbor the major immune pathways, such as JAK/STAT, TOLL, IMD, and RNAi, which are critical for the control of viral infection. Recent research has indicated a role for hemocytes in the regulation of viral infection through RNA interference and autophagy; however, the specific mechanism by which this regulation occurs remains uncharacterized. Conversely, some studies have suggested that hemocytes act as agonists of arboviral infection because they lack basal lamina and circulate throughout the whole mosquito, likely facilitating viral dissemination to other tissues such as salivary glands. In addition, hemocytes produce arbovirus agonist factors such as lectins, which enhance viral infection. Here, we summarize our current understanding of hemocytes’ involvement in viral infections.
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11
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Sarkar P, Ghanim M. Interaction of Liberibacter Solanacearum with Host Psyllid Vitellogenin and Its Association with Autophagy. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0157722. [PMID: 35863005 PMCID: PMC9430699 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01577-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum (CLso) haplotype D, transmitted by the carrot psyllid Bactericera trigonica, is a major constraint for carrot production in Israel. Unveiling the molecular interactions between the psyllid vector and CLso can facilitate the development of nonchemical approaches for controlling the disease caused by CLso. Bacterial surface proteins are often known to be involved in adhesion and virulence; however, interactions of CLso with carrot psyllid proteins that have a role in the transmission process has remained unexplored. In this study, we used CLso outer membrane protein (OmpA) and flagellin as baits to screen for psyllid interacting proteins in a yeast two-hybrid system assay. We identified psyllid vitellogenin (Vg) to interact with both OmpA and flagellin of CLso. As Vg and autophagy are often tightly linked, we also studied the expression of autophagy-related genes to further elucidate this interaction. We used the juvenile hormone (JH-III) to induce the expression of Vg, thapsigargin for suppressing autophagy, and rapamycin for inducing autophagy. The results revealed that Vg negatively regulates autophagy. Induced Vg expression significantly suppressed autophagy-related gene expression and the levels of CLso significantly increased, resulting in a significant mortality of the insect. Although the specific role of Vg remains obscure, the findings presented here identify Vg as an important component in the insect immune responses against CLso and may help in understanding the initial molecular response in the vector against Liberibacter. IMPORTANCE Pathogen transmission by vectors involves multiple levels of interactions, and for the transmission of liberibacter species by psyllid vectors, much of these interactions are yet to be explored. Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum (CLso) haplotype D inflicts severe economic losses to the carrot industry. Understanding the specific interactions at different stages of infection is hence fundamental and could lead to the development of better management strategies to disrupt the transmission of the bacteria to new host plants. Here, we show that two liberibacter membrane proteins interact with psyllid vitellogenin and also induce autophagy. Altering vitellogenin expression directly influences autophagy and CLso abundance in the psyllid vector. Although the exact mechanism underlying this interaction remains unclear, this study highlights the importance of immune responses in the transmission of this disease agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Poulami Sarkar
- Department of Entomology, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Institute, Rishon LeZion, Israel
| | - Murad Ghanim
- Department of Entomology, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Institute, Rishon LeZion, Israel
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12
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Chen TY, Smartt CT. Activation of the autophagy pathway decreases dengue virus infection in Aedes aegypti cells. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:551. [PMID: 34702321 PMCID: PMC8549150 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-05066-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Mosquito-borne dengue virus (DENV) causes major disease worldwide, impacting 50–100 million people every year, and is spread by the major mosquito vector Aedes aegypti. Understanding mosquito physiology, including antiviral mechanisms, and developing new control strategies have become an important step towards the elimination of DENV disease. In the study reported here, we focused on autophagy, a pathway suggested as having a positive influence on virus replication in humans, as a potential antiviral target in the mosquito. Methods To understand the role played by autophagy in Ae. aegypti, we examined the activation of this pathway in Aag-2 cells, an Ae. aegypti-derived cell line, infected with DENV. Rapamycin and 3-methyladenine, two small molecules that have been shown to affect the function of the autophagy pathway, were used to activate or suppress, respectively, the autophagy pathway. Results At 1-day post-DENV infection in Aag-2 cells, transcript levels of both the microtubule-associated protein light chain 3-phosphatidylethanolamine conjugate (LC3-II) and autophagy-related protein 1 (ATG1) increased. Rapamycin treatment activated the autophagy pathway as early as 1-h post-treatment, and the virus titer had decreased in the Aag-2 cells at 2 days post-infection; in contrast, the 3-methyladenine treatment did not significantly affect the DENV titer. Treatment with these small molecules also impacted the ATG12 transcript levels in DENV-infected cells. Conclusions Our studies revealed that activation of the autophagy pathway through rapamycin treatment altered DENV infection in the mosquito cells, suggesting that this pathway could be a possible antiviral mechanism in the mosquito system. Here we provide fundamental information needed to proceed with future experiments and to improve our understanding of the mosquito’s immune response against DENV. Graphical Abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-021-05066-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tse-Yu Chen
- Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Vero Beach, FL, USA
| | - Chelsea T Smartt
- Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Vero Beach, FL, USA.
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13
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Ye C, Feng Y, Yu F, Jiao Q, Wu J, Ye Z, Zhang P, Sun C, Pang K, Hao P, Yu X. RNAi-mediated silencing of the autophagy-related gene NlATG3 inhibits survival and fecundity of the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2021; 77:4658-4668. [PMID: 34092014 DOI: 10.1002/ps.6507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Revised: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens, is a serious insect pest of rice. Autophagy and its related gene ATG3 play multiple roles in insects. However, information about the functions of ATG3 in BPH (NlATG3) is unavailable, and its potential as a target for pest control remains unclear. RESULTS RT-qPCR results showed a relatively low expression of NlATG3 in 1st-4th-instar nymphs, which increased through 9-day-old adults. The expression of NlATG3 increased continuously in 1-day-old through 5-day-old eggs, whereas it decreased thereafter. The mRNA level of NlATG3 was markedly higher in the ovary (1.16) and head (1.00) compared to the rest body parts of BPH adults. Injecting nymphs with dsNlATG3 at doses from 62.5 to 250 ng per insect had strong lethal effect upon them. For the 5th-instar nymphs, all individuals died within 5 days after receiving the dsNlATG3, and importantly, no individual successfully molted. Transmission electron microscopy revealed the new cuticle of nymphs injected with dsNlATG3 became loose and curved, which is clearly different from that of the control. Correspondingly, the obvious vesicles in epidermal cells disappeared after dsNlATG3-treatment. RNAi of NlATG3 significantly reduced the total number of eggs laid per female as well as the eggs' hatchability, especially in the dsNlATG3♀ × dsGFP♂ group, whose total number of eggs laid per female largely decreased by 80.4%, and whose eggs' hatchability was significantly reduced from 95.7% to zero, when compared with the control (dsGFP♀ × dsGFP♂). CONCLUSION NlATG3 is a promising target for developing RNAi-based insect management strategies. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenglong Ye
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yalin Feng
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Feifei Yu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qiqi Jiao
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiangen Wu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zihong Ye
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Pengjun Zhang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chuanxin Sun
- Department of Plant Biology, Uppsala BioCenter, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Kun Pang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Peiying Hao
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoping Yu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, China
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Ye W, Bian D, Mao T, Dai M, Feng P, Zhu Q, Ren Y, Li F, Gu Z, Li B. Cloning and functional analysis of autophagy-related gene 7 in Bombyx mori, silkworm. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 107:e21827. [PMID: 34173258 DOI: 10.1002/arch.21827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Silkworm (Bombyx mori) is an important economic insect and an attractive model system. A series of autophagy-related genes (Atgs) are involved in the autophagic process, and these Atgs have been proved to play important roles in the development. Atg7 stands at the hub of two ubiquitin-like systems involving Atg8 and Atg12 in the autophagic vesicle. In the present study, we cloned and characterized a BmAtg7 gene in Bombyx mori. The open reading frame (ORF) of BmAtg7 was 1908 bp in length, and it encoded a polypeptide of 635 amino acids. BmAtg7 was highly expressed in the posterior silk gland, fatbody, and epidermis. The expression profile of BmAtg7 in the fatbody showed an increasing tendency from day 1 of the 5th instar to the prepupal stage. After chlorantraniliprole (CAP) exposure, the transcriptional level of BmAtg7 was continuously decreased. After depletion of BmAtg7 by RNAi, the expressions of BmAtg7, BmAtg8, and BmEcr were all downregulated, while the expression of BmJHBP2 was upregulated. However, depletion of BmAtg7 did not prevent the metamorphosis of silkworm from larvae to pupae, while the occurrence of such process was delayed. After the 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) treatment, the expression characteristics of these four genes (BmAtg7, BmAtg8, BmEcr and BmJHBP2) were contrary to the results after depletion of BmAtg7. Our results suggested that although CAP exposure could significantly inhibit the expression of BmAtg7 continuously, the changes of BmAtg7 was not the key factor in CAP-induced metamorphosis defects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wentao Ye
- School of Basic Medicine and Biological Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Dandan Bian
- School of Basic Medicine and Biological Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tingting Mao
- School of Basic Medicine and Biological Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Minli Dai
- School of Basic Medicine and Biological Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Piao Feng
- School of Basic Medicine and Biological Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Qingyu Zhu
- School of Basic Medicine and Biological Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yuying Ren
- School of Basic Medicine and Biological Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Fanchi Li
- School of Basic Medicine and Biological Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhiya Gu
- School of Basic Medicine and Biological Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Bing Li
- School of Basic Medicine and Biological Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Sericulture Institute, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
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15
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Adult specifier E93 takes control of reproductive cyclicity in mosquitoes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2102059118. [PMID: 33674423 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2102059118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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16
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Wang X, Ding Y, Lu X, Geng D, Li S, Raikhel AS, Zou Z. The ecdysone-induced protein 93 is a key factor regulating gonadotrophic cycles in the adult female mosquito Aedes aegypti. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2021910118. [PMID: 33593917 PMCID: PMC7923369 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2021910118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Repeated blood feedings are required for adult female mosquitoes to maintain their gonadotrophic cycles, enabling them to be important pathogen carriers of human diseases. Elucidating the molecular mechanism underlying developmental switches between these mosquito gonadotrophic cycles will provide valuable insight into mosquito reproduction and could aid in the identification of targets to disrupt these cycles, thereby reducing disease transmission. We report here that the transcription factor ecdysone-induced protein 93 (E93), previously implicated in insect metamorphic transitions, plays a key role in determining the gonadotrophic cyclicity in adult females of the major arboviral vector Aedes aegypti Expression of the E93 gene in mosquitoes is down-regulated by juvenile hormone (JH) and up-regulated by 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E). We find that E93 controls Hormone Receptor 3 (HR3), the transcription factor linked to the termination of reproductive cycles. Moreover, knockdown of E93 expression via RNAi impaired fat body autophagy, suggesting that E93 governs autophagy-induced termination of vitellogenesis. E93 RNAi silencing prior to the first gonadotrophic cycle affected normal progression of the second cycle. Finally, transcriptomic analysis showed a considerable E93-dependent decline in the expression of genes involved in translation and metabolism at the end of a reproductive cycle. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that E93 acts as a crucial factor in regulating reproductive cycle switches in adult female mosquitoes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueli Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101 Beijing, People's Republic of China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yike Ding
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521
- Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521
| | - Xiangyang Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101 Beijing, People's Republic of China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Danqian Geng
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101 Beijing, People's Republic of China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Shan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101 Beijing, People's Republic of China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Alexander S Raikhel
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521;
- Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521
| | - Zhen Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101 Beijing, People's Republic of China;
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, People's Republic of China
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17
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Ekoka E, Maharaj S, Nardini L, Dahan-Moss Y, Koekemoer LL. 20-Hydroxyecdysone (20E) signaling as a promising target for the chemical control of malaria vectors. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:86. [PMID: 33514413 PMCID: PMC7844807 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-04558-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
With the rapid development and spread of resistance to insecticides among anopheline malaria vectors, the efficacy of current World Health Organization (WHO)-approved insecticides targeting these vectors is under threat. This has led to the development of novel interventions, including improved and enhanced insecticide formulations with new targets or synergists or with added sterilants and/or antimalarials, among others. To date, several studies in mosquitoes have revealed that the 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) signaling pathway regulates both vector abundance and competence, two parameters that influence malaria transmission. Therefore, insecticides which target 20E signaling (e.g. methoxyfenozide and halofenozide) may be an asset for malaria vector control. While such insecticides are already commercially available for lepidopteran and coleopteran pests, they still need to be approved by the WHO for malaria vector control programs. Until recently, chemicals targeting 20E signaling were considered to be insect growth regulators, and their effect was mostly studied against immature mosquito stages. However, in the last few years, promising results have been obtained by applying methoxyfenozide or halofenozide (two compounds that boost 20E signaling) to Anopheles populations at different phases of their life-cycle. In addition, preliminary studies suggest that methoxyfenozide resistance is unstable, causing the insects substantial fitness costs, thereby potentially circumventing one of the biggest challenges faced by current vector control efforts. In this review, we first describe the 20E signaling pathway in mosquitoes and then summarize the mechanisms whereby 20E signaling regulates the physiological processes associated with vector competence and vector abundance. Finally, we discuss the potential of using chemicals targeting 20E signaling to control malaria vectors.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Elodie Ekoka
- WITS Research Institute for Malaria, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. .,Centre for Emerging, Zoonotic & Parasitic Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg, South Africa.
| | - Surina Maharaj
- WITS Research Institute for Malaria, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.,Centre for Emerging, Zoonotic & Parasitic Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Luisa Nardini
- WITS Research Institute for Malaria, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.,Centre for Emerging, Zoonotic & Parasitic Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Yael Dahan-Moss
- WITS Research Institute for Malaria, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.,Centre for Emerging, Zoonotic & Parasitic Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Lizette L Koekemoer
- WITS Research Institute for Malaria, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.,Centre for Emerging, Zoonotic & Parasitic Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg, South Africa
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18
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Wang Y, Qiao J, Zhang D, Zhong C, Wang S, Li X, Feng L, Shi S, Wang B, Liu Q. Systematic identification of autophagy-related proteins in Aedes albopictus. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0245694. [PMID: 33465164 PMCID: PMC7815101 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0245694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Autophagy is a conserved cellular process playing a role in maintenance of cellular homeostasis and response to changing nutrient conditions via degradation and recirculation of cellular redundant components. Autophagy-related proteins (Atg) play important function in autophagy pathway. Aedes albopictus mosquito is an effective vector transmitting multiple viruses which cause serious human diseases. Moreover, Aedes albopictus mosquito is becoming a serious threat to human health due to its widening distribution in recent years and thus worth of more research attention. It was reported that autophagy might play a role in viral infection in Aedes mosquito. To better understand the interaction between autophagy and arbovirus infection in mosquito system, it is necessary to identify autophagy pathway in the system. However, autophagy in Aedes albopictus mosquito is still poorly understood so far. We recently identified AaAtg8, the first Atg protein reported in Aedes albopictus mosquito. This work further identified twelve atg genes in Aedes albopictus mosquito. Sequence and phylogenetic analysis of the twelve atg genes were performed. Expression profiles of all the twelve Aaatg genes in different developmental stages and genders of Aedes albopictus mosquito were conducted. Effects of chemicals inhibiting or inducing autophagy on the levels of eight identified AaAtg proteins were examined. The function of two identified AaAtg proteins AaAtg6 and AaAtg16 and their response to arbovirus SINV infection were studied preliminarily. Taken together, this work systematically identified Aedes albopictus atg genes and provided basic information which might help to elucidate the autophagy pathway and the role of autophagy in arbovirus infection in Aedes mosquito system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Modern Virology Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jialu Qiao
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Modern Virology Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Dandan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Modern Virology Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Chunyan Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Modern Virology Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Shengya Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Modern Virology Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xiaomei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Modern Virology Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Lingyan Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Modern Virology Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Shen Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Modern Virology Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Bingxue Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Modern Virology Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Qingzhen Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Modern Virology Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- * E-mail:
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19
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Ahmed TH, Saunders TR, Mullins D, Rahman MZ, Zhu J. Molecular action of pyriproxyfen: Role of the Methoprene-tolerant protein in the pyriproxyfen-induced sterilization of adult female mosquitoes. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0008669. [PMID: 32866146 PMCID: PMC7485974 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposure of adult mosquitoes to pyriproxyfen (PPF), an analog of insect juvenile hormone (JH), has shown promise to effectively sterilize female mosquitoes. However, the underlying mechanisms of the PPF-induced decrease in mosquito fecundity are largely unknown. We performed a comprehensive study to dissect the mode of PPF action in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Exposure to PPF prompted the overgrowth of primary follicles in sugar-fed Ae. aegypti females but blocked the development of primary follicles at Christopher’s Stage III after blood feeding. Secondary follicles were precociously activated in PPF-treated mosquitoes. Moreover, PPF substantially altered the expression of many genes that are essential for mosquito physiology and oocyte development in the fat body and ovary. In particular, many metabolic genes were differentially expressed in response to PPF treatment, thereby affecting the mobilization and utilization of energy reserves. Furthermore, PPF treatment on the previtellogenic female adults considerably modified mosquito responses to JH and 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E), two major hormones that govern mosquito reproduction. Krüppel homolog 1, a JH-inducible transcriptional regulator, showed consistently elevated expression after PPF exposure. Conversely, PPF upregulated the expression of several key players of the 20E regulatory cascades, including HR3 and E75A, in the previtellogenic stage. After blood-feeding, the expression of these 20E response genes was significantly weaker in PPF-treated mosquitoes than the solvent-treated control groups. RNAi-mediated knockdown of the Methoprene-tolerant (Met) protein, the JH receptor, partially rescued the impaired follicular development after PPF exposure and substantially increased the hatching of the eggs produced by PPF-treated female mosquitoes. Thus, the results suggested that PPF relied on Met to exert its sterilizing effects on female mosquitoes. In summary, this study finds that PPF exposure disturbs normal hormonal responses and metabolism in Ae. aegypti, shedding light on the molecular targets and the downstream signaling pathways activated by PPF. Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are responsible for the transmission of dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya, and Zika fever. Insecticides are widely used as the primary tool in the prevention and control of these infectious diseases. In light of the rapid increase of insecticide resistance in mosquito populations, there is an urgent need to find new classes of insecticides with a different mode of action. Here we found that pyriproxyfen, an analog of insect juvenile hormone (JH), had a large impact on the oocyte development, both before and after blood feeding, in female mosquitoes. Pyriproxyfen disturbed normal hormonal responses and caused metabolic shifting in female adults. These actions appear to collectively impair oocyte development and substantially reduce viable progenies of female mosquitoes. Besides, we demonstrated the involvement of the JH receptor Met in pyriproxyfen-induced female sterilization. This study significantly advances our understanding of mosquito reproductive biology and the molecular basis of pyriproxyfen action, which are invaluable for the development of new mosquito control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tahmina Hossain Ahmed
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - T. Randolph Saunders
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Donald Mullins
- Department of Entomology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Mohammad Zillur Rahman
- Quantitative Science Core, Cancer Biology Division, Ponce Research Institute, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, Puerto Rico
| | - Jinsong Zhu
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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20
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Weng SC, Shiao SH. The unfolded protein response modulates the autophagy-mediated egg production in the mosquito Aedes aegypti. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2020; 29:404-416. [PMID: 32338421 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Revised: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Mosquitoes must feed on vertebrate blood for egg development. As a consequence, some mosquito species are vectors for pathogens that cause devastating diseases in humans. Hence, understanding the mechanisms that control egg developmental cycles is important for developing novel approaches for the control of mosquito-borne diseases. The unfolded protein response (UPR) is a cellular stress response related to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. The UPR is activated in response to an accumulation of unfolded or misfolded proteins in the ER. Massive proteins have been shown to be produced during egg development, and it is obvious that unfolded or misfolded proteins may arise during vitellogenesis. It has been shown that autophagy in the mosquito fat body plays a central role in the progression of gonadotrophic cycles in the mosquito Aedes aegypti. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the induction of UPR and the correlation between UPR and autophagy remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that autophagy is activated during vitellogenesis and that the activation of autophagy is correlated with the UPR. We also show that the expressions of UPR and autophagy can be induced in an in vitro fat body culture system through an amino acid treatment. In addition, the expressions of UPR, autophagy-specific markers and vitellogenin were also induced during dithiothreitol treatment. Interestingly, the silencing of UPR-related genes significantly reduced the expression of autophagy-specific markers and inhibited mosquito fecundity. Taken together, we conclude that autophagy-mediated egg production in the mosquito A. aegypti is regulated by UPR.
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Affiliation(s)
- S-C Weng
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - S-H Shiao
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
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21
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Brackney DE, Correa MA, Cozens DW. The impact of autophagy on arbovirus infection of mosquito cells. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0007754. [PMID: 32421713 PMCID: PMC7259790 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Revised: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Macroautophagy is an evolutionarily conserved cellular process critical for maintaining cellular homeostasis. It can additionally function as an innate immune response to viral infection as has been demonstrated for a number of arthropod-borne (arbo-) viruses. Arboviruses are maintained in a transmission cycle between vertebrate hosts and invertebrate vectors yet the majority of studies assessing autophagy-arbovirus interactions have been limited to the mammalian host. Therefore we evaluated the role of autophagy during arbovirus infection of the invertebrate vector using the tractable Aag2 Aedes aegypti mosquito cell culture system. Our data demonstrates that autophagy is significantly induced in mosquito cells upon infection with two divergent arboviruses: dengue virus-2 (DENV-2; Flaviviridae, Flavivirus) and chikungunya virus (CHIKV; Togaviridae, Alphavirus). While assessing the role of autophagy during arbovirus infection, we observed a somewhat paradoxical outcome. Both induction and suppression of autophagy via torin-1 and spautin-1, respectively, resulted in increased viral titers for both viruses, yet suppression of autophagy-related genes had no effect. Interestingly, chemical modulators of autophagy had either no effect or opposite effects in another widely used mosquito cell line, C6/36 Aedes albopictus cells. Together, our data reveals a limited role for autophagy during arbovirus infection of mosquito cells. Further, our findings suggest that commonly used chemical modulators of autophagy alter mosquito cells in such a way as to promote viral replication; however, it is unclear if this occurs directly through autophagic manipulation or other means.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doug E. Brackney
- Center for Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, Department of Environmental Sciences, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Maria A. Correa
- Center for Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, Department of Environmental Sciences, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Duncan W. Cozens
- Center for Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, Department of Environmental Sciences, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
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22
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Kim CE, Park KB, Ko HJ, Keshavarz M, Bae YM, Kim B, Patnaik BB, Jang HA, Lee YS, Han YS, Jo YH. Aedes albopictus Autophagy-Related Gene 8 ( AaAtg8) Is Required to Confer Anti-Bacterial Gut Immunity. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21082944. [PMID: 32331330 PMCID: PMC7215330 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21082944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Revised: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Autophagy is an important process by which pathogens and damaged or unused organelles are eliminated. The role of autophagy in development and the immune response to pathogens is well established. Autophagy-related protein 8 (Atg8) is involved in the formation of the autophagosome and, with the help of the serine protease Atg4, mediates the delivery of both vesicles and the autophagosome to the vacuole. Here, we cloned the Aedes albopictus autophagy-related protein 8 (AaAtg8) gene and characterized its role in the innate immunity of the mosquito against microbial infections. AaAtg8 is comprised of an open reading frame (ORF) region of 357 bp encoding a polypeptide of 118 amino acid residues. A domain analysis of AaAtg8 revealed an Atg8 ubiquitin-like domain, Atg7/Atg4 interaction sites, and peptide binding sites. The AaAtg8 mRNA expression was high in the Malpighian tubules and heads of both sugar-fed and blood-fed adult female mosquitoes. The expression level of AaAtg8 mRNA increased in the midgut and abdominal carcass following being challenged with Listeria monocytogenes. To investigate the role of AaAtg8 in the innate immune responses of Ae. albopictus, AaAtg8 gene-silenced adult mosquitoes were challenged by injection or by being fed microorganisms in blood. High mortality rates were observed in mosquitoes in which AaAtg8 was silenced after challenges of microorganisms to the host by blood feeding. This suggests that Atg8-autophagy plays a critical role in the gut immunity in Ae. albopictus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang Eun Kim
- Department of Applied Biology, Institute of Environmentally-Friendly Agriculture (IEFA), College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Korea; (C.E.K.); (K.B.P.); (H.J.K.); (M.K.); (Y.M.B.); (B.K.); (H.A.J.)
| | - Ki Beom Park
- Department of Applied Biology, Institute of Environmentally-Friendly Agriculture (IEFA), College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Korea; (C.E.K.); (K.B.P.); (H.J.K.); (M.K.); (Y.M.B.); (B.K.); (H.A.J.)
| | - Hye Jin Ko
- Department of Applied Biology, Institute of Environmentally-Friendly Agriculture (IEFA), College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Korea; (C.E.K.); (K.B.P.); (H.J.K.); (M.K.); (Y.M.B.); (B.K.); (H.A.J.)
| | - Maryam Keshavarz
- Department of Applied Biology, Institute of Environmentally-Friendly Agriculture (IEFA), College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Korea; (C.E.K.); (K.B.P.); (H.J.K.); (M.K.); (Y.M.B.); (B.K.); (H.A.J.)
| | - Young Min Bae
- Department of Applied Biology, Institute of Environmentally-Friendly Agriculture (IEFA), College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Korea; (C.E.K.); (K.B.P.); (H.J.K.); (M.K.); (Y.M.B.); (B.K.); (H.A.J.)
| | - BoBae Kim
- Department of Applied Biology, Institute of Environmentally-Friendly Agriculture (IEFA), College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Korea; (C.E.K.); (K.B.P.); (H.J.K.); (M.K.); (Y.M.B.); (B.K.); (H.A.J.)
| | - Bharat Bhusan Patnaik
- P. G Department of Biosciences and Biotechnology, Fakir Mohan University, Vyasa Vihar, Nuapadhi, Balasore, Odisha 756089, India;
- School of Biotech Sciences, Trident Academy of Creative Technology (TACT), Chandrasekharpur, Bhubaneswar, Odisha 751024, India
| | - Ho Am Jang
- Department of Applied Biology, Institute of Environmentally-Friendly Agriculture (IEFA), College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Korea; (C.E.K.); (K.B.P.); (H.J.K.); (M.K.); (Y.M.B.); (B.K.); (H.A.J.)
| | - Yong Seok Lee
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Science, College of Natural Sciences, Soonchunhyang University, 22 Soonchunhyangro, Shinchang-myeon, Asan, Chungchungnam-do 31538, Korea;
| | - Yeon Soo Han
- Department of Applied Biology, Institute of Environmentally-Friendly Agriculture (IEFA), College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Korea; (C.E.K.); (K.B.P.); (H.J.K.); (M.K.); (Y.M.B.); (B.K.); (H.A.J.)
- Correspondence: (Y.S.H.); (Y.H.J.); Tel.: +82-62-530-2072 (Y.S.H.); +82-62-530-0316 (Y.H.J.); Fax: +82-62-530-2069 (Y.S.H. & Y.H.J.)
| | - Yong Hun Jo
- Department of Applied Biology, Institute of Environmentally-Friendly Agriculture (IEFA), College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Korea; (C.E.K.); (K.B.P.); (H.J.K.); (M.K.); (Y.M.B.); (B.K.); (H.A.J.)
- Correspondence: (Y.S.H.); (Y.H.J.); Tel.: +82-62-530-2072 (Y.S.H.); +82-62-530-0316 (Y.H.J.); Fax: +82-62-530-2069 (Y.S.H. & Y.H.J.)
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23
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Li Z, Lyu Z, Ye Q, Cheng J, Wang C, Lin T. Cloning, Expression Analysis, 20-Hydroxyecdysone Induction, and RNA Interference Study of Autophagy-Related Gene 8 from Heortia vitessoides Moore. INSECTS 2020; 11:insects11040245. [PMID: 32326433 PMCID: PMC7240406 DOI: 10.3390/insects11040245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Revised: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Autophagy is a highly conserved and regulated process in eukaryotic cells and remodels cytoplasm, recovers essential nutrients, and disposes of unwanted cytoplasmic components. Autophagy-related gene (ATG) 8, identified in Heortia vitessoides Moore, which is an oligophagous pest of Aquilaria sinensis (Lour.), was characterized (HvATG8). Multiple sequence alignment showed that HvATG8 possesses highly conserved domain structures. Stage- and tissue-specific expressions indicated that HvATG8 is highly expressed in prepupal, pupal, and adult stages and in the midgut of larvae and abdomen of adults. Lack of function of HvATG8 by RNA interference resulted in a significant decrease in survival rate and an increase in abnormal or nonviable phenotypes in H. vitessoides. Transition rate from larval to pupal stages was 33.0% and from pupal to adult stages was 15.0% after injection. Reduction of ATG8 expression reduced survival of H. vitessoides. Therefore, HvATG8 possibly plays a key role in normal growth stage of H. vitessoides. HvATG8 suppression downregulates HvATG3 expression, suggesting that the two genes are interconnected. Further, HvATG8 expression increased by 20-hydroxyecdysone treatment, starvation, and extreme temperature exposure. Starvation also altered expression of other ATGs in H. vitessoide. This study may be used to guide research on molecular mechanisms of autophagy in insects.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Tong Lin
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-020-85282217
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24
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Edosa TT, Jo YH, Keshavarz M, Park KB, Cho JH, Bae YM, Kim B, Lee YS, Han YS. TmAtg6 Plays an Important Role in Anti-Microbial Defense Against Listeria monocytogenes in the Mealworm, Tenebrio molitor. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21041232. [PMID: 32059408 PMCID: PMC7072900 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21041232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2019] [Revised: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Autophagy-related gene-6 (Beclin-1 in mammals) plays a pivotal role in autophagy and is involved in autophagosome formation and autolysosome maturation. In this study, we identified and characterized the autophagy-related gene-6 from Tenebrio molitor (TmAtg6) and analyzed its functional role in the survival of the insect against infection. The expression of TmAtg6 was studied using qRT-PCR for the assessment of the transcript levels at various developmental stages in the different tissues. The results showed that TmAtg6 was highly expressed at the 6-day-old pupal stage. Tissue-specific expression studies revealed that TmAtg6 was highly expressed in the hemocytes of late larvae. The induction patterns of TmAtg6 in different tissues of T. molitor larvae were analyzed by injecting Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, or Candida albicans. The intracellular Gram-positive bacteria, L. monocytogenes, solely induced the expression of TmAtg6 in hemocytes at 9 h-post-injection, whilst in the fat body and gut, bimodal expression times were observed. RNAi-mediated knockdown of the TmAtg6 transcripts, followed by a challenge with microbes, showed a significant reduction in larval survival rate against L. monocytogenes. Taken together, our results suggest that TmAtg6 plays an essential role in anti-microbial defense against intracellular bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tariku Tesfaye Edosa
- Department of Applied Biology, Institute of Environmentally-Friendly Agriculture (IEFA), College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Korea; (T.T.E.); (Y.H.J.); (M.K.); (K.B.P.); (J.H.C.); (Y.M.B.); (B.K.)
| | - Yong Hun Jo
- Department of Applied Biology, Institute of Environmentally-Friendly Agriculture (IEFA), College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Korea; (T.T.E.); (Y.H.J.); (M.K.); (K.B.P.); (J.H.C.); (Y.M.B.); (B.K.)
| | - Maryam Keshavarz
- Department of Applied Biology, Institute of Environmentally-Friendly Agriculture (IEFA), College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Korea; (T.T.E.); (Y.H.J.); (M.K.); (K.B.P.); (J.H.C.); (Y.M.B.); (B.K.)
| | - Ki Beom Park
- Department of Applied Biology, Institute of Environmentally-Friendly Agriculture (IEFA), College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Korea; (T.T.E.); (Y.H.J.); (M.K.); (K.B.P.); (J.H.C.); (Y.M.B.); (B.K.)
| | - Jun Ho Cho
- Department of Applied Biology, Institute of Environmentally-Friendly Agriculture (IEFA), College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Korea; (T.T.E.); (Y.H.J.); (M.K.); (K.B.P.); (J.H.C.); (Y.M.B.); (B.K.)
| | - Young Min Bae
- Department of Applied Biology, Institute of Environmentally-Friendly Agriculture (IEFA), College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Korea; (T.T.E.); (Y.H.J.); (M.K.); (K.B.P.); (J.H.C.); (Y.M.B.); (B.K.)
| | - Bobae Kim
- Department of Applied Biology, Institute of Environmentally-Friendly Agriculture (IEFA), College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Korea; (T.T.E.); (Y.H.J.); (M.K.); (K.B.P.); (J.H.C.); (Y.M.B.); (B.K.)
| | - Yong Seok Lee
- Department of Life Science and Biotechnology, College of Natural Sciences, Soonchunhyang University, Asan City 31538, Korea;
| | - Yeon Soo Han
- Department of Applied Biology, Institute of Environmentally-Friendly Agriculture (IEFA), College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Korea; (T.T.E.); (Y.H.J.); (M.K.); (K.B.P.); (J.H.C.); (Y.M.B.); (B.K.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-62-530-2072
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25
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Tachibana SI, Matsuzaki S, Tanaka M, Shiota M, Motooka D, Nakamura S, Goto SG. The Autophagy-Related Protein GABARAP Is Induced during Overwintering in the Bean Bug (Hemiptera: Alydidae). JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 2020; 113:427-434. [PMID: 31693096 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toz287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In most insects dependent on food resources that deplete seasonally, mechanisms exist to protect against starvation. Insects overcome periods of food depletion using diapause-associated physiological mechanisms, such as increased energy resources in fat bodies and suppression of metabolism. Because autophagy supplies energy resources through the degradation of intracellular components, we hypothesized that it might be an additional strategy to combat starvation during overwintering. In this study, we measured the abundance of the proteins involved in the signaling pathway of autophagy during overwintering in adults of the bean bug Riptortus pedestris (Fabricius) (Hemiptera: Alydidae), which must withstand the periodic depletion of its host plants from late fall to early spring. Although the levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor-associated protein (GABARAP) markedly increased after the cessation of food supply, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and target of rapamycin (TOR) were not found to be associated with food depletion. Thus, food depletion appears to induce autophagy independent of AMPK and TOR. The GABARAP levels significantly increased universally when the food supply ceased, irrespective of the diapause status of adults and low-temperature conditions. In overwintering diapause adults under seminatural conditions, the GABARAP levels significantly increased during early spring. Thus, autophagy appears to assist the survival of the bean bugs under natural conditions of food deficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shin-Ichiro Tachibana
- Department of Biology and Geosciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shinji Matsuzaki
- Department of Biology and Geosciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Masako Tanaka
- Department of Pharmacology, Osaka City University, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
- Waseda Institute for Advanced Study, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masayuki Shiota
- Department of Pharmacology, Osaka City University, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
- Research support platform, Osaka City University, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Daisuke Motooka
- Genome Information Research Center, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Shota Nakamura
- Genome Information Research Center, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Shin G Goto
- Department of Biology and Geosciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan
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26
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Kazek M, Kaczmarek A, Wrońska AK, Boguś MI. Conidiobolus coronatus induces oxidative stress and autophagy response in Galleria mellonella larvae. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0228407. [PMID: 32012188 PMCID: PMC6996803 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0228407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell homeostasis requires the correct levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) to be maintained as these regulate the proliferation and differentiation of cells, and control the immune response and inflammation. High levels of ROS can cause oxidative stress, leading to protein, lipid and DNA damage, or even cell death. Under physiological conditions, the rate of autophagy remains stable; however, it can be accelerated by a number of exogenous stimuli such as oxidative stress, starvation or hypoxia, leading to cell death. The present paper examines the effect of Conidiobolus coronatus infection on the immune response, oxidative stress processes and autophagy in the greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella. Fungal infection was found to result in the disorganization of the cytoskeleton of the larval immune cells and the enhancement of oxidative defense processes. Lipid peroxidation and autophagy were also induced in the hemocytes. Our findings show that G. mellonella is an ideal model for exploring immune mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michalina Kazek
- The Witold Stefański Institute of Parasitology Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Agata Kaczmarek
- The Witold Stefański Institute of Parasitology Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna Katarzyna Wrońska
- The Witold Stefański Institute of Parasitology Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Mieczysława Irena Boguś
- The Witold Stefański Institute of Parasitology Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
- BIOMIBO, Warsaw, Poland
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27
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Lampe L, Jentzsch M, Kierszniowska S, Levashina EA. Metabolic balancing by miR-276 shapes the mosquito reproductive cycle and Plasmodium falciparum development. Nat Commun 2019; 10:5634. [PMID: 31822677 PMCID: PMC6904670 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-13627-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The blood-feeding behavior of Anopheles females delivers essential nutrients for egg development and drives parasite transmission between humans. Plasmodium growth is adapted to the vector reproductive cycle, but how changes in the reproductive cycle impact parasite development remains unclear. Here, we show that the bloodmeal-induced miR-276-5p fine-tunes the expression of branched-chain amino acid transferase to terminate the reproductive cycle. Silencing of miR-276 prolongs high rates of amino acid (AA) catabolism and increases female fertility, suggesting that timely termination of AA catabolism restricts mosquito investment into reproduction. Prolongation of AA catabolism in P. falciparum-infected females also compromises the development of the transmissible sporozoite forms. Our results suggest that Plasmodium sporogony exploits the surplus mosquito resources available after reproductive investment and demonstrate the crucial role of the mosquito AA metabolism in within-vector parasite proliferation and malaria transmission. Plasmodium growth is adapted to the reproductive cycle of mosquitoes, but underlying mechanisms are unclear. Here, Lampe et al. show that the blood-meal induced miR-276 balances the termination of the mosquito amino acid catabolism and egg development, providing nutrients for Plasmodium sporozoite development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Lampe
- Vector Biology Unit, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.,Physiology and Metabolism Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, NW1 1AT, London, UK
| | - Marius Jentzsch
- Vector Biology Unit, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Elena A Levashina
- Vector Biology Unit, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
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28
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Peng L, Wang L, Zou MM, Vasseur L, Chu LN, Qin YD, Zhai YL, You MS. Identification of Halloween Genes and RNA Interference-Mediated Functional Characterization of a Halloween Gene shadow in Plutella xylostella. Front Physiol 2019; 10:1120. [PMID: 31555150 PMCID: PMC6724230 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.01120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2019] [Accepted: 08/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecdysteroids play an essential role in controlling insect development and reproduction. Their pathway is regulated by a group of enzymes called Halloween gene proteins. The relationship between the Halloween genes and ecdysteroid synthesis has yet to be clearly understood in diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.), a worldwide Lepidoptera pest attacking cruciferous crops and wild plants. In this study, complete sequences for six Halloween genes, neverland (nvd), shroud (sro), spook (spo), phantom (phm), disembodied (dib), shadow (sad), and shade (shd), were identified. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a strong conservation in insects, including Halloween genes of P. xylostella that was clustered with all other Lepidoptera species. Three Halloween genes, dib, sad, and shd were highly expressed in the adult stage, while nvd and spo were highly expressed in the egg and pupal stages, respectively. Five Halloween genes were highly expressed specifically in the prothorax, which is the major site of ecdysone production. However, shd was expressed predominantly in the fat body to convert ecdysone into 20-hydroxyecdysone. RNAi-based knockdown of sad, which is involved in the last step of ecdysone biosynthesis, significantly reduced the 20E titer and resulted in a longer developmental duration and lower pupation of fourth-instar larvae, as well as caused shorter ovarioles and fewer fully developed eggs of P. xylostella. Furthermore, after the knockdown of sad, the expression levels of Vg and VgR genes were significantly decreased by 77.1 and 53.0%. Meanwhile, the number of eggs laid after 3 days was significantly reduced in sad knockdown females. These results suggest that Halloween genes may play a critical role in the biosynthesis of ecdysteroids and be involved in the development and reproduction of P. xylostella. Our work provides a solid basis for understanding the functional importance of these genes, which will help to screening potential genes for pest management of P. xylostella.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China.,Joint International Research Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control, Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, China.,Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Lei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China.,Joint International Research Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control, Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, China.,Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Ming-Min Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China.,Joint International Research Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control, Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, China.,Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Liette Vasseur
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China.,Joint International Research Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control, Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, China.,Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China.,Department of Biological Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada
| | - Li-Na Chu
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China.,Joint International Research Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control, Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, China.,Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yu-Dong Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China.,Joint International Research Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control, Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, China.,Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yi-Long Zhai
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China.,Joint International Research Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control, Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, China.,Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Min-Sheng You
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China.,Joint International Research Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control, Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, China.,Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
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29
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Duvall LB. Mosquito Host-Seeking Regulation: Targets for Behavioral Control. Trends Parasitol 2019; 35:704-714. [PMID: 31326312 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2019.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2019] [Revised: 06/20/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes require protein from blood to develop eggs. They have evolved a strong innate drive to find and bite humans and engorge on their blood. Decades of research have revealed that attraction to hosts is suppressed for days after blood-feeding. During this time, females coordinate complex physiological changes, allowing them to utilize blood protein to develop eggs: clearing excess fluid, digesting protein, and egg maturation. How do mechanosensation, nutrient consumption, and reproductive pathways combine to produce the full expression of host-seeking suppression? Understanding mechanisms of endogenous host-seeking suppression may allow them to be 'weaponized' against mosquitoes through exogenous activation and developed as tools for vector control. Recent work allows unprecedented genetic and pharmacological access to characterize and disrupt this behavioral cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura B Duvall
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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30
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Sun S, Wu Y, Fu H, Yang M, Ge X, Zhu J, Xuan F, Wu X. Evaluating expression of autophagy-related genes in oriental river prawn Macrobrachium nipponense as potential biomarkers for hypoxia exposure. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2019; 171:484-492. [PMID: 30639875 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2018.12.079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2018] [Revised: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 12/23/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Autophagy, a crucial process for maintaining cellular homeostasis, is under the control of several autophagy-related (ATG) proteins, and is highly conserved in most animals, but its response to adverse environmental conditions is poorly understood in crustaceans. Herein, we hypothesised that autophagy acts as a protective response to hypoxia, and Beclin 1, ATG7 and ATG8 in oriental river prawn (Macrobrachium nipponense) were chosen as potential biomarkers under hypoxia exposure; thus, their full-length cDNA sequences were cloned and characterised. Open reading frames (ORFs) of 1281, 2076 and 360 bp, encoding proteins of 427, 692 and 120 amino acid residues, respectively, were obtained. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated the three M. nipponense proteins do not form a clade with vertebrate homologs. Protein and mRNA levels were investigated in different tissues and developmental stages, and all three were significantly upregulated in a time-dependent manner in the hepatopancreas following hypoxia stress. Biochemical and morphological analysis of hepatocytes revealed that hypoxia increased the abundance of hepatic autophagic vacuoles and stimulated anaerobic metabolism. RNA interference-mediated silencing of ATG8 significantly increased the death rate of M. nipponense juveniles under hypoxia stress conditions. Together, these results suggest that Beclin 1, ATG7 and ATG8 contribute to autophagy-based responses against hypoxia in M. nipponense. The findings also expand our understanding of the potential role of autophagy as an adaptive response against hypoxia toxicity in crustaceans. The results showed that hepatic ATG8 levels may be directly indicative of acute hypoxia in prawns, and provide insight into the time at which hypoxia exposure occurs. Autophagy-related genes expression pattern seems to be sensitive and good biomarkers of acute hypoxia exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengming Sun
- Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi 214081, PR China
| | - Ying Wu
- Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi 214081, PR China
| | - Hongtuo Fu
- Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi 214081, PR China; Key Laboratory of Genetic Breeding and Aquaculture Biology of Freshwater Fishes, Ministry of Agriculture, Freshwater Fisheries Research Centre, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi 214081, PR China.
| | - Ming Yang
- Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi 214081, PR China
| | - Xianping Ge
- Key Laboratory of Genetic Breeding and Aquaculture Biology of Freshwater Fishes, Ministry of Agriculture, Freshwater Fisheries Research Centre, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi 214081, PR China
| | - Jian Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Genetic Breeding and Aquaculture Biology of Freshwater Fishes, Ministry of Agriculture, Freshwater Fisheries Research Centre, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi 214081, PR China
| | - Fujun Xuan
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Coastal Wetland Bioresources and Environmental Protection, Yancheng Teachers University, Yancheng 224051, PR China
| | - Xugan Wu
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Shanghai Ocean University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai 201306, PR China
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31
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Lee WS, Webster JA, Madzokere ET, Stephenson EB, Herrero LJ. Mosquito antiviral defense mechanisms: a delicate balance between innate immunity and persistent viral infection. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:165. [PMID: 30975197 PMCID: PMC6460799 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3433-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2018] [Accepted: 04/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Mosquito-borne diseases are associated with major global health burdens. Aedes spp. and Culex spp. are primarily responsible for the transmission of the most medically important mosquito-borne viruses, including dengue virus, West Nile virus and Zika virus. Despite the burden of these pathogens on human populations, the interactions between viruses and their mosquito hosts remain enigmatic. Viruses enter the midgut of a mosquito following the mosquito’s ingestion of a viremic blood meal. During infection, virus recognition by the mosquito host triggers their antiviral defense mechanism. Of these host defenses, activation of the RNAi pathway is the main antiviral mechanism, leading to the degradation of viral RNA, thereby inhibiting viral replication and promoting viral clearance. However, whilst antiviral host defense mechanisms limit viral replication, the mosquito immune system is unable to effectively clear the virus. As such, these viruses can establish persistent infection with little or no fitness cost to the mosquito vector, ensuring life-long transmission to humans. Understanding of the mosquito innate immune response enables the discovery of novel antivectorial strategies to block human transmission. This review provides an updated and concise summary of recent studies on mosquito antiviral immune responses, which is a key determinant for successful virus transmission. In addition, we will also discuss the factors that may contribute to persistent infection in mosquito hosts. Finally, we will discuss current mosquito transmission-blocking strategies that utilize genetically modified mosquitoes and Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes for resistance to pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wai-Suet Lee
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Southport, QLD, 4215, Australia
| | - Julie A Webster
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Southport, QLD, 4215, Australia
| | - Eugene T Madzokere
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Southport, QLD, 4215, Australia
| | - Eloise B Stephenson
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Southport, QLD, 4215, Australia.,Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Southport, QLD, 4215, Australia
| | - Lara J Herrero
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Southport, QLD, 4215, Australia.
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Liu H, Wu F, Wu X, Ye J. Differential effects of rapamycin on Bursaphelenchus xylophilus with different virulence and differential expression of autophagy genes under stresses in nematodes. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2019; 51:254-262. [PMID: 30668628 DOI: 10.1093/abbs/gmy172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2018] [Revised: 11/23/2018] [Accepted: 12/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Pine wilt disease (PWD) caused by the pine wood nematode (PWN), Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, is a devastating disease for Pinus spp. The virulence and resilience of PWN are closely linked to the spread and development of PWD. Numerous studies have shown that autophagy has important physiological and pathological functions in eukaryotes. But little is known about the relationships between autophagy and PWNs' virulence and resistance. In this study, through observation under the microscope and recording, we found the induction of autophagy by rapamycin could dramatically improve movement ability of PWNs with different virulence, and the highly virulent AMA3 isolate moved more than the low virulent YW4 isolate when autophagy was over-induced. High concentrations of rapamycin substantially improved the feeding and reproduction of AMA3 but not YW4. Conserved domains of autophagy genes BxATG3, BxATG4, and BxATG7 were first cloned from PWNs by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Expression profiling of these three autophagy genes under biotic and abiotic stresses in PWNs with different virulence was determined by quantitative RT-PCR. The results revealed the expression levels of these three autophagy genes in PWNs with different virulence were increased significantly when nematodes were subject to high and low temperatures, oxidative stress, and defensive responses of pine trees. The expression levels of autophagy genes under biotic and abiotic stresses in AMA3 were higher than those in YW4, and different genes showed different performance. Our study clarified that autophagy was closely related to virulence and resistance of PWN, and the ability of a highly virulent isolate to regulate autophagy activity under stresses was stronger than that of a low virulent isolate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongbin Liu
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Prevention and Management of Invasive Species, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
| | - Fan Wu
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Prevention and Management of Invasive Species, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaoqin Wu
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Prevention and Management of Invasive Species, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jianren Ye
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Prevention and Management of Invasive Species, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
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Qiao J, Zhang D, Wang Y, Li X, Wang S, Liu Q. Identification of AaAtg8 as a marker of autophagy and a functional autophagy-related protein in Aedes albopictus. PeerJ 2018; 6:e5988. [PMID: 30498644 PMCID: PMC6252070 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Aedes albopictus is a primary vector of hundreds of pathogens. Strong environmental adaptability and extensive global distribution of Aedes albopictus make it a severe threat to human health. Autophagy is a cellular process involved in maintenance of cellular homeostasis and recirculation of cytoplasm to generate macromolecule constituents and energy under different stress conditions. Many autophagy-related (Atg) proteins have been identified in yeast and were found in various organisms subsequently, indicating that the basic mechanism of autophagy is well conserved in eukaryotes. Among all Atg proteins, Atg8 plays important roles in autophagy and is widely used as a marker to monitor autophagic activity in yeast, Drosophila, nematodes, zebrafish and mammals. By now, Atg proteins in Aedes albopictus have not been reported yet and the autophagy pathway in Aedes albopictus remains unclear. This study identified a homolog of Atg8 from Aedes albopictus and named it AaAtg8. Sequence analysis revealed that AaAtg8 was highly conserved in the Atg8 family. This work proved that AaAtg8 was a functional Atg protein of Aedes albopictus and expressed during developmental and adult stages of Aedes albopictus. Moreover, the study also established the basic methods for autophagy study in C6/36 cells. First, it was proved that both rapamycin and starvation were applicable ways to induce autophagy in C6/36 cells, and that 3-methyladenine and chloroquine could be used to inhibit early and late stages of autophagy in C6/36 cells, respectively. Second, the results in this study showed that monodansylcadaverine staining could be used to detect autophagy in C6/36 cells. Additionally, the study revealed that the level of autophagy in C6/36 cells could be monitored by the turnover assay of AaAtg8 or fluorescent AaAtg8. Taken together, this study identified AaAtg8, the first reported Atg protein in Aedes albopictus. It also provided useful methods for studying autophagy in Aedes albopictus. To our knowledge, this is the first work about autophagy in Aedes albopictus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jialu Qiao
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Modern Virology Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Dandan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Modern Virology Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Modern Virology Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xiaomei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Modern Virology Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Shengya Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Modern Virology Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Qingzhen Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Modern Virology Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
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Benoit JB, Michalkova V, Didion EM, Xiao Y, Baumann AA, Attardo GM, Aksoy S. Rapid autophagic regression of the milk gland during involution is critical for maximizing tsetse viviparous reproductive output. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0006204. [PMID: 29385123 PMCID: PMC5809099 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2017] [Revised: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 01/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Tsetse flies are important vectors of human and animal trypanosomiasis. Ability to reduce tsetse populations is an effective means of disease control. Lactation is an essential component of tsetse’s viviparous reproductive physiology and requires a dramatic increase in the expression and synthesis of milk proteins by the milk gland organ in order to nurture larval growth. In between each gonotrophic cycle, tsetse ceases milk production and milk gland tubules undergo a nearly two-fold reduction in width (involution). In this study, we examined the role autophagy plays during tsetse fly milk gland involution and reproductive output. Autophagy genes show elevated expression in tissues associated with lactation, immediately before or within two hours post-parturition, and decline at 24-48h post-parturition. This expression pattern is inversely correlated with that of the milk gland proteins (lactation-specific protein coding genes) and the autophagy inhibitor fk506-bp1. Increased expression of Drosophila inhibitor of apoptosis 1, diap1, was also observed in the milk gland during involution, when it likely prevents apoptosis of milk gland cells. RNAi-mediated knockdown of autophagy related gene 8a (atg8a) prevented rapid milk gland autophagy during involution, prolonging gestation, and reducing fecundity in the subsequent gonotrophic cycle. The resultant inhibition of autophagy reduced the recovery of stored lipids during the dry (non-lactating) periods by 15–20%. Ecdysone application, similar to levels that occur immediately before birth, induced autophagy, and increased milk gland involution even before abortion. This suggests that the ecdysteroid peak immediately preceding parturition likely triggers milk gland autophagy. Population modeling reveals that a delay in involution would yield a negative population growth rate. This study indicates that milk gland autophagy during involution is critical to restore nutrient reserves and allow efficient transition between pregnancy cycles. Targeting post-birth phases of reproduction could be utilized as a novel mechanism to suppress tsetse populations and reduce trypanosomiasis. Tsetse flies are vectors for trypanosomes that cause both African sleeping sickness in humans and Nagana in animals. The reduction of tsetse populations is the most efficient way to reduce the prevalence of this economically important disease with current control methods including pesticide application, traps, and sterile insect techniques. Tsetse pregnancy and milk production represent a species-specific target for population control and milk gland transition during each larval growth cycle could represent a novel target for tsetse control. Within one day after birth, the milk gland organ, essential for provisioning nutrients to the intrauterine larva, undergoes involution marked by an ecdysone driven increase in autophagy that allows breakdown of this gland. Inhibiting the process of autophagy prevents the timely transition from the lactation phase to the dry phase, triggering a delay in subsequent pregnancy cycle. This misregulation of milk gland involution leads to an overall decrease in the number of offspring that each female can produce per lifetime. This study has determined the molecular components of this process, and reveals new targets of interference for vector control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua B Benoit
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, United States.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
| | - Veronika Michalkova
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, United States.,Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia.,Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, United States
| | - Elise M Didion
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
| | - Yanyu Xiao
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
| | - Aaron A Baumann
- College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
| | - Geoffrey M Attardo
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, United States.,Department of Entomology and Nematology, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States
| | - Serap Aksoy
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, United States
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Roy S, Saha TT, Zou Z, Raikhel AS. Regulatory Pathways Controlling Female Insect Reproduction. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ENTOMOLOGY 2018; 63:489-511. [PMID: 29058980 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ento-020117-043258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 286] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The synthesis of vitellogenin and its uptake by maturing oocytes during egg maturation are essential for successful female reproduction. These events are regulated by the juvenile hormones and ecdysteroids and by the nutritional signaling pathway regulated by neuropeptides. Juvenile hormones act as gonadotropins, regulating vitellogenesis in most insects, but ecdysteroids control this process in Diptera and some Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera. The complex crosstalk between the juvenile hormones, ecdysteroids, and nutritional signaling pathways differs distinctly depending on the reproductive strategies adopted by various insects. Molecular studies within the past decade have revealed much about the relationships among, and the role of, these pathways with respect to regulation of insect reproduction. Here, we review the role of juvenile hormones, ecdysteroids, and nutritional signaling, along with that of microRNAs, in regulating female insect reproduction at the molecular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sourav Roy
- Department of Entomology, Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, and Center for Disease Vector Research, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, USA; , ,
| | - Tusar T Saha
- Department of Entomology, Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, and Center for Disease Vector Research, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, USA; , ,
| | - Zhen Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China;
| | - Alexander S Raikhel
- Department of Entomology, Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, and Center for Disease Vector Research, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, USA; , ,
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36
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Wu F, Deng LN, Wu XQ, Liu HB, Ye JR. Expression Profiling of Autophagy Genes BxATG1 and BxATG8 under Biotic and Abiotic Stresses in Pine Wood Nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:ijms18122639. [PMID: 29211016 PMCID: PMC5751242 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18122639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2017] [Revised: 11/24/2017] [Accepted: 11/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The pine wood nematode (PWN), Bursaphelenchusxylophilus, is the pathogen of pine wilt disease (PWD) and causes huge economic losses in pine forests and shows a remarkable ability to survive under unfavorable and changing environmental conditions. This ability may be related to autophagy, which is still poorly understood in B.xylophilus. Our previous studies showed that autophagy exists in PWN. Therefore, we tested the effects of autophagy inducer rapamycin on PWN and the results revealed that the feeding rate and reproduction were significantly promoted on fungal mats. The gene expression patterns of BxATG1 and BxATG8 under the different stress were determined by quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR). We tested the effects of RNA interference on BxATG1 and BxATG8 in PWN during different periods of infection in Pinus thunbergii. The results revealed that BxATG1 and BxATG8 may play roles in allowing PWN to adapt to changing environmental conditions and the virulence of PWN was influenced by the silence of autophagy-related genes BxATG1 and BxATG8. These results provided fundamental information on the relationship between autophagy and PWN, and on better understanding of gene function of BxATG1 and BxATG8 in PWN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Wu
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Prevention and Management of Invasive Species, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
| | - Li-Na Deng
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Prevention and Management of Invasive Species, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
- College of Marine and Biological Engineering, Yancheng Institute of Technology, Yancheng 224003, China.
| | - Xiao-Qin Wu
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Prevention and Management of Invasive Species, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
| | - Hong-Bin Liu
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Prevention and Management of Invasive Species, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
| | - Jian-Ren Ye
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Prevention and Management of Invasive Species, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
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Brackney DE. Implications of autophagy on arbovirus infection of mosquitoes. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2017; 22:1-6. [PMID: 28805630 PMCID: PMC6527323 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2017.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2017] [Accepted: 05/02/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Arthropod-borne (arbo-) viruses, like all viruses, are obligate intracellular parasites that have evolved mechanisms to subvert cellular processes and evade anti-viral defenses to replicate and persist. An increasing body of research is beginning to recognize the intimate relationship between arboviruses and the cellular autophagy pathway. As a result, new therapeutic approaches that modify the autophagic response to viral infection have shown great promise. The preponderance of work thus far, however, has originated from vertebrate systems. Efforts to elucidate the role of autophagy during arbovirus infection of invertebrates have emerged, providing new insights into arbovirus-vector interactions; interactions that could be exploited for novel control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doug E Brackney
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Center for Vector Biology & Zoonotic Diseases, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, CT, United States.
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Salazar K, Boucher S, Serrão JE. Structure and ultrastructure of the ovary in the South American Veturius sinuatus (Eschscholtz) (Coleoptera, Passalidae). ARTHROPOD STRUCTURE & DEVELOPMENT 2017; 46:613-626. [PMID: 28450162 DOI: 10.1016/j.asd.2017.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2017] [Revised: 03/19/2017] [Accepted: 03/28/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The morphoanatomy of the ovary in Veturius sinuatus (Eschscholtz) was studied by light and transmission electron microscopy. Data from the female gonad of this species provide more extended and precise knowledge regarding the organization of the ovary in Passalidae. Ovaries are composed of a pair of long telotrophic meroistic ovarioles, with some differences compared to the bauplan of this ovary type in Polyphaga (Coleoptera). The terminal filament has an enlarged proximal region with irregularly shaped cells in apparent degeneration process embedded in a membranous system. Globular structures with amorphous content associated with interstitial cells are distributed throughout the tropharium. Trophocytes develop with the reduction of the plasma membrane between sibling nurse cells of each cluster. Previtellogenic oocytes have an irregular shape and various cytoplasmic prolongations. As oogenesis advances, a single prolongation in the anterior part of the oocyte extends to the tropharium. The ovary structure is comparable to that found in other American species of passalids, and further, the conformation of the terminal filament could be a plesiomorphic character of the family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Salazar
- Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Departamento de Entomologia, 36570-900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
| | - Stéphane Boucher
- Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Département Origines et Évolution, Entomologie, CP 50, 75231, Paris Cedex 05, France.
| | - José Eduardo Serrão
- Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Departamento de Biologia Geral, 36570-900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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Kankuan W, Wanichanon C, Titone R, Engsusophon A, Sumpownon C, Suphamungmee W, Morani F, Masini M, Novelli M, Isidoro C, Sobhon P. Starvation Promotes Autophagy-Associated Maturation of the Ovary in the Giant Freshwater Prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii. Front Physiol 2017; 8:300. [PMID: 28553234 PMCID: PMC5427116 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2017.00300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2017] [Accepted: 04/25/2017] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Limitation of food availability (starvation) is known to influence the reproductive ability of animals. Autophagy is a lysosomal driven degradation process that protects the cell under metabolic stress conditions, such as during nutrient shortage. Whether, and how starvation-induced autophagy impacts on the maturation and function of reproductive organs in animals are still open questions. In this study, we have investigated the effects of starvation on histological and cellular changes that may be associated with autophagy in the ovary of the giant freshwater prawn, Macrobachium rosenbergii. To this end, the female prawns were daily fed (controls) or unfed (starvation condition) for up to 12 days, and the ovary tissue was analyzed at different time-points. Starvation triggered ovarian maturation, and concomitantly increased the expression of autophagy markers in vitellogenic oocytes. The immunoreactivities for autophagy markers, including Beclin1, LC3-II, and Lamp1, were enhanced in the late oocytes within the mature ovaries, especially at the vitellogenic stages. These markers co-localized with vitellin in the yolk granules within the oocytes, suggesting that autophagy induced by starvation could drive vitellin utilization, thus promoting ovarian maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wilairat Kankuan
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Science, Mahidol UniversityBangkok, Thailand.,Laboratory of Molecular Pathology, Department of Health Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale "Amedeo Avogadro"Novara, Italy
| | - Chaitip Wanichanon
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Science, Mahidol UniversityBangkok, Thailand
| | - Rossella Titone
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathology, Department of Health Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale "Amedeo Avogadro"Novara, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Federica Morani
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathology, Department of Health Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale "Amedeo Avogadro"Novara, Italy
| | - Matilde Masini
- Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of PisaPisa, Italy
| | - Michela Novelli
- Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of PisaPisa, Italy
| | - Ciro Isidoro
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathology, Department of Health Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale "Amedeo Avogadro"Novara, Italy
| | - Prasert Sobhon
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Science, Mahidol UniversityBangkok, Thailand.,Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Burapha UniversityChonburi, Thailand
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40
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Pang R, Qiu J, Li T, Yang P, Yue L, Pan Y, Zhang W. The regulation of lipid metabolism by a hypothetical P-loop NTPase and its impact on fecundity of the brown planthopper. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2017; 1861:1750-1758. [PMID: 28315769 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2017.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2016] [Revised: 02/25/2017] [Accepted: 03/14/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Insect fecundity can be regulated by multiple genes in several important signaling pathways which form an extremely complicated regulatory network. However, there are still many genes that have significant impact on insect fecundity but their action mode are still unknown. METHODS Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), immunofluorescence and western blot were used to study the expression profile of Nl23867 in the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens. RNA interference (RNAi), RNA-seq and isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) were performed to investigate the action mode of Nl23867 in the regulation of fecundity. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis was performed to detect the fatty acid contents. RESULTS We show that knockdown of Nl23867, a gene encoding a hypothetical P-loop NTPase, significantly decreased fecundity of N. lugens. Underdeveloped ovaries, fewer eggs laid and reduction in vitellogenin (Vg) protein expression were observed after RNAi knockdown of Nl23867, and most of the affected genes and pathways are fatty acid metabolism-related. We further determined that Nl23867 directly impacts the palmitic acid biosynthesis by regulating the expression of palmitoyl-protein thioesterase (PPT), subsequently affecting the content of total lipids in N. lugens. CONCLUSIONS Nl23867 regulates the fecundity of N. lugens by modulating the biosynthetic pathway of palmitic acid and affecting lipid metabolism during vitellogenesis and oocyte development. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE The presented study pioneers the exploration into how a function-unknown gene takes part in the regulation of fecundity in an insect, and will contribute to the construction of gene regulatory network for insect fecundity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Pang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Jieqi Qiu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Tengchao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Pan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Lei Yue
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Yixin Pan
- ZhiXin High School, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Wenqing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China.
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41
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Transcriptome-wide microRNA and target dynamics in the fat body during the gonadotrophic cycle of Aedes aegypti. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:E1895-E1903. [PMID: 28223504 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1701474114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The mosquito Aedes aegypti is a major vector of numerous viral diseases, because it requires a blood meal to facilitate egg development. The fat body, a counterpart of mammalian liver and adipose tissues, is the metabolic center, playing a key role in reproduction. Therefore, understanding of regulatory networks controlling its functions is critical, and the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the process is largely unknown. We aimed to explore miRNA expression and potential targets in the female fat body of Ae. aegypti, as well as their changes postblood meal (PBM). Small RNA library analysis revealed five unique miRNA patterns sequentially expressed at five sampled time points, likely responding to, and affecting, waves of upstream hormonal signals and gene expression in the same period. To link miRNA identities with downstream targets, transcriptome-wide mRNA 3' UTR interaction sites were experimentally determined at 72 h posteclosion and 24 h PBM through Argonaute 1 cross-linking and immunoprecipitation followed by high-throughput sequencing. Several target sites were validated by means of in vitro luciferase assays with wild-type and mutated 3' UTRs for six miRNA families. With established transgenic lines, consistent results were observed with spatiotemporal knockdown of miR-8 and luciferase assays. We further investigated miRNAs potentially regulating various physiological processes based on Clusters of Orthologous Groups functional categories. Hence, the present work comprehensively elucidated miRNA expression and target dynamics in the female mosquito fat body, providing a solid foundation for future functional studies of miRNA regulation during the gonadotrophic cycle.
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Qiu J, He Y, Zhang J, Kang K, Li T, Zhang W. Discovery and functional identification of fecundity-related genes in the brown planthopper by large-scale RNA interference. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2016; 25:724-733. [PMID: 27472833 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Recently, transcriptome and proteome data have increasingly been used to identify potential novel genes related to insect phenotypes. However, there are few studies reporting the large-scale functional identification of such genes in insects. To identify novel genes related to fecundity in the brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens, 115 genes were selected from the transcriptomic and proteomic data previously obtained from high- and low-fecundity populations in our laboratory. The results of RNA interference (RNAi) feeding experiments showed that 91.21% of the genes were involved in the regulation of vitellogenin (Vg) expression and may influence BPH fecundity. After RNAi injection experiments, 12 annotated genes were confirmed as fecundity-related genes and three novel genes were identified in the BPH. Finally, C-terminal binding protein (CtBP) was shown to play an important role in BPH fecundity. Knockdown of CtBP not only led to lower survival, underdeveloped ovaries and fewer eggs laid but also resulted in a reduction in Vg protein expression. The novel gene resources gained from this study will be useful for constructing a Vg regulation network and may provide potential target genes for RNAi-based pest control.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Qiu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Y He
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - J Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - K Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - T Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - W Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
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Eng MW, van Zuylen MN, Severson DW. Apoptosis-related genes control autophagy and influence DENV-2 infection in the mosquito vector, Aedes aegypti. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2016; 76:70-83. [PMID: 27418459 PMCID: PMC5010484 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2016.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2016] [Revised: 07/06/2016] [Accepted: 07/10/2016] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The mosquito Aedes aegypti is the primary urban vector for dengue virus (DENV) worldwide. Insight into interactions occurring between host and pathogen is important in understanding what factors contribute to vector competence. However, many of the molecular mechanisms for vector competence remain unknown. Our previous global transcriptional analysis suggested that differential expression of apoptotic proteins is involved in determining refractoriness vs susceptibility to DENV-2 infection in Ae. aegypti females following a DENV-infected blood meal. To determine whether DENV-refractory Ae. aegypti showed more robust apoptosis upon infection, we compared numbers of apoptotic cells from midguts of refractory and susceptible strains and observed increased numbers of apoptotic cells in only the refractory strain upon DENV-2 infection. Thereafter, we manipulated apoptosis through dsRNA interference of the initiator caspase, Aedronc. Unexpectedly, dsAedronc-treated females showed both decreased frequency of disseminated infection and decreased virus titer in infected individuals. Insect caspases have also previously been identified as regulators of the cellular recycling process known as autophagy. We observed activation of autophagy in midgut and fat body tissues following a blood meal, as well as programmed activation of several apoptosis-related genes, including the effector caspase, Casps7. To determine whether autophagy was affected by caspase knockdown, we silenced Aedronc and Casps7, and observed reduced activation of autophagy upon silencing. Our results provide evidence that apoptosis-related genes are also involved in regulating autophagy, and that Aedronc may play an important role in DENV-2 infection success in Ae. aegypti, possibly through its regulation of autophagy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew W Eng
- Eck Institute for Global Health and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Madeleine N van Zuylen
- Eck Institute for Global Health and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - David W Severson
- Eck Institute for Global Health and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA.
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Multiple Modes of Action of the Squamocin in the Midgut Cells of Aedes aegypti Larvae. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0160928. [PMID: 27532504 PMCID: PMC4988707 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0160928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2015] [Accepted: 07/27/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Annonaceous acetogenins are botanical compounds with good potential for use as insecticides. In the vector, Aedes aegypti (L.) (Diptera: Culicidae), squamocin (acetogenin) has been reported to be a larvicide and cytotoxic, but the modes of action of this molecule are still poorly understood. This study evaluated the changes in the cell morphology, and in the expression of genes, for autophagy (Atg1 and Atg8), for membrane ion transporter V-ATPase, and for water channel aquaporin-4 (Aqp4) in the midgut of A. aegypti larvae exposed to squamocin from Annona mucosa Jacq. (Annonaceae). Squamocin showed cytotoxic action with changes in the midgut epithelium and digestive cells of A. aegypti larvae, increase in the expression for autophagy gene Atg1 and Atg8, decrease in the expression of V-ATPase, decrease in the expression of Aqp4 gene in LC20 and inhibition of Apq4 genes in the midgut of this vector in LC50. These multiple modes of action for squamocin are described for the first time in insects, and they are important because different sites of action of squamocin from A. mucosa may reduce the possibility of resistance of A. aegypti to this molecule.
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Suwansa-Ard S, Kankuan W, Thongbuakaew T, Saetan J, Kornthong N, Kruangkum T, Khornchatri K, Cummins SF, Isidoro C, Sobhon P. Transcriptomic analysis of the autophagy machinery in crustaceans. BMC Genomics 2016; 17:587. [PMID: 27506197 PMCID: PMC4979118 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-016-2996-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2016] [Accepted: 08/04/2016] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The giant freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii, is a decapod crustacean that is commercially important as a food source. Farming of commercial crustaceans requires an efficient management strategy because the animals are easily subjected to stress and diseases during the culture. Autophagy, a stress response process, is well-documented and conserved in most animals, yet it is poorly studied in crustaceans. Results In this study, we have performed an in silico search for transcripts encoding autophagy-related (Atg) proteins within various tissue transcriptomes of M. rosenbergii. Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) search using previously known Atg proteins as queries revealed 41 transcripts encoding homologous M. rosenbergii Atg proteins. Among these Atg proteins, we selected commonly used autophagy markers, including Beclin 1, vacuolar protein sorting (Vps) 34, microtubule-associated proteins 1A/1B light chain 3B (MAP1LC3B), p62/sequestosome 1 (SQSTM1), and lysosomal-associated membrane protein 1 (Lamp-1) for further sequence analyses using comparative alignment and protein structural prediction. We found that crustacean autophagy marker proteins contain conserved motifs typical of other animal Atg proteins. Western blotting using commercial antibodies raised against human Atg marker proteins indicated their presence in various M. rosenbergii tissues, while immunohistochemistry localized Atg marker proteins within ovarian tissue, specifically late stage oocytes. Conclusions This study demonstrates that the molecular components of autophagic process are conserved in crustaceans, which is comparable to autophagic process in mammals. Furthermore, it provides a foundation for further studies of autophagy in crustaceans that may lead to more understanding of the reproduction- and stress-related autophagy, which will enable the efficient aquaculture practices. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-016-2996-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saowaros Suwansa-Ard
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, QLD, Australia
| | - Wilairat Kankuan
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Laboratory of Molecular Pathology, Department of Health Sciences, Amedeo Avogadro University, Novara, Italy
| | - Tipsuda Thongbuakaew
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,School of Medicine, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand
| | - Jirawat Saetan
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hatyai, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Napamanee Kornthong
- Chulabhorn International College of Medicine, Thammsat University, Klongluang, Phathumthani, Thailand
| | - Thanapong Kruangkum
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Kanjana Khornchatri
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Scott F Cummins
- Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, QLD, Australia
| | - Ciro Isidoro
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathology, Department of Health Sciences, Amedeo Avogadro University, Novara, Italy.
| | - Prasert Sobhon
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand. .,Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Burapha University, Chonburi, Thailand.
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Liu KY, Xia YQ, Zhou J, Chen ZW, Lu D, Zhang NZ, Liu XS, Ai H, Zhou LL. MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF AUTOPHAGY-RELATED GENE 5 FROM Spodoptera exigua AND EXPRESSION ANALYSIS UNDER VARIOUS STRESS CONDITIONS. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2016; 92:225-241. [PMID: 27226059 DOI: 10.1002/arch.21339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2015] [Revised: 04/11/2016] [Accepted: 04/28/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Autophagy is not only involved in development, but also has been proved to attend immune response against invading pathogens. Autophagy protein 5 (ATG5) is an important autophagic protein, which plays a crucial role in autophagosome elongation. Although ATG5 has been well studied in mammal, yeast, and Drosophila, little is known about ATG5 in lepidopteran insects. We cloned putative SeAtg5 gene from Spodoptera exigua larvae by the rapid amplification of cDNA ends method, and its characteristics and the influences of multiple exogenous factors on its expression levels were then investigated. The results showed that the putative S. exigua SeATG5 protein is highly homologous to other insect ATG5 proteins, which has a conserved Pfm domain and multiple phosphorylation sites. Next, fluorescence microscope observation showed that mCherry-SeATG5 was distributed in both nucleus and cytoplasm of Spodoptera litura Sl-HP cells and partially co-localized with BmATG6-GFP, but it almost has no significant co-localization with GFP-HaATG8. Then, the Western blot analysis demonstrated that GFP-SeATG5 conjugated with ATG12. Moreover, real-time PCR revealed that its expression levels significantly increased at the initiation of pupation and the stage of adult. In addition, the expression levels of SeAtg5 can be enhanced by the starvation, UV radiation, and infection of baculovirus and bacterium. However, the expression levels of SeAtg5 decreased at 24 h post treatments in all these treatments except in starvation. These results suggested that SeATG5 might be involved in response of S. exigua under various stress conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai-Yu Liu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yu-Qian Xia
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jing Zhou
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zu-Wen Chen
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
| | - Dandan Lu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
| | - Ning-Zhao Zhang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xu-Sheng Liu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
| | - Hui Ai
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
| | - Li-Lin Zhou
- Department of Plant Protection, Wuhan Vegetable Research Institute, Wuhan, China
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Identification of Autophagy in the Pine Wood Nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus and the Molecular Characterization and Functional Analysis of Two Novel Autophagy-Related Genes, BxATG1 and BxATG8. Int J Mol Sci 2016; 17:279. [PMID: 26950119 PMCID: PMC4813143 DOI: 10.3390/ijms17030279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2016] [Revised: 02/04/2016] [Accepted: 02/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The pine wood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, causes huge economic losses in pine forests, has a complex life cycle, and shows the remarkable ability to survive under unfavorable and changing environmental conditions. This ability may be related to autophagy, which is still poorly understood in B. xylophilus and no autophagy-related genes have been previously characterized. In this study, transmission electron microscopy was used to confirm that autophagy exists in B. xylophilus. The full-length cDNAs of BxATG1 and BxATG8 were first cloned from B. xylophilus, and BxATG1 and BxATG8 were characterized using bioinformatics methods. The expression pattern of the autophagy marker BxATG8 was investigated using in situ hybridization (ISH). BxATG8 was expressed in esophageal gland and hypodermal seam cells. We tested the effects of RNA interference (RNAi) on BxATG1 and BxATG8. The results revealed that BxATG1 and BxATG8 were likely associated with propagation of nematodes on fungal mats. This study confirmed the molecular characterization and functions of BxATG1 and BxATG8 in B. xylophilus and provided fundamental information between autophagy and B. xylophilus.
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Abstract
On December 18, 2014, a yellow female fly quietly emerged from her pupal case. What made her unique was that she had only one parent carrying a mutant allele of this classic recessive locus. Then, one generation later, after mating with a wild-type male, all her offspring displayed the same recessive yellow phenotype. Further analysis of other such yellow females revealed that the construct causing the mutation was converting the opposing chromosome with 95% efficiency. These simple results, seen also in mosquitoes and yeast, open the door to a new era of genetics wherein the laws of traditional Mendelian inheritance can be bypassed for a broad variety of purposes. Here, we consider the implications of this fundamentally new form of "active genetics," its applications for gene drives, reversal and amplification strategies, its potential for contributing to cell and gene therapy strategies, and ethical/biosafety considerations associated with such active genetic elements. Also watch the Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentino M Gantz
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Ethan Bier
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
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Smykal V, Raikhel AS. Nutritional Control of Insect Reproduction. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2015; 11:31-38. [PMID: 26644995 PMCID: PMC4669899 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2015.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
The amino acid-Target of Rapamycin (AA/TOR) and insulin pathways play a pivotal role in reproduction of female insects, serving as regulatory checkpoints that guarantee the sufficiency of nutrients for developing eggs. Being evolutionary older, the AA/TOR pathway functions as an initial nutritional sensor that not only activates nutritional responses in a tissue-specific manner, but is also involved in the control of insect insulin-like peptides (ILPs) secretion. Insulin and AA/TOR pathways also assert their nutritionally linked influence on reproductive events by contributing to the control of biosynthesis and secretion of juvenile hormone and ecdysone. This review covers the present status of our understanding of the contributions of AA/TOR and insulin pathways in insect reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alexander S. Raikhel
- Corresponding author. Department of Entomology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA. Tel.: 951 827 2129
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Hult EF, Huang J, Marchal E, Lam J, Tobe SS. RXR/USP and EcR are critical for the regulation of reproduction and the control of JH biosynthesis in Diploptera punctata. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2015; 80:48-60. [PMID: 25917982 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2015.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2014] [Revised: 04/17/2015] [Accepted: 04/22/2015] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
During development and reproduction the response to ecdysteroids is mediated by a heterodimeric receptor complex comprising the retinoid X receptor/ultraspiracle (RXR/USP) and the ecdysone receptor (EcR). Here, the role of these receptors in the endocrine control of reproduction is examined in the cockroach Diploptera punctata. We report the sequence of four DpRXR and three DpEcR splice variants, including the first description of a Drosophila EcRB2-like isoform in a hemimetabolous insect. DpRXR and DpEcR are broadly expressed in the tissues of adult females, with relatively high transcript levels in the corpora allata (CA), nervous tissue and ovary. Developmental profiling revealed an inverse correlation between DpRXR and DpEcR expression and the activity of the CA. RNAi-mediated depletion of DpRXR and DpEcR did not affect oocyte growth, but inhibited oviposition and impaired chorion formation. Retained oocytes exhibited a degenerating follicular epithelium and were slowly resorbed. Treated animals showed significantly higher rates of JH biosynthesis and a decrease in ecdysteroid titers at the end of vitellogenesis. Reduction of DpRXR and DpEcR expression resulted in an upregulation of genes involved in JH production and a downregulation of allatostatin receptor mRNA in the CA. Treatment with dsRNA also affected the expression of genes downstream of JH in target tissues including vitellogenin and Krüppel-homolog 1 as well as Broad-Complex, an early ecdysone response gene. Overall, results suggest that DpRXR and DpEcR are not required early in the reproductive cycle when events are JH-dependent, but do mediate critical ecdysteroid feedback to the CA late in the gonadotropic cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina F Hult
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Juan Huang
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Elisabeth Marchal
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Department of Biology, Zoological Institute, KU Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jennifer Lam
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Stephen S Tobe
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
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