1
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Wudarski J, Aliabadi S, Gulia-Nuss M. Arthropod promoters for genetic control of disease vectors. Trends Parasitol 2024:S1471-4922(24)00093-X. [PMID: 38824066 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2024.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024]
Abstract
Vector-borne diseases (VBDs) impose devastating effects on human health and a heavy financial burden. Malaria, Lyme disease, and dengue fever are just a few examples of VBDs that cause severe illnesses. The current strategies to control VBDs consist mainly of environmental modification and chemical use, and to a small extent, genetic approaches. The genetic approaches, including transgenesis/genome modification and gene-drive technologies, provide the basis for developing new tools for VBD prevention by suppressing vector populations or reducing their capacity to transmit pathogens. The regulatory elements such as promoters are required for a robust sex-, tissue-, and stage-specific transgene expression. As discussed in this review, information on the regulatory elements is available for mosquito vectors but is scant for other vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Wudarski
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, USA
| | - Simindokht Aliabadi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, USA
| | - Monika Gulia-Nuss
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, USA.
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2
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Gunther D, Alford R, Johnson J, Neilsen P, Zhang L, Harrell R, Day C. Transgenic black soldier flies for production of carotenoids. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 168:104110. [PMID: 38522557 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
The black soldier fly (BSF), Hermetia illucens, has gained traction recently as a means to achieve closed-loop production cycles. BSF can subsist off mammalian waste products and their consumption of such waste in turn generates compost that can be used in agricultural operations. Their environmental impact is minimal and BSF larvae are edible, with a nutritional profile high in protein and other essential vitamins. Therefore, it is conceivable to use BSF as a mechanism for both reducing organic waste and maintaining a low-impact food source for animal livestock or humans. The main drawback to BSF as a potential human food source is they are deficient in fat-soluble vitamins such as Vitamins A, D, and E. While loading BSF with essential vitamins may be achieved via diet-based interventions, this undercuts the goal of a closed-loop as specialized diets would require additional supply chains. An alternative is to genetically engineer BSF that can synthesize these essential vitamins. Here we describe a BSF line that has been engineered with the two main carotenoid biosynthetic genes, CarRA and CarB for production of provitamin carotenoids within the Vitamin A family. Our data describe the manipulation of the BSF genome to insert transgenes for expression of functional protein products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derrick Gunther
- Echelon Biosciences, Salt Lake City, UT, 84109, United States.
| | - Robert Alford
- University of Maryland, Insect Transformation Facility (ITF), Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research 9600 Gudelsky Drive, Rockville, MD, 20850, United States.
| | - Jeff Johnson
- Echelon Biosciences, Salt Lake City, UT, 84109, United States.
| | - Paul Neilsen
- Echelon Biosciences, Salt Lake City, UT, 84109, United States.
| | - Liuyin Zhang
- Echelon Biosciences, Salt Lake City, UT, 84109, United States.
| | - Robert Harrell
- University of Maryland, Insect Transformation Facility (ITF), Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research 9600 Gudelsky Drive, Rockville, MD, 20850, United States.
| | - Cameron Day
- Echelon Biosciences, Salt Lake City, UT, 84109, United States.
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3
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Liu J, Rayes D, Akbari OS. A Fluorescent Sex-Sorting Technique for Insects with the Demonstration in Drosophila melanogaster. GEN BIOTECHNOLOGY 2024; 3:35-44. [PMID: 38415050 PMCID: PMC10895710 DOI: 10.1089/genbio.2023.0041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Recent advances in insect genetic engineering offer alternative genetic biocontrol solutions to control populations of pests and disease vectors. While success has been achieved, sex-sorting remains problematic for scaling many genetic biocontrol interventions. Here, we describe the development of a genetically stable sex-sorting technique for female and male selection with a proof of concept in Drosophila melanogaster termed SEPARATOR (Sexing Element Produced by Alternative RNA-splicing of A Transgenic Observable Reporter). This elegant approach utilizes dominantly expressed fluorescent proteins and differentially spliced introns to ensure sex-specific expression. The system has the potential for adaptability to various insect species and application for high-throughput insect sex-sorting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junru Liu
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Danny Rayes
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Omar S. Akbari
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
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4
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Weng SC, Antoshechkin I, Marois E, Akbari OS. Efficient sex separation by exploiting differential alternative splicing of a dominant marker in Aedes aegypti. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1011065. [PMID: 38011259 PMCID: PMC10703412 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Only female mosquitoes consume blood giving them the opportunity to transmit deadly human pathogens. Therefore, it is critical to remove females before conducting releases for genetic biocontrol interventions. Here we describe a robust sex-sorting approach termed SEPARATOR (Sexing Element Produced by Alternative RNA-splicing of A Transgenic Observable Reporter) that exploits sex-specific alternative splicing of an innocuous reporter to ensure exclusive dominant male-specific expression. Using SEPARATOR, we demonstrate reliable sex selection from early larval and pupal stages in Aedes aegypti, and use a Complex Object Parametric Analyzer and Sorter (COPAS) to demonstrate scalable high-throughput sex-selection of first instar larvae. Additionally, we use this approach to sequence the transcriptomes of early larval males and females and find several genes that are sex-specifically expressed. SEPARATOR can simplify mass production of males for release programs and is designed to be cross-species portable and should be instrumental for genetic biocontrol interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shih-Che Weng
- School of Biological Sciences, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Igor Antoshechkin
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering (BBE), California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, United States of America
| | - Eric Marois
- CNRS UPR9022, INSERM U1257, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Omar S. Akbari
- School of Biological Sciences, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
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5
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Yue D, Li R, Zhang J, Chen Y, Palmer-Young EC, Huang S, Huang WF. A DNA Plasmid-Based Approach for Efficient Synthesis of Sacbrood Virus Infectious Clones within Host Cells. Viruses 2023; 15:1866. [PMID: 37766273 PMCID: PMC10537335 DOI: 10.3390/v15091866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
RNA viruses are often cited as a significant factor affecting the populations of both domestic honey bees and wild pollinators. To expedite the development of effective countermeasures against these viruses, a more comprehensive understanding of virus biology necessitates extensive collaboration among scientists from diverse research fields. While the infectious virus clone is a robust tool for studying virus diseases, the current methods for synthesizing infectious clones of bee-infecting RNA viruses entail the in vitro transcription of the viral genome RNA in 8-10 kb, presenting challenges in reproducibility and distribution. This article reports on the synthesis of an infectious clone of the Chinese variant sacbrood virus (SBV) using a DNA plasmid containing an Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) immediate-early protein (IE1) promoter to trigger transcription of the downstream viral genome within hosts. The results demonstrate that the IE1-SBV plasmid can synthesize SBV clones in a widely used lepidopteran immortal cell line (Sf9) and honey bee pupae. Furthermore, the negative strand of the clone was detected in both Sf9 cells and honey bee pupae, indicating active infection and replication. However, the transfection of Sf9 cells was observed in only a limited proportion (less than 10%) of the cells, and the infection did not appear to spread to adjacent cells or form infective virions. The injection of honey bee pupae with 2500 ng of the IE1-SBV plasmid resulted in high infection rates in Apis cerana pupae but low rates in A. mellifera pupae, although the dosage was comparatively high compared with other studies using in vitro transcribed viral RNA. Our findings suggest that the synthesis of bee-infecting RNA viruses using DNA plasmids is feasible, albeit requiring additional optimization. However, this method holds substantial potential for facilitating the production of clones with various sequence modifications, enabling the exploration of viral gene functions and biology. The ease of distributing infectious clones in DNA plasmid form may foster collaboration among scientists in applying the clone to bee biology, ecology, and behavior, ultimately offering a comprehensive approach to managing virus diseases in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Yue
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Runlin Li
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Jikailang Zhang
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Yanping Chen
- Bee Research Laboratory, Agriculture Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA
| | - Evan C Palmer-Young
- Bee Research Laboratory, Agriculture Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA
| | - Shaokang Huang
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
- Honeybee Biology Observation Station, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Wei-Fone Huang
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
- Bee Research Laboratory, Agriculture Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA
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6
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Liu J, Rayes D, Akbari OS. A fluorescent sex-sorting technique for insects with the demonstration in Drosophila melanogaster. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.11.553026. [PMID: 37645836 PMCID: PMC10462037 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.11.553026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Recent advances in insect genetic engineering offer alternative genetic biocontrol solutions to control populations of pests and disease vectors. While success has been achieved, sex-sorting remains problematic for scaling many genetic biocontrol interventions. Here we describe the development of a sex-sorting technique for female and male selection with a proof-of-concept in D. melanogaster termed SEPARATOR (Sexing Element Produced by Alternative RNA-splicing of A Transgenic Observable Reporter). This approach utilizes dominant fluorescent proteins and differentially spliced introns to ensure sex-specific expression. The system has the potential for adaptability to various insect species and application for high-throughput insect sex-sorting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junru Liu
- School of Biological Sciences, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Danny Rayes
- School of Biological Sciences, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Omar S. Akbari
- School of Biological Sciences, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
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7
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Weng SC, Antoshechkin I, Marois E, Akbari OS. Efficient Sex Separation by Exploiting Differential Alternative Splicing of a Dominant Marker in Aedes aegypti. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.16.545348. [PMID: 37398094 PMCID: PMC10312783 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.16.545348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Only female mosquitoes consume blood and transmit deadly human pathogens. Therefore, it is critical to remove females before conducting releases for genetic biocontrol interventions. Here we describe a robust sex-sorting approach termed SEPARATOR (Sexing Element Produced by Alternative RNA-splicing of A Transgenic Observable Reporter) that exploits sex-specific alternative splicing of an innocuous reporter to ensure exclusive dominant male-specific expression. Using SEPARATOR, we demonstrate reliable sex selection from larval and pupal stages in Aedes aegypti, and use a Complex Object Parametric Analyzer and Sorter (COPAS®) to demonstrate scalable high-throughput sex-selection of first instar larvae. Additionally, we use this approach to sequence the transcriptomes of early larval males and females and find several genes that are sex-specifically expressed in males. SEPARATOR can simplify mass production of males for release programs and is designed to be cross-species portable and should be instrumental for genetic biocontrol interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shih-Che Weng
- School of Biological Sciences, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Igor Antoshechkin
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering (BBE), California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA91125, USA
| | - Eric Marois
- CNRS UPR9022, INSERM U1257, Université de Strasbourg, France
| | - Omar S. Akbari
- School of Biological Sciences, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
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8
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Hong Q, Liu J, Wei Y, Wei X. Application of Baculovirus Expression Vector System (BEVS) in Vaccine Development. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1218. [PMID: 37515034 PMCID: PMC10386281 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11071218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Vaccination is one of the most effective strategies to control epidemics. With the deepening of people's awareness of vaccination, there is a high demand for vaccination. Hence, a flexible, rapid, and cost-effective vaccine platform is urgently needed. The baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS) has emerged as a promising technology for vaccine production due to its high safety, rapid production, flexible product design, and scalability. In this review, we introduced the development history of BEVS and the procedures for preparing recombinant protein vaccines using the BEVS platform and summarized the features and limitations of this platform. Furthermore, we highlighted the progress of the BEVS platform-related research, especially in the field of vaccine. Finally, we provided a new prospect for BEVS in future vaccine manufacturing, which may pave the way for future BEVS-derived vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaonan Hong
- Department of Biotherapy, Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Jian Liu
- Department of Biotherapy, Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yuquan Wei
- Department of Biotherapy, Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Xiawei Wei
- Department of Biotherapy, Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu 610041, China
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9
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Hart T, Frank DD, Lopes LE, Olivos-Cisneros L, Lacy KD, Trible W, Ritger A, Valdés-Rodríguez S, Kronauer DJC. Sparse and stereotyped encoding implicates a core glomerulus for ant alarm behavior. Cell 2023; 186:3079-3094.e17. [PMID: 37321218 PMCID: PMC10334690 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.05.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Ants communicate via large arrays of pheromones and possess expanded, highly complex olfactory systems, with antennal lobes in the brain comprising up to ∼500 glomeruli. This expansion implies that odors could activate hundreds of glomeruli, which would pose challenges for higher-order processing. To study this problem, we generated transgenic ants expressing the genetically encoded calcium indicator GCaMP in olfactory sensory neurons. Using two-photon imaging, we mapped complete glomerular responses to four ant alarm pheromones. Alarm pheromones robustly activated ≤6 glomeruli, and activity maps for the three pheromones inducing panic alarm in our study species converged on a single glomerulus. These results demonstrate that, rather than using broadly tuned combinatorial encoding, ants employ precise, narrowly tuned, and stereotyped representations of alarm pheromones. The identification of a central sensory hub glomerulus for alarm behavior suggests that a simple neural architecture is sufficient to translate pheromone perception into behavioral outputs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor Hart
- Laboratory of Social Evolution and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA.
| | - Dominic D Frank
- Laboratory of Social Evolution and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Lindsey E Lopes
- Laboratory of Social Evolution and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Leonora Olivos-Cisneros
- Laboratory of Social Evolution and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Kip D Lacy
- Laboratory of Social Evolution and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Waring Trible
- Laboratory of Social Evolution and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA; John Harvard Distinguished Science Fellowship Program, Harvard University, 52 Oxford Street, NW Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Amelia Ritger
- Laboratory of Social Evolution and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA; Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Marine Science Research Building, Bldg. 520, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Stephany Valdés-Rodríguez
- Laboratory of Social Evolution and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Daniel J C Kronauer
- Laboratory of Social Evolution and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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10
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Ye X, Wu M, Wang X, Dai X, Yu S, Tang X, Wang X, Zhong B. Sex separation by body color via a W-chromosome-linked transgene. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 234:123649. [PMID: 36780960 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.123649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/13/2023]
Abstract
Sex separation processes are important for commercial insect production and sterile insect techniques. Here, we describe the transgenic insertion of a DsRed expression cassette driven by the enhancer HR3 and strong promoter IE1 into the silkworm W chromosome as a dominant visible marker of sex separation. The obtained transgenic lines showed female-specific body color visible to the naked eye at the second- to fifth-instar larval, pupal and adult stages, and their performance traits were comparable to those of a nontransgenic practical silkworm variety. This strategy can greatly facilitate the sex separation of silkworms for male-only rearing and to obtain hybrids while avoiding sibling mating, and it can also be applied to the sex separation of other light-colored insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaogang Ye
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, PR China.
| | - Meiyu Wu
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, PR China
| | - Xinqiu Wang
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, PR China
| | - Xiangping Dai
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, PR China
| | - Shihua Yu
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, PR China
| | - Xiaoli Tang
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, PR China
| | - Xiaoxiao Wang
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, PR China
| | - Boxiong Zhong
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, PR China.
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11
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Tsubota T, Sakai H, Sezutsu H. Genome Editing of Silkworms. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2637:359-374. [PMID: 36773160 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3016-7_27] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
Silkworm is a lepidopteran insect that has been used as a model for a wide variety of biological studies. The microinjection technique is available, and it is possible to cause transgenesis as well as target gene disruption via the genome editing technique. TALEN-mediated knockout is especially effective in this species. We also succeeded in the precise and efficient integration of a donor vector using the precise integration into target chromosome (PITCh) method. Here we describe protocols for ZFN (zinc finger nuclease)-, TALEN (transcription activator-like effector nuclease)-, and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing as well as the PITCh technique in the silkworm. We consider that all of these techniques can contribute to the further promotion of various biological studies in the silkworm and other insect species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuya Tsubota
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Hiroki Sakai
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Hideki Sezutsu
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
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12
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Koo J, Chen X, Palli SR. Gene expression in Verson's glands of the fall armyworm suggests their role in molting and immunity. FRONTIERS IN INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 3:1124278. [PMID: 38469461 PMCID: PMC10926397 DOI: 10.3389/finsc.2023.1124278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Verson's glands are segmental pairs of dermal glands attached to the epidermis in lepidopteran larvae. They produce macromolecules during intermolt period and empty them during each molt. Morphological, histochemical, developmental, and protein analysis studies have been conducted to determine the functions of Verson's glands. However, the exact role of Verson's glands remains unclear. In our previous study, a strain of transgenic fall armyworm, Spdoptera frugiperda expressing green fluorescence protein (GFP) and Systemic RNA interference defective protein 1 (SID1) from Caenorhabditis elegans was established to improve RNA interference (RNAi) efficiency. Unexpectedly, we found that GFP fluorescence was significantly brighter in Verson's glands than in other tissues. Also, RNAi efficiency improved more in Verson's glands than in other tissues. We took advantage of improved RNAi efficiency to explore the function of Verson's glands. RNA-seq analysis revealed that genes highly expressed in Verson's glands code for cuticular proteins, molting fluid proteins, hemolymph proteins, and antimicrobial peptides. Injection of dsRNA targeting essential genes, inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP), Actin, and vacuolar-type ATPase (VATPase) interfered with Verson's glands growth. These results revealed that Verson's glands may contribute to hemolymph, cuticle, molting fluid, and immune response during molting. This study also provide useful tools for future research in identifying the physiological role of Verson's glands in lepidopteran insects.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Subba Reddy Palli
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
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13
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Hong M, Li T, Xue W, Zhang S, Cui L, Wang H, Zhang Y, Zhou L, Gu Y, Xia N, Li S. Genetic engineering of baculovirus-insect cell system to improve protein production. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:994743. [PMID: 36204465 PMCID: PMC9530357 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.994743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Baculovirus Expression Vector System (BEVS), a mature foreign protein expression platform, has been available for decades, and has been effectively used in vaccine production, gene therapy, and a host of other applications. To date, eleven BEVS-derived products have been approved for use, including four human vaccines [Cervarix against cervical cancer caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), Flublok and Flublok Quadrivalent against seasonal influenza, Nuvaxovid/Covovax against COVID-19], two human therapeutics [Provenge against prostate cancer and Glybera against hereditary lipoprotein lipase deficiency (LPLD)] and five veterinary vaccines (Porcilis Pesti, BAYOVAC CSF E2, Circumvent PCV, Ingelvac CircoFLEX and Porcilis PCV). The BEVS has many advantages, including high safety, ease of operation and adaptable for serum-free culture. It also produces properly folded proteins with correct post-translational modifications, and can accommodate multi-gene– or large gene insertions. However, there remain some challenges with this system, including unstable expression and reduced levels of protein glycosylation. As the demand for biotechnology increases, there has been a concomitant effort into optimizing yield, stability and protein glycosylation through genetic engineering and the manipulation of baculovirus vector and host cells. In this review, we summarize the strategies and technological advances of BEVS in recent years and explore how this will be used to inform the further development and application of this system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minqing Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Life Sciences, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, Xiamen, China
| | - Tingting Li
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Life Sciences, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, Xiamen, China
| | - Wenhui Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Life Sciences, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, Xiamen, China
| | - Sibo Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Life Sciences, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, Xiamen, China
| | - Lingyan Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Life Sciences, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, Xiamen, China
| | - Hong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Life Sciences, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, Xiamen, China
| | - Yuyun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Life Sciences, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, Xiamen, China
| | - Lizhi Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Life Sciences, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, Xiamen, China
| | - Ying Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Life Sciences, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, Xiamen, China
| | - Ningshao Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Life Sciences, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, Xiamen, China
- The Research Unit of Frontier Technology of Structural Vaccinology of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Xiamen, China
| | - Shaowei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Life Sciences, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, Xiamen, China
- *Correspondence: Shaowei Li,
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14
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Tng PYL, Carabajal Paladino LZ, Anderson MAE, Adelman ZN, Fragkoudis R, Noad R, Alphey L. Intron-derived small RNAs for silencing viral RNAs in mosquito cells. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010548. [PMID: 35737714 PMCID: PMC9258879 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus are the main vectors of mosquito-borne viruses of medical and veterinary significance. Many of these viruses have RNA genomes. Exogenously provided, e.g. transgene encoded, small RNAs could be used to inhibit virus replication, breaking the transmission cycle. We tested, in Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus cell lines, reporter-based strategies for assessing the ability of two types of small RNAs to inhibit a chikungunya virus (CHIKV) derived target. Both types of small RNAs use a Drosophila melanogaster pre-miRNA-1 based hairpin for their expression, either with perfect base-pairing in the stem region (shRNA-like) or containing two mismatches (miRNA-like). The pre-miRNA-1 stem loop structure was encoded within an intron; this allows co-expression of one or more proteins, e.g. a fluorescent protein marker tracking the temporal and spatial expression of the small RNAs in vivo. Three reporter-based systems were used to assess the relative silencing efficiency of ten shRNA-like siRNAs and corresponding miRNA-like designs. Two systems used a luciferase reporter RNA with CHIKV RNA inserted either in the coding sequence or within the 3’ UTR. A third reporter used a CHIKV derived split replication system. All three reporters demonstrated that while silencing could be achieved with both miRNA-like and shRNA-like designs, the latter were substantially more effective. Dcr-2 was required for the shRNA-like siRNAs as demonstrated by loss of inhibition of the reporters in Dcr-2 deficient cell lines. These positive results in cell culture are encouraging for the potential use of this pre-miRNA-1-based system in transgenic mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are important globally, spreading viral diseases worldwide. Chikungunya virus causes epidemics of disease in people. Here we have investigated using two types of small RNAs and pathways inherent in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes to target a piece of the chikungunya virus’s genome, potentially preventing viral replication. We express these small RNAs using a pre-miRNA-1 based system, inserted into the intron within a commonly used promoter. We have used reporter systems in cell lines which can give preliminary indications of how these systems might work in mosquitoes. Our results indicate that short-hairpin-like designs are more effective than micro-RNA-like designs at knocking down expression of their targets. This knock-down requires Dcr-2 indicating that the short-hairpin-like RNAs are likely using the endo-siRNA pathway to degrade mRNA which contains their complementary RNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priscilla Y. L. Tng
- Arthropod Genetics Group, The Pirbright Institute, Pirbright, United Kingdom
- Pathobiology and Population Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Zach N. Adelman
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Rennos Fragkoudis
- Arbovirus Pathogenesis Group, The Pirbright Institute, Pirbright, United Kingdom
| | - Rob Noad
- Pathobiology and Population Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield, United Kingdom
| | - Luke Alphey
- Arthropod Genetics Group, The Pirbright Institute, Pirbright, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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15
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Stern DL. Transgenic tools for targeted chromosome rearrangements allow construction of balancer chromosomes in non- melanogaster Drosophila species. G3 GENES|GENOMES|GENETICS 2022; 12:6526388. [PMID: 35143616 PMCID: PMC8982376 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkac030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Perhaps the most valuable single set of resources for genetic studies of Drosophila melanogaster is the collection of multiply inverted chromosomes commonly known as balancer chromosomes. Balancers prevent the recovery of recombination exchange products within genomic regions included in inversions and allow perpetual maintenance of deleterious alleles in living stocks and the execution of complex genetic crosses. Balancer chromosomes have been generated traditionally by exposing animals to ionizing radiation and screening for altered chromosome structure or for unusual marker segregation patterns. These approaches are tedious and unpredictable, and have failed to produce the desired products in some species. Here, I describe transgenic tools that allow targeted chromosome rearrangements in Drosophila species. The key new resources are engineered reporter genes containing introns with yeast recombination sites and enhancers that drive fluorescent reporter genes in multiple body regions. These tools were used to generate a doubly inverted chromosome 3R in Drosophila simulans that serves as an effective balancer chromosome.
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Affiliation(s)
- David L Stern
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
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16
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Samantsidis GR, Denecke S, Swevers L, Skavdis G, Geibel S, Vontas J. Identification of Helicoverpa armigera promoters for biotechnological applications. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 142:103725. [PMID: 35093501 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2022.103725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Helicoverpa armigera and Helicoverpa zea are highly polyphagous major agricultural pests with a global distribution. Their control is based on insecticides, however, new, effective, and environmentally friendly control tools are required to be developed and validated. In an effort to facilitate the development of advanced biotechnological tools in these species that will take advantage of new powerful molecular biology techniques like CRISPR/Cas9, we used available transcriptomic data and literature resources, in order to identify RNA polymerase II and III promoters active in RP-HzGUT-AW1(MG), a midgut derived cell line from Helicoverpa zea. Following functional analysis in insect cell lines, four RNA polymerase II promoters from the genes HaLabial, HaTsp-2A, HaPtx-I and HaCaudal were found to exhibit high transcriptional activity in vitro. The HaTsp-2A promoter did not exhibit any activity in the non-midgut derived cell lines Sf-9 and Hi-5 despite high sequence conservation among Lepidoptera, suggesting that it may function in a gut specific manner. Furthermore, considering the utility of RNA polymerase III U6 promoters in methodologies such as RNAi and CRISPR/Cas9, we identified and evaluated four different U6 promoters of H. armigera. In vitro experiments based on luciferase and GFP reporter assays, as well as in vivo experiments targeting an essential gene of Helicoverpa, indicate that these U6 promoters are functional and can be used to experimentally silence or knockout target genes through the expression of shRNAs and sgRNAs respectively. Taking our findings together, we provide a set of promoters useful for the genetic manipulation of Helicoverpa species, that can be used in various applications in the context of agricultural biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- George-Rafael Samantsidis
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Vassilika Vouton, 71409, Heraklion, Crete, Greece; Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Shane Denecke
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Greece.
| | - Luc Swevers
- Insect Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology, National Centre for Scientific Research Demokritos, Institute of Biosciences and Applications, 15310, Athens, Greece
| | - George Skavdis
- Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Sven Geibel
- R&D Pest Control, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Monheim, Germany
| | - John Vontas
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Greece; Pesticide Science Lab, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Greece.
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17
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Zhao S, Kong X, Wu X. RNAi-based immunity in insects against baculoviruses and the strategies of baculoviruses involved in siRNA and miRNA pathways to weaken the defense. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2021; 122:104116. [PMID: 33991532 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2021.104116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Protection against viral infection in hosts concerns diverse cellular and molecular mechanisms, among which RNA interference (RNAi) response is a vital one. Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), microRNAs (miRNAs) and PIWI interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are primary categories of small RNAs involved in RNAi response, playing significant roles in restraining viral invasion. However, during a long-term coevolution, viruses have gained the ability to evade, avoid, or suppress antiviral immunity to ensure efficient replication and transmission. Baculoviruses are enveloped, insect-pathogenic viruses with double-stranded circular DNA genomes, which encode suppressors of siRNA pathway and miRNAs targeting immune-related genes to mask the antiviral activity of their hosts. This review summarized recent findings for the RNAi-based antiviral immunity in insects as well as the strategies that baculoviruses exploit to break the shield of host siRNA pathway, and hijack cellular miRNAs or encode their own miRNAs that regulate both viral and cellular gene expression to create a favorable environment for viral infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shudi Zhao
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China; Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiangshuo Kong
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China; Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaofeng Wu
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China; Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China.
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18
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Sieriebriennikov B, Reinberg D, Desplan C. A molecular toolkit for superorganisms. Trends Genet 2021; 37:846-859. [PMID: 34116864 PMCID: PMC8355152 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2021.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Social insects, such as ants, bees, wasps, and termites, draw biologists' attention due to their distinctive lifestyles. As experimental systems, they provide unique opportunities to study organismal differentiation, division of labor, longevity, and the evolution of development. Ants are particularly attractive because several ant species can be propagated in the laboratory. However, the same lifestyle that makes social insects interesting also hampers the use of molecular genetic techniques. Here, we summarize the efforts of the ant research community to surmount these hurdles and obtain novel mechanistic insight into the biology of social insects. We review current approaches and propose novel ones involving genomics, transcriptomics, chromatin and DNA methylation profiling, RNA interference (RNAi), and genome editing in ants and discuss future experimental strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bogdan Sieriebriennikov
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Danny Reinberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Claude Desplan
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY, USA.
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19
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Tng PYL, Carabajal Paladino L, Verkuijl SAN, Purcell J, Merits A, Leftwich PT, Fragkoudis R, Noad R, Alphey L. Cas13b-dependent and Cas13b-independent RNA knockdown of viral sequences in mosquito cells following guide RNA expression. Commun Biol 2020; 3:413. [PMID: 32737398 PMCID: PMC7395101 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-01142-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes are vectors of the RNA viruses chikungunya (CHIKV) and dengue that currently have no specific therapeutic treatments. The development of new methods to generate virus-refractory mosquitoes would be beneficial. Cas13b is an enzyme that uses RNA guides to target and cleave RNA molecules and has been reported to suppress RNA viruses in mammalian and plant cells. We investigated the potential use of the Prevotella sp. P5-125 Cas13b system to provide viral refractoriness in mosquito cells, using a virus-derived reporter and a CHIKV split replication system. Cas13b in combination with suitable guide RNAs could induce strong suppression of virus-derived reporter RNAs in insect cells. Surprisingly, the RNA guides alone (without Cas13b) also gave substantial suppression. Our study provides support for the potential use of Cas13b in mosquitoes, but also caution in interpreting CRISPR/Cas data as we show that guide RNAs can have Cas-independent effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priscilla Ying Lei Tng
- Arthropod Genetics, The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, GU24 0NF, UK
- Pathobiology and Population Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, Hertfordshire, AL9 7TA, UK
| | | | - Sebald Alexander Nkosana Verkuijl
- Arthropod Genetics, The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, GU24 0NF, UK
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Jessica Purcell
- Arthropod Genetics, The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, GU24 0NF, UK
- Vector Biology Department, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK
| | - Andres Merits
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Nooruse 1, Tartu, 50411, Estonia
| | - Philip Thomas Leftwich
- Arthropod Genetics, The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, GU24 0NF, UK
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Rennos Fragkoudis
- Arbovirus Pathogenesis, The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, GU24 0NF, UK
- The University of Nottingham, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, Sutton Bonington, Loughborough, LE12 5RD, UK
| | - Rob Noad
- Pathobiology and Population Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, Hertfordshire, AL9 7TA, UK
| | - Luke Alphey
- Arthropod Genetics, The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, GU24 0NF, UK.
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20
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Kandul NP, Liu J, Hsu AD, Hay BA, Akbari OS. A drug-inducible sex-separation technique for insects. Nat Commun 2020; 11:2106. [PMID: 32355156 PMCID: PMC7193620 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16020-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Here, we describe a drug-inducible genetic system for insect sex-separation that demonstrates proof-of-principle for positive sex selection in D. melanogaster. The system exploits the toxicity of commonly used broad-spectrum antibiotics geneticin and puromycin to kill the non-rescued sex. Sex-specific rescue is achieved by inserting sex-specific introns into the coding sequences of antibiotic-resistance genes. When raised on geneticin-supplemented food, the sex-sorter line establishes 100% positive selection for female progeny, while the food supplemented with puromycin positively selects 100% male progeny. Since the described system exploits conserved sex-specific splicing mechanisms and reagents, it has the potential to be adaptable to other insect species of medical and agricultural importance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolay P Kandul
- Division of Biological Sciences, Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92092, USA
| | - Junru Liu
- Division of Biological Sciences, Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92092, USA
| | - Alexander D Hsu
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, MC 156-29, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Bruce A Hay
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, MC 156-29, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Omar S Akbari
- Division of Biological Sciences, Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92092, USA.
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, MC 156-29, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA.
- Tata Institute for Genetics and Society-UCSD, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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21
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Xu J, Chen RM, Chen SQ, Chen K, Tang LM, Yang DH, Yang X, Zhang Y, Song HS, Huang YP. Identification of a germline-expression promoter for genome editing in Bombyx mori. INSECT SCIENCE 2019; 26:991-999. [PMID: 30549429 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Revised: 11/26/2018] [Accepted: 11/27/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Identification of stage- and tissue-specific cis-regulatory elements will enable more precise genomic editing. In previous studies of the silkworm Bombyx mori, we identified and characterized several tissue- and sex-specific cis-regulatory elements using transgenic technology, including a female- and fat body-specific promoter, vitellogenin, testis-specific promoters, Radial spoke head 1 (BmR1) and beta-tubulin 4 (Bmβ4). Here we report a cis-regulatory element specific for a somatic and germ cell-expressed promoter, nanos (Bmnos). We investigated activities of three truncated promoter sequences upstream of the transcriptional initiation site sequences of Bmnos in vitro (nos-0.6kb, nos-1kb and nos-2kb) and in vivo (nos-2kb). In BmN cultured cells, all three lengths drove expression of the gene encoding enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP), although nos-2kb had the highest fluorescence activity. In transgenic silkworms, nos-2kb drove EGFP expression at the early embryonic stage, and fluorescence was concentrated in the gonads at later embryonic stages. In addition, this cis-regulatory element was not sex differentiated. The fluorescence intensity gradually weakened following the larval developmental stage in the gonads and were broadly expressed in the whole body. The nos-2kb promoter drove the Cas9 system with efficiency comparable to that of the broad-spectrum strong IE1 promoter. These results indicate that Bmnos is an effective endogenous cis-regulatory element in the early embryo and in the gonad that can be used in applications involving the clustered, regularly interspaced, short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Xu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Rong-Mei Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shu-Qing Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Kai Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Lin-Meng Tang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - De-Hong Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Xu Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yong Zhang
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada, USA
| | - Hong-Sheng Song
- College of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yong-Ping Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
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22
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Sun Q, Jiang L, Guo H, Xia F, Wang B, Wang Y, Xia Q, Zhao P. Increased antiviral capacity of transgenic silkworm via knockdown of multiple genes on Bombyx mori bidensovirus. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2018; 87:188-192. [PMID: 29944898 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2018.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2018] [Revised: 06/02/2018] [Accepted: 06/03/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Bombyx mori bidensovirus (BmBDV) causes fatal flacherie disease leading to severe economic losses in sericultures. The BmDNV-Z genome contains two single-stranded DNA molecules, VD1 and VD2. For generating silkworm lines with antiviral properties, two transgenic RNA interference (RNAi) vectors were constructed. Open reading frames (ORFs) 1-4 of VD1 were knockdown by vector pb-BDV1 while ORF1a, ORF1b, and ORF3 of VD2 were knockdown by vector pb-BDV2. Transgenic silkworm lines BDV1-I and BDV2-I were generated via RNAi microinjection. Mortality rates of BDV1-I and BDV2-I were reduced by 45% and 39%, respectively, and quantitative PCR showed that VD1 and VD2 contents in BDV1-I and BDV2-I were significantly lower than in the non-transgenic line. However, economic traits showed no obvious differences. Thus, knockdown of multiple BmDNV-Z genes provides strong resistance to BDV1-I and BDV2-I lines, and these can be used in sericulture without hampering silk production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, PR China
| | - Liang Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, PR China.
| | - Huizhen Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, PR China
| | - Fei Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, PR China
| | - Bingbing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, PR China
| | - Yumei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, PR China
| | - Qingyou Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, PR China
| | - Ping Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, PR China.
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23
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Shirk PD, Furlong RB, Dolan A, Werren JH. Functional characterization of the transcriptional regulatory elements of three highly expressed constitutive genes in the jewel wasp, Nasonia vitripennis. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2017; 26:743-751. [PMID: 28753244 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The jewel wasp, Nasonia vitripennis Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), is an easily reared parasitoid that is providing an ever increasingly malleable model for examining the biology and genetics of Hymenoptera. Utilizing genomic and transcriptome resources, 5' upstream transcriptional regulatory sequences (TREs) from three highly expressed genes were identified and cloned. Criteria for TRE selection included the presence of an adjacent gene 5' of the translation initiation site. One gene was methylated whereas the other two were nonmethylated. Each TRE, heat-shock protein 70 (hsp70), activator of 90 kDa hsp ATPase protein 1 (hsp90A), and lipid storage droplet surface-binding protein 1 (lsdp) was linked with enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) coding sequence and cloned into both pDP9e somatic and piggyBac germline transformation vectors. EGFP expression patterns under control of each TRE were compared with patterns of DsRed fluorescence produced from the transformation vector cassette. Functional activity of each TRE was observed in cultured Spodoptera frugiperda 9 (Sf9) cells and Drosophila melanogaster as well as in N. vitripennis embryos demonstrating that all three sequences had functional transcriptional regulatory activity in three different insect orders. Identification and functional characterization of these three TREs will provide critical and necessary resources for further genetic analyses of N. vitripennis, Hymenoptera and other insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- P D Shirk
- USDA-ARS Center for Medical Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - R B Furlong
- USDA-ARS Center for Medical Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - A Dolan
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - J H Werren
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
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24
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Characterization of actin and tubulin promoters from two sap-sucking pests, Nilaparvata lugens (Stål) and Nephotettix cincticeps (Uhler). Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2016; 470:831-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2016.01.124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2016] [Accepted: 01/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Li Z, Zeng B, Ling L, Xu J, You L, Aslam AFM, Tan A, Huang Y. Enhancement of larval RNAi efficiency by over-expressing Argonaute2 in Bombyx mori. Int J Biol Sci 2015; 11:176-85. [PMID: 25561900 PMCID: PMC4279093 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.10235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2014] [Accepted: 11/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA interference has been described as a powerful genetic tool for gene functional analysis and a promising approach for pest management. However, RNAi efficiency varies significantly among insect species due to distinct RNAi machineries. Lepidopteran insects include a large number of pests as well as model insects, such as the silkworm, Bombyx mori. However, only limited success of in vivo RNAi has been reported in lepidoptera, particularly during the larval stages when the worms feed the most and do the most harm to the host plant. Enhancing the efficiency of larval RNAi in lepidoptera is urgently needed to develop RNAi-based pest management strategies. In the present study, we investigate the function of the conserved RNAi core factor, Argonaute2 (Ago2), in mediating B. mori RNAi efficiency. We demonstrate that introducing BmAgo2 dsRNA inhibits the RNAi response in both BmN cells and embryos. Furthermore, we establish several transgenic silkworm lines to assess the roles of BmAgo2 in larval RNAi. Over-expressing BmAgo2 significantly facilitated both dsRNA-mediated larval RNAi when targeting DsRed using dsRNA injection and shRNA-mediated larval RNAi when targeting BmBlos2 using transgenic shRNA expression. Our results show that BmAgo2 is involved in RNAi in B. mori and provides a promising approach for improving larval RNAi efficiency in B. mori and in lepidopteran insects in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiqian Li
- 1. Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China. ; 2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Baosheng Zeng
- 1. Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China. ; 2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Lin Ling
- 1. Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jun Xu
- 1. Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China. ; 2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Lang You
- 1. Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Abu F M Aslam
- 1. Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Anjiang Tan
- 1. Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yongping Huang
- 1. Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
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Kobayashi N, Takahashi M, Kihara S, Niimi T, Yamashita O, Yaginuma T. Cloning of cDNA encoding a Bombyx mori homolog of human oxidation resistance 1 (OXR1) protein from diapause eggs, and analyses of its expression and function. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2014; 68:58-68. [PMID: 25010546 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2014.06.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2014] [Revised: 05/24/2014] [Accepted: 06/19/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
To better understand the molecular mechanisms of diapause initiation, we used the sensitive cDNA subtraction (selective amplification via biotin- and restriction-mediated enrichment) method and isolated a novel gene expressed abundantly in diapause eggs of the silkworm, Bombyx mori, which encodes a homolog of the human oxidation resistance 1 (OXR1) protein. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting analyses confirmed that BmOXR1 mRNA and its 140-kDa protein were differentially expressed in diapause eggs compared to non-diapause eggs. OXR1 double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) was injected into diapause-destined eggs before the cellular blastoderm stage, and 4days later, when untreated eggs reached the diapause stage, the OXR1 protein disappeared; however, these eggs remained in diapause, suggesting that BmOXR1 is not essential for diapause initiation and/or maintenance. To further investigate the in vivo function of BmOXR1 apart from its role in diapause, we overexpressed BmOXR1 in Drosophila melanogaster. The fruit fly male adult life-span was significantly extended in the 50%-survival time when adults were reared on diets both with and without H2O2 solution under 25°C incubation. These results suggest that BmOXR1 functions in D. melanogaster via a possible antioxidant effect. As BmOXR1 was expressed mainly in the nuclei of D. melanogaster cells, the mechanism underlying its antioxidation effect appears to be different from that in humans where it is expressed mainly in the mitochondria. Taken together, these results suggest that BmOXR1 might serve as an antioxidant regulator during the early diapause stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noriko Kobayashi
- Laboratory of Sericulture & Entomoresources, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8601, Japan
| | - Masaki Takahashi
- Laboratory of Sericulture & Entomoresources, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8601, Japan
| | - Shouhei Kihara
- Laboratory of Sericulture & Entomoresources, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8601, Japan
| | - Teruyuki Niimi
- Laboratory of Sericulture & Entomoresources, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8601, Japan
| | - Okitsugu Yamashita
- Laboratory of Sericulture & Entomoresources, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8601, Japan
| | - Toshinobu Yaginuma
- Laboratory of Sericulture & Entomoresources, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8601, Japan.
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Establishment of transgenic lines for jumpstarter method using a composite transposon vector in the ladybird beetle, Harmonia axyridis. PLoS One 2014; 9:e100804. [PMID: 24959904 PMCID: PMC4069169 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0100804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2014] [Accepted: 05/29/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In this post-genomic era, genome-wide functional analysis is indispensable. The recent development of RNA interference techniques has enabled researchers to easily analyze gene function even in non-model organisms. On the other hand, little progress has been made in the identification and functional analyses of cis-regulatory elements in non-model organisms. In order to develop experimental platform for identification and analyses of cis-regulatory elements in a non-model organism, in this case, the ladybird beetle, Harmonia axyridis, we established transgenic transposon-tagged lines using a novel composite vector. This vector enables the generation of two types of insertion products (jumpstarter and mutator). The jumpstarter portion carries a transposase gene, while the mutator segment carries a reporter gene for detecting enhancers. The full-composite element is flanked by functional termini (required for movement); however, the mutator region has an extra terminus making it possible for the mutator to remobilize on its own, thus leaving an immobile jumpstarter element behind. Each insertion type is stable on its own, but once crossed, jumpstarters can remobilize mutators. After crossing a jumpstarter and mutator line, all tested G2 females gave rise to at least one new insertion line in the next generation. This jumping rate is equivalent to the P-element-mediated jumpstarter method in Drosophila. These established transgenic lines will offer us the ideal experimental materials for the effective screening and identification of enhancers in this species. In addition, this jumpstarter method has the potential to be as effective in other non-model insect species and thus applicable to any organism.
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Identification of a novel strong and ubiquitous promoter/enhancer in the silkworm Bombyx mori. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2014; 4:1347-57. [PMID: 24875626 PMCID: PMC4455783 DOI: 10.1534/g3.114.011643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Transgenic techniques offer a valuable tool for determining gene functions. Although various promoters are available for use in gene overexpression, gene knockdown, and identification of transgenic individuals, there is nevertheless a lack of versatile promoters for such studies, and this dearth acts as a bottleneck, especially with regard to nonmodel organisms. Here, we succeeded in identifying a novel strong and ubiquitous promoter/enhancer in the silkworm. We identified a unique silkworm strain whose reporter gene showed strong and ubiquitous expression during the establishment of enhancer trap strains. In this strain, the transposon was inserted into the 5'UTR of hsp90, a housekeeping gene that is abundantly expressed in a range of tissues. To determine whether the promoter/enhancer of hsp90 could be used to induce strong gene expression, a 2.9-kb upstream genomic fragment of hsp90 was isolated (hsp90(P2.9k)), and its transcriptional activation activity was examined. Strikingly, hsp90(P2.9k) induced strong gene expression in silkworm cell cultures and also strongly induced gene expression in various tissues and developmental stages of the silkworm. hsp90(P2.9k) also exhibited significant promoter/enhancer activity in Sf9, a cell culture from the armyworm, suggesting that this fragment might possibly be used as a gene expression tool in other Lepidoptera. We further found that 2.0 kb of hsp90(P2.9k) is sufficient for the induction of strong gene expression. We believe that this element will be of value for a range of studies such as targeted gene overexpression, gene knockdown and marker gene expression, not only in the silkworm but also in other insect species.
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