Lipidomic specializations of honeybee (Apis mellifera) castes and ethotypes

Honeybees of the same colony combine a near-homogeneous genetic background with a high level of phenotypic plasticity, making them ideal models for functional lipidomics. The only external lipid source of the colony is pollen, a diet rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). It has been suggested that differences in exposure to pollen-derived PUFA could partly explain differences in longevity between honeybee castes. We here investigated whether the membrane composition of honeybees plays roles in the physiological adaptation to tasks of individuals within the colony. Membranes of cell heaters, a group of workers producing heat from their flight muscles to uphold brood nest temperature, were compared to those of different types of non-heaters. We found that the lipidomic profiles of these groups fall into clearly different "lipotypes", characterized by chain length and saturation of phospholipid-bound fatty acyl residues. The nutritional exposure to PUFA during early adult life and pupal development at the lower edge of the natural range of brood nest temperature both suppressed the expression of the cell heater-"lipotype". Because cardiolipins (CL) are the lipid class most clearly differentiating honeybee phenotypes, and CL plays central roles in mitochondrial function, dysfunction and aging, our findings could help to understand these processes in other animals and humans. Taken together, the lipidome analysis of different life stages of workers, fertile queens, and drones lead to the hypothesis that honeybee "lipotypes" might represent adaptations to different energetic profiles and the likelihood of exposure to low temperatures.

The digestion of galactolipids and its ubiquitous function in Nature for the uptake of the essential α-linolenic acid

Galactolipids, mainly monogalactosyl diglycerides and digalactosyl diglycerides are the main lipids found in the membranes of plants, algae and photosynthetic microorganisms like microalgae and cyanobacteria. As such, they are the main lipids present at the surface of earth. They may represent up to 80% of the fatty acid stocks, including a large proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids mainly α-linolenic acid (ALA). Nevertheless, the interest in these lipids for nutrition and other applications remains overlooked, probably because they are dispersed in the biomass and are not as easy to extract as vegetable oils from oleaginous fruit and oil seeds. Another reason is that galactolipids only represent a small fraction of the acylglycerolipids present in modern human diet. In herbivores such as horses, fish and folivorous insects, galactolipids may however represent the main source of dietary fatty acids due to their dietary habits and digestion physiology. The development of galactolipase assays has led to the identification and characterization of the enzymes involved in the digestion of galactolipids in the gastrointestinal tract, as well as by microorganisms. Pancreatic lipase-related protein 2 (PLRP2) has been identified as an important factor of galactolipid digestion in humans, together with pancreatic carboxyl ester hydrolase (CEH). The levels of PLRP2 are particularly high in monogastric herbivores thus highlighting the peculiar role of PLRP2 in the digestion of plant lipids. Similarly, pancreatic lipase homologs are found to be expressed in the midgut of folivorous insects, in which a high galactolipase activity can be measured. In fish, however, CEH is the main galactolipase involved. This review discusses the origins and fatty acid composition of galactolipids and the physiological contribution of galactolipid digestion in various species. This overlooked aspect of lipid digestion ensures not only the intake of ALA from its main natural source, but also the main lipid source of energy for growth of some herbivorous species.

Why most insects have very low proportions of C20 polyunsaturated fatty acids: The oxidative stress hypothesis

Eicosanoids, a group of C20 oxygenated polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), mediate various physiological processes, such as immunity, reproduction, excretion, and metabolism in insects. Arachidonic acid (AA) is used for the main precursor for the production of various eicosanoids. However, most terrestrial insects possess relatively low AA levels. Insects are presumed to be evolved since the Paleozoic era, at which oxygen levels might be much higher than current conditions. Compared with other animals, they exhibit relatively high metabolic rates with the well-developed tracheal system, which directly supply enough oxygen to active tissues like flight muscles. This might allow insects to be susceptible to reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated from high oxidative catabolism. Long-chain PUFAs including AA is usually reacted with ROS and become peroxidized. Peroxidized PUFAs cause various cellular damage. Thus, we propose a hypothesis that terrestrial insects minimize AA levels to minimize oxidative stress.

RNA-Seq and UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS Based Lipidomics Study in Lysiphlebia japonica

Lipids play an important role in energy storage, membrane structure stabilization and signaling. Parasitoids are excellent models to study lipidomics because a majority of them do not accumulate during their free-living life-stage. Studies on parasitoids have mostly focused on the changes in the lipids and gene transcripts in hosts and little attention has been devoted to lipidomics and transcriptomics changes in parasitoids. In this study, a relative quantitative analysis of lipids and their gene transcripts in 3-days-old Lysiphlebia japonica larva (3 days after spawning) and pupae were performed using liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry and RNA-seq. Thirty-three glycerolipids and 250 glycerophospholipids were identified in this study; all triglycerides and the vast majority of phospholipids accumulated in the pupal stage. This was accompanied by differentially regulated lipid uptake and remolding. Furthermore, our data showed that gene transcription was up-regulated in key nutrient metabolic pathways involved in lipid synthesis in 3-days-old larvae. Finally, our data suggests that larva and pupa of L. japonica may lack the ability for fatty acids synthesis. A comprehensive, quantitative, and expandable resource was provided for further studies of metabolic regulation and molecular mechanisms underlying parasitic response to hosts defense.

Olfactory basis of cannibalism in grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acrididae): II. field assessment of attractants

The responses of rangeland grasshoppers to biologically and historically derived attractants were studied in a shortgrass prairie in southeastern Wyoming in July 1990. Seven long-chain fatty acids (C14-C20: singly and in combination), grasshopper cadavers, molasses, fruit extracts, and chloroform (solvent control) were tested. Each attractant was applied to filter paper and placed in an arena delimited by a 0.10-m(2) aluminum ring. Grasshoppers were most attracted to linoleic and linolenic acids, with significantly more grasshoppers found in these arenas than in those of the controls or other attractants. These two fatty acids alone and in combination were more attractive at 1 grasshopper equivalent (GE) than at 5 GE. The seed bug,Lygaeus kalmii Stål, and five species of ants were also attracted to these two fatty acids. Molasses had significantly more grasshoppers on the filter paper than did the other attractants, but molasses had significantly fewer grasshoppers in the arena than the fatty acids. Fruit extracts were not effective at attracting grasshoppers. Water extracts of cadavers attracted significantly more grasshoppers to the bait than did chloroform extracts. Because the assayed grasshopper community was dominated by the Gomphocerinae (a subfamily that includes many pest species that do not readily consume wheat bran bait), it may be possible to use fatty acids in conjunction with insecticidal bran baits for increased control of rangeland grasshoppers.

Triacylglyceride measurement in small quantities of homogenised insect tissue: comparisons and caveats

Triacylglycerides (TAGs) are the most important stored energy reserve in eukaryotes and are regularly measured in insects. Quantitative analysis of TAGs is complicated by their diversity of structure, and there are concerns with the quantitative accuracy of commonly used analytical methods. We used thin layer chromatography coupled to a flame ionisation detector (TLC-FID), an accurate method that is not sensitive to saturation or chain length of fatty acids, to quantify TAG content in small amounts of insect tissue, and used it to validate three high-throughput lipid assays (gravimetric, vanillin, and enzymatic). The performance of gravimetric assays depended on the solvent used. Folch reagent (chloroform: methanol 2:1 v/v) was a good index of TAG content, but overestimated lipid content due to the extraction of structural lipid and non-lipid components. Diethyl ether produced reasonable quantitative measurements but lacked precision and could not produce a repeatable rank-order of samples. The vanillin assay was accurate both as a quantitative method and as an index, preferably with a standard of mixed fatty acid composition. The enzymatic assay did not accurately or precisely quantify TAGs under our assay conditions. We conclude that the vanillin assay is suitable as a high-throughput method for quantifying TAG providing fatty acid composition does not change among treatment groups. However, if samples contain significant quantities of di- or mono-acylglycerides, or the fatty acid composition differs across treatment groups, TLC-FID is recommended.

The sub-lethal effects of repeated freezing in the woolly bear caterpillar Pyrrharctia isabella

Repeated freeze-thaw cycles are common and are increasing in frequency with climate change in many temperate locations, yet understanding of their impact on freeze-tolerant insects is extremely limited. We investigated the effects of repeated freezing and thawing on the freeze-tolerant final instar caterpillars of the moth Pyrrharctia isabella (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae) by subjecting individuals to either a single sustained 35 h freeze or five 7 h freezes. Sub-lethal effects were quantified with changes in three broad groups of measures: (1) cold hardiness, (2) metabolic rate and energy reserves and (3) survival after challenge with fungal spores. Repeated freeze-thaw cycles increased mortality to almost 30% and increased tissue damage in Malpighian tubules and hemocytes. Repeated freezing increased caterpillar glycerol concentration by 0.82 mol l(-1). There were no changes in metabolic rate or energy reserves with repeated freezing. For the first time, we report increased survival after immune challenge in caterpillars after freezing and suggest that this may be linked to wounding during freezing. We suggest that little repair of freezing damage is possible in P. isabella caterpillars and repeated freeze-thaw cycles may present significant challenges to survival in this species.

Olfactory basis of cannibalism in grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acrididae): III. Use of attractants on carbaryl wheat bran bait

Two known necrogenic attractants, linoleic acid (18:2) and linolenic acid (18:3), were added to carbaryl bran bait to enhance control of rangeland grasshoppers in southeastern Wyoming. The primary goal was to increase control of species of Gomphocerinae, which normally do not consume bran bait. Each attractant was applied at 1, 5, and 10 grasshopper equivalents (GE) (e.g., a 1-GE treatment had the amount of fatty acid per unit weight of wheat bran that would be found in one grasshopper). Controls included carbaryl bran with no attractant and no treatment. Bran was applied at a rate of 1 kg/ha to 1-ha blocks on June 6, 1992, with four replicates per treatment and control. Plots were sampled for grasshoppers and nontarget organisms one day prior to and one, two, and three days after treatment. The addition of linoleic acid (10 GE) resulted in significantly lower total grasshopper densities than carbaryl bran alone. None of the attractants significantly improved control of all Gomphocerinae due to inconsistent effects among species. Relative to carbaryl bait alone, all doses of both fatty acids significantly improved control ofAmphitornus coloradus (Thomas). However, the attractants did not change the level of control ofCordillacris occipitalis orAulocara elliotti, and linolenic acid (5 GE) and linoleic acid (1 GE) resulted in significantly poorer control ofAgeneotettix deorum (Scudder) than carbaryl bait alone. Nontarget arthropods were largely unaffected by the attractants, except for the spiders, which were significantly reduced in all linolenic acid treatments.

Comparison of the lipid composition of Culex quinquefasciatus and Culex tritaeniorhynchus cells obtained from the logarithmic and stationary phases of growth

Culex quinquefasciatus and Culex tritaeniorhynchus cells were grown in spinner culture medium. The cells were harvested at late logarithmic and stationary phases of growth. The total lipid, total neutral lipid, and total phospholipid contents of the cells were analyzed to determine changes that occurred in the fatty acid profiles of the lipids with aging and between species. There was an increase in the amount of total neutral lipids with a corresponding decrease in amount of total phospholipid from logarithmic to stationary phases of growth of the Culex quinquefasciatus cells. Chain elongation and/or desaturation of acids occurred with aging of cells. The fatty acids of the phospholipids had a longer average chain length than the neutral lipids.

Comparison of lipid composition of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus cells obtained from logarithmic and stationary phases of growth

The total lipids, total neutral lipids, and total phospholipids from Aedes aegypti and aedes albopictus cells cultivated in vitro in a medium containing fetal calf serum were analyzed. The mosquito cells were harvested in the logarithmic and stationary phases of growth. The fatty acid profiles of the lipids showed differences during the aging of the cells but not betweeen species. There was an increase in chain elongation and unsaturation of the fatty acids in the stationary phase when compared with the logarithmic phase of growth. The major components of the fatty acid profiles of the cells were 16:0, 16:1, and 18:1 fatty acids. Few similarities were found between the lipid analysis of the mosquito cells and the growth medium.