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Hsu SK, Lai WY, Novak J, Lehner F, Jakšić AM, Versace E, Schlötterer C. Reproductive isolation arises during laboratory adaptation to a novel hot environment. Genome Biol 2024; 25:141. [PMID: 38807159 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-024-03285-9] [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: 09/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Reproductive isolation can result from adaptive processes (e.g., ecological speciation and mutation-order speciation) or stochastic processes such as "system drift" model. Ecological speciation predicts barriers to gene flow between populations from different environments, but not among replicate populations from the same environment. In contrast, reproductive isolation among populations independently adapted to the same/similar environment can arise from both mutation-order speciation or system drift. RESULTS In experimentally evolved populations adapting to a hot environment for over 100 generations, we find evidence for pre- and postmating reproductive isolation. On one hand, an altered lipid metabolism and cuticular hydrocarbon composition pointed to possible premating barriers between the ancestral and replicate evolved populations. On the other hand, the pronounced gene expression differences in male reproductive genes may underlie the postmating isolation among replicate evolved populations adapting to the same environment with the same standing genetic variation. CONCLUSION Our study confirms that replicated evolution experiments provide valuable insights into the mechanisms of speciation. The rapid emergence of the premating reproductive isolation during temperature adaptation showcases incipient ecological speciation. The potential evidence of postmating reproductive isolation among replicates gave rise to two hypotheses: (1) mutation-order speciation through a common selection on early fecundity leading to an inherent inter-locus sexual conflict; (2) system drift with genetic drift along the neutral ridges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng-Kai Hsu
- Institut für Populationsgenetik, Vetmeduni Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Vienna Graduate School of Population Genetics, Vetmeduni Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Wei-Yun Lai
- Institut für Populationsgenetik, Vetmeduni Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Vienna Graduate School of Population Genetics, Vetmeduni Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Johannes Novak
- Institute of Animal Nutrition and Functional Plant Compounds, Vetmeduni Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Felix Lehner
- Institut für Populationsgenetik, Vetmeduni Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ana Marija Jakšić
- Institut für Populationsgenetik, Vetmeduni Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Vienna Graduate School of Population Genetics, Vetmeduni Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Present Address: École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Elisabetta Versace
- Department of Biological and Experimental Psychology, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
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2
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Yamamoto A, Huang W, Anholt RR, Mackay TF. The genetic basis of variation in Drosophila melanogaster mating behavior. iScience 2024; 27:109837. [PMID: 38766354 PMCID: PMC11099327 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Mating behavior is an essential fitness trait. We used the inbred, sequenced lines of the Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel (DGRP) to gain insights into the evolution of mating success and to evaluate the overlap in genetic architecture of mating behavior between the sexes. We found significant genetic variation for mating success when DGRP males and females from the same line were mated together, and when DGRP males and females were mated to an unrelated strain of the opposite sex. The mating success of DGRP males and females was not correlated when they were paired with the unrelated strain, suggesting independent genetic architecture of mating success in males and females that was confirmed by genome-wide association analyses. However, the mating success between pairs of the same or different DGRP lines was predicted accurately by the respective female and male mating success with the unrelated line.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akihiko Yamamoto
- Program in Genetics, W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology and Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7614, USA
| | - Wen Huang
- Program in Genetics, W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology and Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7614, USA
| | - Robert R.H. Anholt
- Program in Genetics, W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology and Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7614, USA
| | - Trudy F.C. Mackay
- Program in Genetics, W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology and Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7614, USA
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3
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Hendi NN, Nemer G. In silico characterization of the novel SDR42E1 as a potential vitamin D modulator. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2024; 238:106447. [PMID: 38160768 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2023.106447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
The short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) superfamily encompasses enzymes that play essential roles in the metabolism of steroid hormones and lipids. Despite an enigmatic function, recent genetic studies have linked the novel SDR 42 extended-1 (SDR42E1) gene to 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. This study investigated the potential SDR42E1 functions and interactions with vitamin D using bioinformatics and molecular docking studies. Phylogenetic analysis unveiled that the nucleotide sequences of human SDR42E1 exhibit high evolutionary conservation across nematodes and fruit flies. Molecular docking analysis identified strong binding affinities between SDR42E1 and its orthologs with vitamin D3 and essential precursors, 8-dehydrocholesterol, followed by 7-dehydrocholesterol and 25-hydroxyvitamin D. The hydrophobic interactions observed between the protein residues and vitamin D compounds supported the predicted transmembrane localization of SDR42E1. Our investigation provides valuable insights into the potential role of SDR42E1 in skin vitamin D biosynthesis throughout species. This provides the foundation for future research and development of targeted therapies for vitamin D deficiency and related health conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nagham Nafiz Hendi
- Division of Genomics and Translational Biomedicine, College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, P.O. Box 34110, Doha, Qatar
| | - Georges Nemer
- Division of Genomics and Translational Biomedicine, College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, P.O. Box 34110, Doha, Qatar; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, American University of Beirut, P.O. Box 110236, Beirut, Lebanon.
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4
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Bajda SA, Wybouw N, Nguyễn VH, De Clercq P, Van Leeuwen T. Adaptation of an arthropod predator to a challenging environment is associated with a loss of a genome-wide plastic transcriptional response. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2024; 80:2021-2031. [PMID: 38110295 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Structural and chemical plant defence traits may reduce the efficacy of biological control agents in integrated pest management. Breeding programmes have shown arthropod predators' potential to acclimate to challenging host plants. However, whether and how these predators adapt to novel plant environments remain unclear. Using the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis - herbivorous mite Tetranychus urticae system in an experimental evolution setup, we studied the adaptation mechanisms to tomato and cucumber, plants that possess a distinct repertoire of defensive traits. RESULTS Experimental evolution experiments on whole plants revealed that allowing P. persimilis to adapt to tomatoes led to an ~100% larger population size. Independent feeding assays showed that tomato- and cucumber-adapted prey reduced predator fecundity. The deleterious effect of ingesting low-quality prey persisted after adaptation of the predator to both cucumber and tomato. We demonstrated that jasmonic acid (JA)-dependent defences reduce prey quality by evaluating predator performance on prey fed on JA defence-deficient tomato plants. Transcriptomic profiling of the replicated P. persimilis lines showed that long-term propagation on tomato and cucumber plants produces distinctive gene-expression levels. Predator adaptation to tomatoes results in the loss of a large transcriptional response, in which predicted cuticle-building rather than detoxification pathways are affected. CONCLUSION We showed that the adaptation of predatory arthropods to a novel, challenging plant does not necessarily occur via the prey, but rather through the physical environment of the plant. We provided first insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabina A Bajda
- Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Nicky Wybouw
- Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Việt Hà Nguyễn
- Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Patrick De Clercq
- Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Thomas Van Leeuwen
- Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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5
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Groot AT, Blankers T, Halfwerk W, Burdfield Steel E. The Evolutionary Importance of Intraspecific Variation in Sexual Communication Across Sensory Modalities. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ENTOMOLOGY 2024; 69:21-40. [PMID: 37562048 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ento-030223-111608] [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: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
The evolution of sexual communication is critically important in the diversity of arthropods, which are declining at a fast pace worldwide. Their environments are rapidly changing, with increasing chemical, acoustic, and light pollution. To predict how arthropod species will respond to changing climates, habitats, and communities, we need to understand how sexual communication systems can evolve. In the past decades, intraspecific variation in sexual signals and responses across different modalities has been identified, but never in a comparative way. In this review, we identify and compare the level and extent of intraspecific variation in sexual signals and responses across three different modalities, chemical, acoustic, and visual, focusing mostly on insects. By comparing causes and possible consequences of intraspecific variation in sexual communication among these modalities, we identify shared and unique patterns, as well as knowledge needed to predict the evolution of sexual communication systems in arthropods in a changing world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Astrid T Groot
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands; , ,
| | - Thomas Blankers
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands; , ,
| | - Wouter Halfwerk
- Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE), VU Amsterdam, Netherlands;
| | - Emily Burdfield Steel
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands; , ,
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6
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Eiman MN, Kumar S, Serrano Negron YL, Tansey TR, Harbison ST. Genome-wide association in Drosophila identifies a role for Piezo and Proc-R in sleep latency. Sci Rep 2024; 14:260. [PMID: 38168575 PMCID: PMC10761942 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50552-z] [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: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Sleep latency, the amount of time that it takes an individual to fall asleep, is a key indicator of sleep need. Sleep latency varies considerably both among and within species and is heritable, but lacks a comprehensive description of its underlying genetic network. Here we conduct a genome-wide association study of sleep latency. Using previously collected sleep and activity data on a wild-derived population of flies, we calculate sleep latency, confirming significant, heritable genetic variation for this complex trait. We identify 520 polymorphisms in 248 genes contributing to variability in sleep latency. Tests of mutations in 23 candidate genes and additional putative pan-neuronal knockdown of 9 of them implicated CG44153, Piezo, Proc-R and Rbp6 in sleep latency. Two large-effect mutations in the genes Proc-R and Piezo were further confirmed via genetic rescue. This work greatly enhances our understanding of the genetic factors that influence variation in sleep latency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew N Eiman
- Laboratory of Systems Genetics, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Shailesh Kumar
- Laboratory of Systems Genetics, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Division of Neuroscience and Behavior, National Institute On Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Yazmin L Serrano Negron
- Laboratory of Systems Genetics, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Terry R Tansey
- Laboratory of Systems Genetics, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Susan T Harbison
- Laboratory of Systems Genetics, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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7
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Sperling AL, Glover DM. Protocol for screening facultative parthenogenesis in Drosophila. STAR Protoc 2023; 4:102585. [PMID: 37740913 PMCID: PMC10520562 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2023.102585] [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: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Most species of sexually reproducing Drosophila are capable of some degree of facultative parthenogenesis, which involves the initiation of development in an unfertilized egg. Here, we present an optimized protocol to screen facultative parthenogenesis in Drosophila. We describe steps for the collection and maintenance of virgin flies. We then detail offspring screening for the analysis of parthenogenesis. This protocol can be applied to different Drosophila strains and can be adapted for the analysis of parthenogenesis in other animals. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Sperling et al.1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis L Sperling
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EH Cambridgeshire, UK.
| | - David M Glover
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EH Cambridgeshire, UK; Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
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8
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Chen Y, Zhang Y, Ai S, Xing S, Zhong G, Yi X. Female semiochemicals stimulate male courtship but dampen female sexual receptivity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2311166120. [PMID: 38011549 PMCID: PMC10710021 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2311166120] [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: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Chemical communication plays a vital role in mate attraction and discrimination among many insect species. Here, we document a unique example of semiochemical parsimony, where four chemicals act as both aphrodisiacs and anti-aphrodisiacs in different contexts in Bactrocera dorsalis. Specifically, we identified four female-specific semiochemicals, ethyl laurate, ethyl myristate, ethyl cis-9-hexadecenoate, and ethyl palmitate, which serve as aphrodisiacs to attract male flies and arouse male courtship. Interestingly, these semiochemicals, when sexually transferred to males during mating, can function as anti-aphrodisiacs, inhibiting the receptivity of subsequent female mates. We further showed that the expression of elongase11, a key enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of these semiochemicals, is under the control of doublesex, facilitating the exclusive biosynthesis of these four semiochemicals in females and guaranteeing effective chemical communication. The dual roles of these semiochemicals not only ensure the attractiveness of mature females but also provide a simple yet reliable mechanism for female mate discrimination. These findings provide insights into chemical communication in B. dorsalis and add elements for the design of pest control programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaoyao Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Crop Integrated Pest Management in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
| | - Yuhua Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Crop Integrated Pest Management in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
| | - Shupei Ai
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Crop Integrated Pest Management in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
| | - Shuyuan Xing
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Crop Integrated Pest Management in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
| | - Guohua Zhong
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Crop Integrated Pest Management in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
| | - Xin Yi
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Crop Integrated Pest Management in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
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9
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Wong HWS, Holman L. Pleiotropic fitness effects across sexes and ages in the Drosophila genome and transcriptome. Evolution 2023; 77:2642-2655. [PMID: 37738246 DOI: 10.1093/evolut/qpad163] [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: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 08/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
Selection varies between categories of individuals, with far-reaching ramifications: Sex-specific selection can impede or accelerate adaptation, and differences in selection between young and old individuals are ultimately responsible for senescence. Here, we measure early- and late-life fitness in adults of both sexes from the Drosophila genetic reference panel and perform quantitative genetic and transcriptomic analyses. Fitness was heritable, showed positive pleiotropy across sexes and age classes, and appeared to be influenced by very large numbers of loci with small effects plus a smaller number with moderate effects. Most loci affected male and female fitness in the same direction; relatively few candidate sexually antagonistic loci were found, though these were enriched on the X chromosome as predicted by theory. The expression level of many genes showed an opposite correlation with fitness in males and females, consistent with unresolved sexual conflict over transcription. The load of deleterious mutations correlated negatively with fitness across genotypes, and we found some evidence for the mutation accumulation (but not the antagonistic pleiotropy) theory of aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi W S Wong
- School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Luke Holman
- School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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10
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Ren Y, Li Y, Ju Y, Zhang W, Wang Y. Insect cuticle and insecticide development. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 114:e22057. [PMID: 37840232 DOI: 10.1002/arch.22057] [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: 08/13/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Insecticide resistance poses a significant challenge, diminishing the effectiveness of chemical insecticides. To address this global concern, the development of novel and efficient pest management technologies based on chemical insecticides is an ongoing necessity. The insect cuticle, a highly complex and continuously renewing organ, plays a crucial role in this context. On one hand, as the most vital structure, it serves as a suitable target for insecticides. On the other hand, it acts as the outermost barrier, isolating the insect's inner organs from the environment, and thus offering resistance to contact with insecticides, preventing their entry into insect bodies. Our work focuses on key targets concerning cuticle formation and the interaction between the cuticle and contact insecticides. Deeper studying insect cuticles and understanding their structure-function relationship, formation process, and regulatory mechanisms during cuticle development, as well as investigating insecticide resistance related to the barrier properties of insect cuticles, are promising strategies not only for developing novel insecticides but also for discovering general synergists for contact insecticides. With this comprehensive review, we hope to contribute valuable insights into the development of effective pest management solutions and the mitigation of insecticide resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunuo Ren
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Ying Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yingjie Ju
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Wen Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yiwen Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
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11
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Hertaeg C, Vorburger C, De Moraes CM, Mescher MC. Effects of genotype and host environment on the cuticular hydrocarbon profiles of Lysiphlebus parasitoids and aggression by aphid-tending ants. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231642. [PMID: 37848063 PMCID: PMC10581773 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1642] [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: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Parasitoids in the genus Lysiphlebus specialize on ant-tended aphids and have previously been reported to mimic the cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profiles of their aphid hosts to avoid detection by ants. However, the precise mechanisms that mediate reduced ant aggression toward Lysiphlebus spp. are not known, nor is it clear whether such mechanisms are broadly effective or specialized on particular aphid hosts. Here we explore the effects of wasp genotype and host environment on Lysiphlebus CHC profiles and ant aggression. Rearing asexual Lysiphlebus lines in different host aphid environments revealed effects of both wasp line and aphid host on wasp CHCs. However, variation in genotype and host affected different features of the CHC profile, with wasp genotype explaining most variation in linear and long-chain methyl alkanes, while aphid host environment primarily influenced short-chain methyl alkanes. Subsequent behavioural experiments revealed no effects of host environment on ant aggression, but strong evidence for genotypic effects. The influence of genotypic variation on experienced ant aggression and relevant chemical traits is particularly relevant in light of recent evidence for genetic divergence among Lysiphlebus parasitoids collected from different aphid hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corinne Hertaeg
- D-USYS, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
- Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Eawag, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Christoph Vorburger
- D-USYS, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
- Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Eawag, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Consuelo M. De Moraes
- D-USYS, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Mark C. Mescher
- D-USYS, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
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12
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Enge S, Mérot C, Mozūraitis R, Apšegaitė V, Bernatchez L, Martens GA, Radžiutė S, Pavia H, Berdan EL. A supergene in seaweed flies modulates male traits and female perception. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231494. [PMID: 37817592 PMCID: PMC10565388 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1494] [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: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Supergenes, tightly linked sets of alleles, offer some of the most spectacular examples of polymorphism persisting under long-term balancing selection. However, we still do not understand their evolution and persistence, especially in the face of accumulation of deleterious elements. Here, we show that an overdominant supergene in seaweed flies, Coelopa frigida, modulates male traits, potentially facilitating disassortative mating and promoting intraspecific polymorphism. Across two continents, the Cf-Inv(1) supergene strongly affected the composition of male cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) but only weakly affected CHC composition in females. Using gas chromatography-electroantennographic detection, we show that females can sense male CHCs and that there may be differential perception between genotypes. Combining our phenotypic results with RNA-seq data, we show that candidate genes for CHC biosynthesis primarily show differential expression for Cf-Inv(1) in males but not females. Conversely, candidate genes for odorant detection were differentially expressed in both sexes but showed high levels of divergence between supergene haplotypes. We suggest that the reduced recombination between supergene haplotypes may have led to rapid divergence in mate preferences as well as increasing linkage between male traits, and overdominant loci. Together this probably helped to maintain the polymorphism despite deleterious effects in homozygotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swantje Enge
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Tjärnö, Sweden
| | - Claire Mérot
- Département de biologie, Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec, Canada
- CNRS UMR 6553 Ecobio, Université de Rennes, OSUR, Rennes, France
| | - Raimondas Mozūraitis
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Laboratory of Chemical and Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology, Nature Research Centre, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Violeta Apšegaitė
- Laboratory of Chemical and Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology, Nature Research Centre, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Louis Bernatchez
- Département de biologie, Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Gerrit A. Martens
- Institute of Cell and Systems Biology of Animals, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sandra Radžiutė
- Laboratory of Chemical and Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology, Nature Research Centre, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Henrik Pavia
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Tjärnö, Sweden
| | - Emma L. Berdan
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Tjärnö, Sweden
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13
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Sperling AL, Fabian DK, Garrison E, Glover DM. A genetic basis for facultative parthenogenesis in Drosophila. Curr Biol 2023; 33:3545-3560.e13. [PMID: 37516115 PMCID: PMC11044649 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023]
Abstract
Facultative parthenogenesis enables sexually reproducing organisms to switch between sexual and asexual parthenogenetic reproduction. To gain insights into this phenomenon, we sequenced the genomes of sexually reproducing and parthenogenetic strains of Drosophila mercatorum and identified differences in the gene expression in their eggs. We then tested whether manipulating the expression of candidate gene homologs identified in Drosophila mercatorum could lead to facultative parthenogenesis in the non-parthenogenetic species Drosophila melanogaster. This identified a polygenic system whereby increased expression of the mitotic protein kinase polo and decreased expression of a desaturase, Desat2, caused facultative parthenogenesis in the non-parthenogenetic species that was enhanced by increased expression of Myc. The genetically induced parthenogenetic Drosophila melanogaster eggs exhibit de novo centrosome formation, fusion of the meiotic products, and the onset of development to generate predominantly triploid offspring. Thus, we demonstrate a genetic basis for sporadic facultative parthenogenesis in an animal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis L Sperling
- University of Cambridge, Department of Genetics, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK.
| | - Daniel K Fabian
- University of Cambridge, Department of Genetics, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK
| | - Erik Garrison
- University of Tennessee Health Science Center, S Manassas Street, Memphis, TN 38103, USA
| | - David M Glover
- University of Cambridge, Department of Genetics, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK; Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, East California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
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14
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Wang Z, Pu J, Richards C, Giannetti E, Cong H, Lin Z, Chung H. Evolution of a fatty acyl-CoA elongase underlies desert adaptation in Drosophila. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadg0328. [PMID: 37647401 PMCID: PMC10468142 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adg0328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Traits that allow species to survive in extreme environments such as hot-arid deserts have independently evolved in multiple taxa. However, the genetic and evolutionary mechanisms underlying these traits have thus far not been elucidated. Here, we show that Drosophila mojavensis, a desert-adapted fruit fly species, has evolved high desiccation resistance by producing long-chain methyl-branched cuticular hydrocarbons (mbCHCs) that contribute to a cuticular lipid layer reducing water loss. We show that the ability to synthesize these longer mbCHCs is due to evolutionary changes in a fatty acyl-CoA elongase (mElo). mElo knockout in D. mojavensis led to loss of longer mbCHCs and reduction of desiccation resistance at high temperatures but did not affect mortality at either high temperatures or desiccating conditions individually. Phylogenetic analysis showed that mElo is a Drosophila-specific gene, suggesting that while the physiological mechanisms underlying desert adaptation may be similar between species, the genes involved in these mechanisms may be species or lineage specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zinan Wang
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Jian Pu
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
- College of Agriculture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, China
| | - Cole Richards
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Elaina Giannetti
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Haosu Cong
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Zhenguo Lin
- Department of Biology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA
| | - Henry Chung
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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15
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Dong W, Wu WJ, Song CY, Li T, Zhang JZ. Jinggangmycin stimulates reproduction and increases CHCs-dependent desiccation tolerance in Drosophila melanogaster. PESTICIDE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 194:105484. [PMID: 37532348 DOI: 10.1016/j.pestbp.2023.105484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
Jinggangmycin (JGM), an agricultural antibiotic compound, is mainly used against the rice sheath blight (RSB) Rhizoctonia solani. However, its application may lead to unexpected consequences in insects. In this study, the effects of JGM on the physiological parameters of Drosophila melanogaster were investigated. The results showed that 0.005 g/ml JGM exposure increased female daily egg production and extended the oviposition period, while there was no significant effect on reproduction at 0.016 g/ml. At the same time, desiccation tolerance increased in flies fed 0.005 g/ml JGM. The RT-qPCR results revealed that FAS1 and FAS3 expression were upregulated in 0.005 g/ml JGM treated flies. Consistently, the amount of CHCs accumulated on the cuticle surface increased upon JGM treatment at 0.005 g/ml. Moreover, RNAi for FAS3 decreased desiccation tolerance of JGM-treated flies. These results suggest that JGM affects fatty acid biosynthesis, which in turn enhances reproduction and desiccation tolerance in Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Dong
- Institute of Applied Biology, Shanxi Key Laboratory of Nucleic Acid Biopesticides, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, China.
| | - Wen-Jun Wu
- Institute of Applied Biology, Shanxi Key Laboratory of Nucleic Acid Biopesticides, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, China; College of Life Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Chen-Yang Song
- Institute of Applied Biology, Shanxi Key Laboratory of Nucleic Acid Biopesticides, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, China; College of Life Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Ting Li
- Institute of Applied Biology, Shanxi Key Laboratory of Nucleic Acid Biopesticides, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, China; College of Life Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Jian-Zhen Zhang
- Institute of Applied Biology, Shanxi Key Laboratory of Nucleic Acid Biopesticides, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, China
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16
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Rand MD, Tennessen JM, Mackay TFC, Anholt RRH. Perspectives on the Drosophila melanogaster Model for Advances in Toxicological Science. Curr Protoc 2023; 3:e870. [PMID: 37639638 PMCID: PMC10463236 DOI: 10.1002/cpz1.870] [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] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
The use of Drosophila melanogaster for studies of toxicology has grown considerably in the last decade. The Drosophila model has long been appreciated as a versatile and powerful model for developmental biology and genetics because of its ease of handling, short life cycle, low cost of maintenance, molecular genetic accessibility, and availability of a wide range of publicly available strains and data resources. These features, together with recent unique developments in genomics and metabolomics, make the fly model especially relevant and timely for the development of new approach methodologies and movements toward precision toxicology. Here, we offer a perspective on how flies can be leveraged to identify risk factors relevant to environmental exposures and human health. First, we review and discuss fundamental toxicologic principles for experimental design with Drosophila. Next, we describe quantitative and systems genetics approaches to resolve the genetic architecture and candidate pathways controlling susceptibility to toxicants. Finally, we summarize the current state and future promise of the emerging field of Drosophila metabolomics for elaborating toxic mechanisms. © 2023 The Authors. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew D. Rand
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA
| | | | - Trudy F. C. Mackay
- Center for Human Genetics and Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, 114 Gregor Mendel Circle, Greenwood, South Carolina 29646, USA
| | - Robert R. H. Anholt
- Center for Human Genetics and Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, 114 Gregor Mendel Circle, Greenwood, South Carolina 29646, USA
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17
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Sun W, Lange MI, Gadau J, Buellesbach J. Decoding the genetic and chemical basis of sexual attractiveness in parasitic wasps. eLife 2023; 12:e86182. [PMID: 37431891 PMCID: PMC10435230 DOI: 10.7554/elife.86182] [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: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Attracting and securing potential mating partners is of fundamental importance for reproduction. Therefore, signaling sexual attractiveness is expected to be tightly coordinated in communication systems synchronizing senders and receivers. Chemical signaling has permeated through all taxa of life as the earliest and most widespread form of communication and is particularly prevalent in insects. However, it has been notoriously difficult to decipher how exactly information related to sexual signaling is encoded in complex chemical profiles. Similarly, our knowledge of the genetic basis of sexual signaling is very limited and usually restricted to a few case studies with comparably simple pheromonal communication mechanisms. The present study jointly addresses these two knowledge gaps by characterizing two fatty acid synthase genes that most likely evolved by tandem gene duplication and that simultaneously impact sexual attractiveness and complex chemical surface profiles in parasitic wasps. Gene knockdown in female wasps dramatically reduces their sexual attractiveness coinciding with a drastic decrease in male courtship and copulation behavior. Concordantly, we found a striking shift of methyl-branching patterns in the female surface pheromonal compounds, which we subsequently demonstrate to be the main cause for the greatly reduced male mating response. Intriguingly, this suggests a potential coding mechanism for sexual attractiveness mediated by specific methyl-branching patterns in complex cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profiles. So far, the genetic underpinnings of methyl-branched CHCs are not well understood despite their high potential for encoding information. Our study sheds light on how biologically relevant information can be encoded in complex chemical profiles and on the genetic basis of sexual attractiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weizhao Sun
- Institute for Evolution & Biodiversity, University of Münster, HüfferstrMünsterGermany
| | - Michelle Ina Lange
- Institute for Evolution & Biodiversity, University of Münster, HüfferstrMünsterGermany
| | - Jürgen Gadau
- Institute for Evolution & Biodiversity, University of Münster, HüfferstrMünsterGermany
| | - Jan Buellesbach
- Institute for Evolution & Biodiversity, University of Münster, HüfferstrMünsterGermany
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18
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Horváth V, Guirao-Rico S, Salces-Ortiz J, Rech GE, Green L, Aprea E, Rodeghiero M, Anfora G, González J. Gene expression differences consistent with water loss reduction underlie desiccation tolerance of natural Drosophila populations. BMC Biol 2023; 21:35. [PMID: 36797754 PMCID: PMC9933328 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-023-01530-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Climate change is one of the main factors shaping the distribution and biodiversity of organisms, among others by greatly altering water availability, thus exposing species and ecosystems to harsh desiccation conditions. However, most of the studies so far have focused on the effects of increased temperature. Integrating transcriptomics and physiology is key to advancing our knowledge on how species cope with desiccation stress, and these studies are still best accomplished in model organisms. RESULTS Here, we characterized the natural variation of European D. melanogaster populations across climate zones and found that strains from arid regions were similar or more tolerant to desiccation compared with strains from temperate regions. Tolerant and sensitive strains differed not only in their transcriptomic response to stress but also in their basal expression levels. We further showed that gene expression changes in tolerant strains correlated with their physiological response to desiccation stress and with their cuticular hydrocarbon composition, and functionally validated three of the candidate genes identified. Transposable elements, which are known to influence stress response across organisms, were not found to be enriched nearby differentially expressed genes. Finally, we identified several tRNA-derived small RNA fragments that differentially targeted genes in response to desiccation stress. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our results showed that basal gene expression differences across individuals should be analyzed if we are to understand the genetic basis of differential stress survival. Moreover, tRNA-derived small RNA fragments appear to be relevant across stress responses and allow for the identification of stress-response genes not detected at the transcriptional level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivien Horváth
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, CSIC, UPF, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | - Gabriel E Rech
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, CSIC, UPF, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Llewellyn Green
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, CSIC, UPF, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Eugenio Aprea
- Agriculture Food Environment Centre (C3A), University of Trento, San Michele All'adige (TN), Italy
- Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele All'adige (TN), Italy
| | - Mirco Rodeghiero
- Agriculture Food Environment Centre (C3A), University of Trento, San Michele All'adige (TN), Italy
- Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele All'adige (TN), Italy
| | - Gianfranco Anfora
- Agriculture Food Environment Centre (C3A), University of Trento, San Michele All'adige (TN), Italy
- Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele All'adige (TN), Italy
| | - Josefa González
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, CSIC, UPF, Barcelona, Spain.
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19
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Moris VC, Podsiadlowski L, Martin S, Oeyen JP, Donath A, Petersen M, Wilbrandt J, Misof B, Liedtke D, Thamm M, Scheiner R, Schmitt T, Niehuis O. Intrasexual cuticular hydrocarbon dimorphism in a wasp sheds light on hydrocarbon biosynthesis genes in Hymenoptera. Commun Biol 2023; 6:147. [PMID: 36737661 PMCID: PMC9898505 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04370-0] [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: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) cover the cuticle of insects and serve as desiccation barrier and as semiochemicals. While the main enzymatic steps of CHC biosynthesis are well understood, few of the underlying genes have been identified. Here we show how exploitation of intrasexual CHC dimorphism in a mason wasp, Odynerus spinipes, in combination with whole-genome sequencing and comparative transcriptomics facilitated identification of such genes. RNAi-mediated knockdown of twelve candidate gene orthologs in the honey bee, Apis mellifera, confirmed nine genes impacting CHC profile composition. Most of them have predicted functions consistent with current knowledge of CHC metabolism. However, we found first-time evidence for a fatty acid amide hydrolase also influencing CHC profile composition. In situ hybridization experiments furthermore suggest trophocytes participating in CHC biosynthesis. Our results set the base for experimental CHC profile manipulation in Hymenoptera and imply that the evolutionary origin of CHC biosynthesis predates the arthropods' colonization of land.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria C. Moris
- grid.5963.9Department of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Institute of Biology I (Zoology), University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany ,grid.4989.c0000 0001 2348 0746Laboratory of Molecular Biology & Evolution (MBE), Department of Biology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Lars Podsiadlowski
- grid.517093.90000 0005 0294 9006Centre for Molecular Biodiversity Research, Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change / ZFMK, Museum Koenig, Adenauerallee 160, 53113 Bonn, Germany ,grid.10388.320000 0001 2240 3300Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1, 53121 Bonn, Germany
| | - Sebastian Martin
- grid.517093.90000 0005 0294 9006Centre for Molecular Biodiversity Research, Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change / ZFMK, Museum Koenig, Adenauerallee 160, 53113 Bonn, Germany ,grid.10388.320000 0001 2240 3300Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1, 53121 Bonn, Germany
| | - Jan Philip Oeyen
- grid.517093.90000 0005 0294 9006Centre for Molecular Biodiversity Research, Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change / ZFMK, Museum Koenig, Adenauerallee 160, 53113 Bonn, Germany ,grid.5510.10000 0004 1936 8921Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, NO-0316 Oslo, Norway
| | - Alexander Donath
- grid.517093.90000 0005 0294 9006Centre for Molecular Biodiversity Research, Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change / ZFMK, Museum Koenig, Adenauerallee 160, 53113 Bonn, Germany
| | - Malte Petersen
- grid.517093.90000 0005 0294 9006Centre for Molecular Biodiversity Research, Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change / ZFMK, Museum Koenig, Adenauerallee 160, 53113 Bonn, Germany ,grid.10388.320000 0001 2240 3300High Performance Computing & Analytics Lab, University of Bonn, Friedrich-Hirzebruch-Allee 8, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Jeanne Wilbrandt
- grid.517093.90000 0005 0294 9006Centre for Molecular Biodiversity Research, Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change / ZFMK, Museum Koenig, Adenauerallee 160, 53113 Bonn, Germany ,grid.418245.e0000 0000 9999 5706Leibniz Institute on Aging — Fritz Lipmann Institute, Beutenbergstraße 11, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Bernhard Misof
- grid.517093.90000 0005 0294 9006Centre for Molecular Biodiversity Research, Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change / ZFMK, Museum Koenig, Adenauerallee 160, 53113 Bonn, Germany
| | - Daniel Liedtke
- grid.8379.50000 0001 1958 8658Institute of Human Genetics, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Markus Thamm
- grid.8379.50000 0001 1958 8658Department of Behavioral Physiology and Sociobiology, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Ricarda Scheiner
- grid.8379.50000 0001 1958 8658Department of Behavioral Physiology and Sociobiology, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Schmitt
- grid.8379.50000 0001 1958 8658Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Oliver Niehuis
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Institute of Biology I (Zoology), University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany.
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20
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Wang Z, Receveur JP, Pu J, Cong H, Richards C, Liang M, Chung H. Desiccation resistance differences in Drosophila species can be largely explained by variations in cuticular hydrocarbons. eLife 2022; 11:e80859. [PMID: 36473178 PMCID: PMC9757832 DOI: 10.7554/elife.80859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Maintaining water balance is a universal challenge for organisms living in terrestrial environments, especially for insects, which have essential roles in our ecosystem. Although the high surface area to volume ratio in insects makes them vulnerable to water loss, insects have evolved different levels of desiccation resistance to adapt to diverse environments. To withstand desiccation, insects use a lipid layer called cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) to reduce water evaporation from the body surface. It has long been hypothesized that the water-proofing capability of this CHC layer, which can confer different levels of desiccation resistance, depends on its chemical composition. However, it is unknown which CHC components are important contributors to desiccation resistance and how these components can determine differences in desiccation resistance. In this study, we used machine-learning algorithms, correlation analyses, and synthetic CHCs to investigate how different CHC components affect desiccation resistance in 50 Drosophila and related species. We showed that desiccation resistance differences across these species can be largely explained by variation in CHC composition. In particular, length variation in a subset of CHCs, the methyl-branched CHCs (mbCHCs), is a key determinant of desiccation resistance. There is also a significant correlation between the evolution of longer mbCHCs and higher desiccation resistance in these species. Given that CHCs are almost ubiquitous in insects, we suggest that evolutionary changes in insect CHC components can be a general mechanism for the evolution of desiccation resistance and adaptation to diverse and changing environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zinan Wang
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State UniversityEast LansingUnited States
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State UniversityEast LansingUnited States
| | - Joseph P Receveur
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State UniversityEast LansingUnited States
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State UniversityEast LansingUnited States
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of MarylandBaltimoreUnited States
| | - Jian Pu
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State UniversityEast LansingUnited States
- College of Agriculture, Sichuan Agricultural UniversitySichuanChina
| | - Haosu Cong
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State UniversityEast LansingUnited States
| | - Cole Richards
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State UniversityEast LansingUnited States
| | - Muxuan Liang
- Department of Biostatistics, University of FloridaGainesvilleUnited States
| | - Henry Chung
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State UniversityEast LansingUnited States
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State UniversityEast LansingUnited States
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21
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Blacher P, Zahnd S, Purcell J, Avril A, Honorato TO, Bailat‐Rosset G, Staedler D, Brelsford A, Chapuisat M. Species recognition limits mating between hybridizing ant species. Evolution 2022; 76:2105-2115. [PMID: 35802833 PMCID: PMC9541793 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Identifying mechanisms limiting hybridization is a central goal of speciation research. Here, we studied premating and postmating barriers to hybridization between two ant species, Formica selysi and Formica cinerea. These species hybridize in the Rhône valley in Switzerland, where they form a mosaic hybrid zone, with limited introgression from F. selysi into F. cinerea. There was no sign of temporal isolation between the two species in the production of queens and males. With choice experiments, we showed that queens and males strongly prefer to mate with conspecifics. Yet, we did not detect postmating barriers caused by genetic incompatibilities. Specifically, hybrids of all sexes and castes were found in the field and F1 hybrid workers did not show reduced viability compared to nonhybrid workers. To gain insights into the cues involved in species recognition, we analyzed the cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) of queens, males, and workers and staged dyadic encounters between workers. CHC profiles differed markedly between species, but were similar in F. cinerea and hybrids. Accordingly, workers also discriminated species, but they did not discriminate F. cinerea and hybrids. We discuss how the CHC-based recognition system of ants may facilitate the establishment of premating barriers to hybridization, independent of hybridization costs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Blacher
- Departement of Ecology and EvolutionUniversity of LausanneLausanneCH‐1015Switzerland
| | - Sacha Zahnd
- Departement of Ecology and EvolutionUniversity of LausanneLausanneCH‐1015Switzerland
| | - Jessica Purcell
- Department of EntomologyUniversity of CaliforniaRiversideCalifornia92521USA
| | - Amaury Avril
- Departement of Ecology and EvolutionUniversity of LausanneLausanneCH‐1015Switzerland
| | | | | | - Davide Staedler
- Scitec Research SALausanneCH‐1007Switzerland,Department of Biomedical SciencesUniversity of LausanneLausanneCH‐1011Switzerland
| | - Alan Brelsford
- Department of BiologyUniversity of CaliforniaRiversideCalifornia92521USA
| | - Michel Chapuisat
- Departement of Ecology and EvolutionUniversity of LausanneLausanneCH‐1015Switzerland
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22
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Kyritsis GA, Koskinioti P, Bourtzis K, Papadopoulos NT. Effect of Wolbachia Infection and Adult Food on the Sexual Signaling of Males of the Mediterranean Fruit Fly Ceratitis capitata. INSECTS 2022; 13:737. [PMID: 36005362 PMCID: PMC9409120 DOI: 10.3390/insects13080737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Sexual signaling is a fundamental component of sexual behavior of Ceratitis capitata that highly determines males' mating success. Nutritional status and age are dominant factors known to affect males' signaling performance and define the female decision to accept a male as a sexual partner. Wolbachia pipientis, a widespread endosymbiotic bacterium of insects and other arthropods, exerts several biological effects on its hosts. However, the effects of Wolbachia infection on the sexual behavior of medfly and the interaction between Wolbachia infection and adult food remain unexplored. This study was conducted to determine the effects of Wolbachia on sexual signaling of protein-fed and protein-deprived males. Our findings demonstrate that: (a) Wolbachia infection reduced male sexual signaling rates in both food regimes; (b) the negative effect of Wolbachia infection was more pronounced on protein-fed than protein-deprived males, and it was higher at younger ages, indicating that the bacterium regulates male sexual maturity; (c) Wolbachia infection alters the daily pattern of sexual signaling; and (d) protein deprivation bears significant descent on sexual signaling frequency of the uninfected males, whereas no difference was observed for the Wolbachia-infected males. The impact of our findings on the implementation of Incompatible Insect Technique (IIT) or the combined SIT/IIT towards controlling insect pests is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgios A. Kyritsis
- Laboratory of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Department of Agriculture Crop Production and Rural Environment, University of Thessaly, Phytokou St., 38446 New Ionia, Greece
| | - Panagiota Koskinioti
- Laboratory of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Department of Agriculture Crop Production and Rural Environment, University of Thessaly, Phytokou St., 38446 New Ionia, Greece
| | - Kostas Bourtzis
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, 2444 Seibersdorf, Austria
| | - Nikos T. Papadopoulos
- Laboratory of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Department of Agriculture Crop Production and Rural Environment, University of Thessaly, Phytokou St., 38446 New Ionia, Greece
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23
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Song Y, Gu F, Liu Z, Li Z, Wu F, Sheng S. The Key Role of Fatty Acid Synthase in Lipid Metabolism and Metamorphic Development in a Destructive Insect Pest, Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23169064. [PMID: 36012329 PMCID: PMC9409488 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23169064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Fatty acid synthase (FAS) is a key enzyme in the lipid synthesis pathway, however, its roles in insects remain largely unknown. Here, we firstly identified two FAS genes from the transcriptome dataset of the general cutworm Spodoptera litura, which is a destructive insect pest of many crops. Both SlFAS1 and SlFAS2 were highly expressed in third instar larvae and in their fat bodies. Then, we successfully silenced SlFAS1 in third instar larvae and the content of α-linolenic acid and triglyceride was significantly decreased. Besides that, the effect of FAS on the metamorphic development in S. litura was evaluated. The results indicate that after silencing SlFAS1, the survival rates of S. litura larvae decreased significantly compared to the control groups. Silencing SlFAS1 in fifth instar larvae resulted in more malformed pupae and adults, and the emergence rates were significantly reduced. Furthermore, the ecdysone content in the haemolymph of fifth instar larvae was significantly decreased after silencing SlFAS1. In addition, knocking down SlFAS1 significantly alters the expression of other key genes in the lipogenesis pathway, implying that FAS has an impact on the lipogenesis pathway. The present study deepens the understanding of FAS in insects and provides novel potential targets for managing insect pests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Song
- School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, China
| | - Fengming Gu
- School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, China
| | - Zhixiang Liu
- School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, China
| | - Zongnan Li
- School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, China
| | - Fu’an Wu
- School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, China
- The Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Zhenjiang 212100, China
| | - Sheng Sheng
- School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, China
- The Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Zhenjiang 212100, China
- Correspondence:
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24
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Rusuwa BB, Chung H, Allen SL, Frentiu FD, Chenoweth SF. Natural variation at a single gene generates sexual antagonism across fitness components in Drosophila. Curr Biol 2022; 32:3161-3169.e7. [PMID: 35700732 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.05.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Mutations with conflicting fitness effects in males and females accumulate in sexual populations, reducing their adaptive capacity.1,2 Although quantitative genetic studies indicate that sexually antagonistic polymorphisms are common,3-5 their molecular basis and population genetic properties remain poorly understood.6,7 Here, we show in fruit flies how natural variation at a single gene generates sexual antagonism through phenotypic effects on cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) traits that function as both mate signals and protectors against abiotic stress8 across a latitudinal gradient. Tropical populations of Drosophila serrata have polymorphic CHCs producing sexual antagonism through opposing but sex-limited effects on these two fitness-related functions. We dissected this polymorphism to a single fatty-acyl CoA reductase gene, DsFAR2-B, that is expressed in oenocyte cells where CHCs are synthesized. RNAi-mediated disruption of the DsFAR2-B ortholog in D. melanogaster oenocytes affected CHCs in a similar way to that seen in D. serrata. Population genomic analysis revealed that balancing selection likely operates at the DsFAR2-B locus in the wild. Our study provides insights into the genetic basis of sexual antagonism in nature and connects sexually varying antagonistic selection on phenotypes with balancing selection on genotypes that maintains molecular variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bosco B Rusuwa
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia; Department of Biological Sciences, Chancellor College, University of Malawi, Zomba, Malawi
| | - Henry Chung
- Department of Entomology and Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Scott L Allen
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Francesca D Frentiu
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia; School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia
| | - Stephen F Chenoweth
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia.
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25
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Buellesbach J, Holze H, Schrader L, Liebig J, Schmitt T, Gadau J, Niehuis O. Genetic and genomic architecture of species-specific cuticular hydrocarbon variation in parasitoid wasps. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20220336. [PMID: 35673870 PMCID: PMC9174729 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.0336] [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: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) serve two fundamental functions in insects: protection against desiccation and chemical signalling. How the interaction of genes shapes CHC profiles, which are essential for insect survival, adaptation and reproductive success, is still poorly understood. Here we investigate the genetic and genomic basis of CHC biosynthesis and variation in parasitoid wasps of the genus Nasonia. We mapped 91 quantitative trait loci (QTL) explaining the variation of a total of 43 CHCs in F2 hybrid males from interspecific crosses between three Nasonia species. To identify candidate genes, we localized orthologues of CHC biosynthesis-related genes in the Nasonia genomes. We discovered multiple genomic regions where the location of QTL coincides with the location of CHC biosynthesis-related candidate genes. Most conspicuously, on a region close to the centromere of chromosome 1, multiple CHC biosynthesis-related candidate genes co-localize with several QTL explaining variation in methyl-branched alkanes. The genetic underpinnings behind this compound class are not well understood so far, despite their high potential for encoding chemical information as well as their prevalence in hymenopteran CHC profiles. Our study considerably extends our knowledge on the genetic architecture governing this important compound class, establishing a model for methyl-branched alkane genetics in the Hymenoptera in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Buellesbach
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Hüfferstr. 1, DE-48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Henrietta Holze
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Hüfferstr. 1, DE-48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Lukas Schrader
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Hüfferstr. 1, DE-48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Jürgen Liebig
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, PO Box 874701, Tempe, AZ 85287-4501, USA
| | - Thomas Schmitt
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, D-97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Juergen Gadau
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Hüfferstr. 1, DE-48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Oliver Niehuis
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Institute of Biology I (Zoology), Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, Hauptstr. 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
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26
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Jin B, Barbash DA, Castillo DM. Divergent selection on behavioural and chemical traits between reproductively isolated populations of Drosophila melanogaster. J Evol Biol 2022; 35:693-707. [PMID: 35411988 PMCID: PMC9320809 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.14007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Speciation is driven by traits that can act to prevent mating between nascent lineages, including male courtship and female preference for male traits. Mating barriers involving these traits evolve quickly because there is strong selection on males and females to maximize reproductive success, and the tight co-evolution of mating interactions can lead to rapid diversification of sexual behaviour. Populations of Drosophila melanogaster show strong asymmetrical reproductive isolation that is correlated with geographic origin. Using strains that capture natural variation in mating traits, we ask two key questions: which specific male traits are females selecting, and are these traits under divergent sexual selection? These questions have proven extremely challenging to answer, because even in closely related lineages males often differ in multiple traits related to mating behaviour. We address these questions by estimating selection gradients for male courtship and cuticular hydrocarbons for two different female genotypes. We identify specific behaviours and particular cuticular hydrocarbons that are under divergent sexual selection and could potentially contribute to premating reproductive isolation. Additionally, we report that a subset of these traits are plastic; males adjust these traits based on the identity of the female genotype they interact with. These results suggest that even when male courtship is not fixed between lineages, ongoing selection can act on traits that are important for reproductive isolation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bozhou Jin
- Department of Molecular Biology and GeneticsCornell UniversityIthacaNew YorkUSA
| | - Daniel A. Barbash
- Department of Molecular Biology and GeneticsCornell UniversityIthacaNew YorkUSA
| | - Dean M. Castillo
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Nebraska at OmahaOmahaNebraskaUSA
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27
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Fezza TJ, Siderhurst MS, Jang EB, Stacy EA, Price DK. Phenotypic disruption of cuticular hydrocarbon production in hybrids between sympatric species of Hawaiian picture-wing Drosophila. Sci Rep 2022; 12:4865. [PMID: 35318342 PMCID: PMC8941103 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-08635-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Interspecies hybrids can express phenotypic traits far outside the range of parental species. The atypical traits of hybrids provide insight into differences in the factors that regulate the expression of these traits in the parental species. In some cases, the unusual phenotypic traits of hybrids can lead to phenotypic dysfunction with hybrids experiencing reduced survival or reproduction. Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) in insects are important phenotypic traits that serve several functions, including desiccation resistance and pheromones for mating. We used gas chromatography mass spectrometry to investigate the differences in CHC production between two closely related sympatric Hawaiian picture-wing Drosophila species, Drosophila heteroneura and D. silvestris, and their F1 and backcross hybrid offspring. CHC profiles differed between males of the two species, with substantial sexual dimorphism in D. silvestris but limited sexual dimorphism in D. heteroneura. Surprisingly, F1 hybrids did not produce three CHCs, and the abundances of several other CHCs occurred outside the ranges present in the two parental species. Backcross hybrids produced all CHCs with greater variation than observed in F1 or parental species. Overall, these results suggest that the production of CHCs was disrupted in F1 and backcross hybrids, which may have important consequences for their survival or reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Fezza
- Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Hawaii at Hilo, 200 West Kawili St., Hilo, HI, 96720, USA
| | - Matthew S Siderhurst
- Department of Chemistry, Eastern Mennonite University, 1200 Park Rd, Harrisonburg, VA, 22802, USA
| | - Eric B Jang
- Tropical Crop and Commodity Protection Research, D.K.I, U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, 64 Nowelo Street, Hilo, HI, 96720, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Stacy
- Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Hawaii at Hilo, 200 West Kawili St., Hilo, HI, 96720, USA.,School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, USA
| | - Donald K Price
- Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Hawaii at Hilo, 200 West Kawili St., Hilo, HI, 96720, USA. .,School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, USA.
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28
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Pei XJ, Bai TT, Zhang ZF, Chen N, Li S, Fan YL, Liu TX. Two putative fatty acid synthetic genes of BgFas3 and BgElo1 are responsible for respiratory waterproofing in Blattella germanica. INSECT SCIENCE 2022; 29:33-50. [PMID: 33543834 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12900] [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: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 11/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Water retention is critical for physiological homeostasis and survival in terrestrial insects. While deposition of hydrocarbons on insect cuticles as a key measure for water conservation has been extensively investigated, we know little about other mechanisms for preventing water loss in insects. Here, we report two fatty acid synthetic genes that are independent of hydrocarbon production but crucial for water retention in the German cockroach Blattella germanica (L.). First, an integument enriched fatty acid elongase gene (BgElo1) was identified as a critical gene for desiccation resistance in B. germanica; however, knockdown of BgElo1 surprisingly failed to cause a decline in cuticular lipids. In addition, RNA interference (RNAi)-knockdown of an upstream fatty acid synthase gene (BgFas3) showed a similar phenotype, and transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed that BgFas3- or BgElo1-RNAi did not affect cuticle architecture. Bodyweight loss test showed that repression of BgFas3 and BgElo1 significantly increased the weight loss rate, but the difference disappeared when the respiration was closed by freeze killing the cockroaches. A water immersion test was performed, and we found that BgFas3- and BgElo1-RNAi made it difficult for cockroaches to recover from drowning, which was supported by the upregulation of hypoxia-related genes after a 10-h recovery from drowning. Moreover, a dyeing assay with water-soluble Eosin Y showed that this was caused by the entry of water into the respiratory system. Our research suggests that BgFas3 and BgElo1 are required for both inward and outward waterproofing of the respiratory system. This study benefits the understanding of water retention mechanisms in insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Jin Pei
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Northwestern Loess Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Tian-Tian Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Northwestern Loess Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Zhan-Feng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Northwestern Loess Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Nan Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology and Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Sheng Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology and Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Yong-Liang Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Northwestern Loess Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Tong-Xian Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Northwestern Loess Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
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29
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Aging-Related Variation of Cuticular Hydrocarbons in Wild Type and Variant Drosophila melanogaster. J Chem Ecol 2022; 48:152-164. [PMID: 35022940 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-021-01344-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The cuticle of all insects is covered with hydrocarbons which have multiple functions. Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) basically serve to protect insects against environmental harm and reduce dehydration. In many species, some CHCs also act as pheromones. CHCs have been intensively studied in Drosophila species and more especially in D. melanogaster. In this species, flies produce about 40 CHCs forming a complex sex- and species-specific bouquet. The quantitative and qualitative pattern of the CHC bouquet was characterized during the first days of adult life but remains unexplored in aging flies. Here, we characterized CHCs during the whole-or a large period of-adult life in males and females of several wild type and transgenic lines. Both types of lines included standard and variant CHC profiles. Some of the genotypes tested here showed very dramatic and unexpected aging-related variation based on their early days' profile. This study provides a concrete dataset to better understand the mechanisms underlying the establishment and maintenance of CHCs on the fly cuticle. It could be useful to determine physiological parameters, including age and response to climate variation, in insects collected in the wild.
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30
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Torres-Banda V, Obregón-Molina G, Viridiana Soto-Robles L, Albores-Medina A, Fernanda López M, Zúñiga G. Gut transcriptome of two bark beetle species stimulated with the same kairomones reveals molecular differences in detoxification pathways. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2022; 20:3080-3095. [PMID: 35782727 PMCID: PMC9233182 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.06.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Dendroctonus bark beetles are the most destructive agents in coniferous forests. These beetles come into contact with the toxic compounds of their host's chemical defenses throughout their life cycle, some of which are also used by the insects as kairomones to select their host trees during the colonization process. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms by which the insects counteract the toxicity of these compounds. Here, two sibling species of bark beetles, D. valens and D. rhizophagus, were stimulated with vapors of a blend of their main kairomones (α-pinene, β-pinene and 3-carene), in order to compare the transcriptional response of their gut. A total of 48 180 unigenes were identified in D. valens and 43 704 in D. rhizophagus, in response to kairomones blend. The analysis of differential gene expression showed a transcriptional response in D. valens (739 unigenes, 0.58–10.36 Log2FC) related to digestive process and in D. rhizophagus (322 unigenes 0.87–13.08 Log2FC) related to xenobiotics metabolism. The expression profiles of detoxification genes mainly evidenced the up-regulation of COEs and GSTs in D. valens, and the up-regulation of P450s in D. rhizophagus. Results suggest that terpenes metabolism comes accompanied by an integral hormetic response, result of compensatory mechanisms, including the activation of other metabolic pathways, to ensure the supply of energy and the survival of organisms which is specific for each species, according to its life history and ecological strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Torres-Banda
- Laboratorio de Variación Biológica y Evolución, Departamento de Zoología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Prolongación de Carpio y Plan de Ayala s/n, Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico City, CP 11340, Mexico
| | - Gabriel Obregón-Molina
- Laboratorio de Variación Biológica y Evolución, Departamento de Zoología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Prolongación de Carpio y Plan de Ayala s/n, Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico City, CP 11340, Mexico
| | - L. Viridiana Soto-Robles
- Laboratorio de Variación Biológica y Evolución, Departamento de Zoología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Prolongación de Carpio y Plan de Ayala s/n, Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico City, CP 11340, Mexico
| | - Arnulfo Albores-Medina
- Departamento de Toxicología, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Av. Instituto Politécnico Nacional 2508, San Pedro Zacatenco, Gustavo A. Madero, Mexico City, CP 07360, Mexico
| | - María Fernanda López
- Laboratorio de Variación Biológica y Evolución, Departamento de Zoología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Prolongación de Carpio y Plan de Ayala s/n, Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico City, CP 11340, Mexico
- Corresponding authors.
| | - Gerardo Zúñiga
- Laboratorio de Variación Biológica y Evolución, Departamento de Zoología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Prolongación de Carpio y Plan de Ayala s/n, Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico City, CP 11340, Mexico
- Corresponding authors.
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31
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Cetraro N, Yew JY. In situ lipid profiling of insect pheromone glands by direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry. Analyst 2022; 147:3276-3284. [PMID: 35713158 PMCID: PMC9390970 DOI: 10.1039/d2an00840h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Analysis of biological tissues by Direct Analysis in Real Time mass spectrometry produces semi-quantitative lipid profiles that can be used to distinguish insect species and identify abnormal phenotypes in genetic screens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Cetraro
- Pacific Biosciences Research Center, School of Environment and Ocean Science Technology, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, 1993 East West Road, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
- Molecular Bioscience and Bio-Engineering, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, 1955 East West Road, Honolulu, HI 96822
| | - Joanne Y. Yew
- Pacific Biosciences Research Center, School of Environment and Ocean Science Technology, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, 1993 East West Road, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
- Molecular Bioscience and Bio-Engineering, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, 1955 East West Road, Honolulu, HI 96822
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32
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Xin Y, Chen N, Wang Y, Ni R, Zhao H, Yang P, Li M, Qiu X. CYP4G8 is responsible for the synthesis of methyl-branched hydrocarbons in the polyphagous caterpillar of Helicoverpa armigera. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 140:103701. [PMID: 34890799 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2021.103701] [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: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Insect cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) have dual functions as physical barrier and chemical signals. The last step of CHC biosynthesis is known to be catalyzed by cytochrome P450 CYP4G in a number of insects. Until recently, studies on CYP4Gs in the context of functional evolution are rare. In this study, we analyzed sequence similarity and temporal-spatial expression patterns of the five CYP4G genes in the cotton bollworm Helicoverpa armigera, an important agricultural pest and also typical representative of lepidopteran insects. Moreover, the CRISPR/Cas9-induced knockout was used to clarify the roles of the five CYP4Gs in CHC biosynthesis. Temporal-spatial expression patterns revealed that CYP4G8 was highly expressed at all developmental stages and in most tissues examined. Larvae with CYP4G8 knocked out could not produce methyl-branched CHCs and failed to pupate, while larvae with the other four CYP4G genes knocked out (4G1-type-KO) showed no significant changes in their CHC profiles, weight gain and survival. Comparative transcriptomics revealed that knocking out CYP4G8 affected the global gene expression in larvae, especially down-regulated the expression of genes in the fatty acid biosynthetic pathway, while no significant change in 4G1-type-KO transcriptome was observed. These findings indicate that the five members of the CYP4G subfamily have undergone functional divergence: CYP4G8 maintains the essential function in CHC biosynthesis, while the function of the other four CYP4G genes remains unclear. Intriguingly, CYP4G8 has evolved to be a P450 enzyme responsible for the synthesis of larval methyl-branched hydrocarbons. The observation that CYP4G8 knockout is lethal strongly suggest that CYP4G8 may serve as a candidate target for the development of insecticidal agents for the control of cotton bollworms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yucui Xin
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Nan Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Yawei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Ruoyao Ni
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Hongrui Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Peiqi Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Mei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Xinghui Qiu
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
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33
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Dutta R, Chechi TS, Yadav A, Prasad NG. Indirect selection on cuticular hydrocarbon divergence in
Drosophila melanogaster
populations evolving under different operational sex ratios. J Zool (1987) 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- R. Dutta
- Department of Biological Sciences Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali India
| | - T. S. Chechi
- Department of Biological Sciences Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali India
| | - A. Yadav
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali India
| | - N. G. Prasad
- Department of Biological Sciences Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali India
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Cho LC, Yu CC, Kao CF. Social perception of young adults prolongs the lifespan of aged Drosophila. NPJ Aging Mech Dis 2021; 7:21. [PMID: 34471134 PMCID: PMC8410773 DOI: 10.1038/s41514-021-00073-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Lifespan is modulated at distinct levels by multiple factors, including genetic backgrounds, the environment, behavior traits, metabolic status, and more interestingly, sensory perceptions. However, the effects of social perception between individuals living in the same space remain less clear. Here, we used the Drosophila model to study the influences of social perception on the lifespan of aged fruit flies. We found the lifespan of aged Drosophila is markedly prolonged after being co-housed with young adults of the same gender. Moreover, the changes of lifespan were affected by several experimental contexts: (1) the ratios of aged and young adults co-housed, (2) the chronological ages of two populations, and (3) the integrity of sensory modalities. Together, we hypothesize the chemical/physical stimuli derived from the interacting young adults are capable of interfering with the physiology and behavior of aged flies, ultimately leading to the alteration of lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Chun Cho
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, College of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Chieh Yu
- Center for Intelligent Drug Systems and Smart Bio-devices (IDS2B), National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan.,Institute of Molecular Medicine and Bioengineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Fei Kao
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, College of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan. .,Center for Intelligent Drug Systems and Smart Bio-devices (IDS2B), National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan.
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35
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Li DT, Pei XJ, Ye YX, Wang XQ, Wang ZC, Chen N, Liu TX, Fan YL, Zhang CX. Cuticular Hydrocarbon Plasticity in Three Rice Planthopper Species. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22147733. [PMID: 34299353 PMCID: PMC8304831 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22147733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Revised: 07/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Insect cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) are organic compounds of the surface lipid layer, which function as a barrier against water loss and xenobiotic penetration, while also serving as chemical signals. Plasticity of CHC profiles can vary depending upon numerous biological and environmental factors. Here, we investigated potential sources of variation in CHC profiles of Nilaparvata lugens, Laodelphax striatellus and Sogatella furcifera, which are considered to be the most important rice pests in Asia. CHC profiles were quantified by GC/MS, and factors associated with variations were explored by conducting principal component analysis (PCA). Transcriptomes were further compared under different environmental conditions. The results demonstrated that CHC profiles differ among three species and change with different developmental stages, sexes, temperature, humidity and host plants. Genes involved in cuticular lipid biosynthesis pathways are modulated, which might explain why CHC profiles vary among species under different environments. Our study illustrates some biological and ecological variations in modifying CHC profiles, and the underlying molecular regulation mechanisms of the planthoppers in coping with changes of environmental conditions, which is of great importance for identifying potential vulnerabilities relating to pest ecology and developing novel pest management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan-Ting Li
- Institute of Insect Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Xiao-Jin Pei
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Northwestern Loess Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture, Northwest AandF University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Yu-Xuan Ye
- Institute of Insect Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Xin-Qiu Wang
- Institute of Insect Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Zhe-Chao Wang
- Institute of Insect Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Nan Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Tong-Xian Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Northwestern Loess Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture, Northwest AandF University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Yong-Liang Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Northwestern Loess Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture, Northwest AandF University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Chuan-Xi Zhang
- Institute of Insect Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
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36
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Serrato-Capuchina A, Schwochert TD, Zhang S, Roy B, Peede D, Koppelman C, Matute DR. Pure species discriminate against hybrids in the Drosophila melanogaster species subgroup. Evolution 2021; 75:1753-1774. [PMID: 34043234 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Introgression, the exchange of alleles between species, is a common event in nature. This transfer of alleles between species must happen through fertile hybrids. Characterizing the traits that cause defects in hybrids illuminates how and when gene flow is expected to occur. Inviability and sterility are extreme examples of fitness reductions but are not the only type of defects in hybrids. Some traits specific to hybrids are more subtle but are important to determine their fitness. In this report, we study whether F1 hybrids between two species pairs of Drosophila are as attractive as the parental species. We find that in both species pairs, the sexual attractiveness of the F1 hybrids is reduced and that pure species discriminate strongly against them. We also find that the cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profile of the female hybrids is intermediate between the parental species. Perfuming experiments show that modifying the CHC profile of the female hybrids to resemble pure species improves their chances of mating. Our results show that behavioral discrimination against hybrids might be an important component of the persistence of species that can hybridize.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Serrato-Capuchina
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599
| | - Timothy D Schwochert
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599
| | - Stephania Zhang
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599
| | - Baylee Roy
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599
| | - David Peede
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599
| | - Caleigh Koppelman
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599
| | - Daniel R Matute
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599
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37
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Sprenger PP, Hartke J, Schmitt T, Menzel F, Feldmeyer B. Candidate genes involved in cuticular hydrocarbon differentiation between cryptic, parabiotic ant species. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2021; 11:6174692. [PMID: 33729492 PMCID: PMC8104948 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkab078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Insect cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) are highly diverse and have multiple functions, including communication and waterproofing. CHC profiles form species-specific, complex blends of up to 150 compounds. Especially in ants, even closely related species can have largely different profiles, raising the question how CHC differences are mirrored in the regulation of biosynthetic pathways. The neotropical ants Crematogaster levior and Camponotus femoratus both consist of two cryptic species each that are morphologically similar, but express strongly different CHC profiles. This is ideal to study the molecular basis of CHC differences. We thus investigated gene expression differences in fat-body transcriptomes of these ants. Despite common garden conditions, we found several thousand differentially expressed transcripts within each cryptic species pair. Many of these were related to metabolic processes, probably accounting for physiological differences. Moreover, we identified candidate genes from five gene families involved in CHC biosynthesis. By assigning candidate transcripts to orthologs in Drosophila, we inferred which CHCs might be influenced by differential gene expression. Expression of these candidate genes was often mirrored in the CHC profiles. For example, Cr. levior A, which has longer CHCs than its cryptic sister species, had a higher expression of elongases and a lower expression of fatty acyl- CoA reductases. This study is one of the first to identify CHC candidate genes in ants and will provide a basis for further research on the genetic basis of CHC biosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp P Sprenger
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Johannes-Gutenberg-University Mainz, 55128 Mainz, Germany.,Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, University of Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Juliane Hartke
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Johannes-Gutenberg-University Mainz, 55128 Mainz, Germany.,Senckenberg Research Institute, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Thomas Schmitt
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, University of Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Florian Menzel
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Johannes-Gutenberg-University Mainz, 55128 Mainz, Germany
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38
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Zhang W, Reeves GR, Tautz D. Testing Implications of the Omnigenic Model for the Genetic Analysis of Loci Identified through Genome-wide Association. Curr Biol 2021; 31:1092-1098.e6. [PMID: 33417882 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.12.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Organismal phenotypes usually have a quantitative distribution, and their genetic architecture can be studied by genome-wide association (GWA) mapping approaches. In most of such studies, it has become clear that many genes of moderate or small effects contribute to the phenotype.1-4 Hence, the attention has turned toward the loci falling below the GWA cut-off, which may contribute to the phenotype through modifier interactions with a set of core genes, as proposed in the omnigenic model.5 One can thus predict that both moderate effect GWA-derived candidate genes and randomly chosen genes should have a similar likelihood to affect a given phenotype when they are analyzed via gene disruption assays. We have tested this hypothesis by using an automated phenotyping system for Drosophila pupal phenotypes.6,7 We first identified candidate genes for pupal length in a GWA based on the Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel (DGRP)8,9 and showed that most of these candidate genes are indeed involved in the phenotype. We then randomly chose genes below a GWA significance threshold and found that three-quarters of them had also an effect on the trait with comparable effect sizes as the GWA candidate genes. We further tested the effects of these knockout lines on an independent behavioral pupal trait (pupation site choice) and found that a similar fraction had a significant effect as well. Our data thus confirm the implication that a large number of genes can influence independent quantitative traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenyu Zhang
- Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, August-Thienemann-Straße 2, 24306 Plön, Germany
| | - Guy R Reeves
- Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, August-Thienemann-Straße 2, 24306 Plön, Germany
| | - Diethard Tautz
- Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, August-Thienemann-Straße 2, 24306 Plön, Germany.
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39
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Holze H, Schrader L, Buellesbach J. Advances in deciphering the genetic basis of insect cuticular hydrocarbon biosynthesis and variation. Heredity (Edinb) 2021; 126:219-234. [PMID: 33139902 PMCID: PMC8027674 DOI: 10.1038/s41437-020-00380-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) have two fundamental functions in insects. They protect terrestrial insects against desiccation and serve as signaling molecules in a wide variety of chemical communication systems. It has been hypothesized that these pivotal dual traits for adaptation to both desiccation and signaling have contributed to the considerable evolutionary success of insects. CHCs have been extensively studied concerning their variation, behavioral impact, physiological properties, and chemical compositions. However, our understanding of the genetic underpinnings of CHC biosynthesis has remained limited and mostly biased towards one particular model organism (Drosophila). This rather narrow focus has hampered the establishment of a comprehensive view of CHC genetics across wider phylogenetic boundaries. This review attempts to integrate new insights and recent knowledge gained in the genetics of CHC biosynthesis, which is just beginning to incorporate work on more insect taxa beyond Drosophila. It is intended to provide a stepping stone towards a wider and more general understanding of the genetic mechanisms that gave rise to the astonishing diversity of CHC compounds across different insect taxa. Further research in this field is encouraged to aim at better discriminating conserved versus taxon-specific genetic elements underlying CHC variation. This will be instrumental in greatly expanding our knowledge of the origins and variation of genes governing the biosynthesis of these crucial phenotypic traits that have greatly impacted insect behavior, physiology, and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrietta Holze
- Molecular Evolution and Sociobiology Group, Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Hüfferstr. 1, DE-48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Lukas Schrader
- Molecular Evolution and Sociobiology Group, Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Hüfferstr. 1, DE-48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Jan Buellesbach
- Molecular Evolution and Sociobiology Group, Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Hüfferstr. 1, DE-48149, Münster, Germany.
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California-Berkeley, 130 Mulford Hall #3114, Berkeley, CA, 94720-3114, USA.
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40
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Hartke J, Waldvogel A, Sprenger PP, Schmitt T, Menzel F, Pfenninger M, Feldmeyer B. Little parallelism in genomic signatures of local adaptation in two sympatric, cryptic sister species. J Evol Biol 2021; 34:937-952. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Juliane Hartke
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre Frankfurt am Main Germany
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution Johannes‐Gutenberg‐University Mainz Mainz Germany
| | - Ann‐Marie Waldvogel
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre Frankfurt am Main Germany
- Institute for Zoology University of Cologne Cologne Germany
| | - Philipp P. Sprenger
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution Johannes‐Gutenberg‐University Mainz Mainz Germany
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocentre, Am Hubland University of Würzburg Würzburg Germany
| | - Thomas Schmitt
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocentre, Am Hubland University of Würzburg Würzburg Germany
| | - Florian Menzel
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution Johannes‐Gutenberg‐University Mainz Mainz Germany
| | - Markus Pfenninger
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre Frankfurt am Main Germany
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution Johannes‐Gutenberg‐University Mainz Mainz Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE‐TBG) Frankfurt am Main Germany
| | - Barbara Feldmeyer
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre Frankfurt am Main Germany
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41
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Blomquist GJ, Ginzel MD. Chemical Ecology, Biochemistry, and Molecular Biology of Insect Hydrocarbons. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 66:45-60. [PMID: 33417824 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ento-031620-071754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Insect cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) consist of complex mixtures of straight-chain alkanes and alkenes, and methyl-branched hydrocarbons. In addition to restricting water loss through the cuticle and preventing desiccation, they have secondarily evolved to serve a variety of functions in chemical communication and play critical roles as signals mediating the life histories of insects. In this review, we describe the physical properties of CHCs that allow for both waterproofing and signaling functions, summarize their roles as inter- and intraspecific chemical signals, and discuss the influences of diet and environment on CHC profiles. We also present advances in our understanding of hydrocarbon biosynthesis. Hydrocarbons are biosynthesized in oenocytes and transported to the cuticle by lipophorin proteins. Recent work on the synthesis of fatty acids and their ultimate reductive decarbonylation to hydrocarbons has taken advantage of powerful new tools of molecular biology, including genomics and RNA interference knockdown of specific genes, to provide new insights into the biosynthesis of hydrocarbons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary J Blomquist
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada 89557, USA;
| | - Matthew D Ginzel
- Department of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA;
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA
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42
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Rajpurohit S, Vrkoslav V, Hanus R, Gibbs AG, Cvačka J, Schmidt PS. Post-eclosion temperature effects on insect cuticular hydrocarbon profiles. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:352-364. [PMID: 33437434 PMCID: PMC7790616 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The insect cuticle is the interface between internal homeostasis and the often harsh external environment. Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) are key constituents of this hard cuticle and are associated with a variety of functions including stress response and communication. CHC production and deposition on the insect cuticle vary among natural populations and are affected by developmental temperature; however, little is known about CHC plasticity in response to the environment experienced following eclosion, during which time the insect cuticle undergoes several crucial changes. We targeted this crucial to important phase and studied post-eclosion temperature effects on CHC profiles in two natural populations of Drosophila melanogaster. A forty-eight hour post-eclosion exposure to three different temperatures (18, 25, and 30°C) significantly affected CHCs in both ancestral African and more recently derived North American populations of D. melanogaster. A clear shift from shorter to longer CHCs chain length was observed with increasing temperature, and the effects of post-eclosion temperature varied across populations and between sexes. The quantitative differences in CHCs were associated with variation in desiccation tolerance among populations. Surprisingly, we did not detect any significant differences in water loss rate between African and North American populations. Overall, our results demonstrate strong genetic and plasticity effects in CHC profiles in response to environmental temperatures experienced at the adult stage as well as associations with desiccation tolerance, which is crucial in understanding holometabolan responses to stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subhash Rajpurohit
- Division of Biological and Life SciencesSchool of Arts and SciencesAhmedabad UniversityAhmedabadIndia
- Department of BiologyUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPAUSA
| | - Vladimír Vrkoslav
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry AS CRPragueCzech Republic
| | - Robert Hanus
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry AS CRPragueCzech Republic
| | - Allen G. Gibbs
- School of Life SciencesUniversity of NevadaLas VegasNVUSA
| | - Josef Cvačka
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry AS CRPragueCzech Republic
| | - Paul S Schmidt
- Department of BiologyUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPAUSA
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43
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Ward HKE, Moehring AJ. Genes underlying species differences in cuticular hydrocarbon production between Drosophila melanogaster and D. simulans. Genome 2020; 64:87-95. [PMID: 33211537 DOI: 10.1139/gen-2019-0224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Surface chemical compounds are key components of survival and reproduction in many species. Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) are chemical compounds produced by all insects that are used for both desiccation resistance and chemical communication, including communication related to mating. In the species pair of Drosophila melanogaster and D. simulans, female CHCs stimulate conspecific males to mate and repel heterospecific males. While CHCs are a critical contributor to both reproductive success within a species and isolation between species, few genes underlying species variation in CHC profiles are known. Here, we use genetic mapping of the 3rd chromosome to test a suite of candidate genes for interspecies variation in CHCs. Candidate gene CG5946 was found to be involved in species differences in the production of 7,11-heptacosadiene and 7-tricosene between D. melanogaster and D. simulans. This is therefore a new candidate locus contributing to species-specific variation in the CHC profile. In the process of mapping genes for CHCs, we also identified 29 candidate genes for the reduced survival or inviability of interspecies hybrids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather K E Ward
- Western University, London, ON N6A 5B7, Canada.,Western University, London, ON N6A 5B7, Canada
| | - Amanda J Moehring
- Western University, London, ON N6A 5B7, Canada.,Western University, London, ON N6A 5B7, Canada
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44
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Wang Y, Farine JP, Yang Y, Yang J, Tang W, Gehring N, Ferveur JF, Moussian B. Transcriptional Control of Quality Differences in the Lipid-Based Cuticle Barrier in Drosophila suzukii and Drosophila melanogaster. Front Genet 2020; 11:887. [PMID: 32849846 PMCID: PMC7423992 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.00887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Cuticle barrier efficiency in insects depends largely on cuticular lipids. To learn about the evolution of cuticle barrier function, we compared the basic properties of the cuticle inward and outward barrier function in adults of the fruit flies Drosophila suzukii and Drosophila melanogaster that live on fruits sharing a similar habitat. At low air humidity, D. suzukii flies desiccate faster than D. melanogaster flies. We observed a general trend indicating that in this respect males are less robust than females in both species. Xenobiotics penetration occurs at lower temperatures in D. suzukii than in D. melanogaster. Likewise, D. suzukii flies are more susceptible to contact insecticides than D. melanogaster flies. Thus, both the inward and outward barriers of D. suzukii are less efficient. Consistently, D. suzukii flies have less cuticular hydrocarbons (CHC) that participate as key components of the cuticle barrier. Especially, the relative amounts of branched and desaturated CHCs, known to enhance desiccation resistance, show reduced levels in D. suzukii. Moreover, the expression of snustorr (snu) that encodes an ABC transporter involved in barrier construction and CHC externalization, is strongly suppressed in D. suzukii. Hence, species-specific genetic programs regulate the quality of the lipid-based cuticle barrier in these two Drosophilae. Together, we conclude that the weaker inward and outward barriers of D. suzukii may be partly explained by differences in CHC composition and by a reduced Snu-dependent transport rate of CHCs to the surface. In turn, this suggests that snu is an ecologically adjustable and therefore relevant gene in cuticle barrier efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiwen Wang
- Section Animal Genetics, Interfaculty Institute of Cell Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Jean-Pierre Farine
- Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation, UMR-CNRS 6265, Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France
| | - Yang Yang
- Section Animal Genetics, Interfaculty Institute of Cell Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jing Yang
- Section Animal Genetics, Interfaculty Institute of Cell Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Weina Tang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Nicole Gehring
- Section Animal Genetics, Interfaculty Institute of Cell Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jean-François Ferveur
- Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation, UMR-CNRS 6265, Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France
| | - Bernard Moussian
- Section Animal Genetics, Interfaculty Institute of Cell Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,CNRS, Inserm, Institut de Biologie Valrose, Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, France
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45
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Walton A, Sheehan MJ, Toth AL. Going wild for functional genomics: RNA interference as a tool to study gene-behavior associations in diverse species and ecological contexts. Horm Behav 2020; 124:104774. [PMID: 32422196 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2020] [Revised: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Identifying the genetic basis of behavior has remained a challenge for biologists. A major obstacle to this goal is the difficulty of examining gene function in an ecologically relevant context. New tools such as CRISPR/Cas9, which alter the germline of an organism, have taken center stage in functional genomics in non-model organisms. However, germline modifications of this nature cannot be ethically implemented in the wild as a part of field experiments. This impediment is more than technical. Gene function is intimately tied to the environment in which the gene is expressed, especially for behavior. Most lab-based studies fail to recapitulate an organism's ecological niche, thus most published functional genomics studies of gene-behavior relationships may provide an incomplete or even inaccurate assessment of gene function. In this review, we highlight RNA interference as an especially effective experimental method to deepen our understanding of the interplay between genes, behavior, and the environment. We highlight the utility of RNAi for researchers investigating behavioral genetics, noting unique attributes of RNAi including transience of effect and the feasibility of releasing treated animals into the wild, that make it especially useful for studying the function of behavior-related genes. Furthermore, we provide guidelines for planning and executing an RNAi experiment to study behavior, including challenges to consider. We urge behavioral ecologists and functional genomicists to adopt a more fully integrated approach which we call "ethological genomics". We advocate this approach, utilizing tools such as RNAi, to study gene-behavior relationships in their natural context, arguing that such studies can provide a deeper understanding of how genes can influence behavior, as well as ecological aspects beyond the organism that houses them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Walton
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA.
| | - Michael J Sheehan
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Amy L Toth
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA; Department of Entomology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
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46
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Grigoraki L, Grau-Bové X, Carrington Yates H, Lycett GJ, Ranson H. Isolation and transcriptomic analysis of Anopheles gambiae oenocytes enables the delineation of hydrocarbon biosynthesis. eLife 2020; 9:e58019. [PMID: 32538778 PMCID: PMC7351493 DOI: 10.7554/elife.58019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The surface of insects is coated in cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs); variations in the composition of this layer affect a range of traits including adaptation to arid environments and defence against pathogens and toxins. In the African malaria vector, Anopheles gambiae quantitative and qualitative variance in CHC composition have been associated with speciation, ecological habitat and insecticide resistance. Understanding how these modifications arise will inform us of how mosquitoes are responding to climate change and vector control interventions. CHCs are synthesised in sub-epidermal cells called oenocytes that are very difficult to isolate from surrounding tissues. Here we utilise a transgenic line with fluorescent oenocytes to purify these cells for the first time. Comparative transcriptomics revealed the enrichment of biological processes related to long chain fatty acyl-CoA biosynthesis and elongation of mono-, poly-unsaturated and saturated fatty acids and enabled us to delineate, and partially validate, the hydrocarbon biosynthetic pathway in An. gambiae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Grigoraki
- Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Vector Biology DepartmentLiverpoolUnited Kingdom
| | - Xavier Grau-Bové
- Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Vector Biology DepartmentLiverpoolUnited Kingdom
| | | | - Gareth J Lycett
- Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Vector Biology DepartmentLiverpoolUnited Kingdom
| | - Hilary Ranson
- Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Vector Biology DepartmentLiverpoolUnited Kingdom
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Walsh J, Pontieri L, d'Ettorre P, Linksvayer TA. Ant cuticular hydrocarbons are heritable and associated with variation in colony productivity. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20201029. [PMID: 32517627 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.1029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In social insects, cuticular hydrocarbons function in nest-mate recognition and also provide a waxy barrier against desiccation, but basic evolutionary features, including the heritability of hydrocarbon profiles and how they are shaped by natural selection are largely unknown. We used a new pharaoh ant (Monomorium pharaonis) laboratory mapping population to estimate the heritability of individual cuticular hydrocarbons, genetic correlations between hydrocarbons, and fitness consequences of phenotypic variation in the hydrocarbons. Individual hydrocarbons had low to moderate estimated heritability, indicating that some compounds provide more information about genetic relatedness and can also better respond to natural selection. Strong genetic correlations between compounds are likely to constrain independent evolutionary trajectories, which is expected, given that many hydrocarbons share biosynthetic pathways. Variation in cuticular hydrocarbons was associated with variation in colony productivity, with some hydrocarbons experiencing strong directional selection. Altogether, this study builds on our knowledge of the genetic architecture of the social insect hydrocarbon profile and indicates that hydrocarbon variation is shaped by natural selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Walsh
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Luigi Pontieri
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Patrizia d'Ettorre
- Laboratory of Experimental and Comparative Ethology (LEEC), University of Paris 13, Sorbonne Paris Cité, France
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48
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Körner M, Vogelweith F, Libbrecht R, Foitzik S, Feldmeyer B, Meunier J. Offspring reverse transcriptome responses to maternal deprivation when reared with pathogens in an insect with facultative family life. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20200440. [PMID: 32345162 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.0440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Offspring of species with facultative family life are able to live with and without parents (i.e. to adjust to extreme changes in their social environment). While these adjustments are well understood on a phenotypic level, their genetic underpinnings remain surprisingly understudied. Investigating gene expression changes in response to parental absence may elucidate the genetic constraints driving evolutionary transitions between solitary and family life. Here, we manipulated maternal presence to observe gene expression changes in the fat body of juvenile European earwigs, an insect with facultative family life. Because parents typically protect offspring against pathogens, expression changes were recorded in pathogen-free and pathogen-exposed environments. We found that manipulating maternal presence changed the expression of 154 genes, including several metabolism and growth-related genes, and that this change depended on pathogen presence. Specifically, localization and cell transporter genes were downregulated in maternal absence without pathogens but upregulated with pathogens. At least one immunity gene (pathogenesis-related protein 5) was affected by pathogen exposure regardless of maternal presence. Overall, our findings explicate how offspring adjust to parental deprivation on a molecular level and reveal that such adjustments heavily depend on pathogens in the environment. This emphasizes the central role of pathogens in family life evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Körner
- Evolutionary Animal Ecology, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | | | - Romain Libbrecht
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes-Gutenberg University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Susanne Foitzik
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes-Gutenberg University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Barbara Feldmeyer
- Molecular Ecology, Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK-F), Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Joël Meunier
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte (IRBI), UMR 7261, CNRS, University of Tours, Tours, France
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49
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Hatano E, Wada-Katsumata A, Schal C. Environmental decomposition of olefinic cuticular hydrocarbons of Periplaneta americana generates a volatile pheromone that guides social behaviour. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20192466. [PMID: 32097587 PMCID: PMC7062030 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.2466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Once emitted, semiochemicals are exposed to reactive environmental factors that may alter them, thus disrupting chemical communication. Some species, however, might have adapted to detect environmentally mediated breakdown products of their natural chemicals as semiochemicals. We demonstrate that air, water vapour and ultraviolet (UV) radiation break down unsaturated cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) of Periplaneta americana (American cockroach), resulting in the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In behavioural assays, nymphs strongly avoided aggregating in shelters exposed to the breakdown VOCs from cuticular alkenes. The three treatments (air, water vapour, UV) produced the same VOCs, but at different time-courses and ratios. Fourteen VOCs from UV-exposed CHCs elicited electrophysiological responses in nymph antennae; 10 were identified as 2-nonanone, 1-pentanol, 1-octanol, 1-nonanol, tetradecanal, acetic acid, propanoic acid, butanoic acid, pentanoic acid and hexanoic acid. When short-chain fatty acids were tested as a mix and a blend of the alcohols and aldehyde was tested as a second mix, nymphs exhibited no preference for control or treated shelters. However, nymphs avoided shelters that were exposed to VOCs from the complete 10-compound mix. Conditioned shelters (occupied by cockroaches with faeces and CHCs deposited on the shelters), which are normally highly attractive to nymphs, were also avoided after UV exposure, confirming that breakdown products from deposited metabolites, including CHCs, mediate this behaviour. Our results demonstrate that common environmental agents degrade CHCs into behaviourally active volatile compounds that potentially may serve as necromones or epideictic pheromones, mediating group dissolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Hatano
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
- W. M. Keck Center for Behavioural Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Ayako Wada-Katsumata
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
- W. M. Keck Center for Behavioural Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Coby Schal
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
- W. M. Keck Center for Behavioural Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
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50
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Krupp JJ, Nayal K, Wong A, Millar JG, Levine JD. Desiccation resistance is an adaptive life-history trait dependent upon cuticular hydrocarbons, and influenced by mating status and temperature in D. melanogaster. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 121:103990. [PMID: 31830467 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2019.103990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Revised: 10/31/2019] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Terrestrial insects are susceptible to desiccation and conserve internal water stores by preventing the loss of water due to transpiration across the cuticle. The epicuticle, a thin waxy layer on the outer surface of the insect cuticle is comprised primarily of a complex blend of cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) and is integral to preventing cuticular water loss. How the composition of epicuticular lipids (quantity and quality of the specific hydrocarbons) relates to desiccation resistance, however, has been difficult to determine. Here, we establish a model system to test the capacity of CHCs to protect against desiccation in the vinegar fly, Drosophila melanogaster. Using this system, we demonstrate that the oenocytes and CHCs produced by these cells are critically important for desiccation resistance, as measured by survival under desiccative conditions. Additionally, we show that both mating status and developmental temperature influence desiccation resistance. Prior mating increased desiccation survival through the direct transfer of CHCs between sexual partners, as well as through a female-specific response to a male-derived factor transferred during copulation. Together, our results demonstrate that desiccation resistance is an adaptive life-history trait dependent upon CHCs and influenced by prior social interactions and environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua J Krupp
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto at Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, Ontario L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Kamar Nayal
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto at Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, Ontario L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Amy Wong
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto at Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, Ontario L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Jocelyn G Millar
- Department of Entomology, University of California, 3401 Watkins Drive, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Joel D Levine
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto at Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, Ontario L5L 1C6, Canada.
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