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Nazar AP, Delgado MJ, Lavore A. Empty-spiracles is maternally expressed and essential for neurodevelopment and early embryo determination in Rhodnius prolixus. Dev Biol 2022; 490:144-154. [PMID: 35988717 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2022.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Since empty-spiracles (ems) was identified and characterized in Drosophila melanogaster as a head-gap gene, several studies have been carried out in other insect orders to confirm its evolutionary conserved function. Using the blood-sucking bug Rhodnius prolixus as biological model, we found an ems transcript with three highly conserved regions: Box-A, Box-B, and the homeodomain. R. prolixus embryos silenced by parental RNAi for two of these ems conserved regions showed both maternal and zygotic defects. Rp-emsB fragment results in early lethal embryogenesis, with eggs without any embryonic structure inside. Rp-emsB expression pattern is only maternally expressed and localized in the ovary tropharium, follicular cells, and in the unfertilized female pronucleus. Rp-emsA fragment is zygotically expressed during early blastoderm formation until late developmental stages in two main patterns: anterior in the antennal segment, and in a segmentary in the neuroblast and tracheal pits. R. prolixus knockdown embryos for Rp-emsA showed an incomplete larval hatching, reduced heads, and severe neuromotor defects. Furthermore, in situ hybridization revealed a spatial and temporal expression pattern that highly correlates with Rp-ems observed function. Here,Rp-ems function in R. prolixus development was validated, showing that empty-spiracles does not act as a true head-gap gene, but it is necessary for proper head development and crucial for early embryo determination and neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ada Paula Nazar
- Hospital Interzonal de Agudos "San José" de Pergamino, Argentina.
| | - María José Delgado
- Centro de Bioinvestigaciones (CeBio) and Centro de Investigación y Transferencia del Noroeste de Buenos Aires (CITNOBA-CONICET), Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Pergamino, Argentina.
| | - Andrés Lavore
- Centro de Bioinvestigaciones (CeBio) and Centro de Investigación y Transferencia del Noroeste de Buenos Aires (CITNOBA-CONICET), Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Pergamino, Argentina.
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Lavore A, Perez-Gianmarco L, Esponda-Behrens N, Palacio V, Catalano MI, Rivera-Pomar R, Ons S. Nezara viridula (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) transcriptomic analysis and neuropeptidomics. Sci Rep 2018; 8:17244. [PMID: 30467353 PMCID: PMC6250713 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-35386-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Stinkbugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) are of major economic importance as pest of crops. Among the species composing the stinkbug complex, Nezara viridula is one of the most abundant in Brazil, Argentina and the Southern USA. However, this species has been poorly characterized at the genetic and physiological level. Here we sequenced and analyzed the complete transcriptome of N. viridula male and female adults. We identified neuropeptide precursor genes and G-protein coupled receptors for neuropeptides in this transcriptome. Mature neuropeptides were identified in N. viridula brain extracts by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. We also analyzed the neuropeptide precursor complement in the genome sequence of Halyomorpha halys, another pentatomid of economic relevance. We compared the results in both pentatomids with the well-characterized neuropeptide repertoire from the kissing bug Rhodnius prolixus (Hemiptera: Reduviidae). We identified both group-specific features (which could be related to the different feeding habits) and similarities that could be characteristic of Heteroptera. This work contributes to a deeper knowledge of the genetic information of these pests, with a focus on neuroendocrine system characterization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés Lavore
- Centro de Bioinvestigaciones, Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de Buenos Aires, Pergamino, Argentina
| | - Lucila Perez-Gianmarco
- Centro de Bioinvestigaciones, Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de Buenos Aires, Pergamino, Argentina
| | - Natalia Esponda-Behrens
- Centro Regional de Estudios Genomicos, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Victorio Palacio
- Centro de Bioinvestigaciones, Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de Buenos Aires, Pergamino, Argentina
| | - Maria Ines Catalano
- Centro de Bioinvestigaciones, Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de Buenos Aires, Pergamino, Argentina
| | - Rolando Rivera-Pomar
- Centro de Bioinvestigaciones, Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de Buenos Aires, Pergamino, Argentina.,Centro Regional de Estudios Genomicos, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Sheila Ons
- Centro Regional de Estudios Genomicos, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Martínez-Barnetche J, Lavore A, Beliera M, Téllez-Sosa J, Zumaya-Estrada FA, Palacio V, Godoy-Lozano E, Rivera-Pomar R, Rodríguez MH. Adaptations in energy metabolism and gene family expansions revealed by comparative transcriptomics of three Chagas disease triatomine vectors. BMC Genomics 2018; 19:296. [PMID: 29699489 PMCID: PMC5921304 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-018-4696-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2017] [Accepted: 04/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Chagas disease is a parasitic infection caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. It is an important public health problem affecting around seven to eight million people in the Americas. A large number of hematophagous triatomine insect species, occupying diverse natural and human-modified ecological niches transmit this disease. Triatomines are long-living hemipterans that have evolved to explode different habitats to associate with their vertebrate hosts. Understanding the molecular basis of the extreme physiological conditions including starvation tolerance and longevity could provide insights for developing novel control strategies. We describe the normalized cDNA, full body transcriptome analysis of three main vectors in North, Central and South America, Triatoma pallidipennis, T. dimidiata and T. infestans. Results Two-thirds of the de novo assembled transcriptomes map to the Rhodnius prolixus genome and proteome. A Triatoma expansion of the calycin family and two types of protease inhibitors, pacifastins and cystatins were identified. A high number of transcriptionally active class I transposable elements was documented in T. infestans, compared with T. dimidiata and T. pallidipennis. Sequence identity in Triatoma-R. prolixus 1:1 orthologs revealed high sequence divergence in four enzymes participating in gluconeogenesis, glycogen synthesis and the pentose phosphate pathway, indicating high evolutionary rates of these genes. Also, molecular evidence suggesting positive selection was found for several genes of the oxidative phosphorylation I, III and V complexes. Conclusions Protease inhibitors and calycin-coding gene expansions provide insights into rapidly evolving processes of protease regulation and haematophagy. Higher evolutionary rates in enzymes that exert metabolic flux control towards anabolism and evidence for positive selection in oxidative phosphorylation complexes might represent genetic adaptations, possibly related to prolonged starvation, oxidative stress tolerance, longevity, and hematophagy and flight reduction. Overall, this work generated novel hypothesis related to biological adaptations to extreme physiological conditions and diverse ecological niches that sustain Chagas disease transmission. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-018-4696-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Martínez-Barnetche
- Centro de Investigación Sobre Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, México
| | - Andrés Lavore
- Centro de Bioinvestigaciones (CeBio) and Centro de Investigación y Transferencia del Noroeste de Buenos Aires (CITNOBA-CONICET), Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Pergamino, Argentina
| | - Melina Beliera
- Centro de Bioinvestigaciones (CeBio) and Centro de Investigación y Transferencia del Noroeste de Buenos Aires (CITNOBA-CONICET), Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Pergamino, Argentina
| | - Juan Téllez-Sosa
- Centro de Investigación Sobre Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, México
| | - Federico A Zumaya-Estrada
- Centro de Investigación Sobre Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, México
| | - Victorio Palacio
- Centro de Bioinvestigaciones (CeBio) and Centro de Investigación y Transferencia del Noroeste de Buenos Aires (CITNOBA-CONICET), Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Pergamino, Argentina
| | - Ernestina Godoy-Lozano
- Centro de Investigación Sobre Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, México
| | - Rolando Rivera-Pomar
- Centro de Bioinvestigaciones (CeBio) and Centro de Investigación y Transferencia del Noroeste de Buenos Aires (CITNOBA-CONICET), Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Pergamino, Argentina.,Laboratorio de Genética y Genómica Funcional. Centro Regional de Estudios Genómicos. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Mario Henry Rodríguez
- Centro de Investigación Sobre Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, México.
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Zumaya-Estrada FA, Martínez-Barnetche J, Lavore A, Rivera-Pomar R, Rodríguez MH. Comparative genomics analysis of triatomines reveals common first line and inducible immunity-related genes and the absence of Imd canonical components among hemimetabolous arthropods. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:48. [PMID: 29357911 PMCID: PMC5778769 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-017-2561-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2017] [Accepted: 11/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Insects operate complex humoral and cellular immune strategies to fend against invading microorganisms. The majority of these have been characterized in Drosophila and other dipterans. Information on hemipterans, including Triatominae vectors of Chagas disease remains incomplete and fractionated. Results We identified putative immune-related homologs of three Triatominae vectors of Chagas disease, Triatoma pallidipennis, T. dimidiata and T. infestans (TTTs), using comparative transcriptomics based on established immune response gene references, in conjunction with the predicted proteomes of Rhodnius prolixus, Cimex lecticularis and Acyrthosiphon pisum hemimetabolous. We present a compressive description of the humoral and cellular innate immune components of these TTTs and extend the immune information of other related hemipterans. Key homologs of the constitutive and induced immunity genes were identified in all the studied hemipterans. Conclusions Our results in the TTTs extend previous observations in other hemipterans lacking several components of the Imd signaling pathway. Comparison with other hexapods, using published data, revealed that the absence of various Imd canonical components is common in several hemimetabolous species. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13071-017-2561-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jesús Martínez-Barnetche
- Centro de Investigación Sobre Enfermedades Infecciosas (CISEI), Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, México
| | - Andrés Lavore
- Centro de Bioinvestigaciones (CeBio) and Centro de Investigación y Transferencia del Noroeste de Buenos Aires (CITNOBA-CONICET), Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Pergamino, Argentina
| | - Rolando Rivera-Pomar
- Centro de Bioinvestigaciones (CeBio) and Centro de Investigación y Transferencia del Noroeste de Buenos Aires (CITNOBA-CONICET), Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Pergamino, Argentina.,Laboratorio de Genética y Genómica Funcional. Centro Regional de Estudios Genómicos. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Mario Henry Rodríguez
- Centro de Investigación Sobre Enfermedades Infecciosas (CISEI), Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, México.
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Ons S, Lavore A, Sterkel M, Wulff JP, Sierra I, Martínez-Barnetche J, Rodriguez MH, Rivera-Pomar R. Identification of G protein coupled receptors for opsines and neurohormones in Rhodnius prolixus. Genomic and transcriptomic analysis. Insect Biochem Mol Biol 2016; 69:34-50. [PMID: 25976540 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2015.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2014] [Revised: 04/29/2015] [Accepted: 05/01/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The importance of Chagas disease motivated the scientific effort to obtain the complete genomic sequence of the vector species Rhodnius prolixus, this information is also relevant to the understanding of triatomine biology in general. The central nervous system is the key regulator of insect physiology and behavior. Neurohormones (neuropeptides and biogenic amines) are the chemical messengers involved in the regulation and integration of neuroendocrine signals. In insects, this signaling is mainly mediated by the interaction of neurohormone ligands with G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). The recently sequenced R. prolixus genome provides us with the opportunity to analyze this important family of genes in triatomines, supplying relevant information for further functional studies. Next-generation sequencing methods offer an excellent opportunity for transcriptomic exploration in key organs and tissues in the presence of a reference genome as well as when a reference genome is not available. We undertook a genomic analysis to obtain a genome-wide inventory of opsines and the GPCRs for neurohormones in R. prolixus. Furthermore, we performed a transcriptomic analysis of R. prolixus central nervous system, focusing on neuropeptide precursor genes and neurohormone and opsines GPCRs. In addition, we mined the whole transcriptomes of Triatoma dimidiata, Triatoma infestans and Triatoma pallidipennis - three sanitary relevant triatomine species - to identify neuropeptide precursors and GPCRs genes. Our study reveals a high degree of sequence conservation in the molecular components of the neuroendocrine system of triatomines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheila Ons
- Laboratorio de Genética y Genómica Funcional, Centro Regional de Estudios Genómicos, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Bvd 120 y 62, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Andrés Lavore
- Departamento de Ciencias Básicas y Experimentales, Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Monteagudo 2772, 2700 Pergamino, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Marcos Sterkel
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373, bloco D. Prédio do CCS, Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, Brazil.
| | - Juan Pedro Wulff
- Laboratorio de Genética y Genómica Funcional, Centro Regional de Estudios Genómicos, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Bvd 120 y 62, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Ivana Sierra
- Laboratorio de Genética y Genómica Funcional, Centro Regional de Estudios Genómicos, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Bvd 120 y 62, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Jesús Martínez-Barnetche
- Centro de Investigaciones sobre Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Av. Universidad 655, Sta. María Ahuacatitlán, Cuernavaca, Mexico.
| | - Mario Henry Rodriguez
- Centro de Investigaciones sobre Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Av. Universidad 655, Sta. María Ahuacatitlán, Cuernavaca, Mexico.
| | - Rolando Rivera-Pomar
- Laboratorio de Genética y Genómica Funcional, Centro Regional de Estudios Genómicos, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Bvd 120 y 62, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Departamento de Ciencias Básicas y Experimentales, Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Monteagudo 2772, 2700 Pergamino, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Lavore A, Pascual A, Salinas FM, Esponda-Behrens N, Martinez-Barnetche J, Rodriguez M, Rivera-Pomar R. Comparative analysis of zygotic developmental genes in Rhodnius prolixus genome shows conserved features on the tracheal developmental pathway. Insect Biochem Mol Biol 2015; 64:32-43. [PMID: 26187251 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2015.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2014] [Revised: 06/13/2015] [Accepted: 06/21/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Most of the in-depth studies on insect developmental genetic have been carried out in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, an holometabolous insect, so much more still remains to be studied in hemimetabolous insects. Having Rhodnius prolixus sequenced genome available, we search for orthologue genes of zygotic signaling pathways, segmentation, and tracheogenesis in the R. prolixus genome and in three species of Triatoma genus transcriptomes, concluding that there is a high level of gene conservation. We also study the function of two genes required for tracheal system development in D. melanogaster - R. prolixus orthologues: trachealess (Rp-trh) and empty spiracles (Rp-ems). From that we see that Rp-trh is required for early tracheal development since Rp-trh RNAi shows that the primary tracheal branches fail to form. On the other hand, Rp-ems is implied in the proper formation of the posterior tracheal branches, in a similar way to D. melanogaster. These results represent the initial characterization of the genes involved in the tracheal development of an hemimetabolous insect building a bridge between the current genomic era and V. Wigglesworth's classical studies on insects' respiratory system physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Lavore
- Centro de Bioinvestigaciones and Departamento de Ciencias Básicas y Experimentales, Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Monteagudo 2772, 2700, Pergamino, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - A Pascual
- Centro de Bioinvestigaciones and Departamento de Ciencias Básicas y Experimentales, Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Monteagudo 2772, 2700, Pergamino, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Laboratorio de Genética y Genómica Funcional, Centro Regional de Estudios Genómicos, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Bvd 120 y 62, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - F M Salinas
- Centro de Bioinvestigaciones and Departamento de Ciencias Básicas y Experimentales, Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Monteagudo 2772, 2700, Pergamino, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - N Esponda-Behrens
- Laboratorio de Genética y Genómica Funcional, Centro Regional de Estudios Genómicos, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Bvd 120 y 62, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - J Martinez-Barnetche
- Centro de Investigaciones sobre Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Av. Universidad 655, Sta. María Ahuacatitlán, Cuernavaca, Mexico.
| | - M Rodriguez
- Centro de Investigaciones sobre Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Av. Universidad 655, Sta. María Ahuacatitlán, Cuernavaca, Mexico.
| | - R Rivera-Pomar
- Centro de Bioinvestigaciones and Departamento de Ciencias Básicas y Experimentales, Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Monteagudo 2772, 2700, Pergamino, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Laboratorio de Genética y Genómica Funcional, Centro Regional de Estudios Genómicos, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Bvd 120 y 62, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Lavore A, Esponda-Behrens N, Pagola L, Rivera-Pomar R. The gap gene Krüppel of Rhodnius prolixus is required for segmentation and for repression of the homeotic gene sex comb-reduced. Dev Biol 2014; 387:121-9. [PMID: 24406318 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2013.12.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2012] [Revised: 12/18/2013] [Accepted: 12/20/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The establishment of the anterior-posterior segmentation in insects requires the concerted action of a hierarchical gene network. Here, we study the orthologue of Krüppel gap gene in the hemipteran Rhodnius prolixus (Rp-Kr). We characterized its structure, expression pattern and function. The genomic sequence upstream of the Rp-Kr transcriptional unit shows a putative regulatory region conserved in the orthologue genes from Drosophila melanogaster and Tribolium castaneum. Rp-Kr expression is zygotic and it is expressed in the anterior half of the embryo (the posterior half of the egg) during the blastoderm stage and germ band formation; later, during germ band extension, it is expressed in a central domain, from T2 to A3. The Rp-Kr loss of function phenotypes shows disrupted thoracic and abdominal segmentation. Embryos with weak segmentation phenotypes show homeotic transformations, in which an ectopic tibial comb, typical of T1 leg, appears in T2, which correlates with the ectopic expression of Rp-sex-comb reduced in this leg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés Lavore
- Laboratorio de Genética y Genómica Funcional, Centro Regional de Estudios Genómicos, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Avenue Calchaqui Km 23.5, Florencio Varela, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Centro de Bioinvestigaciones, Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de Buenos Aires, Pergamino, Argentina
| | - Natalia Esponda-Behrens
- Laboratorio de Genética y Genómica Funcional, Centro Regional de Estudios Genómicos, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Avenue Calchaqui Km 23.5, Florencio Varela, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Lucía Pagola
- Laboratorio de Genética y Genómica Funcional, Centro Regional de Estudios Genómicos, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Avenue Calchaqui Km 23.5, Florencio Varela, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Rolando Rivera-Pomar
- Laboratorio de Genética y Genómica Funcional, Centro Regional de Estudios Genómicos, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Avenue Calchaqui Km 23.5, Florencio Varela, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Centro de Bioinvestigaciones, Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de Buenos Aires, Pergamino, Argentina.
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Lavore A, Pagola L, Esponda-Behrens N, Rivera-Pomar R. The gap gene giant of Rhodnius prolixus is maternally expressed and required for proper head and abdomen formation. Dev Biol 2011; 361:147-55. [PMID: 21763688 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2011.06.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2011] [Revised: 06/09/2011] [Accepted: 06/11/2011] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
The segmentation process in insects depends on a hierarchical cascade of gene activity. The first effectors downstream of the maternal activation are the gap genes, which divide the embryo in broad fields. We discovered a sequence corresponding to the leucine-zipper domain of the orthologue of the gene giant (Rp-gt) in traces from the genome of Rhodnius prolixus, a hemipteran with intermediate germ-band development. We cloned the Rp-gt gene from a normalized cDNA library and characterized its expression and function. Bioinformatic analysis of 12.5 kbp of genomic sequence containing the Rp-gt transcriptional unit shows a cluster of bona fide regulatory binding sites, which is similar in location and structure to the predicted posterior expression domain of the Drosophila orthologue. Rp-gt is expressed in ovaries and maternally supplied in the early embryo. The maternal contribution forms a gradient of scattered patches of mRNA in the preblastoderm embryo. Zygotic Rp-gt is expressed in two domains that after germ band extension are restricted to the head and the posterior growth zone. Parental RNAi shows that Rp-gt is required for proper head and abdomen formation. The head lacks mandibulary and maxillary appendages and shows reduced clypeus-labrum, while the abdomen lacks anterior segments. We conclude that Rp-gt is a gap gene on the head and abdomen and, in addition, has a function in patterning the anterior head capsule suggesting that the function of gt in hemipterans is more similar to dipterans than expected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés Lavore
- Laboratorio de Genética y Genómica Funcional, Centro Regional de Estudios Genómicos, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Florencio Varela, Argentina
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