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Molecular Ecology, Physiology and Biochemistry of Insects, 3rd Edition

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A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 April 2023) | Viewed by 19079

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Prof. Dr. Klaus H. Hoffmann

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Animal Ecology I, University of Bayreuth, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
Interests: entomology; ecology; endocrinology; invertebrate biochemistry and physiology; molecular ecology
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Dear Colleagues,

Of all the zoological classes, insects are the most numerous in species and the most varied in structure. Estimates of the number of species vary from 1 to 10 million, and 10¹⁸ individuals are estimated to be alive at any given moment. Insects are relatively ancient and have survived more or less unchanged in their basic winged form for the last 300 million years. Due to their adaptability in behavior, physiology, and biochemistry to changing environmental conditions, insects have successfully colonized habitats stretching from arid deserts to the Arctic and Antarctic and from freshwater brooks to hot springs and saline marine environments.

Knowledge of the physiology and biochemistry of insects developed extensively at the end of the 20th century. The reasons for this increased interest in insect physiology and biochemistry were that insects can be useful as model systems for experimental studies of principles, but also as economic models. Mechanisms of environmental adaptation in growth and development, energy metabolism, or respiration to temperature, oxygen tension, food supply, or salt concentrations were the focus of interest. It was the time of “Physiological Ecology”.

About 30 years later, the omics era gives us the opportunity to gain deeper insight into the different aspects of insect physiology and environmental adaptation, for example, by silencing or overexpressing candidate genes of interest. A major challenge in current entomology is to integrate different levels of organization, from cellular mechanisms to functions in ecosystems. The rapid development of molecular techniques for studying the physiological functions of genes will revolutionize the entomology not only of so-called model organisms like Drosophila, but in general. When we understand how physiological processes are regulated and at what time, we will be able to manipulate them, thereby providing new attractive opportunities for practical applications, for example, in an ecologically friendly insect pest control.

We invite you to contribute original research articles and critical reviews on both basic and applied approaches in insect molecular biology. Articles on the molecular mechanisms of insect–plant interactions, and systems of insect communication in general, are also welcome.

Prof. Dr. Klaus H. Hoffmann
Guest Editor

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

insect development and reproduction
molecular endocrinology/neuropeptides
insect immunity
photoperiodism
cold hardiness
global climate change
insect aging
insect–plant interactions
molecular interactions of insects with microorganisms
chemical communication
biochemistry of insect venoms
insect genomics and proteomics
genetic engineering
molecular
volution/population genetics
insect biotechnology

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

3 pages, 155 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Special Issue: Molecular Ecology, Physiology and Biochemistry of Insects 3.0

by Klaus H. Hoffmann

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(10), 5390; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25105390 - 15 May 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 685

Abstract

With the outstanding work of Sir Vincent B [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Ecology, Physiology and Biochemistry of Insects, 3rd Edition)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

14 pages, 1758 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evolution of a Cockroach Allergen into the Major Protein of Termite Royal Jelly

by Jan A. Veenstra

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(12), 10311; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241210311 - 18 Jun 2023

Viewed by 1463

Abstract

Termites live in colonies, and their members belong to different castes that each have their specific role within the termite society. In well-established colonies of higher termites, the only food the founding female, the queen, receives is saliva from workers; such queens can live for many years and produce up to 10,000 eggs per day. In higher termites, worker saliva must thus constitute a complete diet and therein resembles royal jelly produced by the hypopharyngeal glands of honeybee workers that serves as food for their queens; indeed, it might as well be called termite royal jelly. However, whereas the composition of honeybee royal jelly is well established, that of worker termite saliva in higher termites remains largely unknown. In lower termites, cellulose-digesting enzymes constitute the major proteins in worker saliva, but these enzymes are absent in higher termites. Others identified a partial protein sequence of the major saliva protein of a higher termite and identified it as a homolog of a cockroach allergen. Publicly available genome and transcriptome sequences from termites make it possible to study this protein in more detail. The gene coding the termite ortholog was duplicated, and the new paralog was preferentially expressed in the salivary gland. The amino acid sequence of the original allergen lacks the essential amino acids methionine, cysteine and tryptophan, but the salivary paralog incorporated these amino acids, thus allowing it to become more nutritionally balanced. The gene is found in both lower and higher termites, but it is in the latter that the salivary paralog gene got reamplified, facilitating an even higher expression of the allergen. This protein is not expressed in soldiers, and, like the major royal jelly proteins in honeybees, it is expressed in young but not old workers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Ecology, Physiology and Biochemistry of Insects, 3rd Edition)

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12 pages, 1391 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

SDS-PAGE-Based Quantitative Assay of Hemolymph Proteins in Honeybees: Progress and Prospects for Field Application

by Gloria Isani, Elisa Bellei, Cecilia Rudelli, Riccardo Cabbri, Enea Ferlizza and Giulia Andreani

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(12), 10216; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241210216 - 16 Jun 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2467

Abstract

In human and veterinary medicine, serum proteins are considered to be useful biomarkers for assessing the health and nutritional status of the organism. Honeybee hemolymph has a unique proteome that could represent a source of valuable biomarkers. Therefore, the aims of this study were to separate and identify the most abundant proteins in the hemolymph of worker honeybees to suggest a panel of these proteins that could represent useful biomarkers for assessing the nutritional and health status of the colonies and, finally, to analyze them in different periods of the year. Four apiaries were selected in the province of Bologna, and the bees were analyzed in April, May, July, and November. Thirty specimens from three hives of each apiary were sampled and their hemolymph was collected. The most represented bands obtained after 1D sodium-dodecyl-sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) were cut from the gel, and the proteins were identified using an LC-ESI-Q-MS/MS System. A total of twelve proteins were unmistakably identified; the two most abundant proteins were apolipophorin and vitellogenin, which are known biomarkers of bee trophic and health status. The two other proteins identified were transferrin and hexamerin 70a, the first being involved in iron homeostasis and the second being a storage protein. Most of these proteins showed an increase from April to November, mirroring the physiological changes of honeybees during the productive season. The current study suggests a panel of biomarkers from honeybee hemolymph worth testing under different physiological and pathological field conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Ecology, Physiology and Biochemistry of Insects, 3rd Edition)

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13 pages, 2534 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Histone H3 and H4 Modifications Point to Transcriptional Suppression as a Component of Winter Freeze Tolerance in the Gall Fly Eurosta solidaginis

by Tighe Bloskie and Kenneth B. Storey

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(12), 10153; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241210153 - 15 Jun 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1507

Abstract

The goldenrod gall fly (Eurosta solidaginis) is a well-studied model of insect freeze tolerance. In situations of prolonged winter subzero temperatures, larvae of E. solidaginis accept ice penetration throughout extracellular spaces while protecting the intracellular environment by producing extreme amounts of glycerol and sorbitol as cryoprotectants. Hypometabolism (diapause) is implemented, and energy use is reprioritized to essential pathways. Gene transcription is one energy-expensive process likely suppressed over the winter, in part, due to epigenetic controls. The present study profiled the prevalence of 24 histone H3/H4 modifications of E. solidaginis larvae after 3-week acclimations to decreasing environmental temperatures (5 °C, −5 °C and −15 °C). Using immunoblotting, the data show freeze-mediated reductions (p < 0.05) in seven permissive histone modifications (H3K27me1, H4K20me1, H3K9ac, H3K14ac, H3K27ac, H4K8ac, H3R26me2a). Along with the maintenance of various repressive marks, the data are indicative of a suppressed transcriptional state at subzero temperatures. Elevated nuclear levels of histone H4, but not histone H3, were also observed in response to both cold and freeze acclimation. Together, the present study provides evidence for epigenetic-mediated transcriptional suppression in support of the winter diapause state and freeze tolerance of E. solidaginis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Ecology, Physiology and Biochemistry of Insects, 3rd Edition)

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14 pages, 806 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Karyotype Evolution in Triatominae (Hemiptera, Reduviidae): The Role of Chromosomal Rearrangements in the Diversification of Chagas Disease Vectors

by Yago Visinho dos Reis, Jader de Oliveira, Fernanda Fernandez Madeira, Amanda Ravazi, Ana Beatriz Bortolozo de Oliveira, Isadora da Silva Bittinelli, Luiza Maria Grzyb Delgado, Maria Tercília Vilela de Azeredo-Oliveira, João Aristeu da Rosa, Cleber Galvão and Kaio Cesar Chaboli Alevi

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(7), 6350; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24076350 - 28 Mar 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2056

Abstract

Several cytogenetic studies have already been performed in Triatominae, such that different karyotypes could be characterized (ranging from 2n = 21 to 25 chromosomes), being the changes in the number of chromosomes related mainly to fusion and fission events. These changes have been associated with reproductive isolation and speciation events in other insect groups. Thus, we evaluated whether different karyotypes could act in the reproductive isolation of triatomines and we analyzed how the events of karyotypic evolution occurred along the diversification of these vectors. For this, experimental crosses were carried out between triatomine species with different karyotypes. Furthermore, based on a phylogeny with 88 triatomine taxa (developed with different molecular markers), a reconstruction of ancestral karyotypes and of anagenetic and cladogenetic events related to karyotypic alterations was performed through the ChromoSSE chromosomal evolution model. All crosses performed did not result in hybrids (prezygotic isolation in both directions). Our modeling results suggest that during Triatominae diversification, at least nine cladogenetic events may be associated with karyotype change. Thus, we emphasize that these alterations in the number of chromosomes can act as a prezygotic barrier in Triatominae (karyotypic isolation), being important evolutionary events during the diversification of the species of Chagas disease vectors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Ecology, Physiology and Biochemistry of Insects, 3rd Edition)

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11 pages, 1490 KiB

Open AccessArticle

H3K4me1 Modification Functions in Caste Differentiation in Honey Bees

by Yong Zhang, Zhen Li, Xujiang He, Zilong Wang and Zhijiang Zeng

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(7), 6217; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24076217 - 25 Mar 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2207

Abstract

Honey bees are important species for the study of epigenetics. Female honey bee larvae with the same genotype can develop into phenotypically distinct organisms (sterile workers and fertile queens) depending on conditions such as diet. Previous studies have shown that DNA methylation and histone modification can establish distinct gene expression patterns, leading to caste differentiation. It is unclear whether the histone methylation modification H3K4me1 can also impact caste differentiation. In this study, we analyzed genome-wide H3K4me1 modifications in both queen and worker larvae and found that H3K4me1 marks are more abundant in worker larvae than in queen larvae at both the second and fourth instars, and many genes associated with caste differentiation are differentially methylated. Notably, caste-specific H3K4me1 in promoter regions can direct worker development. Thus, our results suggest that H3K4me1 modification may act as an important regulatory factor in the establishment and maintenance of caste-specific transcriptional programs in honey bees; however, the potential influence of other epigenetic modifications cannot be excluded. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Ecology, Physiology and Biochemistry of Insects, 3rd Edition)

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25 pages, 5825 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Odorant-Binding Proteins and Chemosensory Proteins in Spodoptera frugiperda: From Genome-Wide Identification and Developmental Stage-Related Expression Analysis to the Perception of Host Plant Odors, Sex Pheromones, and Insecticides

by Chen Jia, Amr Mohamed, Alberto Maria Cattaneo, Xiaohua Huang, Nemat O. Keyhani, Maiqun Gu, Liansheng Zang and Wei Zhang

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(6), 5595; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24065595 - 15 Mar 2023

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3194

Abstract

Spodoptera frugiperda is a worldwide generalist pest with remarkable adaptations to environments and stresses, including developmental stage-related behavioral and physiological adaptations, such as diverse feeding preferences, mate seeking, and pesticide resistance. Insects’ odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) and chemosensory proteins (CSPs) are essential for the chemical recognition during behavioral responses or other physiological processes. The genome-wide identification and the gene expression patterns of all these identified OBPs and CSPs across developmental stage-related S. frugiperda have not been reported. Here, we screened for genome-wide SfruOBPs and SfruCSPs, and analyzed the gene expression patterns of SfruOBPs and SfruCSPs repertoires across all developmental stages and sexes. We found 33 OBPs and 22 CSPs in the S. frugiperda genome. The majority of the SfruOBP genes were most highly expressed in the adult male or female stages, while more SfruCSP genes were highly expressed in the larval or egg stages, indicating their function complementation. The gene expression patterns of SfruOBPs and SfruCSPs revealed strong correlations with their respective phylogenic trees, indicating a correlation between function and evolution. In addition, we analyzed the chemical-competitive binding of a widely expressed protein, SfruOBP31, to host plant odorants, sex pheromones, and insecticides. Further ligands binding assay revealed a broad functional related binding spectrum of SfruOBP31 to host plant odorants, sex pheromones, and insecticides, suggesting its potential function in food, mate seeking, and pesticide resistance. These results provide guidance for future research on the development of behavioral regulators of S. frugiperda or other environmentally friendly pest-control strategies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Ecology, Physiology and Biochemistry of Insects, 3rd Edition)

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21 pages, 5530 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Diapause-Linked Gene Expression Pattern and Related Candidate Duplicated Genes of the Mountain Butterfly Parnassius glacialis (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) Revealed by Comprehensive Transcriptome Profiling

by Chengyong Su, Chen Ding, Youjie Zhao, Bo He, Ruie Nie and Jiasheng Hao

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(6), 5577; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24065577 - 14 Mar 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2254

Abstract

The mountain butterfly Parnassius glacialis is a representative species of the genus Parnassius, which probably originated in the high-altitude Qinhai–Tibet Plateau in the Miocene and later dispersed eastward into relatively low-altitude regions of central to eastern China. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying the long-term evolutionary adaptation to heterogeneous environmental conditions of this butterfly species. In this study, we obtained the high-throughput RNA-Seq data from twenty-four adult individuals in eight localities, covering nearly all known distributional areas in China, and firstly identified the diapause-linked gene expression pattern that is likely to correlate with local adaptation in adult P. glacialis populations. Secondly, we found a series of pathways responsible for hormone biosynthesis, energy metabolism and immune defense that also exhibited unique enrichment patterns in each group that are probably related to habitat-specific adaptability. Furthermore, we also identified a suite of duplicated genes (including two transposable elements) that are mostly co-expressed to promote the plastic responses to different environmental conditions. Together, these findings can help us to better understand this species’ successful colonization to distinct geographic areas from the western to eastern areas of China, and also provide us with some insights into the evolution of diapause in mountain Parnassius butterfly species. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Ecology, Physiology and Biochemistry of Insects, 3rd Edition)

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Review

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17 pages, 2144 KiB

Open AccessReview

Tracking Adaptive Pathways of Invasive Insects: Novel Insight from Genomics

by Zhongxiang Sun, Yao Chen, Yaping Chen, Zhihui Lu and Furong Gui

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(9), 8004; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24098004 - 28 Apr 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2240

Abstract

Despite the huge human and economic costs of invasive insects, which are the main group of invasive species, their environmental impacts through various mechanisms remain inadequately explained in databases and much of the invasion biology literature. High-throughput sequencing technology, especially whole-genome sequencing, has been used as a powerful method to study the mechanisms through which insects achieve invasion. In this study, we reviewed whole-genome sequencing-based advances in revealing several important invasion mechanisms of invasive insects, including (1) the rapid genetic variation and evolution of invasive populations, (2) invasion history and dispersal paths, (3) rapid adaptation to different host plant ranges, (4) strong environmental adaptation, (5) the development of insecticide resistance, and (6) the synergistic damage caused by invasive insects and endosymbiotic bacteria. We also discussed prevention and control technologies based on whole-genome sequencing and their prospects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Ecology, Physiology and Biochemistry of Insects, 3rd Edition)

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