Article
Biology
Ellen O. Martinson, Kangkang Chen, Luca Valzania, Mark R. Brown, Michael R. Strand
Summary: This study identifies insulin-like peptides (ILPs) as the primary regulators of hemocyte proliferation associated with egg formation. However, this response has been lost in the evolution of obligate autogeny.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Shun-Hua Gui, Clauvis Nji Tizi Taning, Guy Smagghe
Summary: In this study, the involvement of myosuppressin (MS) in fecundity in the Colorado potato beetle (CPB) was investigated. Silencing of MS through RNA interference resulted in a significant reduction in oviposition and oocyte size in adult CPBs, highlighting the important role played by MS in regulating fecundity in CPB. The reduction in oviposition in treated females was confirmed to be dependent on MS knockdown and independent of male fertilization, with further effects on ecdysteroid hormone levels and receptor transcript levels.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Paolo Cuti, Miquel Barbera, Jan A. Veenstra, David Martinez-Torres
Summary: Aphids undergo a seasonal switch from viviparous parthenogenesis to sexual reproduction in response to changing photoperiods, possibly mediated by two insulin-like peptides (ILP1 and ILP4). ILP4 is synthesized in specific neurosecretory cells in the aphid brain and transported to the corpora cardiaca and abdomen, suggesting a direct connection between neurosecretory cells and the reproductive system. Additionally, collateral arborizations from the neurosecretory cells to areas containing clock neurons and photoreceptors hint at a possible communication between circadian and photoperiodic systems.
INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lin Ling, Alexander S. Raikhel
Summary: Female mosquitoes feed on carbohydrates and proteins during each gonadotrophic cycle to become reproductively competent, with metabolism synchronized to support this process. The hormones juvenile hormone and ecdysteroids play key roles in female mosquito reproduction, while insulin-like peptides are critical for controlling metabolism. The JH and 20E pathways regulate protein levels of ILPs, establishing a regulatory axis for metabolism during gonadotrophic cycles.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zhiming Yang, Yong Wu, Yangyang Yan, Guangming Xu, Na Yu, Zewen Liu
Summary: Insecticides can affect the development of spiders by regulating the expression of genes involved in hormone synthesis. The juvenile hormone analogue fenoxycarb delays the moulting of predatory spiders, while the ecdysteroid analogue tebufenozide accelerates the moulting process. Understanding the regulatory mechanisms of these hormone analogues could help evaluate the environmental safety of insecticides and protect spider species.
ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Masaharu Hasebe, Sakiko Shiga
Summary: In the bean bug Riptortus pedestris, the photoperiodic firing response of the pars intercerebralis (PI) neurons, which are regulated by clock genes, plays a crucial role in promoting oviposition. This photoperiodic response is independent of ovarian development and is mediated by neuropeptides expressed by the PI neurons. The findings suggest that a circadian clock-dependent photoperiodic firing response in specific neurons contributes to the seasonal promotion of oviposition.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Uliana Semaniuk, Olha Strilbytska, Karina Malinovska, Kenneth B. Storey, Alexander Vaiserman, Volodymyr Lushchak, Oleh Lushchak
Summary: This study focuses on the expression profiles of DILP2, DILP3, and DILP5 produced by insulin-producing cells in the brain of Drosophila. The data suggest that the transcript levels of DILPs are influenced by various conditions such as nutrition, environment, and gene manipulation.
INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Parasitology
Yi Dai, Xin Li, Jinying Ding, Zihan Liang, Renxian Guo, Tangwei Yi, Yihan Zhu, Siqi Chen, Shaohui Liang, Wenquan Liu
Summary: The insulin-like signaling pathway in Aedes albopictus mosquito plays a vital role in metabolism and development and could be a potential target for controlling mosquito-borne diseases. The pathway consists of seven ILPs, InR, and ERK/AKT cascades, and ILP6 is highly expressed in the midgut of female mosquitoes after blood-feeding. Knockdown of InR results in interruption of the cascades, developmental delays, and smaller body sizes in mosquitoes.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2023)
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Donald L. Mykles
Summary: Y-organs are the molting glands of decapod crustaceans, controlled by external and internal signals through four physiological states. The YO transcriptome reveals the involvement of various signaling pathways and receptors in molt control, suggesting positive regulation by insulin-like peptides and growth factors. Future research should focus on integrating physiological status with environmental cues for molt control.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
An Liu, Shuang Hao, Fang Liu, Huiyang Huang, Haihui Ye
Summary: In this study, a insulin-like receptor (Sp-IR) was isolated from the mud crab Scylla paramamosain, and it was found to be highly expressed in the testis and androgenic gland (AG) in males. Knockdown of Sp-IR by RNA interference resulted in a decrease in testicular volume and a significant effect on the production of secondary spermatocytes. These findings provide a molecular basis for understanding the mechanism of male sexual differentiation in Brachyuran crabs.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Mengyang Li
Summary: The GH/IGF system plays a role in growth regulation in the body. By studying the basal chordate amphioxus, it was discovered that most members of the GH/IGF system are present in amphioxus, providing strong evidence for the origin of this system in amphioxus.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kangkang Chen, Xiaoyi Dou, Jai Hoon Eum, Ruby E. Harrison, Mark R. Brown, Michael R. Strand
Summary: This study assessed the expression of insulin-like peptides (ILPs) and ovary ecdysteroidogenic hormone (OEH) in Aedes aegypti during a gonadotrophic cycle and further functionally characterized these peptides to understand their roles in regulating egg formation. The results showed that all ILPs and OEH were expressed during the cycle, and there were differences in their biological activities and insulin- insulin growth factor signaling (IIS) phosphorylation levels.
INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Fa Zhang, Emrah Altindis, C. Ronald Kahn, Richard D. DiMarchi, Vasily Gelfanov
Summary: The study identified viral insulin-like peptides with unique biological functions, including one that acts as a potent and full antagonist of the IGF-1R. The results revealed the importance of the internal structure of VILPs in regulating their biological activities and discovered a set of potentially medicinally important antagonists.
MOLECULAR METABOLISM
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Daisuke Saito, Yuko Nakagawa, Takashi Sato, Ayako Fukunaka, Ofejiro Blessing Pereye, Nobuhiro Maruyama, Hirotaka Watada, Yoshio Fujitani
Summary: In this study, we developed a method to specifically detect and measure the secretion of pancreatic polypeptide (PP), and investigated the molecular mechanisms that regulate PP secretion. We found that the secretion of PP is triggered by an increase in intracellular calcium concentrations via voltage-dependent calcium channels, unlike the mechanism of insulin secretion.
Article
Entomology
Yiyang Yuan, Yanyan Wang, Wanwan Ye, Erliang Yuan, Jian Di, Xin Chen, Yanling Xing, Yucheng Sun, Feng Ge
Summary: This study investigates the role of the insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling (IIS) pathway in regulating transgenerational wing polyphenism in aphids. It is found that ILP5 and FoxO play important roles in controlling wing morph development in embryos. ILP4 and ILP11 are also associated with wing polyphenism, but the regulation may not involve the canonical IIS pathway.
Article
Entomology
Monika Gulia-Nuss, Anne Elliot, Mark R. Brown, Michael R. Strand
JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY
(2015)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Monika Gulia-Nuss, Andrew B. Nuss, Jason M. Meyer, Daniel E. Sonenshine, R. Michael Roe, Robert M. Waterhouse, David B. Sattelle, Jose de la Fuente, Jose M. Ribeiro, Karine Megy, Jyothi Thimmapuram, Jason R. Miller, Brian P. Walenz, Sergey Koren, Jessica B. Hostetler, Mathangi Thiagarajan, Vinita S. Joardar, Linda I. Hannick, Shelby Bidwell, Martin P. Hammond, Sarah Young, Qiandong Zeng, Jenica L. Abrudan, Francisca C. Almeida, Nieves Ayllon, Ketaki Bhide, Brooke W. Bissinger, Elena Bonzon-Kulichenko, Steven D. Buckingham, Daniel R. Caffrey, Melissa J. Caimano, Vincent Croset, Timothy Driscoll, Don Gilbert, Joseph J. Gillespie, Gloria I. Giraldo-Calderon, Jeffrey M. Grabowski, David Jiang, Sayed M. S. Khalil, Donghun Kim, Katherine M. Kocan, Juraj Koci, Richard J. Kuhn, Timothy J. Kurtti, Kristin Lees, Emma G. Lang, Ryan C. Kennedy, Hyeogsun Kwon, Rushika Perera, Yumin Qi, Justin D. Radolf, Joyce M. Sakamoto, Alejandro Sanchez-Gracia, Maiara S. Severo, Neal Silverman, Ladislav Simo, Marta Tojo, Cristian Tornador, Janice P. Van Zee, Jesus Vazquez, Filipe G. Vieira, Margarita Villar, Adam R. Wespiser, Yunlong Yang, Jiwei Zhu, Peter Arensburger, Patricia V. Pietrantonio, Stephen C. Barker, Renfu Shao, Evgeny M. Zdobnov, Frank Hauser, Cornelis J. P. Grimmelikhuijzen, Yoonseong Park, Julio Rozas, Richard Benton, Joao H. F. Pedra, David R. Nelson, Maria F. Unger, Jose M. C. Tubio, Zhijian Tu, Hugh M. Robertson, Martin Shumway, Granger Sutton, Jennifer R. Wortman, Daniel Lawson, Stephen K. Wikel, Vishvanath M. Nene, Claire M. Fraser, Frank H. Collins, Bruce Birren, Karen E. Nelson, Elisabet Caler, Catherine A. Hill
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2016)
Article
Parasitology
Jeffrey M. Grabowski, Monika Gulia-Nuss, Richard J. Kuhn, Catherine A. Hill
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2017)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Andrew B. Nuss, Manoj G. Mathew, Monika Gulia-Nuss
JOVE-JOURNAL OF VISUALIZED EXPERIMENTS
(2017)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Andrew Bradley Nuss, Mark R. Brown, Upadhyayula Suryanarayana Murty, Monika Gulia-Nuss
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2018)
Article
Entomology
Rana Pooraiiouby, Arvind Sharma, Joshua Beard, Jeremiah Reyes, Andrew Nuss, Monika Gulia-Nuss
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Arvind Sharma, Andrew B. Nuss, Monika Gulia-Nuss
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Arvind Sharma, Rana Pooraiiouby, Blanca Guzman, Preston Vu, Monika Gulia-Nuss, Andrew B. Nuss
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Arvind Sharma, Jeremiah Reyes, David Borgmeyer, Cuauhtemoc Ayala-Chavez, Katie Snow, Fiza Arshad, Andrew Nuss, Monika Gulia-Nuss
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2020)
Article
Entomology
Jeremiah Reyes, Cuauhtemoc Ayala-Chavez, Arvind Sharma, Michael Pham, Andrew B. Nuss, Monika Gulia-Nuss
Article
Entomology
Zachary Speth, Gurlaz Kaur, Devin Mazolewski, Rayden Sisomphou, Danielle Denise C. Siao, Rana Pooraiiouby, Hans Vasquez-Gross, Juli Petereit, Monika Gulia-Nuss, Dennis Mathew, Andrew B. Nuss
Summary: This study found that different Anopheles mosquito species preferentially feed on humans, and the south Asian malaria mosquito An. stephensi recognizes different chemical signals from potential hosts. The mouthparts of An. stephensi expressed a high level of AsOr8 transcript, which showed a similar response to odorants as AgOr8 from An. gambiae, except for the odorant sulcatone.
Article
Entomology
Fiza Arshad, Arvind Sharma, Charleen Lu, Monika Gulia-Nuss
Summary: RNA-interference (RNAi) is a standard technique for functional genomics in adult mosquitoes, but its application in immature stages has been challenging. This study successfully developed a simple method for RNAi in mosquito pupae by soaking them in water containing dsRNA, without the need for carrier molecules or microinjections. The technique can be used to study gene expression in pupae and potentially identify new targets for mosquito control at early life stages.
Review
Microbiology
Molly McVicar, Isabella Rivera, Jeremiah B. Reyes, Monika Gulia-Nuss
Summary: Lyme disease, transmitted by the western black-legged tick (Ixodes pacificus), is the most important vector-borne disease in the US. This tick species is well adapted to the coastal areas of California, Oregon, and Washington. It carries various pathogens, but our understanding of its ecology and transmission of these pathogens is still limited.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Arvind Sharma, Michael N. Pham, Jeremiah B. Reyes, Randeep Chana, Won C. Yim, Chan C. Heu, Donghun Kim, Duverney Chaverra-Rodriguez, Jason L. Rasgon, Robert A. Harrell, Andrew B. Nuss, Monika Gulia-Nuss
Summary: Ticks have the ability to transmit various debilitating pathogens, but research on ticks has been lacking compared to other arthropod vectors due to challenges in applying genetic and molecular tools. This study reports a successful embryo injection protocol for the black-legged tick and demonstrates the use of CRISPR-Cas9 for genome editing. The results provide innovative tools for tick research.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Arvind Sharma, Michael Pham, Robert A. Harrell, Andrew B. Nuss, Monika Gulia-Nuss
Summary: Ticks, as vectors of medical and veterinary importance, can transmit various pathogens, but research on them has lagged behind insect vectors. This study successfully overcame the challenges and developed an embryo injection technique for the black-legged tick, which allows for stable germline transformations.
JOVE-JOURNAL OF VISUALIZED EXPERIMENTS
(2022)