Article
Entomology
Nan Xu, Sheng-Fei Wei, Hai-Jun Xu
Summary: The brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens can develop into short-winged or long-winged adults based on environmental conditions, with the transcription factor NlFoxO playing a key role in directing wing morph development. RNA sequencing analysis revealed that NlFoxO regulates wing bud development by mainly controlling the expression of cell proliferation-associated genes.
Article
Biology
Erik Gudmunds, Shrinath Narayanan, Elise Lachivier, Marion Duchemin, Abderrahman Khila, Arild Husby
Summary: Insect wing polyphenism is an adaptive strategy that responds to changing environments. Research on the water strider Gerris buenoi reveals that wing length polyphenism is primarily controlled by photoperiod and nymphal density, rather than nutrient availability. The study also suggests that genetic pathways responsible for wing polyphenism can vary among different species.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Omid Saleh Ziabari, Binshuang Li, Nate B. Hardy, Jennifer A. Brisson
Summary: The study focuses on male wing polymorphisms in aphids, and findings show that these polymorphisms are transient and have evolved repeatedly across species. The existence of asexual female wing plasticity in aphids may facilitate the repeated evolution of transient polymorphisms. Furthermore, male wingedness is positively correlated with host plant alternation and host plant breadth, suggesting that winged morphs and wing polymorphisms may contribute to higher speciation rates.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ying Wu, Yilong Guo, Xiaoxue Fan, Haodong Zhao, Yiqiong Zhang, Sijia Guo, Xin Jing, Zhitan Liu, Peilin Feng, Xiaoyu Liu, Peiyuan Zou, Qiming Li, Zhihao Na, Kuihao Zhang, Dafu Chen, Rui Guo
Summary: The study reveals that ame-miR-34 plays a role in regulating body weight and immune response in honeybee larvae and is involved in the response to Ascosphaera apis infection. It exerts its function by positively regulating the expression of hsp and abct in the host's immune response.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jin-Li Zhang, Sun-Jie Chen, Xin-Yang Liu, Armin P. Moczek, Hai-Jun Xu
Summary: This study identified a transcription factor Zfh1 as an upstream regulator in the development of long and short wing morphs in planthoppers. The balance between the Zfh1-FoxO and insulin signaling cascades plays a crucial role in determining the wing morphological diversity. The findings provide insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying wing polyphenism and the evolution of wing morphological diversity in insects.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Wen-Hua Xue, Nan Xu, Sun-Jie Chen, Xin-Yang Liu, Jin-Li Zhang, Hai-Jun Xu
Summary: In insects, the second insulin receptor (InR2) has distinct functions from the InR homologue (NlInR1) in terms of fuel metabolism, lifespan, and starvation tolerance, while resembling NlInR1 in nymph development and reproduction. Proper expression of NlInR2 is crucial for maintaining symmetric vein patterning in wings.
Article
Entomology
Xiangrui Li, Xinan Li, Weiwei Yan, Brad Coates, Xuguo Zhou, Chao Wang, Gao Haifeng, Yunhui Zhang, Xun Zhu
Summary: This research evaluates reference genes for wing development in the English grain aphid and recommends suitable genes for different conditions. It is important for studying wing polyphenism in aphids and for future experiments using RT-qPCR to control aphids with novel tactics.
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Dequn Teng, Wei Zhang
Summary: Butterfly wings, with their rich phenotypic diversity and complex biological functions, serve as a crucial system for studying the genetic basis and evolution of phenotypic diversification. Recent studies have revealed the complex functions and genetic and environmental factors involved in determining wing patterns. These factors lead to inter-specific divergence, genetic polymorphism, and phenotypic plasticity, often controlled by key genes. Gene co-option has also been identified as an important mechanism for functional complexity and evolutionary novelty. However, further research is needed for a systematic and comprehensive understanding.
CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE
(2024)
Article
Entomology
Lulu Liu, Pan Zhang, Qiang Gao, Xiaoge Feng, Lan Han, Fengbin Zhang, Yanmin Bai, Minjin Han, Hai Hu, Fangyin Dai, Gaojun Zhang, Xiaoling Tong
Summary: This study compared the differentially expressed miRNAs in bivoltine silkworm embryos incubated at diapause- and non-diapause-inducing temperatures, revealing that miRNAs respond to temperature changes and play a crucial role in regulating circadian genes during diapause induction. Through transcriptome sequencing and KEGG analysis, the study identified known and novel miRNAs, highlighting their involvement in metabolism, phototransduction, and hormone biosynthesis. The results suggest that microRNAs are important regulators in the diapause induction process across species.
Article
Entomology
Jing-Xiang Chen, Wan-Xue Li, Qin Su, Jun Lyu, Yi-Bing Zhang, Wen-Qing Zhang
Summary: Research has found that the brown planthopper (BPH) can alter its wing morphs in response to biotic and abiotic stress. Through gene co-expression network analysis, a key enzyme related to wing differentiation was identified and different signaling pathways were found to be induced by the two types of stress. These findings provide a comprehensive molecular mechanism for wing polymorphism in BPH induced by biotic and abiotic stress.
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
Xiang Li, Mu-Hua Zhao, Miao-Miao Tian, Jing Zhao, Wan-Lun Cai, Hong-Xia Hua
Summary: Wing polymorphism is crucial for the ecological success of some insect species. The Hox gene Ultrabithorax (Ubx) is expressed in the forewings of the brown planthopper (BPH)Nilaparvata lugens, and interactions between mir-9a and NlUbx regulate the development of short-winged and long-winged morphs. By manipulating the nutritional status of host rice plants, a regulatory cascade involving insulin receptor genes, mir-9a, and NlUbx was characterized to control wing length in BPHs.
Article
Entomology
Linhong Li, Bin Zhu, Xi Sun, Kaiwen Zheng, Pei Liang, Xiwu Gao
Summary: This study characterized the toxicological properties of miR-34-5p, a lepidopteran microRNA, and found that it has insecticidal effects on multiple lepidopteran pests. These results suggest that miRNAs can serve as novel molecular targets for controlling lepidopteran pests.
JOURNAL OF PEST SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Matjaz Rokavec, Zekai Huang, Heiko Hermeking
Summary: This study conducted a comprehensive integrative meta-analysis of multiple computational and experimental miR-34 related datasets, and developed tools to identify and characterize novel miR-34 targets. The meta-analysis results were integrated into a user-friendly website, METAmiR34TARGET, which allows for the prediction of relevant miR-34 targets using expression data obtained from cell lines and tumors/tissues. The website also includes information on more than 200 experimentally validated miR-34 target mRNAs. This research is important for further understanding the role of the p53/miR-34 connection in tumor suppression and for identifying potential cancer drug targets.
COMPUTATIONAL AND STRUCTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Chao Zhang, Meng-Sha Mao, Xiang-Dong Liu
Summary: This study investigated the wing dimorphism of the brown planthopper and found that the wing morphs were primarily determined by genetics and not influenced by environmental factors. Additionally, the expression patterns of wing development-regulated genes differed between the different wing morphs.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hongxing Xu, Xianxin Zhao, Yajun Yang, Xi Chen, Yang Mei, Kang He, Le Xu, Xinhai Ye, Ying Liu, Fei Li, Zhongxian Lu
Summary: The study generated a high-quality chromosome-level genome assembly of the rice leaffolder C. exigua using a hybrid strategy with different sequencing technologies. The assembly included Z and W sex chromosomes, annotated a large number of protein-coding genes, and demonstrated distinct genomic features associated with gene family expansion and contraction compared to another rice leaffolder species.
MOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yueliang Bai, Zhenmin Shi, Wenwu Zhou, Guiyao Wang, Xiaoxiao Shi, Kang He, Fei Li, Zeng-Rong Zhu
Summary: The genome of the mirid species Cyrtorhinus lividipennis Reuter was sequenced and assembled, providing insights into its role as a natural enemy in the rice ecosystem. Chromosome characteristics, genome size, phylogenetic relationships with other Hemipteran species, and gene families related to detoxification and adaptation were analyzed, contributing to future rice pest management and food production.
MOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yang Mei, Dong Jing, Shenyang Tang, Xi Chen, Hao Chen, Haonan Duanmu, Yuyang Cong, Mengyao Chen, Xinhai Ye, Hang Zhou, Kang He, Fei Li
Summary: Insects, the largest group of animals on Earth, have a significant impact on human life. InsectBase 2.0 is an updated database containing a vast amount of insect genome and gene data, serving as a valuable platform for entomologists and researchers in related communities.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Ma Wei-hua, Wu Tong, Zhang Zan, Li Hang, Situ Gong-ming, Yin Chuan-lin, Ye Xin-hai, Chen Meng-yao, Zhao Xian-xin, He Kang, Li Fei
Summary: A recent study investigated the off-target effects of RNAi-mediated pest control using insecticidal siRNAs in both target and non-target insects. The results showed that these siRNAs caused unintended changes in gene expression in both types of insects, but did not significantly affect the overall transcriptome profiles. The study proposed a metric based on Shannon entropy to estimate the off-target effects, which could be useful for assessing the safety of RNAi in pest control.
JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE AGRICULTURE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yue Yang, Xingyu Ma, Long Zhang, Wenli Zhao, Xiaoguang Liu, Xiang Li, Mengfang Du, Shiheng An
Summary: This study investigated the mechanism of octopamine (OA) in inhibiting sex pheromone biosynthesis in Helicoverpa armigera. The results showed that OA suppressed the release of sex pheromones in older female moths, leading to a decrease in sex pheromone production, female attractiveness, and acceptance. Oct beta R was identified as the key receptor of OA in regulating sex pheromone biosynthesis. Moreover, the OA/Oct beta R signal suppressed intracellular Ca2+ levels and inhibited the enzyme activities involved in sex pheromone biosynthesis.
INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2022)
Letter
Entomology
Longfei Chen, Kun Lang, Bo Zhang, Jiamin Shi, Xinhai Ye, David W. Stanley, Qi Fang, Gongyin Ye
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yuyang Cong, Xinhai Ye, Yang Mei, Kang He, Fei Li
Summary: This study examines the genome size (GS) variation in insects and reveals that GS generally follows an Ornstein-Uhlenbeck adaptive evolutionary model. Ancestral reconstruction suggests that most insect clades have experienced massive genome expansions or contractions. The proliferation of transposable elements contributes to the high variation in GS between closely related insect species.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Xinhai Ye, Yi Yang, Can Zhao, Shan Xiao, Yu H. Sun, Chun He, Shijiao Xiong, Xianxin Zhao, Bo Zhang, Haiwei Lin, Jiamin Shi, Yang Mei, Hongxing Xu, Qi Fang, Fei Wu, Dunsong Li, Gongyin Ye
Summary: Parasitoid wasps are a useful model for studying evolutionary biology, particularly in regards to genomic stability and venom evolution. The authors analyzed the genomes of two Anastatus wasps and discovered several genomic innovations, including expansion of the Piwi gene family and coevolution of transposable elements and piRNAs. They also found that the co-option evolution of the venom gland plays a dominant role in venom turnover. The study highlights the potential importance of non-venom genes that are coexpressed with venom genes during venom evolution.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Chengxian Sun, Shunjia Li, Kai Wang, Hongqiang Feng, Caihong Tian, Xiaoguang Liu, Xiang Li, Xinming Yin, Yanmei Wang, Jizhen Wei, Shiheng An
Summary: This study demonstrates that Cyclosporin A (CsA) has high insecticidal activity against the fall armyworm (FAW) through suppression of calcineurin (CaN) activity. Combinations of CsA with other insecticides showed independent or synergistic toxicity against FAW, while certain combinations had no toxicity. CsA treatment also led to delayed development and reduced reproductive capacity in FAW.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Kaili Yu, Jin Chen, Xue Bai, Shijiao Xiong, Xinhai Ye, Yi Yang, Hongwei Yao, Fang Wang, Qi Fang, Qisheng Song, Gongyin Ye
Summary: Habrobracon hebetor is an important parasitoid wasp in biocontrol of lepidopteran pests. We developed a novel venom collection method and identified 204 potential venom proteins through proteomic and transcriptomic analysis. This comprehensive approach provides a more accurate identification of true venom proteins in parasitoid wasps.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shan Xiao, Xinhai Ye, Shuping Wang, Yi Yang, Qi Fang, Fang Wang, Gongyin Ye
Summary: In this study, the genome of T. elegans was assembled using multiple sequencing methods, and important genes and proteins were identified. This genome assembly is of great significance for future research on the evolution, molecular biology, and applications of T. elegans.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Chun He, Xinhai Ye, Yi Yang, Liya Hu, Yuxuan Si, Xianxin Zhao, Longfei Chen, Qi Fang, Ying Wei, Fei Wu, Gongyin Ye
Summary: Allergies have become a global public health issue, and prevention through allergen identification and avoidance is crucial. Current computational methods for allergen identification have limitations in detecting low homology allergens, and deep learning-based methods are rare. This study proposes DeepAlgPro, a deep neural network-based model, which demonstrates high accuracy and applicability for large-scale forecasts compared to other available tools. Ablation experiments highlight the importance of the convolutional module, and epitope features contribute to model decision-making, improving interpretability. DeepAlgPro is capable of detecting potential new allergens, making it a powerful software for allergen identification.
BRIEFINGS IN BIOINFORMATICS
(2023)