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Journal of Economic Entomology May 2019Western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte) presents significant pest management challenges for farmers in both North America and Europe. IPD072Aa, a...
Characterization of the Spectrum of Insecticidal Activity for IPD072Aa: A Protein Derived from Pseudomonas chlororaphis with Activity Against Diabrotica virgifera virgifera (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae).
Western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte) presents significant pest management challenges for farmers in both North America and Europe. IPD072Aa, a protein derived from Pseudomonas chlororaphis, has previously been shown to have activity against western corn rootworm. In the current study, the spectrum of activity of IPD072Aa was evaluated in controlled laboratory diet bioassays. IPD072Aa was fed at high concentrations in subchronic or chronic bioassays to 11 different insect species, representing 4 families within Coleoptera, and an additional 4 species representing four families of Lepidoptera. No adverse effects were noted in the Lepidoptera species. Within the order Coleoptera, western corn rootworm was the most sensitive species tested. A range of responses was observed within each of the four families of Coleoptera evaluated that included either no-observed effects or reduced growth, developmental delays, and/or reduced survival. These data will help inform the environmental risk assessment of genetically modified plants that express the IPD072Aa protein for western corn rootworm control.
Topics: Animals; Coleoptera; Endotoxins; Europe; Larva; North America; Plants, Genetically Modified; Zea mays
PubMed: 30817816
DOI: 10.1093/jee/toz029 -
Zootaxa Nov 2023We describe the second- and third instar larvae of the diving beetle Rhantaticus congestus (Klug, 1833), including detailed morphometric and chaetotaxic analyses of the...
We describe the second- and third instar larvae of the diving beetle Rhantaticus congestus (Klug, 1833), including detailed morphometric and chaetotaxic analyses of the cephalic capsule, head appendages, legs, terminal abdominal segment and urogomphi in order to discover useful characters for distinguishing Rhantaticus Sharp, 1882 larvae from those of other known Aciliini (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae: Dytiscinae). A parsimony analysis based on 94 larval characteristics of nine Aciliini species in five genera (Acilius Leach, 1817, Graphoderus Dejean, 1833, Rhantaticus, Sandracottus Sharp, 1882, Thermonectus Dejean, 1833) was conducted using the program TNT. Rhantaticus shares with all these genera several larval character states which support its inclusion in the Aciliini. Whereas Rhantaticus larva stands out from other known genera by several unique character states, our parsimony analysis did not recover any clear phylogenetic position of this genus within the Aciliini.
Topics: Animals; Coleoptera; Larva; Phylogeny
PubMed: 38221313
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5380.3.3 -
International Journal of Biological... Jan 2023The genus Monochamus within the subfamily Lamiinae is the main vector of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, which causes pine wilt disease and induces substantial economic and...
The genus Monochamus within the subfamily Lamiinae is the main vector of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, which causes pine wilt disease and induces substantial economic and ecological losses. Only three complete mitochondrial genomes of the genus Monochamus have been sequenced to date, and no comparative mitochondrial genomic studies of Lamiinae have been conducted. Here, the mitochondrial genomes of two Monochamus species, M. saltuarius and M. urussovi, were newly sequenced and annotated. The composition and order of genes in the mitochondrial genomes of Monochamus species are conserved. All transfer RNAs exhibit the typical clover-leaf secondary structure, with the exception of trnS1. Similar to other longhorn beetles, Lamiinae mitochondrial genomes have an A + T bias. All 13 protein-coding genes have experienced purifying selection, and tandem repeat sequences are abundant in the A + T-rich region. Phylogenetic analyses revealed congruent topologies among trees inferred from the five datasets, with the monophyly of Acanthocinini, Agapanthiini, Batocerini, Dorcaschematini, Pteropliini, and Saperdini receiving high support. The findings of this study enhance our understanding of mitochondrial genome evolution and will provide a basis for future studies of population genetics and phylogenetic investigations in this group.
Topics: Animals; Coleoptera; Phylogeny; Mitochondria; RNA, Transfer; Genomics
PubMed: 36403761
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.11.125 -
Nature Communications Apr 2015Knowledge on neuropeptide receptor systems is integral to understanding animal physiology. Yet, obtaining general insight into neuropeptide signalling in a clade as...
Knowledge on neuropeptide receptor systems is integral to understanding animal physiology. Yet, obtaining general insight into neuropeptide signalling in a clade as biodiverse as the insects is problematic. Here we apply fluorescent analogues of three key insect neuropeptides to map renal tissue architecture across systematically chosen representatives of the major insect Orders, to provide an unprecedented overview of insect renal function and control. In endopterygote insects, such as Drosophila, two distinct transporting cell types receive separate neuropeptide signals, whereas in the ancestral exopterygotes, a single, general cell type mediates all signals. Intriguingly, the largest insect Order Coleoptera (beetles) has evolved a unique approach, in which only a small fraction of cells are targets for neuropeptide action. In addition to demonstrating a universal utility of this technology, our results reveal not only a generality of signalling by the evolutionarily ancient neuropeptide families but also a clear functional separation of the types of cells that mediate the signal.
Topics: Animals; Coleoptera; Fluorescent Dyes; Gene Expression Regulation; Insect Proteins; Insecta; Kidney; Kinins; Malpighian Tubules; Phylogeny; Sensitivity and Specificity; Species Specificity
PubMed: 25896425
DOI: 10.1038/ncomms7800 -
PloS One 2023Bark beetle infestations have historically been primary drivers of stand thinning in Mexican pine forests. However, bark beetle impacts have become increasingly...
Abundance of Dendroctonus frontalis and D. mexicanus (Coleoptera: Scolytinae) along altitudinal transects in Mexico: Implications of climatic change for forest conservation.
Bark beetle infestations have historically been primary drivers of stand thinning in Mexican pine forests. However, bark beetle impacts have become increasingly extensive and intense, apparently associated with climate change. Our objective was to describe the possible association between abundance of bark beetle flying populations and the occurrence of given value intervals of temperature, precipitation and their balance, in order to have a better comprehension of the climatic space that might trigger larger insect abundances, an issue relevant in the context of the ongoing climatic change. Here, we monitored the abundance of two of the most important bark beetle species in Mexico, Dendroctonus frontalis and D. mexicanus. We sampled 147 sites using pheromone-baited funnel traps along 24 altitudinal transects in 11 Mexican states, from northwestern Chihuahua to southeastern Chiapas, from 2015 to 2017. Through mixed model analysis, we found that the optimum Mean Annual Temperatures were 17°C-20°C for D. frontalis in low-elevation pine-oak forest, while D. mexicanus had two optimal intervals: 11-13°C and 15-18°C. Higher atmospheric Vapor Pressure Deficit (≥ 1.0) was correlated with higher D. frontalis abundances, indicating that warming-amplified drought stress intensifies trees' vulnerability to beetle attack. As temperatures and drought stress increase further with projected future climatic changes, it is likely that these Dendroctonus species will increase tree damage at higher elevations. Pine forests in Mexico are an important source of livelihood for communities inhabiting those areas, so providing tools to tackle obstacles to forest growth and health posed by changing climate is imperative.
Topics: Animals; Coleoptera; Mexico; Conservation of Natural Resources; Weevils; Forests; Pinus; Trees
PubMed: 37405993
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0288067 -
Comparative Biochemistry and... Mar 2019The Malpighian tubules in insects play an essential role in osmoregulation, through the transport of ions during excretion, whereas the fat body is usually associated... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
The Malpighian tubules in insects play an essential role in osmoregulation, through the transport of ions during excretion, whereas the fat body is usually associated with the intermediary metabolism. The tubules also are involved in excretion of organic solutes and xenobiotics. However, with the exception of a preliminary transcriptional survey of the Zophobas morio (Tenebrionidae) larval tubules, there are no detailed transcriptional analysis of this organ in Coleoptera. A luciferase-like enzyme that displays weak luminescence activity in the presence of firefly D-luciferin and ATP was cloned from the tubules of Z. morio larvae. In order to better understand the molecular physiology of Malpighian tubules and fat body in Coleoptera larvae, and to investigate the occurrence and functions of AMP-CoA ligases in these tissues, we performed a comparative transcriptional analysis of these tissues using Z. morio giant-mealworms. As expected, the tubules displayed organic and inorganic transporters, xenobiotic metabolism enzymes, V-ATPases, channels, and pumps. The fat body showed proteins that are synthesized in this tissue and secreted to the hemolymph, as well as enzymes involved in lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. These tissues are also involved in common pathways, such as nitrogen metabolism to degradation/excretion, eye pigments biosynthesis, immunity, and detoxification. The presence of coumarate-CoA ligase-like enzymes in these tissues suggest their involvement in the degradation of coumaric acid derivatives obtained from the diet, or alternatively, in the biosynthesis of compounds structurally related to coumaric acids such as eye pigments. Our results confirm to the physiological versatility of tubules and fat body in larval Coleoptera.
Topics: Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Coleoptera; Fat Body; Gene Expression Profiling; Genes, Insect; Insect Proteins; Larva; Malpighian Tubules; RNA, Messenger; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; Transcription, Genetic
PubMed: 30463043
DOI: 10.1016/j.cbd.2018.11.007 -
Zootaxa Nov 2021The monotypic genus Pagelmis Spangler, 1981 was described from six thousand specimens of Pagelmis amazonica Spangler, 1981 collected with blacklight traps in Ecuador....
The monotypic genus Pagelmis Spangler, 1981 was described from six thousand specimens of Pagelmis amazonica Spangler, 1981 collected with blacklight traps in Ecuador. For many years the known distribution of this genus was restricted to its type-locality, and recently it was recorded in Venezuela, Suriname and Brazil (Roraima State). Now, 40 years after the description of the genus, we describe the second Pagelmis species, based on male and female collected in the Amazon forest (Amazonas State, Brazil). With the description of the second species in the genus we provide an emended diagnosis of Pagelmis. Since adults of this genus were previously collected only in light traps, no habitat information was known. We collected adults of the new species in the first- and second-order streams with black, acidic water and sandy streambeds. The main substrates available in these streams were leaves and roots of riparian vegetation.
Topics: Animals; Brazil; Coleoptera; Female; Male
PubMed: 34810621
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5061.2.9 -
Mitochondrial DNA. Part A, DNA Mapping,... Jul 2016The complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of Prosopocoilus gracilis (Coleoptera: Lucanidae) that is endemic to Southern China is determined. The circular genome is...
The complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of Prosopocoilus gracilis (Coleoptera: Lucanidae) that is endemic to Southern China is determined. The circular genome is 736 bp in length and comprises 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA, 2 rRNA genes and a control region. Gene order is identical to that of the putative ancestral arrangement of insects. The nucleotide composition of heavy strand is A (36.6%), C (22.6%), T (29.5%) and G (11.3%). All protein-coding genes start with a typical ATN codon except for the gene COI that uses AAC as the start codon. tRNA-Ser (AGN) uses the anticodon UCU instead of the commonly used GCU. Both maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses support the monophyly of Lucanidae and the sister relationship of Nigidionus and the remaining sampled genera. Two species of Prosopocoilus were not recovered as a monophyletic group.
Topics: Animals; Bayes Theorem; China; Codon, Initiator; Coleoptera; Genome, Insect; Genome, Mitochondrial; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; Phylogeny; RNA, Ribosomal; RNA, Transfer; Sequence Analysis, DNA
PubMed: 26024142
DOI: 10.3109/19401736.2015.1041129 -
International Journal of Legal Medicine Nov 2018Several necrophagous Coleoptera species are frequently collected on cadavers, may occasionally act as intermediate or paratenic hosts of parasites, as vectors of...
Several necrophagous Coleoptera species are frequently collected on cadavers, may occasionally act as intermediate or paratenic hosts of parasites, as vectors of pathogens or as allergens, and can also represent major pests of preserved animal products. However, despite their medical, veterinary and economic importance, there is a lack of reliable species identification tools for the larval stages (usually the only entomological evidence associated with medicolegal investigations), thus severely limiting their potential application as forensic indicators. Here, we provide an identification key to the larvae of the necrophagous Coleoptera species which have been recorded on carrion in the western Palaearctic region, based on easily observable morphological characters. In total, we provide diagnostic characters for the reliable identification of 23 necrophagous Coleoptera species within four different families (Cleridae, Dermestidae, Nitidulidae and Silphidae). In addition to the aforementioned families, we provide diagnostic characters for the identification of the larvae of families Histeridae, Staphylinidae and Trogidae, which can also be collected on cadavers. It is expected that the present key will facilitate the identification of larval material of necrophagous Coleoptera collected either in carrion succession studies or during medicolegal investigations, in order to further advance in the potential use of this insects as forensic tools.
Topics: Animals; Coleoptera; Entomology; Feeding Behavior; Forensic Sciences; Larva; Postmortem Changes
PubMed: 30076465
DOI: 10.1007/s00414-018-1909-2 -
Scientific Reports Jul 2016Various types of weapon traits found in insect order Coleoptera are known as outstanding examples of sexually selected exaggerated characters. It is known that the sex...
Molecular cloning and functional characterization of the sex-determination gene doublesex in the sexually dimorphic broad-horned beetle Gnatocerus cornutus (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae).
Various types of weapon traits found in insect order Coleoptera are known as outstanding examples of sexually selected exaggerated characters. It is known that the sex determination gene doublesex (dsx) plays a significant role in sex-specific expression of weapon traits in various beetles belonging to the superfamily Scarabaeoidea. Although sex-specific weapon traits have evolved independently in various Coleopteran groups, developmental mechanisms of sex-specific expression have not been studied outside of the Scarabaeoidea. In order to test the hypothesis that dsx-dependent sex-specific expression of weapon traits is a general mechanism among the Coleoptera, we have characterized the dsx in the sexually dimorphic broad-horned beetle Gnatocerus cornutus (Tenebrionidea, Tenebirionidae). By using molecular cloning, we identified five splicing variants of Gnatocerus cornutus dsx (Gcdsx), which are predicted to code four different isoforms. We found one male-specific variant (GcDsx-M), two female-specific variants (GcDsx-FL and GcDsx-FS) and two non-sex-specific variants (correspond to a single isoform, GcDsx-C). Knockdown of all Dsx isoforms resulted in intersex phenotype both in male and female. Also, knockdown of all female-specific isoforms transformed females to intersex phenotype, while did not affect male phenotype. Our results clearly illustrate the important function of Gcdsx in determining sex-specific trait expression in both sexes.
Topics: Animals; Animals, Genetically Modified; Cells, Cultured; Cloning, Molecular; Coleoptera; DNA-Binding Proteins; Drosophila Proteins; Evolution, Molecular; Female; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; Insect Proteins; Larva; Male; Protein Isoforms; Sex Characteristics; Sex Differentiation
PubMed: 27404087
DOI: 10.1038/srep29337