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The Journal of Biological Chemistry Jun 2017Juvenile hormone (JH) controls many biological activities in insects, including development, metamorphosis, and reproduction. In the mosquito, a vector of dengue,...
Juvenile hormone (JH) controls many biological activities in insects, including development, metamorphosis, and reproduction. In the mosquito, a vector of dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya, and zika viruses, the metabolic tissue (the fat body, which is an analogue of the vertebrate liver) produces yolk proteins for developing oocytes. JH is important for the fat body to acquire competence for yolk protein production. However, the molecular mechanisms of how JH promotes mosquito reproduction are not completely understood. In this study we show that stimulation of the JH receptor methoprene-tolerant (Met) activates expression of genes encoding the regulator of ribosome synthesis 1 (RRS1) and six ribosomal proteins (two ribosomal large subunit proteins, two ribosomal small subunit proteins, and two mitochondrial ribosomal proteins). Moreover, RNAi-mediated depletion of decreased biosynthesis of the ribosomal protein L32 (RpL32). Depletion of , , or led to retardation of ovarian growth and reduced mosquito fecundity, which may at least in part have resulted from decreased vitellogenin protein production in the fat body. In summary, our results indicate that JH is critical for inducing the expression of ribosomal protein genes and demonstrate that RRS1 mediates the JH signal to enhance both ribosomal biogenesis and vitellogenesis.
Topics: Aedes; Animals; Fat Body; Female; Gene Expression Profiling; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; Insect Proteins; Insecticide Resistance; Juvenile Hormones; Mitochondrial Proteins; Organ Culture Techniques; Organelle Biogenesis; Ovary; Polyribosomes; RNA Interference; Ribosomal Proteins; Ribosomes; Signal Transduction; Vitellogenesis; Vitellogenins
PubMed: 28446607
DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M116.761387 -
Frontiers in Endocrinology 2023Bursicon, a neuropeptide hormone comprising two subunits-bursicon (burs) and partner of burs (pburs), belongs to the cystine-knot protein family. Bursicon heterodimers...
Bursicon, a neuropeptide hormone comprising two subunits-bursicon (burs) and partner of burs (pburs), belongs to the cystine-knot protein family. Bursicon heterodimers and homodimers bind to the lucine-rich G-protein coupled receptor (LGR) encoded by s to regulate multiple physiological processes in arthropods. Notably, these processes encompass the regulation of female reproduction, a recent revelation in . In this study we investigated the role of burs/pburs/rickets in mediating female vitellogenesis and reproduction in a hemipteran insect, the whitefly, . Our investigation unveiled a synchronized expression of and , with their transcripts persisting detectable in the days following eclosion. RNAi-mediated knockdown of , or significantly suppressed the transcript levels of () and in the female whiteflies. These effects also impaired ovarian maturation and female fecundity, as evidenced by a reduction in the number of eggs laid per female, a decrease in egg size and a decline in egg hatching rate. Furthermore, knockdown of , or led to diminished juvenile hormone (JH) titers and reduced transcript level of . However, this impact did not extend to genes in the insulin pathway or target of rapamycin pathway, deviating from the results observed in . Taken together, we conclude that burs/pburs/rickets regulates the vitellogenesis and reproduction in the whiteflies by coordinating with the JH signaling pathway.
Topics: Animals; Female; Hemiptera; Invertebrate Hormones; Juvenile Hormones; Vitellogenesis; Neuropeptides; Rickets
PubMed: 37854192
DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1277439 -
Arthropod Structure & Development Jul 2014Astigmatans are a large group of mites living in nearly every environment and exhibiting very diverse reproductive strategies. In spite of an uniform anatomical... (Review)
Review
Astigmatans are a large group of mites living in nearly every environment and exhibiting very diverse reproductive strategies. In spite of an uniform anatomical organization of their reproductive systems, gametogenesis in each sex is highly variable, leading to gamete formation showing many peculiar features and emphasizing the distinct position of Astigmata. This review summarizes the contemporary knowledge on the structure of ovaries and testes in astigmatic mites, the peculiarities of oogenesis and spermatogenesis, as well as provides new data on several species not studied previously. New questions are discussed and approaches for future studies are proposed.
Topics: Acari; Animals; Female; Male; Oogenesis; Ovary; Spermatogenesis; Testis
PubMed: 24791694
DOI: 10.1016/j.asd.2014.04.003 -
Frontiers in Genetics 2022Assisted propagation of the European eel will lead to a closed production cycle supplying the aquaculture industry with juvenile glass eels. Females require long-term...
Assisted propagation of the European eel will lead to a closed production cycle supplying the aquaculture industry with juvenile glass eels. Females require long-term weekly treatment with pituitary extract (PE), which is stressful and causes abnormalities in oogenesis. We tested the effects of 17α-methyltestosterone (17 MT), as potent androgen activating the androgen receptor, and 17β-estradiol (E2), as an inducer of vitellogenesis, to shorten the duration of PE treatment.Four groups of feminized eels were subjected to a simulated migration and subsequent injection with implants containing 17 MT (17 MT-group), E2 (E2-group) or 17 MT plus E2 (17 MT + E2-group) to test for synergistic effects, or without any steroids as controls (C-group). The effects of a 2-months treatment were investigated by determining the eye index (EI), hepatosomatic and gonadosomatic index (HSI and GSI, respectively), plasma steroid concentrations by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LCMS), gonadal histology, expression of androgen receptors a and b (, ); estrogen receptor 1 (); FSH receptor (); vitellogenin receptor () and aromatase (), and the required number of weekly PE injections to fully mature. For many parameters, both the 17 MT and E2 groups showed an increase vs. controls, with the 17 MT + E2 group showing a synergistic effect, as seen for EI, GSI (3.4 for 17 MT and for E2, 6.6 for 17 MT + E2), oocyte diameter and , and expression. Concentrations of almost all focal steroids decreased with simulated migration and steroid treatment. Only eels of the 17 MT-group showed increased expression of and of , while expression increased 44-fold in the 17 MT + E2 group, highlighting that co-implantation is most effective in raising mRNA levels. Specific for eels of the E2 groups were vitellogenesis-associated changes such as an increase of HSI, plasma E2, and presence of yolk in the oocytes. Steroid treatments reduced the duration of PE treatment, again synergistically for co-implantation. In conclusion, E2 is necessary to start vitellogenesis, but 17 MT has specific effects on and expression. The combination is necessary for synergistic effects and as such, steroid implants could be applied in assisted reproduction protocols for European eel to improve oocyte quality leading to the production of more vital larvae.
PubMed: 36061169
DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.969202 -
International Journal of Molecular... Oct 2022The fall armyworm is a highly polyphagous invasive pest. The strong reproductive capacity is an important factor in the rapid colonization and expansion of...
The fall armyworm is a highly polyphagous invasive pest. The strong reproductive capacity is an important factor in the rapid colonization and expansion of Vitellogenin (Vg) and vitellogenin receptor (VgR) play important roles in insect reproduction. As the precursor of vitellin (Vn), Vg provides essential nutrition for embryonic development, and VgR mediates the uptake of Vg by oocytes. In this context, we cloned and characterized these two genes of ( and ) and evaluated their expression profiles in different developmental stages and tissues. The RNA interference experiment was used to investigate their function in vitellogenesis. The ORF values of and were 5250 and 5445 bp, encoding 1749 and 1815 amino acid residues, respectively. The qRT-PCR results revealed that both and were highly expressed in female adults; was specifically expressed in the fat body, whereas was highly expressed in the ovary. In addition, the depletion of either or hindered oocyte maturation and ovarian development, leading to a significant decrease in fecundity. The present study reveals the importance of and in the vitellogenesis of , laying a theoretical foundation for the development of pollution-free pest control strategies with and as new targets.
Topics: Amino Acids; Animals; Female; Spodoptera; Vitellins; Vitellogenesis; Vitellogenins
PubMed: 36233286
DOI: 10.3390/ijms231911972 -
Insects Oct 2021Silkworm larval-pupal metamorphosis and the first half of pupal-adult development occur during oogenesis from previtellogenesis to vitellogenesis and include two peaks...
Silkworm larval-pupal metamorphosis and the first half of pupal-adult development occur during oogenesis from previtellogenesis to vitellogenesis and include two peaks of the hemolymph ecdysteroid titer. Moreover, a rise in 20-hydroxyecdysone titer in early pupae can trigger the first major transition from previtellogenesis to vitellogenesis in silkworm oogenesis. In this study, we first investigated the expression patterns of 66 maternal genes in the ovary at the wandering stage. We then examined the developmental expression profiles in six time-series samples of ovaries or ovarioles by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. We found that the transcripts of 22 maternal genes were regulated by 20-hydroxyecdysone in the isolated abdomens of the pupae following a single injection of 20-hydroxyecdysone. This study is the first to determine the relationship between 20-hydroxyecdysone and maternal genes during silkworm oogenesis. These findings provide a basis for further research into the embryonic development of .
PubMed: 34821770
DOI: 10.3390/insects12110969 -
Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) Jul 2023High-quality eggs are essential for the sustainability of commercial aquaculture production. Melatonin is a potent candidate for regulating the growth and maturation of...
High-quality eggs are essential for the sustainability of commercial aquaculture production. Melatonin is a potent candidate for regulating the growth and maturation of oocytes. Therefore, research on the effect of melatonin on marine fish oocytes in vitro has been conducted. The present study successfully established a culture system of turbot () oocytes in vitro and investigated the effect of melatonin on oocyte meiotic maturation, antioxidant capacity, and the expression of apoptosis-related genes. The cultures showed that turbot late-vitellogenic denuded oocytes, with diameters of 0.5-0.7 mm, had a low spontaneous maturation rate and exhibited a sensitive response to 17α, 20β-dihydroxyprogesterone (DHP) treatment in vitro. Melatonin increased by four times the rate of oocyte germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. The mRNA of melatonin receptor 1 () was significantly upregulated in the oocyte and follicle after treatment with melatonin (4.3 × 10 M) for 24 h in vitro, whereas melatonin receptor 2 ( and melatonin receptor 3 ( remained unchanged. In addition, melatonin significantly increased the activities of catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase, as well as the levels of glutathione, while decreasing the levels of malondialdehyde and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in turbot oocytes and follicles cultures in vitro. , , and mRNAs were significantly downregulated in oocytes and follicles, whereas mRNAs were significantly upregulated. In conclusion, the use of turbot late-vitellogenesis oocytes (0.5-0.7 mm) is suitable for establishing a culture system in vitro. Melatonin promotes oocyte meiotic maturation and antioxidative capacity and inhibits apoptosis via the p53-bax-bcl2 and caspase-dependent pathways, which have important potential to improve the maturation and quality of oocytes.
PubMed: 37507927
DOI: 10.3390/antiox12071389 -
PLoS Biology Nov 2019The onset of sexual maturity involves dramatic changes in physiology and gene expression in many animals. These include abundant yolk protein production in egg-laying...
The onset of sexual maturity involves dramatic changes in physiology and gene expression in many animals. These include abundant yolk protein production in egg-laying species, an energetically costly process under extensive transcriptional control. Here, we used the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans to provide evidence for the spatiotemporally defined interaction of two evolutionarily conserved transcription factors, CEH-60/PBX and UNC-62/MEIS, acting as a gateway to yolk protein production. Via proteomics, bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC), and biochemical and functional readouts, we show that this interaction occurs in the intestine of animals at the onset of sexual maturity and suffices to support the reproductive program. Our electron micrographs and functional assays provide evidence that intestinal PBX/MEIS cooperation drives another process that depends on lipid mobilization: the formation of an impermeable epicuticle. Without this lipid-rich protective layer, mutant animals are hypersensitive to exogenous oxidative stress and are poor partners for mating. Dedicated communication between the hypodermis and intestine in C. elegans likely supports these physiological outcomes, and we propose a fundamental role for the conserved PBX/MEIS interaction in multicellular signaling networks that rely on lipid homeostasis.
Topics: Animals; Caenorhabditis elegans; Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; Collagen; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; Homeodomain Proteins; Intestinal Mucosa; Intestines; Lipid Metabolism; Oxidative Stress; Permeability; Transcription Factors; Transcription Factors, General; Vitellogenesis
PubMed: 31675356
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000499 -
Frontiers in Genetics 2022Ovarian development is a key physiological process that holds great significance in the reproduction of the Chinese mitten crab (), which is an economically important...
Ovarian development is a key physiological process that holds great significance in the reproduction of the Chinese mitten crab (), which is an economically important crab species for aquaculture. However, there is limited knowledge for the regulatory mechanisms of ovarian development. To study the molecular mechanisms of its ovarian development, transcriptome analysis was performed in the ovary and hepatopancreas of during ovarian stages I (oogonium proliferation), II (endogenous vitellogenesis), and III (exogenous vitellogenesis). The results showed that 5,520 and 226 genes were differentially expressed in the ovary and hepatopancreas, respectively. For KEGG enrichment analysis, the differentially expressed genes in the ovary were significantly clustered in phototransduction-fly, phagosome, and ECM-receptor interaction. Significantly enriched pathways in the hepatopancreas included fatty acid biosynthesis, fatty acid metabolism, and riboflavin metabolism. Further analysis showed that 25 genes and several pathways were mainly involved in oogenesis, including the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, cyclic AMP-protein kinase A signaling pathway, and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway. Twenty-five candidate genes involved in vitellogenesis and endocrine regulation were identified, such as vitellogenin, vitellogenin receptor, estrogen sulfotransferase, ecdysone receptor, prostaglandin reductase 1, hematopoietic prostaglandin D synthase and juvenile hormone acid O-methyltransferase. Fifty-six genes related to nutritional metabolism were identified, such as fatty acid synthase, long-chain-fatty-acid-CoA ligase 4, 1-acyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase 4, fatty acid-binding protein, and glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase 1. These results highlight the genes involved in ovarian development and nutrition deposition, which enhance our understanding of the regulatory pathways and physiological processes of crustacean ovarian development.
PubMed: 35685440
DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.910682 -
PloS One 2018Sponges are a dominant element of the Antarctic benthic communities, posing both high species richness and large population densities. Despite their importance in...
Sponges are a dominant element of the Antarctic benthic communities, posing both high species richness and large population densities. Despite their importance in Antarctic ecosystems, very little is known about their reproductive patterns and strategies. In our study, we surveyed the tissue of six different species for reproductive elements, namely, Dendrilla antarctica Topsent, 1905 (order Dendroceratida), Phorbas areolatus (Thiele, 1905), Kirkpatrickia variolosa (Kirkpatrick, 1907), and Isodictya kerguelenensis (Ridley & Dendy, 1886) (order Poecilosclerida), and Hemigellius pilosus (Kirkpatrick, 1907) and Haliclona penicillata (Topsent, 1908) (Haplosclerida). Samples of these six species containing various reproductive elements were collected in Deception Island and were processed for both light and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Even though we were not able to monitor the entire reproductive cycle, due to time and meteorological conditions, we report important aspects of the reproduction of these species. This includes oocyte and embryo morphology and cell ultrastructure, follicular structures and nurse cell activity, as well as vitellogenesis. All species were brooding their embryos within their mesohyl. Both oocytes and embryos were registered in the majority of the studied species, and a single sperm cell being carried to an egg for fertilization was observed in H. penicillata. While the reproductive periods of all species coincided temporally, some of them seemed to rely on a single spawning event, this being suggested by the synchronic oogenesis and embryogenesis occurrence of D. antarctica, P. areolatus and I. kerguelenensis. In contrast, K. variolosa had an asynchronous embryo development, which suggests several larval release events. Our results suggest that differences in the reproductive strategies and morphological traits might succeed in the coexistence of these species at the same habitat avoiding the direct competition between them.
Topics: Animals; Antarctic Regions; Embryo, Nonmammalian; Oocytes; Porifera
PubMed: 29420669
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0192267