scholarly journals Potential Pathways and Genes Involved in Lac Synthesis and Secretion in Kerria chinensis (Hemiptera: Kerriidae) Based on Transcriptomic Analyses

Insects ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 430
Author(s):  
Weiwei Wang ◽  
Pengfei Liu ◽  
Qin Lu ◽  
Xiaofei Ling ◽  
Jinwen Zhang ◽  
...  

Lac is a type of natural resin secreted by lac insects and is widely used in the military and other industries because of its excellent adhesion and insulation properties. The main ingredients of lac are lactones and lactides, which are formed from hydroxy fatty acids and sesquiterpene esters. In this study, we measured lac secretion rates by the insect Kerria chinensis at different developmental stages and identified lac secretion-minimum and lac secretion-active stages of the insect. We then analyzed transcriptomes of lac secretion-minimum and lac secretion-active stages of the insect. Based on expression profiles of genes in different stages of the insect, we identified pathways and genes that are potentially involved in lac synthesis and secretion in K. chinensis. Our study lays a foundation for future studies to reveal the molecular mechanisms and pathways of lac synthesis and secretion in this beneficial insect.

Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 226
Author(s):  
Siying Fu ◽  
Yujie Duan ◽  
Siqi Wang ◽  
Yipeng Ren ◽  
Wenjun Bu

Riptortus pedestris (Hemiptera: Alydidae) is a major agricultural pest in East Asia that causes considerable economic losses to the soybean crop each year. However, the molecular mechanisms governing the growth and development of R. pedestris have not been fully elucidated. In this study, the Illumina HiSeq6000 platform was employed to perform de novo transcriptome assembly and determine the gene expression profiles of this species across all developmental stages, including eggs, first-, second-, third-, fourth-, and fifth-instar nymphs, and adults. In this study, a total of 60,058 unigenes were assembled from numerous raw reads, exhibiting an N50 length of 2126 bp and an average length of 1199 bp, and the unigenes were annotated and classified with various databases, such as the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), Clusters of Orthologous Groups (COG), and Gene Ontology (GO). Furthermore, various numbers of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were calculated through pairwise comparisons of all life stages, and some of these DEGs were associated with immunity, metabolism, and development by GO and KEGG enrichment. In addition, 35,158 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) and 715,604 potential single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified from the seven transcriptome libraries of R. pedestris. Finally, we identified and summarized ten wing formation-related signaling pathways, and the molecular properties and expression levels of five wing development-related genes were analyzed using quantitative real-time PCR for all developmental stages of R. pedestris. Taken together, the results of this study may establish a foundation for future research investigating developmental processes and wing formation in hemimetabolous insects and may provide valuable data for pest control efforts attempting to reduce the economic damage caused by this pest.


2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Ma ◽  
Rongyan Wang ◽  
Xiuhua Li ◽  
Bo Gao ◽  
Shulong Chen

Abstract The sweet potato weevil, Cylas formicarius (F.) (Coleoptera: Brentidae), is an important pest of sweet potato worldwide. However, there is limited knowledge on the molecular mechanisms underlying growth and differentiation of C. formicarius. The transcriptomes of the eggs, second instar larvae, third instar larvae (L3), pupae, females, and males of C. formicarius were sequenced using Illumina sequencing technology for obtaining global insights into developing transcriptome characteristics and elucidating the relative functional genes. A total of 54,255,544 high-quality reads were produced, trimmed, and de novo assembled into 115,281 contigs. 61,686 unigenes were obtained, with an average length of 1,009 nt. Among these unigenes, 17,348 were annotated into 59 Gene Ontology (GO) terms and 12,660 were assigned to 25 Cluster of Orthologous Groups classes, whereas 24,796 unigenes were mapped to 258 pathways. Differentially expressed unigenes between various developmental stages of C. formicarius were detected. Higher numbers of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were recorded in the eggs versus L3 and eggs versus male samples (2,141 and 2,058 unigenes, respectively) than the others. Genes preferentially expressed in each stage were also identified. GO and pathway-based enrichment analysis were used to further investigate the functions of the DEGs. In addition, the expression profiles of ten DEGs were validated by quantitative real-time PCR. The transcriptome profiles presented in this study and these DEGs detected by comparative analysis of different developed stages of C. formicarius will facilitate the understanding of the molecular mechanism of various living process and will contribute to further genome-wide research.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lei Shi ◽  
Yuan Shen ◽  
Yuhao Chi

Abstract Background Lonicera Japonica Thunb. is a perennial, semi-evergreen and twining vine in the family of Caprifoliaceae, which is widely cultivated in Asia. Thus far, L. japonica is often used to treat some human diseases including COVID-19, H1N1 influenza and hand-foot-and-mouth diseases, however, the regulatory mechanism of intrinsic physiological processes during different floral developmental stages of L. japonica remain largely unknown. Results The complete transcriptome of L. japonica was de novo-assembled and annotated, generating a total of 195850 unigenes, of which 84657 could be functionally annotated. 70 candidate genes involved in flowering transition were identified and the flowering regulatory network of five pathways was constructed in L. japonica. The mRNA transcripts of AGL24 and SOC1 exhibited a downward trend during flowering transition and followed by a gradual increase during the flower development. The transcripts of AP1 was only detected during the floral development, whereas the transcript level of FLC was high during the vegetative stages. The expression profiles of AGL24, SOC1, AP1 and FLC genes indicate that these key integrators might play the essential and evolutionarily conserved roles in control of flowering switch across the plant kingdom. We also identified 54 L. japonica genes encoding enzymes involved in terpenoid biosynthesis pathway. Most highly expressed genes centered on the MEP pathway, suggesting that this plastid pathway might represent the major pathway for terpenoid biosynthesis in L. japonica. In addition, 33 and 31 key genes encoding enzymes involved in the carotenogenesis and anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway were identified, respectively. PSY transcripts gradually increased during the flower development, supporting its role as the first rate-limiting enzyme in carotenoid skeleton production. The expression level of most anthocyanin biosynthetic genes was dramatically decreased during the flower developmental stages, consistent with the decline in the contents of anthocyanin. Conclusion These results identified a large number of potential key regulators controlling flowering time, flower color and floral scent formation in L. japonica, which improves our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the flower traits and flower metabolism, as well as sets the groundwork for quality improvement and molecular breeding of L. japonica.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzy Varderidou-Minasian ◽  
Lisa Hinz ◽  
Dominique Hagemans ◽  
Danielle Posthuma ◽  
Maarten Altelaar ◽  
...  

AbstractRett syndrome (RTT) is a progressive neurodevelopmental disease often caused by mutations in the X-linked gene encoding methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2). The mechanisms by which impaired MeCP2 induces the pathological abnormalities in the brain are not understood. To understand the molecular mechanisms involved in disease, we used an RTT patient induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-based model and applied an in-depth high-resolution quantitative mass spectrometry-based analysis during early stages of neuronal development. Our data provide evidence of proteomic alteration at developmental stages long before the phase that symptoms of RTT syndrome become apparent. Differences in expression profiles became more pronounced from early to late neural stem cell phases, although proteins involved in immunity, metabolic processes and calcium signaling were already affected at initial stages. These results can help development of new biomarkers and therapeutic approaches by selectively target the affected proteins in RTT syndrome.


Author(s):  
Shen-he Liu ◽  
Xiao-ya Ma ◽  
Ting-ting Yue ◽  
Zi-chen Wang ◽  
Kun-long Qi ◽  
...  

Testis is the primary organ of the male reproductive tract in mammals that plays a substantial role in spermatogenesis. Improvement of our knowledge regarding the molecular mechanisms in testicular development and spermatogenesis will be reflected in producing spermatozoa of superior fertility. Evidence showed that N6-Methyladenosine (m6A) plays a dynamic role in post-transcription gene expression regulation and is strongly associated with production traits. However, the role of m6A in bovine testis has not been investigated yet. In this study, we conducted MeRIP-Seq analysis to explore the expression profiles of the m6A and its potential mechanism underlying spermatogenesis in nine bovine testes at three developmental stages (prepuberty, puberty and postpuberty). The experimental animals with triplicate in each stage were chosen based on their semen volume and sperm motility except for the prepuberty bulls and used for testes collection. By applying MeRIP-Seq analysis, a total of 8,774 m6A peaks and 6,206 m6A genes among the studied groups were identified. All the detected peaks were found to be mainly enriched in the coding region and 3′- untranslated regions. The cross-analysis of m6A and mRNA expression exhibited 502 genes with concomitant changes in the mRNA expression and m6A modification. Notably, 30 candidate genes were located in the largest network of protein-protein interactions. Interestingly, four key node genes (PLK4, PTEN, EGR1, and PSME4) were associated with the regulation of mammal testis development and spermatogenesis. This study is the first to present a map of RNA m6A modification in bovine testes at distinct ages, and provides new insights into m6A topology and related molecular mechanisms underlying bovine spermatogenesis, and establishes a basis for further studies on spermatogenesis in mammals.


2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (10) ◽  
pp. 3071 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Wang ◽  
Chengjiang Ruan ◽  
Lingyue Liu ◽  
Wei Du ◽  
Aomin Bao

Yellow horn (Xanthoceras sorbifolium Bunge) is an endemic oil-rich shrub that has been widely cultivated in northern China for bioactive oil production. However, little is known regarding the molecular mechanisms that contribute to oil content in yellow horn. Herein, we measured the oil contents of high- and low-oil yellow horn embryo tissues at four developmental stages and investigated the global gene expression profiles through RNA-seq. The results found that at 40, 54, 68, and 81 days after anthesis, a total of 762, 664, 599, and 124 genes, respectively, were significantly differentially expressed between the high- and low-oil lines. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis revealed some critical GO terms related to oil accumulation, including acyl-[acyl-carrier-protein] desaturase activity, pyruvate kinase activity, acetyl-CoA carboxylase activity, and seed oil body biogenesis. The identified differentially expressed genes also included several transcription factors, such as, AP2-EREBP family members, B3 domain proteins and C2C2-Dof proteins. Several genes involved in fatty acid (FA) biosynthesis, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, and pyruvate metabolism were also up-regulated in the high-oil line at different developmental stages. Our findings indicate that the higher oil accumulation in high-oil yellow horn could be mostly driven by increased FA biosynthesis and carbon supply, i.e. a source effect.


Genes ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 305 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhou ◽  
Sun ◽  
Dai ◽  
Feng ◽  
Zhang ◽  
...  

Temperature is one of the most important environmental factors affecting flowering in plants. Adonis amurensis, a perennial herbaceous flower that blooms in early spring in northeast China where the temperature can drop to −15 °C, is an ideal model for studying the molecular mechanisms of flowering at extremely low temperatures. This study first investigated global gene expression profiles at different developmental stages of flowering in A. amurensis by RNA-seq transcriptome and iTRAQ proteomics. Finally, 123 transcription factors (TFs) were detected in both the transcriptome and the proteome. Of these, 66 TFs belonging to 14 families may play a key role in multiple signaling pathways of flowering in A. amurensis. The TFs FAR1, PHD, and B3 may be involved in responses to light and temperature, while SCL, SWI/SNF, ARF, and ERF may be involved in the regulation of hormone balance. SPL may regulate the age pathway. Some members of the TCP, ZFP, MYB, WRKY, and bHLH families may be involved in the transcriptional regulation of flowering genes. The MADS-box TFs are the key regulators of flowering in A. amurensis. Our results provide a direction for understanding the molecular mechanisms of flowering in A. amurensis at low temperatures.


Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 997
Author(s):  
Jia-Ying Zhu ◽  
Lu Li ◽  
Kai-Ran Xiao ◽  
Shu-Qi He ◽  
Fu-Rong Gui

The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, is a serious pest of crucial crops causing great threats to the food security of the world. It has evolved resistance to various insecticides, while the underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown. Cuticular proteins (CPs), as primary components in cuticle, play an important role in insects’ protection against environmental stresses. Few of them have been documented as participating in insecticide resistance in several insect species. In order to explore whether CP genes of the FAW exhibit a functional role in responding to insecticides stress, a total of 206 CPs, classified into eight families, were identified from the genome of the FAW through a homology-based approach coupled with manual efforts. The temporal expression profiles of all identified CP genes across developmental stages and their responses to 23 different insecticides were analyzed using the RNA-seq data. Expression profiling indicated that most of the CP genes displayed stage-specific expression patterns. It was found that the expression of 51 CP genes significantly changed after 48 h exposure to 17 different insecticides. The expression of eight CP genes responding to four insecticides were confirmed by RT-PCR analysis. The results showed that their overall expression profiles were consistent with RNA-seq analysis. The findings provide a basis for further functional investigation of CPs implied in insecticide stress in FAW.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huan Li ◽  
Qihui Zhu ◽  
Ruiyi Chen ◽  
Mingtao Liu ◽  
Dongdong Xu

The rock bream (Oplegnathus fasciatus) is a typical fish with a unique multiple sex chromosome system. In this study, we investigated the gene expression profiling in the gonads and brains of both males and females using RNA-Seq to identify sex-related genes and pathways. In accordance with the dimorphic expression profiles, combined with Gene ontology and KEGG enrichment analyses, a number of potential genes and pathways associated with sex determination were obtained from transcriptional analysis, especially some sex-biased genes and pathways. Next, we selected 18 candidate genes and analyzed their expression in different tissues and developmental stages. We found that the expression levels of Amh, Dmrt1, Sox9, Dmrtb1, and Nanos2 were significantly higher in the testis than those in the ovary or other tissues, whereas the expression levels of ZP4, Bouncer, RNF208, FoxH1, and TOB were significantly higher in the ovary than those in the testis. Furthermore, the expression levels of these genes in different developmental stages of gonads also showed sexually dimorphic patterns, suggesting that they might play important roles during gonadal development. These genes are useful markers for investigating sex determination and differentiation in rock bream. The findings of this study can provide insights into the molecular mechanisms of sex determination and differentiation in fish with multiple sex chromosome systems.


BMC Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bingru Zhao ◽  
Hanpeng Luo ◽  
Junmin He ◽  
Xixia Huang ◽  
Siqian Chen ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Characterization of the molecular mechanisms underlying hair follicle development is of paramount importance in the genetic improvement of wool-related traits in sheep and skin-related traits in humans. The Merino is the most important breed of fine-wooled sheep in the world. In this study, we systematically investigated the complexity of sheep hair follicle development by integrating transcriptome and methylome datasets from Merino sheep skin. Results We analysed 72 sequence datasets, including DNA methylome and the whole transcriptome of four gene types, i.e. protein-coding genes (PCGs), lncRNAs, circRNAs, and miRNAs, across four embryonic days (E65, E85, E105, and E135) and two postnatal days (P7 and P30) from the skin tissue of 18 Merino sheep. We revealed distinct expression profiles of these four gene types across six hair follicle developmental stages, and demonstrated their complex interactions with DNA methylation. PCGs with stage-specific expression or regulated by stage-specific lncRNAs, circRNAs, and miRNAs were significantly enriched in epithelial differentiation and hair follicle morphogenesis. Regulatory network and gene co-expression analyses identified key transcripts controlling hair follicle development. We further predicted transcriptional factors (e.g. KLF4, LEF1, HOXC13, RBPJ, VDR, RARA, and STAT3) with stage-specific involvement in hair follicle morphogenesis. Through integrating these stage-specific genomic features with results from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of five wool-related traits in 7135 Merino sheep, we detected developmental stages and genes that were relevant with wool-related traits in sheep. For instance, genes that were specifically upregulated at E105 were significantly associated with most of wool-related traits. A phenome-wide association study (PheWAS) demonstrated that candidate genes of wool-related traits (e.g. SPHK1, GHR, PPP1R27, CSRP2, EEF1A2, and PTPN1) in sheep were also significantly associated with dermatological, metabolic, and immune traits in humans. Conclusions Our study provides novel insights into the molecular basis of hair follicle morphogenesis and will serve as a foundation to improve breeding for wool traits in sheep. It also indicates the importance of studying gene expression in the normal development of organs in understanding the genetic architecture of economically important traits in livestock. The datasets generated here are useful resources for functionally annotating the sheep genome, and for elucidating early skin development in mammals, including humans.


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