H NMR spectroscopy-based metabolic profiling of Ophiocordyceps sinensis and Cordyceps militaris in water-boiled and 50% ethanol-soaked extracts.

Ophiocordyceps sinensis, a well-known Chinese complementary herb, is a rare and valuable therapeutic resource. Cordyceps militaris (C. militaris) is a commonly used substitute for O.

Analysis of the Gynaephora qinghaiensis pupae immune transcriptome in response to parasitization by Thektogaster sp.

As a pest on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Gynaephora qinghaiensis causes severe damage to grassland vegetation and its pupae are also natural hosts of Thektogaster sp. To successfully parasitize, endoparasitoids generally introduce or secrete multiple parasitic factors into the host body during the spawning stage to suppress the host immune response. To study the parasitic effects of Thektogaster sp.

Transcriptome characterization and gene expression analysis related to chemoreception in Trichogramma chilonis, an egg parasitoid.

Chemoreception is critical for the survival of insects. Insects have a variety of behavioral responses, such as mating, host searching and ovipositing, in response to different odor signals detected in their living environment. Trichogramma chilonis, an egg parasitoid, acts as an efficient and effective biocontrol reagent for many agricultural and forestry insect pests in many parts of China.

Molecular Characterization and Expression of Vitellogenin and Vitellogenin Receptor of Thitarodes pui (Lepidoptera: Hepialidae), an Insect on the Tibetan Plateau.

Vitellogenin (Vg) and vitellogenin receptor (VgR) play important roles in the vitellogenesis of insects. In this study, we cloned and characterized the two corresponding genes (TpVg and TpVgR) in an economically important insect, Thitarodes pui (Lepidoptera: Hepialidae), from the Tibetan plateau. The full length of TpVg is 5566 bp with a 5373 bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding 1,790 amino acids.

Transcriptome analysis of Ophiocordyceps sinensis before and after infection of Thitarodes larvae.

Ophiocordyceps sinensis, also referred to as the Chinese caterpillar fungus, is a rare entomopathogenic fungus found in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau that is used as a traditional Chinese medicine. O. sinensis parasitizes the larvae of the ghost moth Thitarodes.

Detection of Ophiocordyceps sinensis in the roots of plants in alpine meadows by nested-touchdown polymerase chain reaction.

Ophiocordyceps sinensis, one of the most important income sources of rural Tibetan families, is an entomopathogenic fungus that parasitizes the ghost moth Thitarodes larvae, which live in alpine meadows on the Tibetan Plateau and in the Himalayas. The annual yield of O. sinensis has gradually declined in recent years.

Food utilization and growth of cutworm Spodoptera litura Fabricius larvae exposed to nickel, and its effect on reproductive potential.

Food utilization and growth of the 5th and 6th instar Spodoptera litura Fabricius larvae, and its effect on reproduction potential was evaluated by feeding larvae diets with different doses of Ni for 3 generations. Dose-dependent relationships between Ni levels and food consumption and growth were variable with different larval developmental period and Ni exposure duration. RCR, AD and RGR of the 6th instar larvae were much more affected by Ni exposure than those of 5th instar larvae, and the effects were strongest in the 3rd generation.

The effect of dietary nickel on the immune responses of Spodoptera litura Fabricius larvae.

By exposing Spodoptera litura Fabricius larvae to nickel (Ni) in artificial diets for successive three generations, we investigated the impacts of the dietary Ni on growth and immune response of the fifth and sixth instar larvae at 24 h intervals. The time of newly moulted fifth instar larvae was labelled as 0 h. After exposure to 5 mg/kg Ni for two generations, Ni exposure significantly improved larval phenoloxidase activity and encapsulation grade in fifth instar larvae when compared to controls, except for encapsulation grade at 72-120 h in the second generation.

Ecdysteroids in the adults and eggs of Opogona sacchari (Bojer), an invasive alien pest.

In order to understand the composition and quantitative variation of ecdysteroids in the adults and eggs of Opogona sacchari (Bojer), an invasive alien pest, we analyzed the ecdysteroid composition and titers in the adult and egg of this pest. On day 4 after eclosion, the titer of ecdysteroids in the male adult was 0.080 ng/adult, much lower than 5.