The genome of the rice planthopper egg parasitoid wasps Anagrus nilaparvatae casts light on the chemo- and mechanosensation in parasitism.

Background: Mymaridae is an ancient insect group and is a basal lineage of the superfamily Chalcidoidea. Species of Mymaridae have great potential for biological control. Anagrus nilaparvatae, a representative species of Mymaridae, is ideal for controlling rice planthopper due to its high rate of parasitism and ability to find hosts efficiently in paddy ridges and fields.

Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Gynaephora qinghaiensis in Yushu Prefecture, Qinghai Province Based on the Mitochondrial COI Gene.

Gynaephora qinghaiensis (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae: Gynaephora), a serious economic pest in alpine meadows, is mainly distributed in Yushu prefecture, Qinghai province, China. In this study, we aimed to investigate the genetic diversity and population structure of G. qinghaiensis through analyzing the sequence of 194 mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit (COI) genes (658 bp in length) identified from 10 geographic populations located in three different countries, including Zhiduo, Zaduo, and Chengduo, of Yushu prefecture.

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.

Prepupae and pupae transcriptomic characterization of Trichogramma chilonis.

The egg parasitoid, Trichogramma chilonis, has significant control effects on agriculture and forestry pests and is widely employed in southern China for the biological control of lepidopteran pests. In this study, transcriptomic analysis was used to gain a clear understanding of the molecular changes in prepupae and pupae of T. chilonis.

Identification and functional characterization of D-fructose receptor in an egg parasitoid, Trichogramma chilonis.

In insects, the gustatory system has a critical function not only in selecting food and feeding behaviours but also in growth and metabolism. Gustatory receptors play an irreplaceable role in insect gustatory signalling. Trichogramma chilonis is an effective biocontrol agent against agricultural insect pests.

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.

Profile of Ophiocordyceps sinensis transcriptome and differentially expressed genes in three different mycelia, sclerotium and fruiting body developmental stages.

Ophiocordyceps sinensis, a Chinese complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), is an entomopathogenic, fungus, parasitizing larvae of the moth genus Thitarodes. It has three stages of the life cycle, i.e.

Molecular characterization and expression of six heat shock protein genes in relation to development and temperature in Trichogramma chilonis.

Trichogramma is a kind of egg parasitoid wasp that is widely used to control lepidopterous pests. Temperature is one of the main factors that determines the various life activities of this species, including development, reproduction and parasitism efficiency. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are highly conserved and ubiquitous proteins that are best known for their responsiveness to temperature and other stresses.

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.

Four species of spider genus C. L. Koch, 1839 (Araneae, Eutichuridae) from Jinggang Mountains, Jiangxi Province, China.

Four species of spider genus C. L. Koch, 1839 are reported from Jinggang Mountains, Jiangxi Province, 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.

Cytological Characterization of Anamorphic Fungus Lecanicillium pui and Its Relationship with Chinese Caterpillar Mushroom, Ophiocordyceps sinensis (Ascomycetes).

Ophiocordyceps sinensis (syn. Cordyceps sinensis), one of the most valuable medicinal mushrooms, has great economic importance on the Tibetan Plateau. We isolated an anamorphic fungus Lecanicillium pui from natural O.

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.

Transcriptome characterization and gene expression analysis related to sexual dimorphism in the ghost moth, Thitarodes pui, a host of Ophiocordyceps sinensis.

Thitarodes pui is one of the host species of the Chinese caterpillar fungus Ophiocordyceps sinensis as a traditional Chinese medicine with economic and medical importance. The pupal and adult stages of T. pui are sexually dimorphic.

Transcriptome response to temperature stress in the wolf spider (Araneae: Lycosidae).

The wolf spider is a dominant predator in paddy ecosystem and an important biological control agent of rice pests. Temperature represents a primary factor influencing its biology and behavior, although the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unknown. To understand the response of to temperature stress, we performed comparative transcriptome analyses of spider adults exposed to 10°C and 40°C for 12 h.

Effects of nickel exposure on testicular function, oxidative stress, and male reproductive dysfunction in Spodoptera litura Fabricius.

Nickel is an environmental pollutant that adversely affects the male reproductive system. In the present study, the effects of nickel exposure on Spodoptera litura Fabricius were investigated by feeding larvae artificial diets containing different doses of nickel for three generations. Damage to testes and effects on male reproduction were examined.

De novo transcriptome analysis of Thitarodes jiachaensis before and after infection by the caterpillar fungus, Ophiocordyceps sinensis.

Thitarodes jiachaensis is a host species of the pathogenic caterpillar fungus Ophiocordyceps sinensis, which is a fungus with broad medical effects and great economic value. Curated genomic information on Thitarodes is still limited, and the interaction between host Thitarodes larvae and O. sinensis during infection is incompletely understood.

SEASONAL CHANGES OF FATTY ACID COMPOSITION IN Thitarodes pui Larvae, A HOST OF Ophiocordyceps sinensis.

Background: Thitarodes larvae are the host of Ophiocordyceps sinensis and exist in the permafrost region of the Tibetan Plateau.

Objective: To understand the adaptation mechanism of Thitarodes larvae to seasonal fluctuations of ambient temperatures in the Tibetan Plateau by studying seasonal changes of the fatty acids composition in the larvae of T. pui.

Metabolic characterization of natural and cultured Ophicordyceps sinensis from different origins by 1H NMR spectroscopy.

Ophicordyceps sinensis is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine and cultured mycelium is a substitute for wild O. sinensis. Metabolic profiles of wild O.

Development of Ophiocordyceps sinensis through Plant-Mediated Interkingdom Host Colonization.

Ophiocordyceps sinensis is a well-known entomogenous and medicinal fungus. After its anamorphs parasitize the larvae of the genus Thitarodes, fruit-bodies may form to be used as medicine. However, its developmental mechanisms remain unknown.

De novo transcriptome characterization of the ghost moth, Thitarodes pui, and elevation-based differences in the gene expression of its larvae.

Thitarodes pui larvae are the hosts of a medicinal fungus, Ophiocordyceps sinensis, and are naturally distributed at an altitude of 4100-4650 m on Segrila Mountain of the Tibetan Plateau. Here, we conducted transcriptome profiling of T. pui larvae based on the Illumina high-throughput sequencing platform.

Cloning and differential expression of five heat shock protein genes associated with thermal stress and development in the polyphagous predatory mite Neoseiulus cucumeris (Acari: Phytoseiidae).

In order to explore the role of heat shock proteins (Hsps) during thermal stress and development in the predatory mite Neoseiulus cucumeris (Oudemans), we cloned and characterized five full-length Hsp genes. We investigated the expression levels of these genes by quantitative real-time PCR. The five genes characterized here were NcHsp90, NcHsp75, NcHsp70, NcHsp60, and NcHsp40.

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 source affects the expression of vitellogenin and fecundity of a biological control agent, Neoseiulus cucumeris.

Neoseiulus cucumeris (Oudemans) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) is one of the most widely used and important biological control agents for thrips and other small pests worldwide. In the present study, we cloned two cDNAs of vitellogenins (Vgs, NcVg1 and NcVg2) and analyzed the effect of food source on the expression of both Vgs and fecundity in female adults. NcVgs showed higher sequence similarity to Vgs from Parasitiformes.

Physicochemical properties and antioxidant activity of chitosan from the blowfly Chrysomya megacephala larvae.

In the present study, we extracted the chitosan from the larvae of blowfly Chrysomya megacephala, a new source of insect chitosan, using chemical methods. We evaluated the physical properties of the blowfly chitosan using a variety of approaches, including preliminary color-change identification, molecular weight determination, elemental analysis (EA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), solid-state (13)C cross-polarization and magic-angle-spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((13)C CP/MAS NMR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Its antioxidant property was examined through 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging assays.