Corticotropin-releasing factor-like diuretic hormone 44 and five corresponding GPCRs in Drosophila suzukii: Structural and functional characterization.

Diuretic hormones (DHs) activate corresponding G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), mediating the water and ion homeostasis in arthropods. There are two different DHs known to be expressed in insects, calcitonin (CT)-like DH31 and corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)-like DH44. In this study, we identified and characterized a DH44 and five GPCR variants, DH44-R1 and DH44-R2a/b/c/d, in Drosophila suzukii (spotted-wing drosophila), causing detrimental damage to fresh and soft-skinned fruits.

Bioactive peptides inhibit feeding activity in the grey garden slug, Deroceras reticulatum.

Background: The grey garden slug (Deroceras reticulatum) is considered the most damaging slug pest in global agriculture. Control methods primarily rely on chemical pesticides, which pose environmental risks and potential hazards to human health. There is a need for sustainable management alternatives such as biologically-based slug control options.

Functional expression and characterization of CAPA receptor in the digestive tract and life stages of Drosophila suzukii, and differential activities with insect PRXamide peptides.

Spotted-wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura), is an invasive vinegar fly that is a major threat to the small fruits industries globally. Insect capa genes encode multiple neuropeptides, including CAPA-periviscerokinin (CAPA-PVK) peptides, that are specifically known to cause diuresis or anti-diuresis in various organisms. Here we identified and characterized a corresponding G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) of the D.

Immune-Related Gene Profiles and Differential Expression in the Grey Garden Slug Infected with the Parasitic Nematode .

The grey garden slug (), a common terrestrial slug native to Europe with a global distribution including North America, is commonly considered the most severe slug pest in agriculture. The nematode , which has been used in the U.K.

Insecticidal Effects of Receptor-Interference Isolated Bioactive Peptides on Fire Ant Colonies.

Receptor-interference (Receptor-i) is a novel technology used to identify bioactive peptides as agonists or antagonists against a specific receptor, primarily targeting G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Using Receptor-i methodology, we targeted the pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide receptor (PBAN-R) of the red imported fire ant (). Based on previous studies, we selected four bioactive peptides cyclized with two cysteines: CVKLGSHFC, CIQQGSHFC, CERVGSHFC, and CMARYMSAC, and we conducted small-scale feeding bioassays, measuring fire ant worker mortality.

Erythritol sprays reduce Drosophila suzukii infestation without impacting honey bee visitation nor fruit quality.

Background: Spotted-wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii, is an economic pest of small fruits and cherries. Insecticides primarily control this pest while alternative controls are in development. Laboratory studies show that erythritol is insecticidal to D.

Identification and characterisation of PRXamide peptides in the western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis.

Insect CAPA-PVK (periviscerokinin) and pyrokinin (PK) neuropeptides belong to the PRX family peptides and are produced from capa and pyrokinin genes. We identified and characterised the two genes from the western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis. The capa gene transcribes three splice variants, capa-a, -b, and -c, encoding two CAPA-PVKs (EVQGLFPFPRVamide; QGLIPFPRVamide) and two PKs (ASWMPSSSPRLamide; DSASFTPRLamide).

Insecticidal Properties of Erythritol on Four Tropical Tephritid Fruit Flies, , , , and (Diptera: Tephritidae).

Tephritid fruit flies are among the most destructive agricultural pests of fruits and vegetables worldwide and can impose trade barriers against the movement of fresh tropical commodities. Primary pre-harvest control methods for these flies rely on the spraying of conventional chemical insecticides or bait sprays. However, resistance to these control methods has been reported in fruit flies.

A novel physiological function of pheromone biosynthesis-activating neuropeptide in production of aggregation pheromone.

The western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis, is an insect pest, and its aggregation pheromone (AP) plays a crucial role in the recruitment of both sexes. A novel pheromone biosynthesis-activating neuropeptide (PBAN)-like gene is encoded in F. occidentalis genome, but its physiological function has yet to be elucidated.

Nonnutritive Sugars for Spotted-Wing Drosophila (Diptera: Drosophilidae) Control Have Minimal Nontarget Effects on Honey Bee Larvae, a Pupal Parasitoid, and Yellow Jackets.

Drosophila suzukii Matsumura, spotted-wing drosophila, is a major pest of small fruits and cherries and often managed with conventional insecticides. Our previous work found that erythritol, a nonnutritive polyol, has insecticidal properties to D. suzukii.

Effects of nonnutritional sugars on lipid and carbohydrate content, physiological uptake, and excretion in Drosophila suzukii.

The nonnutritive sugar, erythritol, has the potential to be a human-safe management tool for the small fruits and cherry pest, Drosophila suzukii, or spotted-wing drosophila. Feeding on erythritol decreases fly survival and oviposition by starving and creating an osmotic imbalance in the body. Recently, we demonstrated that erythritol combined with another nonnutritive sugar, sucralose, was fed upon more than erythritol alone and hastens D.

Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae): A Decade of Research Towards a Sustainable Integrated Pest Management Program.

Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae) also known as spotted-wing drosophila (SWD), is a pest native to Southeast Asia. In the last few decades, the pest has expanded its range to affect all major European and American fruit production regions. SWD is a highly adaptive insect that is able to disperse, survive, and flourish under a range of environmental conditions.

Identification and functional analysis of dsRNases in spotted-wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii.

RNAi efficiency in insects is different from species to species; some species in Coleoptera are relatively more amenable to RNA interference (RNAi) than other species. One of the major factors is the presence of dsRNA-degrading enzymes, called dsRNases, in saliva, gut, or hemolymph in insects, which degrade the double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) introduced, resulting in the low efficacy of RNAi. In this study, we report a dsRNA-degrading activity in the gut homogenates from the spotted-wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii, by ex vivo assay.

GPCR-Based Bioactive Peptide Screening Using Phage-Displayed Peptides and an Insect Cell System for Insecticide Discovery.

The discovery of new insecticides improves integrated pest management (IPM), but is usually a long high-risk process with a low probability of success. For over two decades, insect neuropeptides (NPs) and their G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) have been considered as biological targets for insect pest control, because they are involved in almost all physiological processes associated with insect life stages. A key roadblock to success has been the question of how large volume chemical libraries can be efficiently screened for active compounds.

Identification and functional characterization of the first molluscan neuromedin U receptor in the slug, Deroceras reticulatum.

Neuromedin U (NmU) is a neuropeptide regulating diverse physiological processes. The insect homologs of vertebrate NmU are categorized as PRXamide family peptides due to their conserved C-terminal end. However, NmU homologs have been elusive in Mollusca, the second largest phylum in the animal kingdom.

Fatty Acid Profile as an Indicator of Larval Host for Adult .

is a severe economic invasive pest of soft-skinned fruit crops. Management typically requires killing gravid adult female flies with insecticides to prevent damage resulting from oviposition and larval development. Fruits from cultivated and uncultivated host plants are used by the flies for reproduction at different times of the year, and knowledge of seasonal host plant use and movement patterns could be better exploited to protect vulnerable crops.

Attracting Chrysopidae With Plant Volatiles for Lace Bug (Hemiptera: Tingidae) Control in Rhododendrons and Azaleas.

The azalea lace bug (Stephanitis pyrioides Scott) (Hemiptera: Tingidae) is an invasive pest of rhododendrons and azaleas (Ericaceae: Rhododendron), which feeds on the underside of leaves causing chlorosis, reduced photosynthesis, and even plant death. While insecticides can control this pest, growers, landscape managers, and homeowners have requested softer alternatives. Augmentative release of predatory green lacewing Chrysoperla sp.

Identification and Characterization of GPCRs for Pyrokinin and CAPA Peptides in the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug, (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae).

The brown marmorated stink bug, , is an invasive hemipteran that causes significant economic losses to various agricultural products around the world. Recently, the and genes that express multiple neuropeptides were described in this species. Here we report six and GPCRs including two splice variants, and evaluate their (a) ability to respond to neuropeptides in cell-based assays, and (b) expression levels by RT-PCR.

Transcriptional comparison between pheromone gland-ovipositor and tarsi in the corn earworm moth Helicoverpa zea.

The corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea, utilizes (Z)-11-hexadecenal as the major sex pheromone component. The saturated fatty acid derivative hexadecanal is also found in the pheromone gland and recently a large amount (0.5-1.