The melanin pigment gene mediates body pigmentation and courtship behaviour in the German cockroach .

Genes involved in melanin production directly impact insect pigmentation and can affect diverse physiology and behaviours. The role these genes have on sex behaviour, however, is unclear. In the present study, the crucial melanin pigment gene was functionally characterised in an urban pest, the German cockroach, .

RNA Interference-Screening of Potentially Lethal Gene Targets in the White-Backed Planthopper via a Spray-Induced and Nanocarrier-Delivered Gene Silencing System.

RNA interference (RNAi) is a widespread post-transcriptional silencing mechanism that targets homologous mRNA sequences for specific degradation. An RNAi-based pest management strategy is target-specific and considered a sustainable biopesticide. However, the specific genes targeted and the efficiency of the delivery methods can vary widely across species.

Early-adulthood spike in protein translation drives aging via juvenile hormone/germline signaling.

Protein translation (PT) declines with age in invertebrates, rodents, and humans. It has been assumed that elevated PT at young ages is beneficial to health and PT ends up dropping as a passive byproduct of aging. In Drosophila, we show that a transient elevation in PT during early-adulthood exerts long-lasting negative impacts on aging trajectories and proteostasis in later-life.

Efficient nanoparticle-based CRISPR-Cas13d induced mRNA disruption of an eye pigmentation gene in the white-backed planthopper, Sogatella furcifera.

The discovery of the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) system has driven gene manipulation technology to a new era with applications reported in organisms that span the tree of life. The utility of CRISPR-mediated editing was further expanded to mRNA following identification of the RNA-targeting Cas13 family of smaller endonuclease proteins. Application of this family to insect research, however, has been more limited.

Determination of Key Components in the p53 Apoptosis Regulation Network Using Y2H-Seq.

The apoptosis pathway is highly conserved between invertebrates and mammals. Although genes encoding the classical apoptosis pathway can be found in the silkworm genome, the regulatory pathway and other apoptotic network genes have yet to be confirmed. Consequently, characterizing these genes and their underlying mechanisms could provide critical insights into the molecular basis of organ apoptosis and remodeling.

RNAi-Mediated Manipulation of Cuticle Coloration Genes in Knight (Hemiptera: Miridae).

Cuticle coloration in insects is a consequence of the accumulation of pigments in a species-specific pattern. Numerous genes are involved in regulating the underlying processes of melanization and sclerotization, and their manipulation can be used to create externally visible markers of successful gene editing. To clarify the roles for many of these genes and examine their suitability as phenotypic markers in Knight (western tarnished plant bug), transcriptomic data were screened for sequences exhibiting homology with the proteins.

A data workflow to support plant breeding decisions from a terrestrial field-based high-throughput plant phenotyping system.

Field-based high-throughput plant phenotyping (FB-HTPP) has been a primary focus for crop improvement to meet the demands of a growing population in a changing environment. Over the years, breeders, geneticists, physiologists, and agronomists have been able to improve the understanding between complex dynamic traits and plant response to changing environmental conditions using FB-HTPP. However, the volume, velocity, and variety of data captured by FB-HTPP can be problematic, requiring large data stores, databases, and computationally intensive data processing pipelines.

Molecular cloning and comparative analysis of transcripts encoding chemosensory proteins from two plant bugs, Lygus lineolaris and Lygus hesperus.

Chemosensory proteins (CSPs) are soluble carrier proteins typically characterized by a six-helix bundle structure joined by two disulfide bridges and a conserved Cys spacing pattern (C1-X -C2-X -C3-X -C4). CSPs are functionally diverse with reported roles in chemosensation, immunity, development, and resistance. To expand our molecular understanding of CSP function in plant bugs, we used recently developed transcriptomic resources for Lygus lineolaris and Lygus hesperus to identify 17 and 14 CSP-like sequences, respectively.

Reduced Susceptibility of Homalodisca vitripennis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) to Commonly Applied Insecticides.

Pest management for the glassy-winged sharpshooter, Homalodisca vitripennis Germar (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), in Kern County, California relies on the application of insecticides. These treatments have contributed to low H. vitripennis field counts since applications were initiated in 2001.

A Nonlethal Method to Examine Non-Apis Bees for Mark-Capture Research.

Studies of bee movement and activities across a landscape are important for developing an understanding of their behavior and their ability to withstand environmental stress. Recent research has shown that proteins, such as egg albumin, are effective for mass-marking bees. However, current protein mass-marking techniques require sacrificing individual bees during the data collection process.

A class-A GPCR solubilized under high hydrostatic pressure retains its ligand binding ability.

The effect of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) on the solubilization of a class-A G protein-coupled receptor, the silkmoth pheromone biosynthesis-activating neuropeptide receptor (PBANR), was investigated. PBANR was expressed in expresSF+ insect cells as a C-terminal fusion protein with EGFP. The membrane fraction was subjected to HHP treatment (200MPa) at room temperature for 1-16h in the presence of 0-2.

RNA interference-mediated knockdown of the Halloween gene Spookiest (CYP307B1) impedes adult eclosion in the western tarnished plant bug, Lygus hesperus.

Ecdysteroids play a critical role in coordinating insect growth, development and reproduction. A suite of cytochrome P450 monooxygenases coded by what are collectively termed Halloween genes mediate ecdysteroid biosynthesis. In this study, we describe cloning and RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated knockdown of the CYP307B1 Halloween gene (Spookiest) in the western tarnished plant bug, Lygus hesperus.

Temperature-Dependent Survival of Adult Lygus hesperus (Hemiptera: Miridae).

The western tarnished plant bug, Lygus hesperus Knight (Hemiptera: Miridae), is a key pest of many horticultural and agronomic crops in the western United States. Despite its well documented pest status, many aspects of the basic biology, including overwintering ecology, of L. hesperus are poorly understood.

Identification of the western tarnished plant bug (Lygus hesperus) olfactory co-receptor Orco: expression profile and confirmation of atypical membrane topology.

Lygus hesperus (western tarnished plant bug) is an agronomically important pest species of numerous cropping systems. Similar to other insects, a critical component underlying behaviors is the perception and discrimination of olfactory cues. Consequently, the molecular basis of olfaction in this species is of interest.