0000000000585558
AUTHOR
Miquel Barberà
showing 12 related works from this author
Characterisation, analysis of expression and localisation of the opsin gene repertoire from the perspective of photoperiodism in the aphid Acyrthosip…
2017
Organisms exhibit a wide range of seasonal responses as adaptions to predictable annual changes in their environment. These changes are originally caused by the effect of the Earth's cycles around the sun and its axial tilt. Examples of seasonal responses include floration, migration, reproduction and diapause. In temperate climate zones, the most robust variable to predict seasons is the length of the day (i.e. the photoperiod). The first step to trigger photoperiodic driven responses involves measuring the duration of the light-dark phases, but the molecular clockwork performing this task is poorly characterized. Photopigments such as opsins are known to participate in light perception, b…
Insulin-like peptides involved in photoperiodism in the aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum
2019
Aphids were the first animals reported as photoperiodic as their life cycles are strongly determined by the photoperiod. During the favourable seasons (characterised by long days) aphid populations consist exclusively of viviparous parthenogenetic females (known as virginoparae). Shortening of the photoperiod in autumn is perceived by aphids as the signal that anticipates the harsh season, leading to a switch in the reproductive mode giving place to the sexual morphs (oviparae females and males) that mate and lay winter-resistant (diapause-like) eggs. The molecular and cellular basis governing the switch between the two reproductive modes are far from being understood. Classical experiments…
Mapping and quantification of cryptochrome expression in the brain of the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum.
2021
Aphids are paradigmatic photoperiodic animals often used to study the role of the circadian clock in the seasonal response. Previously, we described some elements of the circadian clock core (genes period and timeless) and output (melatonin, AANATs and PTTH) that could have a role in the regulation of the aphid seasonal response. More recently we identified two opsins (C-ops and SWO4) as candidate input photoperiodic receptors. In the present report, we focus on the study of cryptochromes (cry) as photoreceptors of the circadian clock and discuss their involvement in the seasonal response. We analyze the expression of cry1 and cry2 genes in a circadian and seasonal context, and map their ex…
Melatonin in the seasonal response of the aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum.
2018
Aphids display life cycles largely determined by the photoperiod. During the warm long-day seasons, most aphid species reproduce by viviparous parthenogenesis. The shortening of the photoperiod in autumn induces a switch to sexual reproduction. Males and sexual females mate to produce overwintering resistant eggs. In addition to this full life cycle (holocycle), there are anholocyclic lineages that do not respond to changes in photoperiod and reproduce continuously by parthenogenesis. The molecular or hormonal events that trigger the seasonal response (i.e., induction of the sexual phenotypes) are still unknown. Although circadian synthesis of melatonin is known to play a key role in verteb…
Determination of melatonin in Acyrthosiphon pisum aphids by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.
2015
Melatonin is a hormone mainly involved in the regulation of circadian and seasonal rhythms in both invertebrates and vertebrates. Despite the identification of melatonin in many insects, its involvement in the insect seasonal response remains unclear. A liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method has been developed for melatonin analysis in aphids (Acyrthosiphon pisum) for the first time. After comparing two different procedures and five extraction solvents, a sample preparation procedure with a mixture of methanol/water (50:50) was selected for melatonin extraction. The method was validated by analyzing melatonin recovery at three spiked concentrations (5, 50 and 100 p…
Characterisation, analysis of expression and localisation of circadian clock genes from the perspective of photoperiodism in the aphid Acyrthosiphon …
2017
Aphids are typical photoperiodic insects that switch from viviparous parthenogenetic reproduction typical of long day seasons to oviparous sexual reproduction triggered by the shortening of photoperiod in autumn yielding an overwintering egg in which an embryonic diapause takes place. While the involvement of the circadian clock genes in photoperiodism in mammals is well established, there is still some controversy on their participation in insects. The availability of the genome of the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum places this species as an excellent model to investigate the involvement of the circadian system in the aphid seasonal response. In the present report, we have advanced in the c…
The genome sequence of the grape phylloxera provides insights into the evolution, adaptation, and invasion routes of an iconic pest
2020
Background: Although native to North America, the invasion of the aphid-like grape phylloxera Daktulosphaira vitifoliae across the globe altered the course of grape cultivation. For the past 150 years, viticulture relied on grafting-resistant North American Vitis species as rootstocks, thereby limiting genetic stocks tolerant to other stressors such as pathogens and climate change. Limited understanding of the insect genetics resulted in successive outbreaks across the globe when rootstocks failed. Here we report the 294-Mb genome of D. vitifoliae as a basic tool to understand host plant manipulation, nutritional endosymbiosis, and enhance global viticulture. Results: Using a combination of…
Progress in the characterization of insulin-like peptides in aphids: Immunohistochemical mapping of ILP4.
2021
Aphids were the first animals described as photoperiodic due to their seasonal switch from viviparous parthenogenesis to sexual reproduction (cyclical parthenogenesis) caused by the shortening of the photoperiod in autumn. This switch produces a single sexual generation of oviparous females and males that mate and lay diapausing cold-resistant eggs that can overcome the unfavourable environmental conditions typical of winter in temperate regions. Previous studies have hinted at a possible implication of two insulin-like peptides (ILP1 and ILP4) in the aphid seasonal response, changing their expression levels between different photoperiodic conditions. Moreover, in situ localization of their…
Identification, characterization and analysis of expression of genes encoding arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferases in the pea aphidAcyrthosiphon pisum
2013
Most organisms exhibit some kind of rhythmicity in their behaviour and/or physiology as an adaptation to the cyclical movements of the Earth. In addition to circadian rhythms, many organisms have an annual rhythmicity in certain activities, such as reproduction, migration or induction of diapause. Current knowledge of the molecular basis controlling seasonal rhythmicity, especially in insects, is scarce. One element that seems to play an essential role in the maintenance of both circadian and seasonal rhythms in vertebrates is the hormone melatonin. In vertebrates, the limiting enzyme in its synthesis is the arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (AANAT). Melatonin is also present in insects bu…
Identification of theprothoracicotropic hormone(Ptth) coding gene and localization of its site of expression in the pea aphidAcyrthosiphon pisum
2017
Insect hormones control essential aspects of physiology, behaviour and development in insects. The majority of insect hormones are peptide hormones that perform a highly diverse catalogue of functions. Prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH) is a brain neuropeptide hormone whose main function is to stimulate the secretion of ecdysone (the moulting hormone) by the prothoracic glands in insect larvae thus playing a key role in the control of moulting and metamorphosis. Moreover, both PTTH release or blockade have been reported to act as a switch to terminate or initiate larval and pupal diapauses. In insects, diapause is a prevalent response often regulated by the photoperiod. It has been shown tha…
Additional file 1 of The genome sequence of the grape phylloxera provides insights into the evolution, adaptation, and invasion routes of an iconic p…
2020
Additional file 1: Figures. S1-S22, Table S1-S20, Methods and Results. Figure S1. Mitochondrial genome view of grape phylloxera. Figure S2. Proportion of transposable elements (TE) in the genome. Figure S3. GO terms of phylloxera-specific genes. Figure S4. Enriched GO terms in the phylloxera genome with and without TEs. Figure S5. Gene gain/loss at different nodes or branches. Figure S6. Species phylogenetic tree based on insect genomes and the transcriptomes of Planoccoccus citri and Adelges tsugae. Figure S7. Diagram of the gap-filling and annotation process. Figure S8. Urea cycle in D. vitifoliae and A. pisum. Figure S9. IMD immune pathway in D. vitifoliae.Figure S10. Phylogenetic tree o…
Additional file 1 of The genome sequence of the grape phylloxera provides insights into the evolution, adaptation, and invasion routes of an iconic p…
2020
Additional file 1: Figures. S1-S22, Table S1-S20, Methods and Results. Figure S1. Mitochondrial genome view of grape phylloxera. Figure S2. Proportion of transposable elements (TE) in the genome. Figure S3. GO terms of phylloxera-specific genes. Figure S4. Enriched GO terms in the phylloxera genome with and without TEs. Figure S5. Gene gain/loss at different nodes or branches. Figure S6. Species phylogenetic tree based on insect genomes and the transcriptomes of Planoccoccus citri and Adelges tsugae. Figure S7. Diagram of the gap-filling and annotation process. Figure S8. Urea cycle in D. vitifoliae and A. pisum. Figure S9. IMD immune pathway in D. vitifoliae.Figure S10. Phylogenetic tree o…