Search results for "Insect Hormones"
showing 10 items of 17 documents
Inhibition of autophagy rescues muscle atrophy in a LGMDD2 Drosophila model
2021
Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy D2 (LGMDD2) is an ultrarare autosomal dominant myopathy caused by mutation of the normal stop codon of the TNPO3 nuclear importin. The mutant protein carries a 15 amino acid C-terminal extension associated with pathogenicity. Here we report the first animal model of the disease by expressing the human mutant TNPO3 gene in Drosophila musculature or motor neurons and concomitantly silencing the endogenous expression of the fly protein ortholog. A similar genotype expressing wildtype TNPO3 served as a control. Phenotypes characterization revealed that mutant TNPO3 expression targeted at muscles or motor neurons caused LGMDD2-like phenotypes such as muscle degener…
In vitro induction of cecropin genes — an immune response in a Drosophila blood cell line
1992
The Drosophila melanogaster cell line mbn-2 was explored as a model system to study insect immune responses in vitro. This cell line is of blood cell origin, derived from larval hemocytes of the mutant lethal (2) malignant blood neoplasm (1(2)mbn). The mbn-2 cells respond to microbial substances by the activation of cecropin genes, coding for bactericidal peptides. The response is stronger than that previously described for SL2 cells, and four other tested Drosophila cell lines were totally unresponsive. Bacterial lipopolysaccharide, algal laminarin (a beta-1,3-glucan), and bacterial flagellin were strong inducers, bacterial peptidoglycan fragments gave a weaker response, whereas a formyl-m…
Development of the wing discs of Zophobas atratus under natural and experimental conditions: occurrence of a gradual larval-pupal commitment in the e…
1999
Using light and electron microscopy, we studied the development of the wing discs in the large beetle Zophobas atratus, under natural and experimental conditions. A reversible differentiation of the wing discs is usually observed during supernumerary instars of crowded larvae. Juvenile hormone analog (JHA) application during the wandering period or compelled experimental crowding during the larval-pupal switchover – or commitment – inhibits the onset of metamorphosis. Isolation, followed by recrowding, also induces the disc cells to secrete unusual cuticular material. Recrowding is able to trigger the reversal of metamorphosis during the 4-day period when larval-pupal commitment is taking p…
Quaternary and subunit structure of Calliphora arylphorin as deduced from electron microscopy, electrophoresis, and sequence similarities with arthro…
1992
Arylphorin was purified from larvae of the blowfly Calliphora vicina and studied in its oligomeric form and after dissociation at pH 9.6 into native subunits. In accordance with earlier literature, it was electrophoretically shown to be a 500 kDa hexamer (1 x 6) consisting of 78 kDa polypeptides (= subunits). Electron micrographs of negatively stained hexamers show a characteristic curvilinear, equilateral triangle of 12 nm in diameter (top view) and a rectangle measuring 10 x 12 nm (side view). Alternatively, particles in the top view orientation exhibit a roughly circular shape 12 nm in diameter. Crossed immunoelectrophoresis revealed the presence of a major subunit type; the nature of a …
Lures for red palm weevil trapping systems: aggregation pheromone and synthetic kairomone
2015
[EN] BACKGROUNDThe optimisation of the lure is essential for the implementation of trapping systems to control insect pests. In this work, the response of the red palm weevil (RPW), Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier, to increasing emission rates of its aggregation pheromone (ferrugineol) and the efficacy of a convenient synthetic kairomone based on fermentation odours (ethyl acetate and ethanol) have been evaluated in different years and locations along the Mediterranean basin. RESULTSIn general, although capture data and emission had noticeable variability among locations, significantly fewer RPW were captured in pyramidal Picusan (R) traps with the lowest ferrugineol emission rates tested…
Effect of Royal Jelly on new bone formation in rapid maxillary expansion in rats
2015
Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of long and short term systemic usage of royal jelly on bone formation in the expanded maxillary suture in a rat model. Material and Methods: Twenty eight Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into 4 equal groups: Control (C); Only Expansion (OE), Royal Jelly (RJ) group, Royal Jelly was given to rats by oral gavage only during the expansion and retention period; Royal Jelly plus Nursery (RJN) group, Royal Jelly was given to rats by oral gavage during their nursery phase of 40 days and during the retention period. After the 5 day expansion period was completed, the rats underwent 12 days of mechanical retention. All rats were s…
Antagonistic effects of hypertrehalosemic neuropeptide on the activities of 6-phosphofructo-1-kinase and fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase in cockroach fat…
2001
Hypertrehalosemic neuropeptides from the corpora cardiaca such as the decapeptide Bld HrTH bring about a profound switch in the metabolic activity of cockroach fat body during which production of the blood sugar trehalose is stimulated while the catabolism of carbohydrate (glycolysis) is inhibited. The mechanisms of the metabolic switch are not fully understood. Incubation of isolated fat body from the cockroach Blaptica dubia with 10(-8) M Bld HrTH, for 10-60 min, stimulated glycogen breakdown and increased the content of the substrates of both the glycolytic enzyme 6-phosphofructo-1-kinase (PFK, EC 2.7.1.11) and the gluconeogenic enzyme fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (FBPase, EC 3.1.3.11) in…
Molecular characterization of the zerknüllt region of the Antennapedia complex of D. subobscura.
1995
We have characterized at the molecular level the zerknullt (zen) region of the Drosophila subobscura Antennapedia complex. The sequence comparison between D. subobscura and D. melanogaster shows an irregular distribution of the conserved and diverged regions, with the homeobox and a putative activating domain completely conserved. Comparisons of the promoter sequence and pattern of expression of the gene during development suggest that the regulation of zen has been conserved during evolution. The conservation of zen expression in a subpopulation of the polar cells indicates the existence of an important role in such cells. We describe a transitory segmented pattern of expression of zen in …
Cyclic AMP-dependent and independent stimulations of ovarian steroidogenesis by brain factors in the blowfly, Phormia regina.
2000
0303-7207 doi: DOI: 10.1016/S0303-7207(00)00312-9; The involvement of cyclic-AMP (cAMP) as a potential second messenger in the neurohormonal control of ovarian steroidogenesis was investigated in the adult female blowfly Phormia regina. Individual measurements of ovarian cAMP concentrations and of ovarian biosynthesis of ecdysteroids, stimulated after a protein meal, demonstrated that steroidogenesis is preceded by a peak of cAMP in the ovaries. In vitro, ovarian steroidogenesis was stimulated by cell-permeable analogues of cAMP and by forskolin. Crude brain extracts were also able to elicit a rise of cAMP in the ovaries in vitro and the secretion of ecdysteroids into the medium: such extra…
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…