scholarly journals Sexual dimorphism and sex-biased gene expression in an egg parasitoid species, Anastatus disparis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
P.C. Liu ◽  
DeJun Hao ◽  
Hao-Yuan Hu ◽  
Jian-Rong Wei

Abstract BackgroundDifferences in the expression of genes present in both sexes are assumed to contribute to sex differences including behavioural, physiological and morphological dimorphisms. For enriching our knowledge of gender differences in an important egg parasitoid wasp, Anastatus disparis (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae), sex-biased differences in gene expression were investigated using Illumina-based transcriptomic analysis. ResultsA total of 15812 resulting unigenes were annotated, and a large set of genes accounting for 50.09% of the total showed sex-biased expression and included 630 sex-specific genes. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analyses showed that the functional categories associated with sex-biased genes were mainly related to reproduction. In addition, the transcriptome data provided evidence that sex pheromones in A. disparis are produced by the female, and activity of D12-desaturases appear to have been replaced by D9-desaturases playing roles in sex pheromone production. The large set of sex-biased genes identified in this study provide a molecular background for sexually dimorphic traits such as flyability, longevity, and aggression in this species and suggests candidate venom proteins expressed only in females that could be used for biological control.ConclusionsThis study provides comprehensive insight into sexually dimorphic traits of a parasitoid wasp and can inform future research into the molecular mechanisms underlying such traits and the application of parasitoids to the biological control of pest species.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
P.C. Liu ◽  
DeJun Hao ◽  
Hao-Yuan Hu ◽  
Jian-Rong Wei

Abstract Background: Differences in the expression of genes present in both sexes are assumed to contribute to sex differences including behavioural, physiological and morphological dimorphisms. For enriching our knowledge of gender differences in an important egg parasitoid wasp, Anastatus disparis (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae), sex-biased differences in gene expression were investigated using Illumina-based transcriptomic analysis. Results: A total of 15812 resulting unigenes were annotated, and a large set of genes accounting for 50.09% of the total showed sex-biased expression and included 630 sex-specific genes. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analyses showed that the functional categories associated with sex-biased genes were mainly related to reproduction. In addition, the transcriptome data provided evidence that sex pheromones in A. disparis are produced by the female, and activity of D12-desaturases appear to have been replaced by D9-desaturases playing roles in sex pheromone production. The large set of sex-biased genes identified in this study provide a molecular background for sexually dimorphic traits such as flyability, longevity, and aggression in this species and suggests candidate venom proteins expressed only in females that could be used for biological control.Conclusions: This study provides comprehensive insight into sexually dimorphic traits of a parasitoid wasp and can inform future research into the molecular mechanisms underlying such traits and the application of parasitoids to the biological control of pest species.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
P.C. Liu ◽  
DeJun Hao ◽  
Hao-Yuan Hu ◽  
Jian-Rong Wei

Abstract BackgroundDifferences in the expression of genes present in both sexes are assumed to contribute to sex differences including behavioural, physiological and morphological dimorphisms. For enriching our knowledge of gender differences in an important egg parasitoid wasp, Anastatus disparis (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae), sex-biased differences in gene expression were investigated using Illumina-based transcriptomic analysis. ResultsA total of 15812 resulting unigenes were annotated, and a large set of genes accounting for 50.09% of the total showed sex-biased expression and included 630 sex-specific genes. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analyses showed that the functional categories associated with sex-biased genes were mainly related to reproduction. In addition, the transcriptome data provided evidence that sex pheromones in A. disparis are produced by the female, and activity of 12-desaturases appear to have been replaced by 9-desaturases playing roles in sex pheromone production. The large set of sex-biased genes identified in this study provide a molecular background for sexually dimorphic traits such as flyability, longevity, and aggression in this species and suggests candidate venom proteins expressed only in females that could be used for biological control.ConclusionsThis study provides comprehensive insight into sexually dimorphic traits of a parasitoid wasp and can inform future research into the molecular mechanisms underlying such traits and the application of parasitoids to the biological control of pest species.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
P.C. Liu ◽  
DeJun Hao ◽  
Hao-Yuan Hu ◽  
Jian-Rong Wei

Abstract Background Differences in the expression of genes present in both sexes are assumed to contribute to sex differences including behavioural, physiological and morphological dimorphisms. For enriching our knowledge of gender differences in an important egg parasitoid wasp, Anastatus disparis (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae), sex-biased differences in gene expression were investigated using Illumina-based transcriptomic analysis. Results A total of 67201 resulting unigenes were annotated, including 4206 genes differentially expressed (i.e., sex-biased genes) between females and males including 243 specific genes; the majority of the sex-biased genes (63.72%) were female-biased. Sexually dimorphic traits related to flyability and longevity were discussed at the level of gene expression, improving our understanding of those biological traits. Besides, Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analyses showed that the functional categories in sex-biased genes were mainly related to reproduction. Conclusions Overall, this study provides comprehensive insight into the sexually dimorphic traits of parasitoid wasps, offering a basis for future research to better understand the molecular mechanisms underlying such traits and improve the application of these insects to the biological control of pests.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pradipta Ray ◽  
Jawad Khan ◽  
Andi Wangzhou ◽  
Diana Tavares-Ferreira ◽  
Armen N. Akopian ◽  
...  

AbstractSex differences in gene expression are important contributors to normal physiology and mechanisms of disease. This is increasingly apparent in understanding and potentially treating chronic pain where molecular mechanisms driving sex differences in neuronal plasticity are giving new insight into why certain chronic pain disorders preferentially affect women versus men. Large transcriptomic resources are increasingly available and can be used to mine for sex differences and molecular insight using donor cohorts. We analyzed more than 250 human tibial nerve (hTN) transcriptomes from the GTex Consortium project to gain insight into sex-dependent gene expression in the peripheral nervous system (PNS). We discover 149 genes with sex differential expression. Many of the genes upregulated in men are associated with inflammation, and appear to be primarily expressed by glia or immune cells. In women, we find the differentially upregulated transcription factor SP4 that drives a regulatory program, and may impact sex differences in PNS physiology. Many of these 149 DE genes have some previous association with chronic pain but few of them have been explored thoroughly. Additionally, using clinical data in the GTex database, we identify a subset of differentially expressed (DE) genes in diseases associated with chronic pain, arthritis and type II diabetes. Our work identifies sexually dimorphic gene expression in the human PNS with implications for discovery of sex-specific pain mechanisms.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liang-xiao Huo ◽  
Xue-ping Bai ◽  
Wu-Nan Che ◽  
Su-fang Ning ◽  
Lin Lv ◽  
...  

The egg parasitoid Trichogramma  spp. is an important biological control agent used against multiple species of Lepidopteran pest in forestry and agriculture. Due to the importance of Trichogramma  spp. in biocontrol programs, its biological characteristics have been studied in detail, and current investigations should focus on the molecular biology of these tiny parasitoids. Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) is considered as the standard method for quantifying the gene expression of organisms. Surprisingly, the appropriate reference genes to ensure robust qPCR have not been documented at all for the Trichogramma  genus. This study aimed to identify suitable reference genes for use in qPCR procedure of Trichogramma   dendrolimi . Nine candidate housekeeping genes, namely glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase ( GAPDH ), forkhead box O ( FOXO ), superoxide dismutase ( SOD ), beta-actin ( ACTIN ), ribosomal protein L10a ( RPL10a ), L18 ( RPL18 ), L28 ( RPL28 ), S13 ( RPS13 ), and S15 ( RPS15 ), were tested for their suitability as reference genes for developmental stage (3 rd , 4 th , 5 th , 6 th , 7 th , 8 th , 9 th , and 10 th  day after parasitization), tissue (head, thorax, and abdomen of adults), sex of adults (male and female), and temperature (17?, 25?, and 32?). According to the GeNorm analysis, robust analysis should involve using an appropriate combination of reference genes, namely, at least three genes for different development stages, two genes for different tissues, two genes for different sex, and two genes for different temperature, respectively. According to the RelFinder method and by assessing the integrated values from using the ?Ct method, GeNorm, NormFinder, and BestKeeper, we identified the developmental stage-specific reference genes SOD , GAPDH , and ACTIN ; tissue-specific reference genes RPL18  and RPS15 ; sex-specific reference genes SOD  and RPL18 ; and temperature-specific reference genes RPL18  and RPL10 . When testing the use of stable vs. unstable reference genes, the substantial differences were observed in the estimation expression of a hypothetical target gene, HSP90 , in response to temperature. The present study provides a robust method for the measurement of gene expression in T. dendrolimi  and will be helpful for future biological control programs using Trichogramma  wasps.


2013 ◽  
Vol 394 (7) ◽  
pp. 909-918 ◽  
Author(s):  
Srividya Vasu ◽  
Neville H. McClenaghan ◽  
Jane T. McCluskey ◽  
Peter R. Flatt

Abstract The novel insulin-secreting human pancreatic β-cell line, 1.1B4, demonstrates stability in culture and many of the secretory functional attributes of human pancreatic β-cells. This study investigated the cellular responses of 1.1B4 cells to lipotoxicity. Chronic 18-h exposure of 1.1B4 cells to 0.5 mm palmitate resulted in decreased cell viability and insulin content. Secretory responses to classical insulinotropic agents and cellular Ca2+ handling were also impaired. Palmitate decreased glucokinase activity and mRNA expression of genes involved in secretory function but up-regulated mRNA expression of HSPA5, EIF2A, and EIF2AK3, implicating activation of the endoplasmic reticulum stress response. Palmitate also induced DNA damage and apoptosis of 1.1B4 cells. These responses were accompanied by increased gene expression of the antioxidant enzymes SOD1, SOD2, CAT and GPX1. This study details molecular mechanisms underlying lipotoxicity in 1.1B4 cells and indicates the potential value of the novel β-cell line for future research.


BMC Genomics ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chenxu Ye ◽  
Humaira Rasheed ◽  
Yuehua Ran ◽  
Xiaojuan Yang ◽  
Lianxi Xing ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The reproductive plasticity of termite workers provides colonies with tremendous flexibility to respond to environmental changes, which is the basis for evolutionary and ecological success. Although it is known that all colony members share the same genetic background and that differences in castes are caused by differences in gene expression, the pattern of the specific expression of genes involved in the differentiation of workers into reproductives remains unclear. In this study, the isolated workers of Reticulitermes labralis developed into reproductives, and then comparative transcriptomes were used for the first time to reveal the molecular mechanisms underlying the reproductive plasticity of workers. Results We identified 38,070 differentially expressed genes and found a pattern of gene expression involved in the differentiation of the workers into reproductives. 12, 543 genes were specifically upregulated in the isolated workers. Twenty-five signal transduction pathways classified into environmental information processing were related to the differentiation of workers into reproductives. Ras functions as a signalling switch regulates the reproductive plasticity of workers. The catalase gene which is related to longevity was up-regulated in reproductives. Conclusion We demonstrate that workers leaving the natal colony can induce the expression of stage-specific genes in the workers, which leads to the differentiation of workers into reproductives and suggests that the signal transduction along the Ras-MAPK pathway crucially controls the reproductive plasticity of the workers. This study also provides an important model for revealing the molecular mechanism of longevity changes.


2016 ◽  
Vol 46 (10) ◽  
pp. 1695-1700
Author(s):  
Carlos André Bahry ◽  
Paulo Dejalma Zimmer

ABSTRACT: Evaluation of differential candidate gene expression in contrasting soybean seeds is an auxiliary tool in the partial elucidation of processes involved in seeds formation, as well as it contributes to the generation of new information that can be used in future research or in the development of r genetic superior constitutions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of two candidate genes, SBP and leginsulin genes, possibly involved in seed quality, in contrasting coats of four soybean genotypes. Two cultivars of yellow soybeans were used, BMX Potência RR and CD 202, and two lines of black soybean, TP and IAC. Gene expression was evaluated using qPCR in seven stages of development from seed coats for four genotypes, at 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, and 55 days after anthesis. The design was completely randomized, with three replications. Data were subjected to analysis of variance and means compared by Tukey's test at 5% probability. SBP and leginsulin gene have higher expression in the early phases of development from seed coats of BMX Potência RR cultivar, followed by the IAC line. These genotypes are therefore of interest for further research involving these genes.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pernille Barkholt ◽  
Kristoffer T. G. Rigbolt ◽  
Mechthilde Falkenhahn ◽  
Thomas Hübschle ◽  
Uwe Schwahn ◽  
...  

Abstract The central mechanisms underlying the marked beneficial metabolic effects of bariatric surgery are unclear. Here, we characterized global gene expression in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (Arc) in diet-induced obese (DIO) rats following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). 60 days post-RYGB, the Arc was isolated by laser-capture microdissection and global gene expression was assessed by RNA sequencing. RYGB lowered body weight and adiposity as compared to sham-operated DIO rats. Discrete transcriptome changes were observed in the Arc following RYGB, including differential expression of genes associated with inflammation and neuropeptide signaling. RYGB reduced gene expression of glial cell markers, including Gfap, Aif1 and Timp1, confirmed by a lower number of GFAP immunopositive astrocyte profiles in the Arc. Sham-operated weight-matched rats demonstrated a similar glial gene expression signature, suggesting that RYGB and dietary restriction have common effects on hypothalamic gliosis. Considering that RYGB surgery also led to increased orexigenic and decreased anorexigenic gene expression, this may signify increased hunger-associated signaling at the level of the Arc. Hence, induction of counterregulatory molecular mechanisms downstream from the Arc may play an important role in RYGB-induced weight loss.


2019 ◽  
Vol 112 (5) ◽  
pp. 2207-2214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ping Tian ◽  
Lin Qiu ◽  
Ailin Zhou ◽  
Guo Chen ◽  
Hualiang He ◽  
...  

Abstract Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has become an invaluable technique for analyzing gene expression in many insects. However, this approach requires the use of stable reference genes to normalize the data. Chlorops oryzae causes significant economic damage to rice crops throughout Asia. The lack of suitable reference genes has hindered research on the molecular mechanisms underlying many physiological processes of this species. In this study, we used quantitative real-time PCR to evaluate the expression of eight C. oryzae housekeeping genes glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), β-actin (βACT), beta-tubulin (βTUB), Delta Elongation factor-1 (EF1δ), ribosomal protein S11 (RPS11), RPS15, C-terminal-Binding Protein (CtBP), and ribosomal protein 49 (RP49) in different developmental stages and tissues in both larvae and adults. We analyzed the data with four different software packages: geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and RefFinder and compared the results obtained with each method. The results indicate that PRS15 and RP49 can be used as stable reference genes for quantifying gene expression in different developmental stages and larval tissues. GAPDH and βACT, which have been considered stable reference genes by previous studies, were the least stable of the candidate genes with respect to larval tissues. GAPDH was, however, the most stable reference gene for adult tissues. We verified the candidate reference genes identified and found that the expression levels of Cadherins (Cads) changed when different reference genes were used to normalize gene expression. This study provides a valuable foundation for future research on gene function, and investigating the molecular basis of physiological processes, in C. oryzae.


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