Identification of novel juvenile-hormone signaling activators via high-throughput screening with a chemical library

Juvenile hormone (JH) is an insect-specific hormone that regulates molting and metamorphosis. Hence, JH signaling inhibitors (JHSIs) and activators (JHSAs) can be used as effective insect growth regulators (IGRs) for pest management. In our previous study, we established a high-throughput screening (HTS) system for exploration of novel JHSIs and JHSAs using a Bombyx mori cell line (BmN_JF&AR cells) and succeeded in identifying novel JHSIs from a chemical library. Here, we searched for novel JHSAs using this system. The four-step HTS yielded 10 compounds as candidate JHSAs; some of these compounds showed novel basic structures, whereas the others were composed of a 4-phenoxyphenoxymethyl skeleton, the basic structure of several existing JH analogs (pyriproxyfen and fenoxycarb). Topical application of seven compounds to B. mori larvae significantly prolonged the larval period, suggesting that the identified JHSAs may be promising IGRs targeting the JH signaling pathway.     

New ways and new hopes for IGR development

Insect Growth Regulators (IGRs) represent advanced, bio-rational insecticides. This Special Issue reflects progress in IGR development that has been enabled by insight into the molecular principles of biosynthetic or hormone signaling pathways. The unifying principle is aiming at processes and molecular targets that are unique to arthropods and ideally to narrower insect taxa representing pests or disease vectors. While some strategies of obtaining the desired compounds for chemical intervention rely on rational, structure-based design or computational power, others exploit technologies allowing automated, high-throughput screening of large chemical libraries. All avenues leading to selective and environmentally safe pest control are valid as we face the imminent threat of the declining world insect population.     

Met基因在黏虫生殖中的功能分析

保幼激素(juvenile hormone, JH)是由咽侧体分泌的倍半萜类化合物,可以调控昆虫的很多生理过程,如发育、变态、生殖等。作为bHLH-PAS(helix-loop-helix-Per-ARNT-Sim)转录因子家族成员之一的methoprene-tolerant (Met)是JH的受体,在JH的信号传导过程中有非常重要的作用。本研究通过实时荧光定量PCR结合RNAi技术测定了沉默Met基因后黏虫Mythimna separata的Vg基因表达、卵巢发育和生殖行为,旨在探究Met基因在黏虫生殖过程中的功能。结果表明当Met基因沉默后,与卵巢发育密切相关的卵黄原蛋白(vitellogenin, Vg)基因表达量下调了50%,从而显著抑制了卵巢发育,并导致产卵显著延迟、产卵历期显著缩短,产卵量显著下降。结果表明Met基因是黏虫生殖发育过程中的关键受体基因,它通过调节后续Vg的表达和沉积,来达到控制卵巢发育,从而调控生殖作用。     

Hormonal changes play important roles in the key period of superior and inferior earshoot differentiation in maize

The upper earshoots with higher superiority usually have higher yield potential and higher efficiency. To determine the key period for the asynchronous differentiation of superior and inferior earshoots and how hormones are involved in this process, a two-year experiment was designed using two maize hybrids: Suyu 41 (S41, single-ear hybrid) and AN 101 (A101, double-ear hybrid). The results showed that the lag of lower earshoot differentiation was not only caused by the delay of the differentiation starting time but also related to extension of the duration in spikelet differentiation (stage II) and sexual organ formation stage (stage IV). From 12 days before silking (DBS), the contents of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), zeatin riboside (ZR)+zeatin (ZT), and gibberellic acid (GA₃) in both upper and lower earshoots of the two hybrids increased dramatically and then decreased quickly. ABA slightly increased in the two hybrids and then decreased slowly in S41, while it was maintained at a high level in A101. At 8 DBS, i.e., the transition period from floret differentiation to sexual organ formation stage, not only the growth of upper-to-lower earshoot difference (ULED), but also the values for ULED of IAA, ZR+ZT and GA₃ were all significantly higher in S41 than in A101. Furthermore, the upper-to-lower hormone ratios IAA_U//AA_L and (ZR+ZT)_U/(ZR+ZT)_L were also much higher in the single-ear hybrid than in the double-ear hybrid, while the GA_3U/GA_3L and ABA_U/ABA_L had no significant differences. In addition, the time course of ULED_hormone/ULED_{earshoot growth rate} also suggested that the hormones work in different ways in earshoot superiority/inferiority formation. The delayed differentiation of lower ear shoots was conclusively related to the later initiation of differentiation and the longer durations of specific differentiation stages. Compared with the regulating roles of IAA and ZR+ZT in the key period (8 DBS) of superiority/inferiority differentiation, GA₃ seems to be affected earlier, while ABA contributes little to this process.     

生殖激素产品的应用和发展趋势

生殖激素是调控动物体内复杂生殖过程并影响繁殖性能的一系列的重要激素。近年来，利用生殖激素的批次化生产繁殖技术被广泛使用，提高了母猪的繁殖效率，促进了养猪业向集约化和规模化方向的发展。目前在批次化生产过程中主要采用孕马血清促性腺激素（PMSG）和人绒毛膜促性腺激素（HCG）以及化学类激素进行繁殖调控。但是这些产品的应用仍存在一些问题，因此需要开发出成本低、活性好的高品质蛋白类生殖激素产品，应用于猪场批次化生产中，提高生猪养殖效率和降低生产成本，为提升我国乃至全球畜牧业的动物繁殖效率做出贡献，为动物和人类的健康提供重要保证。     

Effects of Estradiol and Testosterone on the Expression of Growth‐related Genes in Female and Male Nile Tilapia,Oreochromis niloticus

Nile tilapia exhibits strong sexual growth dimorphism. The potential role of sex steroid hormones in sexual growth dimorphism is not fully understood. We investigated the effects of estradiol (E₂) and testosterone (T) on growth rate, plasma sex hormones, and expression of growth hormone (GH)‐insulin‐like growth factor (IGF) axis genes and muscle regulatory factor (MRF) genes in female and male Nile tilapia. The results revealed that serum concentrations of E₂ and T were significantly higher after correlative injection (P < 0.05). Compared to male fish, female fish had lower growth rates. E₂ increased growth performance in females with no significant effects on males, whereas T significantly increased growth performance in males, with no significant effects on females. In females, E₂ significantly increased expression of ghr1, ghr2, igf1, and igf2, while T decreased igf2 and increased ghr1 and ghr2 expression. In males, T increased expression of igf1, igf2, ghr1, and ghr2, and E₂ decreased expression of igf1, ghr1, and ghr2. Additionally, E₂ and T enhanced the expression of MRF genes (myod1, myod2, myog, and myf5) in female and male fish, respectively. The results suggest that sex steroid hormones play a role in sexual growth dimorphism by regulating the expression of GH‐IGF axis and MRF genes.     

内源激素对同源四倍体黑皮冬瓜自交花粉萌发生长的影响

【目的】探讨同源四倍体黑皮冬瓜Benincasa hispida(Thunb.)Cogn.花粉萌发生长与内源激素的关系,为同源四倍体黑皮冬瓜自交低稔性机理研究开拓新思路。【方法】以同源四倍体及其原二倍体黑皮冬瓜为试材,对自交花粉在雌蕊上的萌发与生长情况及花粉与雌蕊中内源激素含量进行比较研究。【结果】同源四倍体黑皮冬瓜自交花粉在柱头上的萌发率低,花粉管在花柱中生长缓慢,且花粉管在生长过程中易出现粗细不均匀、结节、先端膨大、双花粉管及扭曲、折叠等现象。同源四倍体黑皮冬瓜花粉和雌蕊中促进花粉萌发生长的内源激素玉米素核苷(ZR)和异戊烯基腺苷(IPA)含量极显著低于二倍体(P0.01),吲哚乙酸(IAA)含量略低于二倍体(P0.05),雌蕊中的赤霉素(GA_3)含量显著低于二倍体(P0.05),花粉中的GA3含量略低于二倍体(P0.05),而抑制生长类激素脱落酸(ABA)含量显著高于二倍体(P0.05),w(IAA+GA_3+ZR+IPA)∶w(ABA)极显著低于二倍体(P0.01)。【结论】同源四倍体黑皮冬瓜花粉和雌蕊中内源激素调控了花粉萌发生长,导致花粉管出现异常现象,是引起同源四倍体黑皮冬瓜自交低稔性的原因之一。     

Retracted: Study of testis histology and sperm morphology in the Bunnei,Barbus sharpeyi (Gunther, 1874) induced by luteinizing hormone‐releasing hormone analogue and carp pituitary extract

This study was conducted to determine the effects of hormone treatment on testis structure in Barbus sharpeyi, as well as the morphology of sperm examined by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). Male B. sharpeyi were divided into three groups (three fish per group) and injected with luteinizing hormone – releasing hormone analogue (LHRH–A₂) or carp pituitary extract (CPE). The first and second groups were treated with 10 μg kg^?1 LHRH–A₂ and metoclopramide (MET), and their testis were sampled pre‐ and Poststripping respectively. The third group received 2 mg kg^?1 CPE and were killed pre‐stripping. Based on the histological results obtained, the testicular connective tissue of the lumen was thicker, and seminal vesicles were of a lower volume, in fish injected with CPE in comparison to the other groups. After treatment with LHRH–A₂ and MET, not all spermatozoa within the testis were ejaculated, and only a small amount of sperm was obtained by abdominal stripping. The highest and lowest diameters of connective tissue within lobules were observed in fish receiving CPE and LHRH–A₂ treatments respectively. There was a significant difference (P < 0.05) in lobule space between the fish injected with the CPE and the fish injected with the LHRH–A₂ and MET. The SEM results revealed that the spermatozoa of B. sharpeyi were composed of a spherical to elliptical head, a cylindrical midpiece, and a lengthy flagellum. In conclusion, it was found that injection with LHRH–A₂ and MET improved the spermatogenic process in comparison to injection with CPE.