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.     

桉树不同成熟度叶片营养元素内循环特征

揭示桉树人工林不同成熟度的叶片器官所需营养元素变化以及土壤肥力对其影响,对于桉树营林和科学施肥具有重要的生产指导意义。选取广西隆安县小林镇和田东县思林镇的桉树2代萌芽林作为研究对象,测定两个人工林嫩叶、成熟叶、黄叶的C、N、P、K、B、Ca、Mg以及土壤C、N、P、K、Ca、Mg元素含量,并进行相关分析。结果表明,植物叶片的N、P、K、Mg营养元素转移规律是黄叶向成熟叶和嫩叶转移,但C、Ca、B营养元素则是随着叶片的生长发育逐渐积累,黄叶中含量最高,说明施肥时应关注Ca、B元素的持续和有效供给。两片人工林都表现出类似的规律,说明土壤肥力的差异不影响桉树人工林叶片营养元素的内循环规律。桉树嫩叶营养元素含量及其生态化学计量比学特征具有与成熟叶和黄叶不同的表征,在营养物质研究中应予以足够重视。     

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.     

盐度对珍珠龙胆石斑鱼幼鱼渗透调节与耗氧率的影响

为研究盐度对珍珠龙胆石斑鱼（）渗透调节与耗氧率的影响，设计实验一，将（162.5±12.1）g珍珠龙胆石斑鱼置于不同盐度（6、12、18、24、30）下养殖10 d，测定血清渗透压及Na⁺、Cl^-、K⁺离子浓度。实验结果表明，随盐度的升高血清渗透压及Na⁺、Cl^-、K⁺离子浓度也随着升高，各组[Na⁺]：[Cl^-]比值无显著差异（>0.05）；经回归分析得到血清等渗点渗透压为365.95 mOsm/kg，所对应盐度为12.75。实验二，将（26.4±2.7）g幼鱼置于不同盐度（6、12、18、24、30）下养殖30 d，测定在开始暴露后0 h、3 h、24 h、72 h鳃Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase活性及表达和第30天耗氧率，结果表明鳃Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase活性随盐度的增大呈“U”形变化；鳃Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase α1基因表达量波动较大，在72 h后随盐度增大先降低后增加，变化趋势与酶活性一致；第30天耗氧率随盐度的增加先降低后增加又降低。综上所述，珍珠龙胆石斑鱼幼鱼10 d内能够完全适应6~30盐度急性变化，耗氧率除了受离子渗透调节的影响，还可能与其生活史阶段有关。     

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。     

Freshwater nucleated pearl quality is influenced by host mussel growth traits in Hyriopsis cumingii

Hyriopsis cumingii is one of the most important freshwater pearl mussels in China. Recently, this species can produce freshwater nucleated pearls of high quality. Here, we investigated whether nucleated pearl quality is influenced by the growth traits of the host mussel or other factors like cultivation period. We implanted host mussels with a spherical nucleus consisting of a small piece of mantle tissue from donor mussels. After 24 and 36 months of culture, host mussel growth traits including body weight and shell length, height, width and weight were recorded. These factors were then correlated with the quality traits of the pearls they produced, such as nacre thickness, size, weight, lustre and colour. Results indicated pearls obtained at 36 months after seeding were significantly larger in terms of nacre thickness, size and weight compared to those harvested at 24 months. In particular, nacre thickness (r = 0.33–0.48, P = 0.00), pearl size (r = 0.39–0.43, P = 0.00) and pearl weight (r = 0.35–0.47, P = 0.00) were showed to be significantly correlated with host mussels shell length, body weight and shell weight at 24 or 36 months. Larger and heavier host mussels tended to produce bigger pearls. In contrast, host mussels did not affect pearl colour. Cumulatively, our results suggest that longer culturing times and a larger host mussel may help produce better quality nucleated pearl. This information can help guide selective breeding programs designed to improve pearl quality produced by H. cumingii.     

Seasonal Changes in Quality and Fatty Acid Composition of Black Mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis)

The study was designed to assess the seasonal variations in the quality and lipid profile of mussel meat (Mytilus galloprovincialis) harvested along the Bulgarian coast of the Black Sea. The trial period lasted from June to October, and the sampling was carried out in the area of Varna Bay. Technological quality of the mussels was determined by measuring the water holding capacity (WHC) and cooking and roasting losses. Proximate composition, total aerobic plate count, and fatty acid analysis were carried out. Technological parameters and nutritional quality of the mussel meat were strongly affected by the season. During the summer, the mussels had higher mass, meat content, and meat yield (p < 0.001) compared to the early autumn, which corresponds to the lowest protein content during this season. Lipid profile showed seasonal variations in both individual and total fatty acid amounts (p < 0.001). Saturated fatty acids (SFA) had the highest content in summer, while monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) decreased gradually until the autumn. The content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) reached its peak in October, contributing to the most favorable values of the nutritional indices of lipids in the early autumn.     

幼龄期压砂地枸杞产量和品质多指标耦合灌溉制度优化

为提高宁夏中部干旱带幼龄期压砂地枸杞灌水效率,保障枸杞产量和品质,进行了3水平灌水定额(300、225 m~3·hm~(-2)和150 m~3·hm~(-2))的田间对比试验,采用综合指标增量最优方法对灌溉制度进行了优化。研究发现:枸杞5月上旬萌芽期耗水以土壤蒸发为主,日耗水量0.6～1.2 mm,6月中旬进入夏果花期耗水量增大,日耗水量2.5～3.7 mm,7月中旬枸杞夏果期耗水量继续增大,达2.4～4.3 mm,7月下旬日耗水量最大,为3.2～4.7 mm,8月中旬耗水量下降,日耗水量3.0～4.2 mm。灌水定额对枸杞产量影响显著(P0.05),灌水定额300 m~3·hm~(-2)时产量最高,为1 402.65 kg·hm~(-2);灌水定额225 m~3·hm~(-2)时枸杞多糖、β-胡萝卜素和黄酮较高,含量分别为4.56%、0.15%和0.41%;灌水定额150 m~3·hm~(-2)时枸杞甜菜碱含量较高,为0.77%。进一步通过综合指标增量最优方法进行优化,结果表明β-胡萝卜素含量最高时得到综合指标增量最大,为-5.4%,总耗水量为450 mm。枸杞夏果花期进入需水关键期,阶段耗水量达70 mm以上,进入6月中旬枸杞需水量增大,旬耗水量达29 mm以上。可见,幼龄期压砂地枸杞产量及品质指标均达到最优的耗水量较难获得,但是在β-胡萝卜素含量最高时可以获得产量和品质多指标耦合的最优耗水量,据此进行灌溉制度优化,可以一定程度上实现幼龄期压砂地枸杞优质高产。     

Riparian defoliation by the invasive green alder sawfly influences terrestrial prey subsidies to salmon streams

Invasive species in riparian forests are unique as their effects can transcend ecosystem boundaries via stream‐riparian linkages. The green alder sawfly (Monsoma pulveratum) is an invasive wasp whose larvae are defoliating riparian thin‐leaf alder (Alnus tenuifolia) stands across southcentral Alaska. To test the hypothesis that riparian defoliation by this invasive sawfly negatively affects the flow of terrestrial prey resources to stream fishes, we sampled terrestrial invertebrates on riparian alder foliage, their subsidies to streams and their consumption by juvenile coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch). Invasive sawflies altered the composition of terrestrial invertebrates on riparian alder foliage and as terrestrial prey subsidies to streams. Community analyses supported these findings revealing that invasive sawflies shifted the community structure of terrestrial invertebrates between seasons and levels of energy flow (riparian foliage, streams and fish). Invasive sawfly biomass peaked mid‐summer, altering the timing and magnitude of terrestrial prey subsidies to streams. Contrary to our hypothesis, invasive sawflies had no effect on the biomass of native taxa on riparian alder foliage, as terrestrial prey subsidies, or in juvenile coho salmon diets. Juvenile coho salmon consumed invasive sawflies when most abundant, but relied more on other prey types selecting against sawflies relative to their availability. Although we did not find effects of invasive sawflies extending to juvenile coho salmon in this study, these results could change as the distribution of invasive sawflies expands or as defoliation intensifies. Nevertheless, riparian defoliation by these invasive sawflies is likely having other ecological effects that merits further investigation.