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Molecular Ecology, Physiology and Biochemistry of Insects, 5th Edition

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Immunology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 3545

Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Of all the zoological classes, insects are the most numerous in species and the most varied in structure. Estimates of the number of species vary from 1 to 10 million, and 1018 individuals are estimated to be alive at any given moment. Insects are relatively ancient and have survived more or less unchanged in their basic winged form for the last 300 million years. Due to their adaptability in behavior, physiology, and biochemistry to changing environmental conditions, insects have successfully colonized habitats stretching from arid deserts to the Arctic and Antarctic and from freshwater brooks to hot springs and saline marine environments.

Knowledge of the physiology and biochemistry of insects developed extensively at the end of the 20th century. The reasons for this increased interest in insect physiology and biochemistry were that insects can be useful as model systems for experimental studies of principles, but also as economic models. Mechanisms of environmental adaptation in growth and development, energy metabolism, or respiration to temperature, oxygen tension, food supply, or salt concentrations were the focus of interest. It was the time of “Physiological Ecology”.

About 30 years later, the omics era gives us the opportunity to gain deeper insight into the different aspects of insect physiology and environmental adaptation, for example, by silencing or overexpressing candidate genes of interest. A major challenge in current entomology is to integrate different levels of organization, from cellular mechanisms to functions in ecosystems. The rapid development of molecular techniques for studying the physiological functions of genes will revolutionize the entomology not only of so-called model organisms like Drosophila, but in general. When we understand how physiological processes are regulated and at what time, we will be able to manipulate them, thereby providing new attractive opportunities for practical applications, for example, in an ecologically friendly insect pest control.

We invite you to contribute original research articles and critical reviews on both basic and applied approaches in insect molecular biology. Articles on the molecular mechanisms of insect–plant interactions, and systems of insect communication in general, are also welcome.

Prof. Dr. Klaus H. Hoffmann
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • insect development and reproduction
  • molecular endocrinology/neuropeptides
  • insect immunity
  • photoperiodism
  • cold hardiness
  • global climate change
  • insect aging
  • insect–plant interactions
  • molecular interactions of insects with microorganisms
  • chemical communication
  • biochemistry of insect venoms
  • insect genomics and proteomics
  • genetic engineering
  • molecular
  • volution/population genetics
  • insect biotechnology

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 25858 KiB  
Article
Juvenile Hormone and Ecdysteroids Facilitate the Adult Reproduction Through the Methoprene-Tolerant Gene and Ecdysone Receptor Gene in the Female Spodoptera frugiperda
by Yan Zhang, Kui-Ting Ding, Nian-Wan Yang, Zhi-Chuang Lv, Zhen-Ying Wang, Yong-Jun Zhang, Wan-Xue Liu and Jian-Yang Guo
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(5), 1914; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26051914 - 23 Feb 2025
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Abstract
Insects, as the most diverse and numerous group in the animal kingdom, are at least partly dependent on the reproduction process, which is strictly regulated by the ‘classic’ insect hormones: juvenile hormone (JH), and 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E). However, the regulatory mechanism governing the reproduction [...] Read more.
Insects, as the most diverse and numerous group in the animal kingdom, are at least partly dependent on the reproduction process, which is strictly regulated by the ‘classic’ insect hormones: juvenile hormone (JH), and 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E). However, the regulatory mechanism governing the reproduction of JH and 20E in Spodoptera frugiperda remains unclear. In this study, ovarian development and ovulation in female S. frugiperda were assessed through dissection of the ovaries following treatment with JH analog (JHA) and 20E. Moreover, the expression patterns of the JH-signal and 20E-signal-related genes were determined by quantitative PCR (qPCR), and RNA interference (RNAi) was used to investigate the role of JH and 20E-induced genes. Ovarian development was observed by microdissection, and JH and 20E titers were determined by ELISA. Kr-h1, Vg, and USP expression were determined by qPCR. Dissection and qPCR results showed that JHA and 20E promoted ovarian development, egg maturation, and egg laying by upregulating Methoprene-Tolerant (Met) and Ecdysone Receptor (EcR)expression. Additionally, the RNAi results showed that the injection of dsMet and dsEcR markedly delayed ovarian development, inhibited egg maturation, and halted egg production. Knockdown of Met and EcR significantly reduced JH and 20E content and inhibited the transcription of Kr-h1 and USP. These results indicate that JH and 20E facilitate adult reproduction through the methoprene-tolerant gene and ecdysone receptor gene in female S. frugiperda. Full article
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15 pages, 5395 KiB  
Article
Transcriptome and Expression Analysis of Glycerol Biosynthesis-Related Genes in Glenea cantor Fabricius (Cerambycidae: Lamiinae)
by Taihui Lan, Ranran Su, Zishu Dong, Xin Tong, Xialin Zheng and Xiaoyun Wang
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(21), 11834; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms252111834 - 4 Nov 2024
Viewed by 913
Abstract
Glenea cantor Fabricius (Cerambycidae: Lamiinae) is an important pest that damages kapok trees in Southeast Asia with a wide adaptability to temperature. Glycerol is a protectant and energy source for insects in low-temperature environments. However, glycerol biosynthesis-related genes at the molecular level are [...] Read more.
Glenea cantor Fabricius (Cerambycidae: Lamiinae) is an important pest that damages kapok trees in Southeast Asia with a wide adaptability to temperature. Glycerol is a protectant and energy source for insects in low-temperature environments. However, glycerol biosynthesis-related genes at the molecular level are limited in G. cantor. In this study, the supercooling points and freezing points at different stages were measured, and the cold hardiness of male and female pupae significantly differed. Moreover, a full-length transcriptome of G. cantor was established; glycerol kinase (GK) and glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) genes, which are related to glycerol metabolism, were identified, with a special focus on their expression profiles. A total of 24,476 isoforms stemmed from the full-length transcriptome, along with 568 lncRNAs, 56 transcription factor (TF) families, and 1467 alternative splicing (AS) events. The KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed that the isoforms associated with AS were enriched primarily in glycerolipid and glycerophospholipid metabolism. In total, three GK genes and one GPDH gene were identified, and GcGK1 and GcGK3 presented differential sex expression during the pupal stage, which may play a role in thermal adaptability. This study provides a valuable transcriptional database of G. cantor and helps to elucidate the function of glycerol in the thermal adaptation mechanism of longhorn beetles. Full article
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Review

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12 pages, 943 KiB  
Review
A Brief Overview of Ethanol Tolerance and Its Potential Association with Circadian Rhythm in Drosophila
by Sophie K. Peterson and S. Tariq Ahmad
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(23), 12605; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms252312605 - 24 Nov 2024
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Abstract
Alcohol consumption and addiction remain global health concerns, with significant loss of productivity, morbidity, and mortality. Drosophila melanogaster, a widely used model organism, offers valuable insights into the genetic and neuronal mechanisms underlying ethanol-induced behaviors (EIBs) such as sedation, recovery, and tolerance. [...] Read more.
Alcohol consumption and addiction remain global health concerns, with significant loss of productivity, morbidity, and mortality. Drosophila melanogaster, a widely used model organism, offers valuable insights into the genetic and neuronal mechanisms underlying ethanol-induced behaviors (EIBs) such as sedation, recovery, and tolerance. This narrative review focuses on studies in the Drosophila model system suggesting an association between circadian rhythm genes as modulators of ethanol tolerance. Mutations in these genes disrupt both the circadian cycle and tolerance, underscoring the interplay between circadian rhythm and ethanol processing although the exact mechanisms remain largely unknown. Additionally, genes involved in stress response, gene expression regulation, neurotransmission, and synaptic activity were implicated in ethanol tolerance modulation. At the neuronal level, recent studies have highlighted the involvement of corazonin (CRZ) and neuropeptide F (NPF) neurons in modulating EIBs. Understanding the temporal dynamics of tolerance development is crucial for describing the molecular basis of ethanol tolerance. Ultimately, insights gained from Drosophila studies hold promise for elucidating the neurobiological underpinnings of alcohol use disorders and addiction, contributing to more effective interventions and treatments. Full article
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