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Insects
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Insect Molecular Biology: From Bioinformatics to Pest Management Applications
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Insect Molecular Biology: From Bioinformatics to Pest Management Applications

A special issue of Insects (ISSN 2075-4450). This special issue belongs to the section "Insect Molecular Biology and Genomics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 August 2026 | Viewed by 3749

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Lin Jin

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
Interests: insect physiology; biochemistry; molecular biology; genomics; molecular toxicology; insect behavior
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Food shortages caused by pests and the spread of insect-borne human diseases remain urgent global challenges. Over the course of evolution, insects have developed complex adaptations to their environments, reflected in their bioinformatic profiles and resulting in persistent, recurring damage to crops and human health. In recent decades, advances in high-throughput sequencing technologies and decreasing sequencing costs have greatly expanded our knowledge of the genomic and molecular features of many agriculturally and medically important insects. However, the mechanisms underlying insect adaptability and population success are still not fully understood. Moreover, the limited availability of such information continues to hinder the development and effective implementation of biotechnological approaches, including pest control and natural-enemy utilization.

This Special Issue welcomes recent discoveries in bioinformatics and biotechnology that advance our understanding of insect adaptability and contribute to improved pest management strategies.

Dr. Lin Jin
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Insects is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • insect
  • adaptability
  • bioinformatics
  • molecular biology
  • pest management
  • biotechnology

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 1273 KB  
Article
Logistics-Mediated Artificial Sympatry and Its Implications for Molecular Detection of Hylurgus ligniperda
by Jijing Han, Jiaying Wang, Junxia Cui, Li Liu, Xianfeng Chen, Yuhao Cao, Jiaojiao Chen and Xuemei Song
Insects 2026, 17(4), 408; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects17040408 - 9 Apr 2026
Viewed by 494
Abstract
International timber trade has accelerated the global spread of the invasive red-haired pine bark beetle H. ligniperda, posing persistent challenges to phytosanitary inspection and border biosecurity. Rapid isothermal amplification assays are increasingly deployed in frontline quarantine settings to support timely regulatory decisions. [...] Read more.
International timber trade has accelerated the global spread of the invasive red-haired pine bark beetle H. ligniperda, posing persistent challenges to phytosanitary inspection and border biosecurity. Rapid isothermal amplification assays are increasingly deployed in frontline quarantine settings to support timely regulatory decisions. However, their performance under the heterogeneous biological backgrounds typical of traded timber remains insufficiently evaluated, particularly with respect to the practical implications of low-level false-positive signals. We re-evaluated a previously reported isothermal assay for H. ligniperda using conditions that simulate timber transport and routine customs workflows. Fifty non-target arthropod species (predominantly insects), selected from quarantine interception records, were included to represent taxa likely to co-occur in operational contexts. Material from Lema decempunctata consistently generated weak but reproducible amplification signals across replicates. Sanger sequencing excluded contamination, confirming low-level non-target amplification in complex biological matrices. Although the signals were faint, ambiguous results in quarantine settings may trigger shipment detention, confirmatory laboratory testing, or temporary trade restrictions, thereby increasing inspection workload, delaying clearance, and generating avoidable compliance costs. These findings indicate that trade-mediated species assemblages can compromise assay performance beyond expectations derived from conventional taxonomy-based specificity testing. To reduce interpretive uncertainty and associated regulatory burden, we propose a tiered diagnostic workflow combining rapid on-site isothermal screening with specificity-oriented SYBR Green qPCR confirmation. This strategy enhances diagnostic reliability while preserving operational efficiency in applied biosecurity surveillance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Insect Molecular Biology: From Bioinformatics to Pest Management Applications)
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14 pages, 1375 KB  
Article
Molecular Identification of Palmistichus elaeisis, Tetrastichus howardi, Trichospilus diatraeae and Trichogramma pretiosum (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea)—Important Biocontrol Agents
by Izabella de Lima Palombo, Fabricio Fagundes Pereira, André Pessoa da Costa, Patrik Luiz Pastori, Alex Polatto Carvalho, Andrea Renata da Silva Romero, André Vieira do Nascimento, Ana Maria Perez Obrien, Patricia Iana Schmidt, Carlos Reinier Garcia Cardoso and Marcelo Teixeira Tavares
Insects 2026, 17(4), 395; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects17040395 - 5 Apr 2026
Viewed by 802
Abstract
Parasitoid wasps play a fundamental role in the biological control of pests. However, their morphological identification may be limited due to their small size and the high morphological similarity between species. Our objective was to identify specific genomic variants of the target species [...] Read more.
Parasitoid wasps play a fundamental role in the biological control of pests. However, their morphological identification may be limited due to their small size and the high morphological similarity between species. Our objective was to identify specific genomic variants of the target species Palmistichus elaeisis Delvare & LaSalle, 1993, Tetrastichus howardi (Olliff, 1893), Trichospilus diatraeae Cherian & Margabandhu, 1942, and Trichogramma pretiosum Riley, 1879, (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) by whole-genomic sequencing. Parasitoids were collected from their hosts and established in the laboratory after adult emergence. A sample of each parasitoid was sent to the Departamento de Ciências Biológicas at Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES) and “Oscar Monte” Entomophagous Insect Collection for morphological identification. Subsequently, samples composed of 20 individuals were preserved in absolute ethanol for DNA extraction. The DNA was extracted, quantified and sequenced on the Illumina Novaseq 6000 platform. Bioinformatic tools were used for quality control, detection of specific genomic variants, principal component analysis (PCA), and support vector machine (SVM). Genomic sequencing generated high-quality data for the analyzed parasitoids, allowing the identification of four specific variants for P. elaeisis, two for Te. howardi, four for Ts. diatraeae and five for Tg. pretiosum. These results provide a precise molecular tool for distinguishing parasitoids used in biological control programs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Insect Molecular Biology: From Bioinformatics to Pest Management Applications)
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16 pages, 1580 KB  
Article
Identification of Oral Secretion Proteins in Ostrinia furnacalis by Transcriptome and LC-MS/MS Analyses
by Xinyan Sun, Wei Hu, Dan Wang, Meichen Zhu, Cuiping Xin, Wenbo Yang, Huimin Li and Yanyong Cao
Insects 2026, 17(4), 357; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects17040357 - 24 Mar 2026
Viewed by 649
Abstract
Oral secretions (OS) of the Asian corn borer (Ostrinia furnacalis) play pivotal roles in its interactions with host plants. To systematically characterize the composition and potential functions of OS, 245 functionally annotated proteins from O. furnacalis reared on artificial diet were [...] Read more.
Oral secretions (OS) of the Asian corn borer (Ostrinia furnacalis) play pivotal roles in its interactions with host plants. To systematically characterize the composition and potential functions of OS, 245 functionally annotated proteins from O. furnacalis reared on artificial diet were identified using an integrated approach combining transcriptomics and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Bioinformatics analyses were further performed to predict 16 effector proteins. Subsequent tissue-specific expression assays were conducted to quantify the transcriptional levels of genes encoding these effector proteins in salivary glands, guts, and residual tissues. Among these genes, OfGDH2, OfPero2, OfPero3, and OfCBP were highly expressed in salivary glands, OfGDH3, OfRGD, OfEST1, OfEST2, OfMET, and Offerrin showed high expression in guts, while OfSP34 was abundantly expressed in both salivary glands and guts. This study represents the first systematic characterization of the molecular profile of O. furnacalis OS, thereby laying a solid foundation for future investigations into the molecular mechanisms underlying the host adaptation of this pest. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Insect Molecular Biology: From Bioinformatics to Pest Management Applications)
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18 pages, 2942 KB  
Article
Molecular Characterization of Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) Stress-Associated BiP, IRE1, and XBP1 Genes in Diaphorina citri and Their Roles During Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus Infection
by Zhiyou Xuan, Xinying Yang, Tao Peng, Yingzhe Yuan, Caifu Liu, Yali Wang, Aijun Huang, Long Yi, Xuefeng Wang, Mengji Cao and Changyong Zhou
Insects 2026, 17(3), 260; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects17030260 - 28 Feb 2026
Viewed by 615
Abstract
The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response, or unfolded protein response (UPR), is crucial for cellular homeostasis and host defense. Its role in insect vectors of plant pathogens remains poorly understood. This study conducted a comprehensive molecular characterization of three core UPR genes—BiP [...] Read more.
The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response, or unfolded protein response (UPR), is crucial for cellular homeostasis and host defense. Its role in insect vectors of plant pathogens remains poorly understood. This study conducted a comprehensive molecular characterization of three core UPR genes—BiP, IRE1, and XBP1—in Diaphorina citri, the insect vector of the citrus huanglongbing pathogen Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas). Expression profiling showed distinct developmental and tissue-specific patterns for these genes. The IRE1-mediated unconventional splicing of XBP1 mRNA was identified in D. citri and predicted across diverse insect pests. A semi-quantitative RT-PCR assay was established to detect this splicing event for monitoring ER stress. Time-course analysis of CLas-infected D. citri revealed an early activation (upregulation of BiP, IRE1, XBP1 transcripts, and increased XBP1 splicing) followed by later suppression of the UPR. Functional studies demonstrated that induction of ER stress with thapsigargin increased CLas titer. RNAi-mediated silencing showed that IRE1 silencing increased CLas proliferation, whereas XBP1 silencing reduced it. These findings provide foundational insights into the ER stress pathway in D. citri and demonstrate that the IRE1-XBP1 branch of the UPR plays a critical role in modulating CLas infection dynamics within its insect vector. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Insect Molecular Biology: From Bioinformatics to Pest Management Applications)
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21 pages, 4386 KB  
Article
Developmental and Reproductive Impacts of Arsenophonus Symbiont on the Population of Nilaparvata lugens
by Qian-Qian Li, Salah M. Mohamed, Yi-Le Hu, Yong-Mao Lian, Adams Ibrahim, Xiang-Zhen Zhu, Feng Chen and Sheng Lin
Insects 2026, 17(2), 222; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects17020222 - 20 Feb 2026
Viewed by 721
Abstract
The Brown Planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Stål.) (Hemiptera: Delphinidae), is one of the most destructive pests of rice. Its reproductive and developmental traits are influenced by various environmental and biological factors including endosymbiotic microorganisms. Arsenophonus, a widespread endosymbiotic bacterium of insects, can affect [...] Read more.
The Brown Planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Stål.) (Hemiptera: Delphinidae), is one of the most destructive pests of rice. Its reproductive and developmental traits are influenced by various environmental and biological factors including endosymbiotic microorganisms. Arsenophonus, a widespread endosymbiotic bacterium of insects, can affect host fitness and metabolic processes. This study investigates the role of Arsenophonus in modulating the developmental and reproductive traits of N. lugens fed on transgenic cry30Fa1 rice (KF30-14) and its parent variety Minghui 86 (MH86). Life table analysis revealed that Arsenophonus infection (Ars+) increased the development time and reduced the reproductive capacity of N. lugens, especially those feeding on KF30-14. The first-instar nymphs in MH86 Ars+ (infected) exhibited slower development compared to MH86 Ars− (uninfected). Similarly, the third and fourth-instar nymphs in KF30-14 Ars+ exhibited prolonged development time compared to KF30-14 Ars−. In addition, KF30-14 Ars+ females had significantly reduced reproductive capacity, smaller ovarian tubules and lower relative expression levels of reproduction-related genes including Trehalose transporter (Tret), Vitellogenin (Vg) and Cytochrome P450 hydroxylase (cyp314a1), while Juvenile hormone acid methyltransferase (JHAMT) expression was upregulated. RNA sequencing and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis revealed significant enrichment of genes involved in lipid, amino acid, and vitamin metabolisms, with Long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase implicated as a key regulator of lipid metabolism and reproductive fitness. These results highlight the complex interactions between endosymbionts, host plants and pest biology, offering a solid foundation for sustainable approaches to control N. lugens in rice production systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Insect Molecular Biology: From Bioinformatics to Pest Management Applications)
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