Molecular and functional analysis of eclosion hormone-like gene involved in post-eclosion behavior in a beetle. (October 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tang, Jing; Yu, Runnan; Zhang, Yonglei; Xie, Jia; Song, Xiaowen; Feng, Fan; Gao, Han; Li, Bin
• Is Part Of: Journal of insect physiology. Volume 142(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-10
• Subjects: Neurohormone -- Eclosion hormone-like gene -- Eclosion behavior -- Tanning -- Tribolium castaneum; Insects -- Physiology -- Periodicals; Insectes -- Physiologie -- Périodiques; Insects -- Physiology; Periodicals; 571.157
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2022.104429
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-1910

Abstract

Graphical abstract: Highlights: New orthologous cluster of eclosion hormone-like (EHL) was identified in Arthropoda. 20E up-regulated the expression of TcEHL during pupal-adult development. RNAi of TcEHL caused lethal phenotypes with un-tanning adult cuticle in T. castaneum . RNAi of TcEHL affected ecdysis behavior and tanning pathway genes in T. castaneum . Abstract: Eclosion hormone (EH) is a neurohormone that plays a key role in the regulation of insect pre-ecdysis behavior at the end of each molt. Previous research has reported more than one EH gene was found in certain insects, with their functions and mechanisms still unclear. Here, aside from the classical EH gene orthologous group, we characterized another novel orthologous cluster of eclosion hormone-like (EHL) genes in Arthropoda and investigated the roles of EHL during development in Tribolium castaneum . T. castaneum EHL ( TcEHL ) shows high expression levels during pupal − adult development, which also positively responded to 20‐hydroxyecdysone (20E) treatment as well as RNA interference (RNAi) of ECR (20E nuclear receptor). Knockdown of TcEHL prevented the tanning of the adult cuticle and caused lethal phenotypes. Further analysis indicated that knockdown of TcEHL could upregulate expression levels of the classical TcEH, and downregulate the ecdysis behavior cascade genes, as well as tanning pathway enzymes. This suggests a critical role for TcEHL in adult eclosion and cuticle tanning. In addition, our data indicated that TcEHL is responsible for the female reproduction process. Taken together, these results suggest that TcEHL has specific roles in adult cuticle tanning during the post-eclosion process and female reproduction. They also suggest that EHL gene is the ancestral copy for the EH family and it is functionally shuffled by synfunctionalization.