七星瓢虫卵黄原蛋白基因的表达:保幼激素类似物对mRNA的诱导

在七星瓢虫(Coccinella septempunctata)中,保幼激素调控脂肪体中卵黄原蛋白基因的表达.蛋白质合成实验证明,保幼激素类似物大幅度地促进取食人工饲料的雌虫脂肪体中卵黄原蛋白的合成.保幼激素类似物的作用有高度选择性,使卵黄原蛋白占总蛋白的百分比提高12倍.取食人工饲料的雌虫中,脂肪体RNA含量及其转译活性均极低,转译产物中不存在卵黄原蛋白多肽.保幼激素类似物能显著提高脂肪体RNA的含量及其中可转译mRNA的水平.处理后的雌虫,象蚜虫饲养的成熟雌虫一样,其脂肪体RNA能在体外转译系统中指导卵黄原蛋白多肽的合成,并在变性琼脂糖凝胶电泳上显示一条高分子量的带(约5100核苷酸),初步鉴定为卵黄原蛋白mRNA.由此证明,保幼激素类似物能诱导卵黄原蛋白mRNA的出现和积累.     

七星瓢虫卵黄原蛋白基因的表达mRNA的体外转译

七星瓢虫成熟雌虫脂肪体总RNA和poly(A)~+RNA中可转译mRNA的水平约为雄虫和不成熟雌虫的两倍,其中所含的卵黄原蛋白mRNA可在体外转译系统中指导卵黄原蛋白多肽的合成。 雌虫取食人工饲料时,其脂肪体RNA中可转译mRNA的水平很低,不能指导卵黄原蛋白多肽的合成。保幼激素类似物能诱导可转译卵黄原蛋白mRNA的出现。     

七星瓢虫的卵黄发生:保幼激素类似物对卵黄原蛋白合成的调节

本文用脂肪体体外培养方法,研究了取食天然食物和基础人工饲料的七星瓢虫雌虫中卵黄原蛋白、其他分泌蛋白和RNA合成的发育期变化,以及保幼激素类似物ZR-512的调节作用。结果表明:(1)取食蚜虫的雌虫脂肪体羽化后3天即开始合成卵黄原蛋白。11天时合成急剧上升,13天到达最高峰。脂肪体RNA的合成随发育天数而逐渐上升,第9天出现高峰。(2)取食基础人工饲料的雌虫脂肪体合成卵黄原蛋白的能力很弱;在羽化后20天内一直停留在极低的水平,所合成的卵黄原蛋白仅为取食蚜虫时合成高峰的3%。其他分泌蛋白的合成被抑制的程度小得多。脂肪体的RNA合成也一直比较低。(3)取食基础人工饲料的雌虫点滴或喂食ZR-512后,卵黄原蛋白的合成在高峰期比对照组分别增加44倍和67倍。而其他分泌蛋白的合成仅比对照组提高近3倍,表明保幼激素对卵黄原蛋白合成有特别明显的促进作用。激素处理后脂肪体RNA的合成比对照组提高6—7倍,证明保幼激素作用于转录水平。     

七星瓢虫的卵黄发生:体外培养的脂肪体中卵黄原蛋白的合成

为了深入研究七星瓢虫的卵黄发生及其激素调节机理,我们建立了脂肪体的体外培养方法,证明了脂肪体在体外培养条件下能够正常进行卵黄原蛋白的合成与分泌。在体外合成的卵黄原蛋白与体内合成的具有相同的电泳迁移率、免疫学特性和部分水解肽谱。放射性氨基酸在体外参人卵黄原蛋白的动力学与在体内的相似。用脂肪体的体外培养方法,结合放射免疫沉淀、SAS-聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳、放射自显影等技术,研究了不同发育期脂肪体的合成能力,以及取食人工饲料的雌虫中保幼激素类似物对卵黄原蛋白合成的促进作用。     

七星瓢虫的卵黄发生:植入雄虫的卵巢中卵黄原蛋白的合成

为了证实七星瓢虫的卵巢能合成卵黄原蛋白, 并查明雄虫体内是否具有卵黄发生所必需的激素环境, 我们将刚羽化雌虫的一侧卵巢或数个卵巢管植入雄虫体内.移植的卵巢或卵巢管在雄虫体内能够发育, 其卵母细胞能沉积卵黄, 一部分可达成熟.体外培养证明移植的卵巢可合成卵黄原蛋白, 但受体雄虫的脂肪体不合成卵黄原蛋白, 而且其血淋巴中也不存在这种蛋白.用保幼激素类似物ZR-512处理受体雄虫, 可促进移植卵巢的发育, 但不能诱导其脂肪体合成卵黄原蛋白.此结果表明, 象大多数昆虫一样, 七星瓢虫的卵黄发生的性二型现象表现在激素的靶组织——脂肪体, 而不是激素本身.     

七星瓢虫脂肪体的核酸代谢

脂肪体是七星瓢虫卵黄原蛋白合成的主要场所。本文用微量萤光法和细胞光度法测定成虫期脂肪体核酸含量的变化。结果表明,雌虫在成虫期第5天时,脂肪体的RNA/DNA比值出现高峰,雌虫在第9天产卵,说明当脂肪体合成卵黄原蛋白之前,脂肪体细胞的RNA合成十分活跃,这可促使卵黄原蛋白合成速率加快,几天后雌虫即能产出成熟卵块。雄虫脂舫体的RNA/DNA比值高峰在第7天出现,但其比值只有雌虫的一半。取食代饲料的雌虫,脂肪体RNA/DNA的比值一直较低,直到第24天比值才有所提高,但与正常取食蚜虫的雌虫个体的高峰值相比相差也约一半。这种雌虫一直未能产卵,说明取食代饲料的雌虫不产卵的原因在于脂肪体中核酸代谢的异常。取食代饲料一直未能产卵的雌虫,经用保幼激素类似物ZR-512处理;3天后脂肪体的RNA平均值明显增高。说明ZR-512对瓢虫脂肪体RNA合成有促进作用。     

七星瓢虫的卵黄发生:卵黄原蛋白的发生和取食代饲料的影响

1.用凝胶电泳和免疫扩散法研究了七星瓢虫成虫脂肪体、血淋巴和卵巢中总蛋白和卵黄原蛋白的含量变化和相互关系。查明七星瓢虫和某些被研究过的昆虫一样,卵黄原蛋白在脂肪体内合成,释放到血淋巴,然后被发育的卵母细胞摄取。 2.系统观察了七星瓢虫成虫血淋巴中卵黄原蛋白和产卵的关系。在适温下取食蚜虫的成虫多数在羽化后四天血淋巴中出现卵黄原蛋白,十天后开始产卵,如食料适宜,在整个产卵期,血淋巴中卵黄原蛋白的水平较高。 3.对比了取食不同饲料的个体中脂肪体和卵巢鲜重的变化。对取食代饲料的产卵与不产卵个体的脂肪体、血淋巴、卵巢进行了分析比较。讨论了取食代饲料的部分个体不产卵的原因。 4.保幼激素类似物ZR-512促进卵黄原蛋白的合成,使取食代饲料不产卵个体的血淋巴中卵黄原蛋白的含量明显提高。     

外源保幼激素类似物对七星瓢虫血淋巴中卵黄原蛋白含量的影响

本文以不同剂量的保幼激素(JH)类似物点滴七星瓢虫雌虫,测定了生殖过程中卵母细胞的长度及血淋巴中卵黄原蛋白(Vg)及总蛋白的含量.结果表朋:1.点滴不同剂量ZR-512于虫体后,皆可促进卵母细胞生长,尤以点滴100μg效果最为明显.2.点滴ZR-512后可以促进Vg合成,血淋巴中Vg含量皆明显提高,以点滴100μg效果最好.3.点滴不同剂量ZR-512后,雌虫血淋巴中总蛋白含量变化与Vg含量变化的规律相似.4.血淋巴中的Vg含量与卵母细胞长度有一定相关性.另外,讨论了不同剂量外源JH类似物对CA活性、内源JH水平、Vg含量以及卵母细胞生长的影响.     

七星瓢虫的卵黄发生:脂肪体与卵巢中卵黄原蛋白的合成与分泌

本文利用[³H]亮氨酸参入及特异性抗体沉淀等方法,研究了七星瓢虫体外培养的脂肪体中卵黄原蛋白合成与分泌的动力学,以及不同发育期脂肪体与卵巢中卵黄原蛋白合成的定量变化。脂肪体中卵黄原蛋白的合成与分泌在培养1—4小时内直线上升,到6小时稍下降。保留在脂肪体内的卵黄原蛋白缓慢积累,但一直水平很低。卵黄原蛋白合成的最初30分钟,分泌速率较慢,60%以上的卵黄原蛋白保留在脂肪体内。1小时后分泌速率加快,70%以上的卵黄原蛋白被分泌,保留的卵黄原蛋白在4小时中逐渐被释放。在4小时,被分泌的卵黄原蛋白超过80%,最高可达92%。 在雌虫发育过程中,脂肪体中卵黄原蛋白合成的高峰在羽化后11—15天,所合成的卵黄原蛋白占整个发育期合成总量的80%。在合成高峰期分泌的卵黄原蛋白高达90%以上,但在发育的早期和晚期分泌的卵黄原蛋白仅占30%或稍多。 卵黄发生前的卵巢就开始合成卵黄原蛋白,但卵巢中卵黄原蛋白的合成高峰期与脂肪体中大致相同。与脂肪体相反,卵巢合成的卵黄原蛋白大部分保留在卵巢内。在卵黄发生盛期,卵巢合成的卵黄原蛋白为脂肪体合成的卵黄原蛋白的20%。     

天蚕卵黄发生的激素调控

报告了蜕皮激素和保幼激素对天蚕Antheraea yamamai卵黄发生的调控作用。当单独以20－羟基蜕皮酮或保幼激素类似物methoprene处理,以及同时用这两种激素处理天蚕蛹时,蛹期脂肪体和血淋巴中卵黄原蛋白（Vg)含量明显高于对照,即二对Vg的合成起促进作用。然而,卵巢中卵黄蛋白（Vt)含量则因激素种类而异,以保幼激素处理时明显低于对照,以20－羟基蜕皮酮处理则反之,即前抑制卵巢对Vg的摄取,而后则起促进作用。离体培养脂肪体并以激素处理的结果表明,20－羟基蜕皮酮和methoprene均能促进Vg合成,但前作用更。综合考虑上述结果可以认为蜕皮激素对该蚕的卵黄发生起主要调控作用。     

Vitellogenin mRNA in locust fat body: coordinate induction of two genes by a juvenile hormone analog

Levels of vitellogenin (Vg) mRNA in Locusta migratoria fat body were determined as indicators of gene expression induced by the juvenile hormone analog methoprene. After injection of methoprene into juvenile hormone-deprived locusts, excised fat bodies were cultured with [3H]leucine for immunochemical assay of Vg synthesis, and RNA was assayed for Vg mRNA content by hybridization with probes from the previously cloned locust Vg genes A and B. In general, the rise in Vg mRNA paralleled the rise in Vg synthesis. During the primary response to methoprene (in female locusts in which the corpora allata had been destroyed immediately after emergence), Vg mRNA was first detected after 18-24 hr and accumulated rapidly between 36 and 48 hr. The secondary response (in locusts allatectomized during vitellogenesis and kept until Vg disappeared) was accelerated, as Vg mRNA was detectable at 12 hr and titers rose steeply after 18 hr. When Vg synthesis was prematurely induced by injection of methoprene into fifth-stage female larvae, the kinetics of mRNA accumulation were similar to those of primary stimulation in the adult. After allatectomy of vitellogenic females, fat body Vg mRNA decayed with a half-life of about 24 hr, roughly paralleling the decline in Vg synthesis. Assays with the two Vg probes showed coordinate accumulation of gene A and gene B messages under all conditions tested: during primary and secondary stimulation in adult females and in the low-level response obtained by treating male larvae with methoprene.     

Stimulation of vitellogenin production by methoprene in prepupae and pupae of manduca sexta

Denaturing electrophoresis of hemolymph from prepupae of M. sexta showed trace amounts of polypeptides with mobilities corresponding to those of vitellogenin (Vg) apoproteins from adult females. Absence of the polypeptides in allatectomized insects suggested regulation by juvenile hormone (JH). Daily administration of 10 μg of the JH analog methoprene from day 4 of the fifth stage to day 0 of the pupal stage caused accumulation of these polypeptides. They were identified as apovitellogenins (apoVgs) immunochemically with Vg antiserum. Stimulation of Vg in response to methoprene varied with age. In all cases, day 0 female pupae were highly responsive. Vg synthesis was not stimulated when pupae were injected with 20-hydroxyecdysone (20-HE) in addition to methoprene. Methoprene-stimulated Vg synthesis was also abolished by inhibitors of mRNA or protein synthesis (α-amanitin, actinomycin, cycloheximide). This result indicated that methoprene-stimulated Vg accumulation requires gene expression. A Vg cDNA (2.1 kb) obtained by immunoscreening of the λgt 11 library, when used as a radiolabelled probe, hybridized with a 5.1 kb mRNA from total RNA of female fat body. It also hybridized with fat body RNA of normal prepupae and methoprene treated day 0 pupae but not with that of early fifth instars or solvent control pupae. The results indicate that the trace amounts of Vg found in prepupal stages are due to a weak expression of the Vg gene, which is stimulated by JH and repressed by 20-HE. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Juvenile hormone regulation of vitellogenin synthesis in the red flour beetle,Tribolium castaneum

To elucidate the endocrine regulation of vitellogenin (Vg) synthesis in the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, the titers of juvenile hormone (JH) and ecdysteroids in the whole body of female beetles were measured and compared with Vg mRNA levels. Juvenile hormone levels remained high while the ecdysteroid levels declined steadily during 1–5 days post adult emergence (PAE). The Vg mRNA levels began to increase by the end of 3rd day PAE and peaked by the 4th–5th day PAE. Gene expression profiling by microarray and quantitative real-time PCR analyses of RNA isolated from 1 to 5 days PAE beetles revealed that the genes coding for proteins involved in JH biosynthesis and action, but not those involved in 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) biosynthesis and action had similar expression patterns as the genes coding for Vg. RNA interference (RNAi)-aided knock-down in the expression of these genes showed that both JH and 20E were required for Vg gene expression. However, Vg mRNA was induced by the application of JH III but not by the injection of 20E into the previtellogenic females. These data suggest that JH is required for Vg synthesis in the fat body and 20E influences Vg synthesis through its action on oocyte maturation.     

Dynamics of vitellogenin synthesis in juvenile giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii

The dynamics of vitellogenin (Vg) mRNA expression and patterns of Vg and vitellin distribution in the hepatopancreas and ovary of juvenile Macrobrachium rosenbergii were examined using real-time RT-PCR and immunohistochemical methods. Eyestalk ablation was seen to induce rapid development of the gonads and Vg synthesis in females. In the female hepatopancreas, Vg mRNA expression was observed several days following ablation, after which levels increased gradually with increasing gonadosomatic index (GSI). Vitellin accumulation in the oocytes also increased with increasing Vg mRNA synthesis; expression was however negligible in the ovary. Hemolymph Vg levels in females ranged from 0.04 to 2.2 mg/ml. SDS PAGE/Western blotting analysis of hemolymph samples revealed that juvenile Vg was composed of 199 and 90 kDa subunits; the 102 kDa subunit present in adult female Vg (Okuno et al., 2002. J Exp Zool 292:417-429) could not be detected at any stage of vitellogenesis in juveniles. Vg was not detectable in non-ablated juveniles. The results of this study confirmed that the mode of involvement of eyestalk factors in regulating vitellogenesis is intrinsic to both juveniles and adults, and that a basic pattern of Vg synthesis and processing is conserved. However, the fact that juveniles are not able to produce the same Vg levels observed in adult females, and do not reach high GSI levels culminating in spawning suggests that other factors and physiological conditions specific to adult females are necessary to demonstrate full reproductive ability.     

Juvenile hormone-dependent vitellogenin synthesis in Locusta migratoria fat body: Inducibility related to sex and stage

Juvenile hormone (JH)-dependent vitellogenin (Vg) synthesis in the fat body of Locusta migratoria is normally limited to sexually mature adult females. As a step toward examining the basis of this limitation, we have tested female and male locusts in a series of stages after the third larval molt for inducibility of Vg synthesis by the synthetic JH analog, methoprene. We find that in the fourth and fifth larval instars fat body of both sexes can be induced to produce Vg, but in the adult stage females respond strongly while no more than trace amounts can be induced in males. Quantitative assays show relative responsiveness in the order: adult female > fifth instar female > fifth instar male ? adult male. During the fifth instar of both sexes, maximal vitellogenic response was obtained in midinstar. After the larval-adult ecdysis, female fat body was unresponsive during the first 4 days, then responsiveness increased and by Day 8 after ecdysis fat bodies were fully as competent to produce Vg as at Day 14, the usual maximum of the first vitellogenic cycle due to endogenous JH. Larval and adult female fat bodies implanted into male larvae are competent for Vg synthesis after metamorphosis, so that the differences between adult male and female cannot be imposed by the male milieu intérieur during the larval-adult molt. In male and female precocious adults, produced by treatment of fourth instars with precocene, fat body responded to methoprene as in normal adults. We conclude that factors intrinsic to the fat body cells, determined early in development, are responsible for differential gene programing in males and females, which is partially expressed by the fifth instar but fully manifest only after a molt in the absence of JH.