硫激肽及其受体调控褐飞虱取食行为

【目的】明确硫激肽(sulfakinin, SK)及硫激肽受体(sulfakinin receptor, SKR)在褐飞虱Nilaparvata lugens取食行为中的作用。【方法】PCR克隆褐飞虱硫激肽基因Nlsk及其受体基因Nlskr cDNA全长序列并进行生物信息学分析；利用qRT-PCR检测Nlsk及Nlskr在褐飞虱不同发育阶段(卵、1-5龄若虫、雄成虫和雌成虫)和雌成虫不同组织(头、触角、翅、口针、足、肠道和马氏管)中的表达量；褐飞虱3龄若虫注射dsNlskr进行基因沉默，qRT-PCR检测4龄若虫中Nlskr的表达量，测定4龄若虫的取食量；基于已构建的Nlskr RNAi后的4龄若虫转录组数据库进行差异表达基因(differentially expressed genes, DEGs)的GO和KEGG分析以及取食相关基因的qRT-PCR验证。【结果】PCR克隆得到了褐飞虱Nlsk(GenBank登录号：AB817281)及Nlskr(GenBank登录号：BAO01059.1)的cDNA全长序列。序列比对结果显示，褐飞虱NlSK成熟肽具有与其他物种保守的C端FMRFam...     

昆虫小分子量热激蛋白的研究进展

昆虫小分子量热激蛋白(Small heat shock proteins,s HSPs)是最早被发现的热激蛋白,但是有关它们的研究相对较少。本文对昆虫小分子量热激蛋白的最新研究成果进行了总结,旨在引起人们对该类蛋白的关注,以便进一步研究其功能,探讨其可能的应用前景。目前研究表明:昆虫小分子量热激蛋白是其所有热激蛋白中最不保守的家族。同时,它们通常拥有一个α-晶状体结构域;分子量范围一般在12~43 ku;具有分子伴侣的活性。每种昆虫体内拥有多种s HSPs,而且其功能也各不相同。这些热激蛋白在昆虫的生长发育、生殖以及滞育等重要生命活动中起着重要的作用;同时在抵御不良环境以及适应性进化中也具有重要意义。随着研究的深入,还将会有更多的昆虫s HSPs被鉴定,它们更多的功能也将被逐渐发掘。     

长管蚜激脂激素提取物生物活性的研究

激脂激素和高血糖激素已在某些昆虫种类中发现,但是到目前为止还未涉及到同翅目昆虫。本研究中,从同翅目昆虫长管蚜Mcrosiphum sp.体内分离了激脂激素提取物,并进行了生物活性测定。结果证明,这种提取物具有很高的生物活性,注射20毫克蚜虫重的提取物,能使试虫沙漠蝗与美洲蜚蠊体液中脂肪含量和糖含量分别增加131.03%和60.43%。 试验结果还展示出长管蚜激脂激素提取物激脂效应要比高血糖效应高得多,它们的生物活性能被内肽酶24∶11,焦谷氨酰胺基肽酶和沸水浴抑制或破坏。     

组织型激肽释放酶及相关肽酶在中枢神经系统中的作用

组织型激肽释放酶1(kallikrein1,KLK1)和激肽释放酶相关肽酶(kallikrein-related peptidase 2～15,KLK2～15)是一类丝氨酸蛋白酶,具有广泛的生物学活性。在中枢神经系统中,它们不但在脑的生长、发育和学习记忆等方面起重要作用,同时也在多种脑部疾病中起重要作用,如帕金森病、痴呆、多发性硬化、肿瘤等,并在这些疾病的诊断、治疗和预后方面显示出潜在的应用价值。     

昆虫抗真菌肽

随着对昆虫抗菌肽理论和应用研究的不断深入,已陆续发现了10多种昆虫抗真菌肽。文章就昆虫抗真菌肽的类型、结构和功能的关系、作用机理、应用等方面的新进展进行简要介绍和分析,为昆虫抗真菌肽的理论研究和发展新型抗生素等提供了必要的信息。     

人组织激肽释放酶基因在哺乳动物细胞中的表达

克隆人胰腺组织激肽释放酶基因 (hKK) ,构建融合荧光蛋白基因的真核表达载体 ,在CHO细胞中表达 ,为开发激肽释放酶基因工程产品以及开展基因治疗高血压研究奠定了基础。提取人胰腺组织总RNA后 ,RT PCR扩增KK ,构建中间载体KSKK。从KSKK中切出激肽释放酶基因 ,插入真核表达载体pEGFP C2 ,构建出激肽释放酶带有荧光蛋白报告基因的表达载体pEGC KK ,测序分析后转染CHO细胞 ,荧光显微镜观察激肽释放酶基因表达。并进行SDS PAGE及Westernblot分析。成功克隆激肽释放酶基因 ,并在CHO细胞获得表达 ,克隆的人组织激肽释放酶基因可用于激肽释放酶基因工程产品开发以及基因治疗研究。     

昆虫体内的酪胺:合成、降解与生理功能

作为神经活性物质,昆虫体内的酪胺(tyramine, TA)主要在酪胺能神经元中合成,但也可在马氏管主细胞中合成。TA在结合其受体发挥生理功能后,可被突触前膜的转运体(transporter)转运回突触前膜重复利用。N-酰基化可能是昆虫体内TA降解的主要途径。目前,昆虫体内发现的TA受体均属于G蛋白偶联受体,通过与Gi或Gq结合导致cAMP或(和) Ca~(2+)水平的变化,实现信号转导。此外,果蝇神经系统内星型胶质细胞、瞬时感受器电位通道Waterwitch (Wtrw)以及多巴胺能神经元也参与TA的信号转导。TA参与昆虫求偶与交配后行为的调节,与章鱼胺(octopamine, OA)、FMIRFamide神经肽协同调节精子和卵的贮存和排放;还参与调节马氏管排泄,与多巴胺(dopamine, DA)协同调节蜜蜂工蜂的生殖分化,与OA以相互拮抗的方式调节昆虫的运动。飞蝗群居型和散居型个体的分化也受TA和OA的协同调节。TA还可以调节采集蜂资源利用与开发的平衡。现综述该领域相关研究进展并展望未来研究方向。     

昆虫抗菌肽和抗真菌肽结构与功能的关系及分子设计

在对GenBank和EMBL数据库中登录的昆虫抗微生物肽 (antimicrobial peptide, AMP), 即昆虫抗菌肽 (antibacterial peptide) 和抗真菌肽 (antifungal peptide, AFP) 进行归类整理的基础上,对天蚕素族(cecropins )抗菌肽结构与功能的关系及人工改造的分子设计策略,特别是对目前新发现的一些昆虫抗真菌肽的已知结构与功能关系的研究进展、存在问题等进行了简要介绍和分析,为从事昆虫抗微生物肽的理论研究和发展新型抗生素药物提供了必要的信息。     

抗寒类蛋白与冷驯化诱发昆虫耐寒性研究进展

昆虫是变温动物,温度对其生长发育、基本行为及进化途径都会产生很大的影响,种群的繁衍面临如何安全度过漫长而寒冷的冬季的挑战。通过长时间的进化,昆虫获得一系列完整的耐寒策略。绝大多数的昆虫都是耐寒昆虫,在陆地寒冷温度刺激下,昆虫受抗寒基因的调控,体内产生大量抗寒物质,如海藻糖、甘油、山梨醇、抗冻蛋白、热激蛋白等,提高昆虫的耐寒能力,使其得以在低温寒冷的条件下成功越冬。同样,经过冷驯化后的昆虫能显著提高昆虫的耐寒力。近年来,关于昆虫耐寒性、抗寒类蛋白的研究不断开展,研究内容涉及昆虫的耐寒性、抗寒基因HSPs和AFPs的调控、冷驯化诱导抗寒等方面。本文综述了昆虫耐寒性、主要耐寒策略及冷驯化诱发昆虫耐寒性增强等研究内容。有助于全面认识昆虫耐寒性及其作用机制,为天敌昆虫低温储存和提高生物防治等应用打下坚实的基础。     

激肽系统活性产物

随着研究的不断深入,发现激肽释放酶-激肽系统参与了机体众多的生物学过程,除了对机体心血管系统、凝血系统、纤溶系统和肾功能等正常生理过程的调节作用外,在高血压、炎症、疼痛、血管生成、细胞增殖、凋亡和肿瘤发生等诸多的病理生理过程中也陆续发现有着不可替代的作用。有关激肽释放酶等上游活性物质的生理功能报道较多,本文从人激肽释放酶-激肽系统开始,重点对下游活性产物缓激肽、活性高分子量激肽原等在生理及病理过程中的作用和调节作一综述。     

A photoswitchable thioxopeptide bond facilitates the conformation-activity correlation study of insect kinin

Thioxopeptide bond psi[CS-N], a nearly isosteric modification of the native peptide bond, was introduced into insect kinin active core pentapeptide to evaluate the impact of backbone cis/trans photoswitching on bioactivity. The thioxo analog Phe(1)-Tyr(2)-psi[CS-N]-Pro(3)-Trp(4)-Gly(5)-NH(2) (psi[CS-N](2)-kinin), was synthesized by Fmoc solid-phase peptide strategy. The reversible photoswitching property was characterized via spectroscopic methods and HPLC, which showed that the cis conformer increased from 15.7 to 47.7% after 254 nm UV irradiation. A slow thermal reisomerization (t(1/2) = 40 min) permitted us to determine the cockroach hindgut myotropic activity of the thioxopeptide in the photostationary state. The results indicated that the activity increased significantly after UV irradiation and recovered to the ground level after thermal re-equilibration. In the present study, by utilizing the phototriggered isomerization in a specific position of peptide backbone, we revealed that the cis psi[CS-N](2)-kinin conformer is the active conformation when interacting with kinin receptor on cockroach hindgut. Copyright (c) 2008 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An active insect kinin analog with 4-aminopyroglutamate, a novel cis-peptide bond, type VI beta-turn motif

The insect kinins are potent diuretic peptides that preferentially form a cis-Pro, type VI beta-turn. An insect kinin analog containing (2S,4S)-4-aminopyroglutamate, a novel cis-peptide bond, type VI beta-turn motif, demonstrates significant activity in the physiological range in a cricket diuretic assay. This is the first instance of a 4-aminopyroglutamate analog of a peptide with a preference for a type VI turn that demonstrates significant bioactivity. The results provide further confirmatory evidence for the active conformation of the insect kinins, and a new scaffold with which to design biostable, peptidomimetic analogs capable of disrupting critical insect kinin-regulated processes in insects.     

Insect kinin mimics act as potential control agents for aphids: Structural modifications of Trp4

Insect kinins are endogenous, biologically active peptides with various physiological functions. The use of insect kinins in plant protection is being evaluated by many groups. Some kinins have been chosen as lead compounds for pest control. We previously reported an insect kinin mimic IV-3 that had insecticidal activity. And by introducing a strong electron withdrawing group (-CF₃) on the benzene ring (Phe²), we discovered a compound, L ₇ , with better activity than lead IV-3 . In this work, taking L ₇ as the lead compound, we designed and synthesized 13 compounds to evaluate the influence of position 4 (Trp⁴) of insect kinin on insecticidal activity, by replacing the H atom on tryptophan with -CH₃ and -Cl or substituting the indole ring of tryptophan with the benzene, naphthalene, pyridine, imidazole, cyclohexane, and alkyl carboxamides. The aphid bioassay results showed that the compounds M ₁ , M ₃ , and M ₅ were more active than the positive control, pymetrozine. Especially, replacing the side chain by an indole ring with 4-Cl substitution ( M ₁ , LC₅₀ = 0.0029 mmol/L) increased the aphicidal activity. The structure–activity relationships (SARs) indicated that the side chain benzene ring at this position may be important to the aphicidal activity. In addition, the toxicity prediction by Toxtree, and the toxicity experiments on Apis mellifera suggested that M ₁ was no toxicity risk on a non-target organism. It could be used as a selective and bee-friendly insecticide to control aphids.     

Synthesis and diuretic activities of pseudoproline‐containing analogues of the insect kinin core pentapeptide

C‐2 dimethylated/unmethylated thiazolidine‐4‐carboxylic acid and C‐2 dimethylated oxazolidine‐4‐carboxylic acid were introduced into the insect kinin core pentapeptide in place of Pro³, yielding three new analogues. NMR analysis revealed that the peptide bond of Phe²‐pseudoproline (ΨPro)³ is practically 100% in cis conformation in the case of dimethylated pseudoproline‐containing analogues, about 50% cis for the thiazolidine‐4‐carboxylic acid analogue and about 33% cis for the parent Pro³ peptide. The diuretic activities are consistent with the population of cis conformation of the Phe²‐ΨPro³/Pro³ peptide bonds, and the results confirm a cis Phe‐Pro bond as bioactive conformation. Copyright © 2011 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

昆虫标本馆建设与昆虫系统学的未来

昆虫标本馆是昆虫标本的保藏、研究和科学教育的实体,代表国家或者区域水平,致力于研究昆虫多样性、揭示昆虫进化规律,为国民经济建设持续发展服务。昆虫系统学研究是昆虫标本馆研究人员的主要任务,它的发展与昆虫标本馆的建设唇齿相依。本文阐述了昆虫标本馆的功能与作用,建设昆虫标本馆的重要性和迫切性;展望了昆虫系统学的未来以及昆虫系统学发展的机遇。     

Insect diversity over 36 years at a protected Sierra Nevada (California) site: towards an evaluation of the insect apocalypse hypothesis

1. Recent authors have suggested that declines of insect abundance or diversity, documented first for particular insect taxa of high interest (e.g., butterflies, bees), may apply to insect diversity more generally. This has led to an urgent call for analysis of additional longitudinal datasets to examine trends in general insect diversity.
2. Here we present a dataset gathered from 1982 to 2018 by advanced undergraduate students and graduate students enrolled in a taxonomy course that involved collecting as many insect families as possible over a 5-week period at a high-elevation protected forested site in the Sierra Nevada, California, USA.
3. The data do not support any consistent gain or loss of family-level richness between 1982 and 2018 (no linear trend); a non-linear model suggested a possible small decrease in family-level richness collected between 1986 and 1990, followed by a gradual increase from 1990 to 2018. Neither weather variables nor collector experience or skill appeared to explain among-year variation in collected insect diversity.
4. We urge caution in attempting to draw conclusions from single-site, longitudinal datasets like this one; a definitive answer to the hypothesis of a broad, global decline of insect diversity will require the joint analysis of many datasets like the one we share here.

     

Vitamin C content in plants is modified by insects and influences susceptibility to herbivory

Analysis of a diverse cross‐sample of plant‐insect interactions suggests that the abundance of vitamin C (L ‐ascorbic acid, ascorbate or AsA) in plants influences their susceptibility to insect feeding. These effects may be mediated by AsAs roles as an essential dietary nutrient, as an antioxidant in the insect midgut, or as a substrate for plant‐derived ascorbate oxidase, which can lead to generation of toxic reactive oxygen species. Ascorbate can also influence the efficacy of plant defenses such as myrosinases and tannins, and alter insects' susceptibility to natural enemies. Conversely, herbivores appear to influence both de novo synthesis and redox cycling of AsA in their host plants, thereby potentially altering the nutritional value of crops and their susceptibility to pests. The recent development of genetically modified crops with enhanced AsA content provides both an impetus and a tool set for further studies on the role of AsA in plant‐insect interactions.     

RNAi技术在昆虫学中的研究进展及展望

在昆虫中,RNAi是一种对抗外源病毒的天然免疫方式,基于生物体中的这种内在机制而建立的RNAi技术已经被广泛用来研究多种昆虫基因的功能。近年的研究结果表明RNAi技术在抵御害虫和防治益虫疾病方面具有潜在的应用价值,有可能对农业有害生物的控制起到巨大的推动作用。本文综述了RNAi与昆虫免疫、及其在昆虫基因功能研究、害虫控制、益虫疾病控制和昆虫系统生物学方面的最新研究进展,并展望了RNAi在昆虫学研究中的发展趋势。     

中国农业生态系统昆虫授粉功能量与服务价值评估

所有开花植物中大约有80%的物种需要动物作为授粉媒介。系统介绍了中国重要栽培作物花的结构和类型,授粉过程、媒介和方式,作物对昆虫授粉的依赖程度,昆虫授粉功能与服务的概念,以及昆虫授粉功能量与服务价值量的评估方法;同时评估了我国各省农业生态系统中昆虫对重要作物的授粉功能量与服务价值量。结果表明:粮食作物、水果作物、蔬菜作物和经济作物不同程度的依赖昆虫授粉。根据2015年主要农作物产量、作物产品价格、昆虫授粉依赖程度等数据,计算得出昆虫对我国22类主要农作物的授粉功能量为1.8亿吨农产品产量和授粉服务价值为8860.5亿元(占当年GDP的1.3%),具有巨大的经济价值。2015年昆虫对主要栽培作物的授粉功能量和服务价值排在前五名的都是山东、河南、河北、陕西和新疆,年授粉服务价值均大于500亿元,反映出这5个省的主要农作物对昆虫授粉依赖程度较高。昆虫对作物的授粉功能量评价有助于了解昆虫对作物生物量或产量的生物学和生态学效应以及作物对昆虫授粉的需求。昆虫对作物的授粉服务价值评估有助于掌握昆虫授粉为人类所带来的经济效应或经济价值,并帮助决策维持或增强授粉昆虫多样性和种群数量的人力、物力和财力投入。     

森林冠层昆虫多样性研究方法

森林冠层是森林昆虫栖息、取食、避敌的重要生境,其中生活着十分丰富的昆虫物种。但由于乔木树体高大,冠层难于接近,在很大程度上限制了冠层昆虫多样性的研究。冠层昆虫类群结构的划分和冠层昆虫取样技术也是冠层昆虫多样性研究的重要基础。文章综述当前冠层接近和冠层昆虫抽样技术的最新进展,并评述冠层昆虫类群结构划分的方法。