English (United Kingdom)

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/featured_content/oa?rat=en

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/highlighted_journal/

Global: Zendy Plus annual

Presents the access of premium content as premium feature

Premium Content

Presents the keyphrase highlighting as premium feature

Keyphrase Highlighting

Presents the summarisation as premium feature

Summarisation

Insights

Presents the pdf analysis as premium feature

PDF Analysis

Presents the zaia usage as premium feature

ZAIA

Global: Zendy Tools annual

Global: Zendy Free Plan

Global: Zendy Tools monthly

Global: Zendy Plus monthly

Insect molting hormone (ecdysteroids) and juvenile hormone regulate molting and metamorphic events in a variety of insect species. Mealybugs undergo sexually dimorphic metamorphosis: males develop into winged adults through non-feeding, pupa-like stages called prepupa and pupa, while females emerge as neotenic wingless adults. We previously demonstrated, in the Japanese mealybug  Planococcus kraunhiae  (Kuwana), that the juvenile hormone titer is higher in males than in females at the end of the juvenile stage, which suggests that juvenile hormone may regulate male-specific adult morphogenesis. Here, we examined the involvement of ecdysteroids in sexually dimorphic metamorphosis. To estimate ecdysteroid titers, quantitative RT-PCR analyses of four  Halloween  genes encoding for cytochrome P450 monooxygenases in ecdysteroid biosynthesis, i.e.,  spook ,  disembodied ,  shadow  and  shade , were performed. Overall, their expression levels peaked before each nymphal molt. Transcript levels of  spook ,  disembodied  and  shadow , genes that catalyze the steps in ecdysteroid biosynthesis in the prothoracic gland, were higher in males from the middle of the second nymphal instar to adult emergence. In contrast, the expression of  shade , which was reported to be involved in the conversion of ecdysone into 20-hydroxyecdysone in peripheral tissues, was similar between males and females. These results suggest that ecdysteroid biosynthesis in the prothoracic gland is more active in males than in females, although the final conversion into 20-hydroxyecdysone occurs at similar levels in both sexes. Moreover, expression profiles of ecdysone response genes,  ecdysone receptor  and  ecdysone-induced protein 75B , were also analyzed. Based on these expression profiles, we propose that the changes in ecdysteroid titer differ between males and females, and that high ecdysteroid titer is essential for directing male adult development.

plos one

Sex-specific expression profiles of ecdysteroid biosynthesis and ecdysone response genes in extreme sexual dimorphism of the mealybug Planococcus kraunhiae (Kuwana)