Multiple neuropeptides produced by sex-specific neurons control activity of the male accessory glands and gonoducts in the silkworm Bombyx mori.

ABSTRACT: The male accessory glands (AG) and gonoducts of moths develop during metamorphosis and are essential for successful fertilization of females. We found that these reproductive organs are innervated by a sex-specific cluster of peptidergic neurons in the posterior 9^th neuromere of the terminal abdominal ganglion (TAG). This cluster of ~20 neurons differentiate during metamorphosis to innervate the accessory glands and sperm ducts. Using immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization (ISH) we showed that these neurons express four neuropeptide precursors encoding calcitonin-like diuretic hormone (CT-DH), allatotropin (AT) and AT-like peptides (ATLI-III), allatostatin C (AST-C), and myoinhibitory peptides (MIPs). We used contraction bioassay in vitro to determine roles of these neur

SUBMITTER: Cizmar D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6381147 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature