Project description:The presence of DNA methylation in beetles (Coleoptera) has only been investigated with bisulfite sequencing of Tribolium castaneum, which produced no evidence of DNA methylation. Here, we used whole genome bisulfite sequencing to assay if DNA methylation was present in another beetle, Nicrophorus vespilloides. We used T. castaneum as a negative control.
Project description:This series examines gene expression in the anterior midgut at several time points (2, 4, 8, & 16 h) after topical application of juvenile hormone III (JHIII) or acetone (control) to adult beetles of both sexes. Keywords = North American pine engraver beetle Keywords = anterior midgut Keywords = juvenile hormone Keywords = pheromone biosynthesis Keywords = Coleoptera Keywords = Scolytidae Keywords: other
Project description:We investigated the evolution of sperm conjugation in phylum Arthropoda by reconstructing its diversification along a time-calibrated phylogeny for 621 arthropods and related ecdysozoans. Phylogenetic modeling reveals conjugation has had a dynamic evolution history with multiple origins of all five observed categorical types of sperm conjugates. Contrary to prior predictions that conjugation is taxonomically widespread but relatively rare within the clades in which it is observed, our reconstructions suggest conjugation is pervasive in the arthropods, whose tree is estimated to have had conjugated sperm for 40% of its time. Conjugation has likely evolved between 39-56 times independently, and our results indicate aggregates were likely present in an early hexapod ancestor nearly 500 million years before the present. Specialized conjugate types such as spermatostyles are estimated to have been derived independently multiple times, including in both the true bugs (Order Hemiptera) and beetles (Order Coleoptera). We leverage spermatostyles as distinct structures with well supported independent origins in bugs and beetles to investigate the nature of molecular convergence in ejaculate structures using comparative proteomics. Results from comparisons with previously characterized whirligig beetle (Gyrinidae) proteomes reveals true bugs have converged in their use of sperm leucyl aminopeptidases (S-LAPs) to construct spermatostyles. The SLAP protein families are found in high abundance in all speramtostyle proteomes excluding the cicada, and the independent recruitment of S-LAPs in both taxa may represent evidence of a common underlying toolkit available to insects when structuring their ejaculates.
Project description:This series examines gene expression in the anterior midgut at several time points (2, 4, 8, & 16 h for males, 8 h for females) after topical application of juvenile hormone III (JHIII) or acetone (control) to adult beetles. In addition, gene expression in male anterior midguts were examined 24 h after phloem feeding or in unfed beetles. Keywords: North American pine engraver beetle; anterior midgut; juvenile hormone; pheromone biosynthesis; Coleoptera; Scolytidae Publication reference: Reference Type: Book Section Authors: Tittiger, Claus; Keeling, Christopher I.; Blomquist, Gary J. Year: 2005 Title: Some insights into the remarkable metabolism of the bark beetle midgut. Editor: Romeo, J.T. Book Title: Chemical ecology and phytochemistry of forest ecosystems City: Toronto Publisher: Elsevier Volume: 39 Pages: 57-78 Series Title: Recent Advances in Phytochemistry Keywords: other