Morpho-physiological analysis of the insect fat body: A review

Roma, Gislaine Cristina; Bueno, Odair Corrêa; Camargo‐Mathias, Maria Izabel

doi:10.1016/j.micron.2009.12.007

Cited by 107 publications

(100 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Furthermore, Vg titres did not significantly differ among solitary females and social queens. Vg levels can be an indicator of nutritional status [52], because they are synthesized in fat bodies, and mediated through nutrient-sensing pathways [20,47,53]. It is therefore unlikely that solitary females were in overall poorer condition, compared with social queens.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Physiological variation as a mechanism for developmental caste-biasing in a facultatively eusocial sweat bee

Kapheim¹,

Smith

Ihle

et al. 2011

Proc. R. Soc. B.

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Social castes of eusocial insects may have arisen through an evolutionary modification of an ancestral reproductive ground plan, such that some adults emerge from development physiologically primed to specialize on reproduction (queens) and others on maternal care expressed as allo-maternal behaviour (workers). This hypothesis predicts that variation in reproductive physiology should emerge from ontogeny and underlie division of labour. To test these predictions, we identified physiological links to division of labour in a facultatively eusocial sweat bee, Megalopta genalis. Queens are larger, have larger ovaries and have higher vitellogenin titres than workers. We then compared queens and workers with their solitary counterparts-solitary reproductive females and dispersing nest foundresses-to investigate physiological variation as a factor in caste evolution. Within dyads, body size and ovary development were the best predictors of behavioural class. Queens and dispersers are larger, with larger ovaries than their solitary counterparts. Finally, we raised bees in social isolation to investigate the influence of ontogeny on physiological variation. Body size and ovary development among isolated females were highly variable, and linked to differences in vitellogenin titres. As these are key physiological predictors of social caste, our results provide evidence for developmental caste-biasing in a facultatively eusocial bee.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Physiological variation as a mechanism for developmental caste-biasing in a facultatively eusocial sweat bee

Kapheim¹,

Smith

Ihle

et al. 2011

Proc. R. Soc. B.

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“…Because of the relative mass of the adult fat body and heart, we propose that the fat body is the most likely source for much of the ACER that we found in the haemolymph of adults. The fat body of D. melanogaster is physiologically analogous to vertebrate liver and white adipose tissue, and is responsible for the metabolism and storage of proteins, carbohydrates and lipids (Arrese and Soulages, 2010;Roma et al, 2010). During normal growth, the fat body of the last larval instar synthesises glycogen, triacylglycerol and larval serum proteins, which can be converted to circulating trehalose, diacylglycerol and free amino acids, respectively, to provide energy and materials for the construction of adult tissues during metamorphosis.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Loss of Angiotensin-converting enzyme-related (ACER) peptidase disrupts night-time sleep in adult Drosophila melanogaster

Çarhan

Tang

Shirras

et al. 2011

Journal of Experimental Biology

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SUMMARYDrosophila Acer (Angiotensin-converting enzyme-related) encodes a member of the angiotensin-converting enzyme family of metallopeptidases that have important roles in the endocrine regulation of blood homeostasis in mammals. Acer is expressed in the embryonic heart of Drosophila and expression in the adult head appears to be regulated by two clock genes. To study the role of Acer in development and in circadian activity, we have generated Acer null mutants by imprecise excision of a P-element and have compared their development and circadian behaviour with that of wild-type flies with the same genetic background. We show that Acer is not required for normal development, but that night sleep, which is clock regulated, is disrupted in adult flies lacking ACER. Acer null adults have reduced night-time sleep and greater sleep fragmentation, but normal levels of daytime sleep. The quality of night sleep in flies fed inhibitors of ACER is affected in a very similar manner. We have shown, using specific antibodies, that ACER is present in the adult fat body of the head and abdomen, and is secreted into the haemolymph. ACER might therefore have a role in cleaving regulatory peptides involved in metabolism and activity behaviour. There are similarities with mammals, where ACE peptidases are also expressed in adipose tissue and are thought to be part of a signalling system linking metabolism with sleep.

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“…In contrast, high biosynthetic and metabolic activities have been associated with the FBs of various insect species. [28][29][30] For this reason, we chose FB as a comparative tissue for our biosynthetic experiments with the LG.…”

Section: Optimization Of Incubation Conditionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A probable explanation is a difference in the structures of adipocytes and LG secretory cells. [27,29] An incubation time of 16 h was selected as a compromise suitable for both tissue types.…”

Section: Optimization Of Incubation Conditionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

De Novo Biosynthesis of Sexual Pheromone in the Labial Gland of Bumblebee Males

et al. 2013

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De novo biosynthesis of male sex pheromone from two bumblebee species (Bombus terrestris and Bombus lucorum) was studied by using in vitro incubations of labial glands (LGs) with radioactive [1,2-(14)C]acetate and deuterated [D(3)]acetate. The labeled substrate was incorporated into several types of compounds, such as terpenic alcohols, fatty acids, esters, and hydrocarbons. A similar incubation of [1,2-(14)C]acetate with fat bodies (FB) led to the formation of fatty acids, triacylglycerols (TAG), and hydrocarbons. To support the results from in vitro incubations, PCR analysis of fatty acid synthase (FAS) transcripts in LG and FB was performed. Relative quantification of FAS transcription levels revealed that the abundance of mRNA from the FAS gene is a function of the age of B. terrestris males. A comparison of the relative FAS mRNA gene transcription level in FB and LGs of B. terrestris and B. lucorum males proved that high biosynthetic activity takes place in the LGs of both species. Together, these results indicate that pheromone components are synthesized de novo in the LG.

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Morpho-physiological analysis of the insect fat body: A review

Cited by 107 publications

References 20 publications

Physiological variation as a mechanism for developmental caste-biasing in a facultatively eusocial sweat bee

Physiological variation as a mechanism for developmental caste-biasing in a facultatively eusocial sweat bee

Loss of Angiotensin-converting enzyme-related (ACER) peptidase disrupts night-time sleep in adult Drosophila melanogaster

De Novo Biosynthesis of Sexual Pheromone in the Labial Gland of Bumblebee Males

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