Transcriptomic analysis of regulatory pathways involved in female reproductive physiology of Rhodnius prolixus under different nutritional states

Abstract

transcriptomic analysis of regulatory pathways involved in female reproductive physiology of Rhodnius prolixus under different nutritional states Jimena Leyria * , ian orchard & Angela B. Lange the triatomine Rhodnius prolixus, a vector of the etiological agent of chagas disease, has long been used as model to understand important aspects of insect physiology. Despite this history, the impact of the nutritional state on regulatory pathways associated with reproductive performance in triatomines has never been studied. the insulin-like peptide/target of rapamycin (iLp/toR) signaling pathway is typically responsible for detecting and interpreting nutrient levels. Here, we analyzed transcriptomes from the central nervous system, fat bodies and ovaries of adult females in unfed and fed conditions, with a focus on the iLp/toR signaling. the results show an up-regulation of transcripts involved in iLp/toR signaling in unfed insects. However, we demonstrate that this signaling is only activated in tissues from fed insects. Moreover, we report that foxo (forkhead box o) factor, which regulates longevity via iLp signaling, is responsible for the up-regulation of transcripts related with iLp/toR signaling in unfed insects. As a consequence, we reveal that unfed females are in a sensitized state to respond to an increase of ILP levels by rapidly activating ILP/ToR signaling. This is the first analysis that correlates gene expression and protein activation of molecules involved with iLp/toR signaling in R. prolixus females in different nutritional states.

What happens after a blood meal? A transcriptome analysis of the main tissues involved in egg production in Rhodnius prolixus, an insect vector of Chagas disease

“…Insects in the fed condition will have begun vitellogenesis and egg growth. CNS, fat body (FB) and ovaries (OV) from adult mated females were dissected at 10 days post-ecdysis for the unfed condition (UFC) and at 3 days post-feeding as the fed condition (FC), according to Leyria et al [ 17 ]. OV_FC means follicles containing mature oocytes, while OV_UFC are complete ovarioles [ 17 ].…”

“…Read sequences were obtained from Leyria et al [ 17 ]. This study reported transcriptomes of CNS, FB and OV from fed and unfed females.…”

“…Also, Q20, Q30 and GC content from the clean data were calculated. All the downstream analyses were based on the clean data [ 17 ].…”

“…β-actin, which was previously validated for transcript expression in FB and OV from R . prolixus at different nutritional conditions [ 17 ], was used as the reference gene. The results, i.e.…”

“…However, we demonstrated that this signaling pathway is only activated in the fat body and ovaries of fed insects. Thus, we demonstrated that unfed females are in a sensitized state to respond to an increase of ILP levels by rapidly activating ILP/ToR signaling after a blood meal [ 17 ]. Here, we examine how a blood meal influences CNS, fat body and ovary gene expression to promote egg production; focusing on details associated with tissue-specific responses in particular nutritional states.…”