title: Quantification of vitellogenin-mRNA during maturation and breeding of a burying beetle.
abstract: Burying beetles (Nicrophorus orbicollis) are unusual in that to breed they require an unpredictable and valuable resource, a small carcass. Thus the timing of reproduction is unpredictable and beetles' physiological response must be fast. We hypothesized that their pattern of vitellogenin (Vg) synthesis might reflect these requirements. We examined the expression of two Vg genes (sequenced for this study) during sexual maturation and through a reproductive bout. Vg-mRNA, juvenile hormone (JH) titers, ovarian development, and hemolymph concentrations of Vg were quantified in the same individuals. All four variables gradually increased during maturation to peak 15-20 days after eclosion. Twelve hours after the discovery of a carcass, a few hours before oviposition, mRNA was high, hemolymph Vg had decreased, JH and ovarian weight had increased. After oviposition, mRNA was low, hemolymph Vg concentrations and JH were high. This is consistent with our hypothesis that beetles produce and store Vg in the hemolymph prior to the discovery of a breeding resource and replace it quickly. Partial regression of these variables (with the effect of time removed) indicated that JH was not correlated with mRNA, hemolymph Vg, or ovarian weight at any time. Thus the role of JH as a gonadotropin remains unclear.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology and Hubbard Center for Genome Studies, University of New Hampshire, 46 College Rd, Durham, NH 03824, USA. mps@cisunix.unh.edu
authors.forename: Michelle Pellissier
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: S Carmen
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Panaitof
authors.forename: Karen L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Carleton
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D001517:Coleoptera / Q000378:metabolism*; D017931:DNA Primers; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005260:Female; D007605:Juvenile Hormones / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009929:Organ Size; D010053:Ovary / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D010802:Phylogeny; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012098:Reproduction / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012741:Sexual Maturation / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D014819:Vitellogenins / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D007605:Juvenile Hormones; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014819:Vitellogenins