Neuroparsin transcripts as molecular markers in the process of desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) phase transition.
Desert locust swarms occasionally cause severe ecological and economic damage, particularly in countries of northwest Africa. However, the physiological mechanisms underlying locust phase transition, the switch of the solitarious to the gregarious phase, remain elusive. Therefore, identification of molecular changes linked to this phenomenon represents a primary requirement to start unraveling this enigma. The present paper provides novel information on phase-related molecular markers for locust phase transition. We present a detailed quantitative real-time RT-PCR analysis of two distinct neuroparsin precursor transcripts (Scg-NPP3 and Scg-NPP4) in the brain and in abdominal tissues of gregarious and solitarious desert locusts (Schistocerca gregaria). Our data reveal different temporal changes of these transcripts in the fat body during the adult stage of both phases. We, hereby, present novel scientific evidence for a phase-dependent regulation of these particular peptide hormone encoding transcripts and assign them as possible molecular markers in the process of locust phase transition.
Claeys
Ilse
I
Laboratory of Developmental Physiology, Genomics and Proteomics, Department of Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, K.U. Louvain, Belgium. Ilse.Claeys@bio.kuleuven.be
Breugelmans
Bert
B
Simonet
Gert
G
Van Soest
Sofie
S
Sas
Filip
F
De Loof
Arnold
A
Vanden Broeck
Jozef
J
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005819:Genetic Markers / Q000235:genetics*; D006110:Grasshoppers; D007301:Insect Hormones / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008675:Metamorphosis, Biological; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D036361:Peptide Hormones / Q000378:metabolism; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013997:Time Factors; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D017931:DNA Primers; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D005819:Genetic Markers; D007301:Insect Hormones; D036361:Peptide Hormones; D011498:Protein Precursors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C434945:neuroparsin B precursor, desert locust