title: Involvement of ERK/MAPK in regulation of diapause intensity in the false melon beetle, Atrachya menetriesi.
abstract: Embryonic diapause is commonly terminated by exposure to low temperature for a certain duration. Previous studies using the silkworm, Bombyx mori, showed that extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), a member of the mitogen-activated protein kinase family, was activated by cold exposure and regulated diapause termination. The involvement of ERK in regulation of diapause termination was investigated in the false melon beetle, Atrachya menetriesi. Embryonic diapause of this beetle is terminated both by cold exposure and by mercury. Phospho-ERK levels remained high during the pre-diapause period but decreased after the eggs entered diapause. Exposure to 7.5 degrees C, which was effective for diapause termination, increased phospho-ERK levels, and these levels were maintained under 7.5 degrees C at least for 100 d. Incubation at 25 degrees C after the eggs were kept at 7.5 degrees C for 20 d, which intensified diapause, decreased the phospho-ERK level. An insufficient cold treatment, i.e., incubation at 0 degrees C for diapause termination did not activate ERK. However, incubation at 0 degrees C after cold treatment at 7.5 degrees C, which is effective for diapause termination, induced high phospho-ERK levels. Moreover, mercury treatment also increased phospho-ERK. Therefore, changes in the phospho-ERK level correlated well with diapause intensity. The results suggest that ERK plays a key role in the regulation of embryonic diapause.
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodaicho, Nada-ku, Kobe 657-8501, Japan. kurakok@affrc.go.jp
authors.forename: Kurako
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kidokoro
authors.forename: Ken-ichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Iwata
authors.forename: Makio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takeda
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujiwara
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000378:metabolism; D001517:Coleoptera / Q000196:embryology* / Q000201:enzymology*; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D008627:Mercuric Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D008627:Mercuric Chloride; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases