title: RNAi reveals the key role of Nervana 1 in cockroach oogenesis and embryo development.
abstract: Na(+), K(+)-ATPases is a heterodimer protein consisting of α- and β-subunits that control the ion transport through cell membranes. In insects the β-subunit of the Na(+), K(+)-ATPase, known as Nervana, was characterized as a nervous system-specific glycoprotein antigen from adult Drosophila melanogaster heads. Nervana is expressed ubiquitously in all insect tissues, and in epithelial cells appeared located in a basolateral position as part of the septate junctions. Herein we study two Nervana isoforms from Blattella germanica, a cockroach species with panoistic ovaries. The sequencing and the phylogenetic analysis results suggest that these two isoforms are orthologs of D. melanogaster Nervana 1 and Nervana 2, respectively. Nervana 1 is highly expressed in the ovary of B. germanica, and depleting its expression results in changes in oocyte shape that do not impair oviposition. However, the resulting embryos show different defects and never hatch. These findings highlight the importance of this type of membrane pump in insect oogenesis as well as in embryo development, and its possible regulation by juvenile hormone.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (Universitat Pompeu Fabra-CSIC), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta, 37, 08003 Barcelona, Spain. paula.irles@ibe.upf-csic.es
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Irles
authors.forename: Fernanda A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Silva-Torres
authors.forename: Maria-Dolors
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Piulachs
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003058:Cockroaches / Q000145:classification / Q000196:embryology / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster; D005260:Female; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007605:Juvenile Hormones / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development; D009866:Oogenesis; D010053:Ovary / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000201:enzymology; D010802:Phylogeny; D034622:RNA Interference; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019476:Insect Proteins; D007605:Juvenile Hormones; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase