title: Comparative characterization of two intracellular Ca²⁺-release channels from the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum.
abstract: Ryanodine receptors (RyRs) and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors (IP3Rs) are members of a family of tetrameric intracellular Ca(2+)-release channels (CRCs). While it is well known in mammals that RyRs and IP3Rs modulate multiple physiological processes, the roles of these two CRCs in the development and physiology of insects remain poorly understood. In this study, we cloned and functionally characterized RyR and IP3R cDNAs (named TcRyR and TcIP3R) from the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum. The composite TcRyR gene contains an ORF of 15,285 bp encoding a protein of 5,094 amino acid residues. The TcIP3R contains an 8,175 bp ORF encoding a protein of 2,724 amino acids. Expression analysis of TcRyR and TcIP3R revealed significant differences in mRNA expression levels among T. castaneum during different developmental stages. When the transcript levels of TcRyR were suppressed by RNA interference (RNAi), an abnormal folding of the adult hind wings was observed, while the RNAi-mediated knockdown of TcIP3R resulted in defective larval-pupal and pupal-adult metamorphosis. These results suggested that TcRyR is required for muscle excitation-contraction (E-C) coupling in T. castaneum, and that calcium release via IP3R might play an important role in regulating ecdysone synthesis and release during molting and metamorphosis in insects.
authors.affiliation: College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
authors.forename: Yaping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Chengjun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
authors.forename: Jingkun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
authors.forename: Wenlong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
authors.forename: Xuezhu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
authors.forename: Jianjun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004440:Ecdysone / Q000235:genetics; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D053496:Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D008675:Metamorphosis, Biological / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011679:Pupa / Q000235:genetics; D034622:RNA Interference; D019837:Ryanodine Receptor Calcium Release Channel / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D014231:Tribolium / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D014921:Wings, Animal / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D053496:Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptors; D019837:Ryanodine Receptor Calcium Release Channel; D004440:Ecdysone