title: Molecular characterization and functional analysis of BdFoxO gene in the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae).
abstract: The forkhead box O transcription factor (FoxO) is an important downstream transcription factor in the well-conserved insulin signaling pathway, which regulates the body size and development of insects. In this study, the FoxO gene (BdFoxO) was identified from the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel). The open reading frame of BdFoxO (2732 bp) encoded a 910 amino acid protein, and the sequence was well conserved with other insect species. The BdFoxO was highly expressed in larvae and pupae among different development stages, and the highest tissue-specific expression level was found in the fat bodies compared to the testis, ovary, head, thorax, midgut, and Malpighian tubules of adults. Interestingly, we found BdFoxO expression was also up-regulated by starvation, but down-regulated when re-fed. Moreover, the injection of BdFoxO double-stranded RNAs into third-instar larvae significantly reduced BdFoxO transcript levels, which in turn down-regulated the expression of other four genes in the insulin signaling pathway. The silencing of BdFoxO resulted in delayed pupation, and the insect body weight increased significantly compared with that of the control. These results suggested that BdFoxO plays an important role in body size and development in B. dorsalis.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China.
authors.forename: Yi-Bei
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China.
authors.forename: Wen-Jia
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China.
authors.forename: Yi-Fei
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China.
authors.forename: Kang-Kang
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China.
authors.forename: Guo-Rui
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China. Electronic address: jjwang7008@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Jin-Jun
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D049628:Body Size / Q000235:genetics*; D004330:Drosophila; D005216:Fat Body / Q000378:metabolism; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D020868:Gene Silencing; D007328:Insulin / Q000235:genetics; D007814:Larva / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D011679:Pupa / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D033621:Tephritidae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D007328:Insulin; D012333:RNA, Messenger
keywords: Bactrocera dorsalis; BdFoxO; Expression profiles; RNA interference; Starvation