title: Transcriptional Analysis of The Adaptive Digestive System of The Migratory Locust in Response to Plant Defensive Protease Inhibitors.
abstract: Herbivorous insects evolved adaptive mechanisms to compensate for the presence of plant defensive protease inhibitors (PI) in their food. The underlying regulatory mechanisms of these compensatory responses remain largely elusive. In the current study, we investigated the initiation of this adaptive response in the migratory locust, Locusta migratoria, via microarray analysis of gut tissues. Four hours after dietary uptake of PIs, 114 and 150 transcripts were respectively found up- or downregulated. The results suggest a quick trade-off between compensating for potential loss of digestive activity on the one hand, and stress tolerance, defense, and structural integrity of the gut on the other hand. We additionally addressed the role of a group of related upregulated hexamerin-like proteins in the PI-induced response. Simultaneous knockdown of corresponding transcripts by means of RNA interference resulted in a reduced capacity of the locust nymphs to cope with the effects of PI. Moreover, since insect hexamerins have been shown to bind Juvenile Hormone (JH), we also investigated the effect of JH on the proteolytic digestion in L. migratoria. Our results indicate that JH has a stimulatory effect on the expression of three homologous chymotrypsin genes, while knocking down the JH receptor (methoprene tolerant) led to opposite effects.
authors: Department of Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Zoological Institute KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
authors: Jornt
authors: J
authors: Spit
authors: Department of Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Zoological Institute KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
authors: Michiel
authors: M
authors: Holtof
authors: Department of Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Zoological Institute KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
authors: Liesbet
authors: L
authors: Badisco
authors: Systemic Physiological and Ecotoxicological Research (SPHERE), Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerpen, Belgium.|Zebrafishlab, Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry, Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.
authors: Lucia
authors: L
authors: Vergauwen
authors: Department of Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Zoological Institute KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
authors: Elise
authors: E
authors: Vogel
authors: Systemic Physiological and Ecotoxicological Research (SPHERE), Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerpen, Belgium.|Zebrafishlab, Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry, Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.
authors: Dries
authors: D
authors: Knapen
authors: Department of Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Zoological Institute KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
authors: Jozef
authors: J
authors: Vanden Broeck
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D063990:Gene Ontology; D060434:Herbivory / Q000502:physiology; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D007605:Juvenile Hormones / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D048188:Locusta migratoria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D058977:Molecular Sequence Annotation; D009758:Nymph / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011485:Protein Binding; D053491:Proteinase Inhibitory Proteins, Secretory / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D059467:Transcriptome
chemical_list: D019476:Insect Proteins; D007605:Juvenile Hormones; D010940:Plant Proteins; D053491:Proteinase Inhibitory Proteins, Secretory; C041137:storage proteins, Insecta