title: Identification, Characterization and Expression of Methuselah-Like Genes in Dastarcus helophoroides (Coleoptera: Bothrideridae).
abstract: Dastarcus helophoroides, which has a relatively longer lifespan compared to other insects, is one of the most effective natural enemies of many large-body long-horned beetles. Methuselah (Mth) is associated with the lifespan, stress resistance, and reproduction inDrosophila melanogaster, but Mth is not present in non-drosophiline insects. A number ofmethuselah-likegenes (mth-likes,mthls) have been identified in non-drosophiline insects, but it is still unknown whether they are present inDastarcus helophoroides. We identified three novelmth-likegenes inD. helophoroides:mth-like1,mth-like2, andmth-like5, and carried out bioinformatic analysis based on the full-length nucleic acid sequences and deduced amino acid sequences. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) showed variations in expression patterns ofmth-likegenes in different tissues (highly expressed in reproductive systems) and at different developmental stages, indicating thatmth-likeswere likely be involved in reproduction and development. The altered mRNA expression in aging adults and under oxidation, high temperature, and starvation stress, indicated thatmth-likegenes were likely to be involved in aging and the resistance of oxidation, high temperature, and starvation. These results characterize, for the first time, the basic properties of threemth-likegenes fromD. helophoroidesthat probably play important roles in development, aging, reproduction, and stress resistance.
authors: Laboratory of Forestry Pests Biological Control, College of Forestry, Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, Yangling 712100, China. zhangzhengqing0802@hotmail.com.
authors: Zhengqing
authors: Z
authors: Zhang
authors: Laboratory of Forestry Pests Biological Control, College of Forestry, Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, Yangling 712100, China. hppwang@163.com.
authors: Huapeng
authors: H
authors: Wang
authors: Laboratory of Forestry Pests Biological Control, College of Forestry, Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, Yangling 712100, China. hlzsdau2009@163.com.
authors: Chunfeng
authors: C
authors: Hao
authors: Laboratory of Forestry Pests Biological Control, College of Forestry, Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, Yangling 712100, China. zhangwei1062002@163.com.
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Zhang
authors: Institute of Biotechnology, Shaanxi Xueqian Normal University, Xi'an 710100, China. yangmmgg@163.com.
authors: Miaomiao
authors: M
authors: Yang
authors: Laboratory of Forestry Pests Biological Control, College of Forestry, Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, Yangling 712100, China. changyongzzzx@163.com.
authors: Yong
authors: Y
authors: Chang
authors: Laboratory of Forestry Pests Biological Control, College of Forestry, Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, Yangling 712100, China. limenglou@hotmail.com.
authors: Menglou
authors: M
authors: Li
keywords: Dastarcus helophoroides; development; expression profile; lifespan; mth-like genes; reproduction; stress resistance