Abstract
Glutamine synthetase (GS) is a key enzyme in glutamine synthesis and is associated with multiple physiological processes in insects, such as embryonic development, heat shock response, and fecundity regulation. However, little is known about the influence of GS on female fecundity in the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis. Based on the cloning of BdGSs, mitochondrial BdGSm and cytoplasmic BdGSc, we determined their expressions in the tissues of adult B. dorsalis. BdGSm was highly expressed in the fat body, while BdGSc was highly expressed in the head and midgut. Gene silencing by RNA interference against two BdGSs isoforms suppressed target gene expression at the transcriptional level, leading to a reduced ovarian size and lower egg production. The specific inhibitor L-methionine S-sulfoximine suppressed enzyme activity, but only the gene expression of BdGSm was suppressed. A similar phenotype of delayed ovarian development occurred in the inhibitor bioassay. Significantly lower expression of vitellogenin and vitellogenin receptor was observed when GS enzyme activity was suppressed. These data illustrate the effects of two GS genes on adult fecundity by regulating vitellogenin synthesis in different ways.
Highlights
Glutamine synthetase (GS, EC 6.3.1.2, L-glutamate: ammonia ligase) is widely distributed in microorganisms, animals, and higher plants, and is involved in many biological processes
A new role for glutamine synthetase (GS) in endothelial cell migration during pathological angiogenesis has been reported in mammals, beyond that of glutamine synthesis [3]
The gene expression data showed that both BdGSs genes were widely expressed in the adult stages (Figure 1)
Summary
Glutamine synthetase (GS, EC 6.3.1.2, L-glutamate: ammonia ligase) is widely distributed in microorganisms, animals, and higher plants, and is involved in many biological processes. The two types of GS isoforms are mitochondrial GS and cytoplasmic GS, both belonging to the GSII form [5]. GS is an important regulator involved in female Nilaparvata lugens fecundity by activating the target of the rapamycin signal pathway [11,12]. Two type II BdGSs genes, mitochondrial BdGSm and cytoplasmic BdGSc, have been cloned from B. dorsalis, and the function of BdGSc in larval development has been studied [15]. Their high expression in adults indicates an important role in the adult stage. BdGSm and BdGSc are functionally involved in B. dorsalis fecundity
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