Abstract
Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) is a negative regulator in the insulin signaling pathway. It belongs to a class of non-receptor phosphatases of protein tyrosine phosphatase and can catalyze the dephosphorylation of tyrosine to regulate cell differentiation, growth, and metabolism. However, few studies have focused on the role of PTP1B in regulating energy metabolism of insects. In this study, we investigated the expression profiles and the functions of a PTP1B gene (designated TcPTP61F) in the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum. Quantitative real-time PCR analyzed showed that TcPTP61F was highly expressed in the pupal and adult stages. In adult tissues, TcPTP61F was prominently expressed in the tarsus and head. RNA interference-mediated silencing of TcPTP61F reduced the expression of eight genes in trehalose metabolic and glycolytic pathways. TcPTP61F depletion also caused a significant change in the distribution of trehalose, glucose, and glycogen. Additionally, knockdown of TcPTP61F inhibited the pyruvate kinase (PK) activity and significantly decreased the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) level. The results suggest that TcPTP61F is indispensible for trehalose and energy metabolism of T. castaneum.
Highlights
Insects need a continuous supply of energy to maintain their metabolism and activity
The amino acid sequences of Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) in several insect species contain a catalytic domain of protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPc) (Supplementary Figure S2)
We found that TcPTP61F is expressed in a variety of T. castaneum tissues
Summary
Insects need a continuous supply of energy to maintain their metabolism and activity. Energy metabolism in the insect body is constant. Trehalose is a highly stable, non-reducing disaccharide formed by two glucose molecules. It is found in a variety of organisms including bacteria, yeast, fungi, nematodes, insects, and some other invertebrates, but not in mammals (Elbein et al, 2003). In addition to playing a crucial role as an immediate source of energy, trehalose plays important functions in insect response to stresses such as high or low temperatures, poor nutrition or starvation, oxidation, high osmotic pressure, toxic substances, and UV-B irradiation Under the catalysis of trehalose phosphate synthase (TPS), uridine diphosphate (UDP) glucose (UDP-glucose) and glucose-6-phosphate (G-6-P) synthesize trehalose-6-phosphate, which is dephosphorylated
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