Chitin synthases are required for survival, fecundity and egg hatch in the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum
The synthesis of chitin, the β-1,4-linked polymer of N-acetylglucosamine, is catalyzed by chitin synthase (CHS). Chitin is essential for the structural integrity of the exoskeletal cuticle and midgut peritrophic membrane (PM) of insects. To study the functions of the two chitin synthase genes, TcCHS...
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Published in | Insect biochemistry and molecular biology Vol. 38; no. 10; pp. 959 - 962 |
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Main Authors | , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
England
Elsevier Ltd
01.10.2008
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Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | The synthesis of chitin, the β-1,4-linked polymer of
N-acetylglucosamine, is catalyzed by chitin synthase (CHS). Chitin is essential for the structural integrity of the exoskeletal cuticle and midgut peritrophic membrane (PM) of insects. To study the functions of the two chitin synthase genes,
TcCHS-A and
TcCHS-B, during embryonic and adult development in the red flour beetle,
Tribolium castaneum, RNA interference (RNAi) experiments were carried out. When dsRNA for
TcCHS-A was injected into male or female pharate adults, all insects died 5–7 d after the adult molt, and the females failed to oviposit prior to death. When ds
TcCHS-A was injected into young adults 1–2 d post-eclosion, a similar lethal phenotype was obtained after 5 d and no oviposition occurred. When ds
TcCHS-A injections were delayed until after adult maturation (7–10 d post-eclosion), the treated females did oviposit and the resulting embryos appeared to develop normally. However, the chitin content of the eggs was dramatically reduced, the embryos became twisted and enlarged, and the eggs did not hatch. Adults treated with dsRNA for
TcCHS-B exhibited little or no chitin in their PM and died about 2 wk after injection. None of the
TcCHS-B-treated females oviposited, which was probably a secondary effect caused by starvation. These results extend our previous findings that
CHS genes are required for all types of molt. The present study also demonstrates that these genes have additional roles in embryonic and adult development. |
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Bibliography: | ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 |
ISSN: | 0965-1748 1879-0240 |
DOI: | 10.1016/j.ibmb.2008.07.006 |