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Insect Epigenetics

Copyright

Contents

Contributors

Introduction to Advances in Insect Physiology: Insect Epigenetics

References

Chapter One: Epigenetics in Insects: Mechanisms, Phenotypes and Ecological and Evolutionary Implications

1. Introduction

1.1. Scope of This Chapter

1.2. Semantics in Epigenetics

1.3. Beyond Model Systems

2. Molecular Epigenetic Mechanisms in Insects

2.1. DNA Methylation in Insects

2.2. Histone Modification in Insects

2.3. Noncoding RNAs as Epigenetic Markers in Insects

2.4. The Epigenetic Marker Options: Must It Be Either/Or?

3. Epigenetic Dynamics

4. Epigenetic Phenotypic Modification

4.1. Environmental Factors Triggering Epigenetic Responses

4.1.1. Physicochemical Factors

4.1.2. Nutrition

4.1.3. Predation

4.1.4. Crowding

4.2. Special Cases

4.2.1. Development, Metamorphosis and Ageing

4.2.2. Social Insects

4.2.3. Gregarious Insects

4.2.4. Diapause

4.2.5. Insect-Microbe Interactions and the Epigenome

5. Ecological and Evolutionary Implications

5.1. Epigenetics and Population-Level Survival

5.2. Epigenetics in Evolution

6. Conclusions and Future Directions

Acknowledgement

References

Chapter Two: Nutrition and Epigenetic Change in Insects: Evidence and Implications

1. Introduction

1.1. What Is Epigenetics?

2. Epigenetic Effects of Nutrition in Insects

2.1. Molecular Effects of Nutrition in Drosophila

2.2. Nutrition and Epigenetic Change in Drosophila

2.3. Nutrition and Epigenetics in Other Insects

3. Insect Phenotypic Plasticity

3.1. Nutrition and Polyphenism in Social Insects

3.2. Nutrition and Epigenetics in Social Insect Polyphenisms

3.3. Histones and Small RNAs in Caste Development

3.4. DNA Methylation in Caste Development

3.5. Limitations and Required Evidence

4. Summary and Conclusions

References

Chapter Three: The Role of MicroRNAs in Drosophila Regulation of Insulin-Like Peptides and Ecdysteroid Signalling: Where ...

1. Introduction

2. ILPs and Ecdysteroids

2.1. Insulin-Like Molecules

2.2. Ecdysteroids

3. miRNA Biogenesis Pathway and Action

3.1. Step 1: miRNA Gene Transcribed by RNA Polymerase

3.2. Step 2: Pri-miRNA Transcript Processed by Microprocessor

3.3. Step 3: Pre-miRNA Leaving the Nucleus by Exp5

3.4. Step 4: Pre-miRNA Cleavage by Dicer

3.5. Step 5: Ago Loading and RISC Formation

3.6. Step 6: miRNA Actions

4. miRNA Regulation of ILPs and Ecdysteroids

4.1. (I) miRNAs Related to Either Insulin or Ecdysteroid Signalling Pathways

4.1.1. let-7

4.1.2. miR-34-miR-277-miR-317 Cluster

4.1.3. miR-278

4.1.4. miR-9a

4.1.5. miR-275-miR-305 Cluster

4.2. (II) miRNAs That Links Up Ecdysone and Insulin Signalling

4.2.1. Bantam

4.2.2. miR-14

4.2.3. miR-8

5. Summary

Acknowledgements

References

Chapter Four: Epigenetic Regulation of Longevity in Insects

1. Introduction

2. Mechanisms of Epigenetic Regulation Across Insect Species

3. Developmental Epigenetic Programming of Caste-Specific Differences in Longevity in Social Insects

3.1. DNA Methylation

3.2. Alternative Splicing

3.3. Histone Modifications

3.4. Regulation by miRNAs

3.5. Caste-Specific Difference in Gene Expression Patterns

4. Modification of Aging and Longevity in Drosophila by Modulating Epigenetic Pathways

4.1. Histone Methyltransferases and Demethylases

4.2. Histone Acetyltransferases

4.3. Histone Deacetylases

4.4. HDAC Inhibitors

4.4.1. Phenylbutyrate

4.4.2. Sodium Butyrate

4.4.3. Trichostatin A

4.4.4. Suberoylanilide Hydroxamic Acid

5. Transgenerational Epigenetic Inheritance of Life Span and Longevity-Associated Traits in Drosophila

6. Conclusions

References

Chapter Five: Epigenetic Influences on Diapause

1. Overview of Diapause

2. DNA Methylation and Diapause Induction

3. Histone Modifications That May Regulate Insect Diapause

3.1. Changes in Histone Methylation Are Associated With Diapause

3.2. Polycomb Group Proteins and Histone Methylation Influences on Diapause

3.3. Histone Acetylation in Prediapause, Diapause, and Postdiapause Insects

3.4. Heterochromatin Protein 1 in Diapausing S. bullata

4. Small RNA Regulation of Insect Diapause

5. Evidence for Epigenetic Regulation of a Maternal Effect in S. bullata

6. Epigenetic Influences on Dormancy in Other Animals

6.1. Epigenetic Regulators of Dauer Formation in C. elegans

6.2. Epigenetic Regulators of Embryonic Diapause in Brine Shrimp

6.3. Histone Modification in Diapausing Austrofundulus Embryos

7. Conclusions and Future Directions

Acknowledgements

References

Chapter Six: The Impact of Parasites on Host Insect Epigenetics

1. Introduction

2. Insect Immunity

3. Histone Acetylation and Deacetylation

4. Impact of Parasites on Histone Acetylation and Deacetylation in the Host

5. DNA Methylation

6. miRNAs

7. Concluding Remarks

Acknowledgements

References

Further Reading

Chapter Seven: From Molecules to Management: Mechanisms and Consequences of Locust Phase Polyphenism

1. Introduction

1.1. Scope and Intent of this Review

1.2. Nomenclature, and a Note on Laboratory Strains

1.3. Recent Locust Outbreaks

2. Evolution and Diversity of Swarming Grasshoppers

3. Measuring Phase-Related Behaviour

3.1. Recent Behavioural Studies

3.1.1. Behavioural Assays of Schistocerca gregaria

3.1.2. Automated Video Tracking of Chortoicetes terminifera

3.1.3. Automated Video Tracking of Locusta migratoria

3.2. Suggestions for Future Studies

4. Proximal Stimuli Inducing Phase Change

5. Biogenic Amine Signalling

5.1. Phylogeny and Pharmacology of Biogenic Amine Receptors

5.1.1. Phylogeny of the Biogenic Amine Receptor Families

5.1.2. Serotonin Receptors

5.1.3. Dopamine Receptors

5.1.4. Octopamine and Tyramine Receptors

5.2. Involvement of Biogenic Amines and Their Receptors in Locust Phase Transition

5.2.1. Serotonin

5.2.2. Dopamine

5.2.3. Octopamine and Tyramine

5.2.4. Conclusions

6. Genomics, Transcriptomics and Epigenetics

6.1. Availability of Sequence Information

6.2. Transcriptomic Differences Between Long-Term Phases

6.3. The Transcriptome During Phase Transition

6.4. Mobile Elements

6.5. DNA Methylation in Locusts

7. Neurophysiological Consequences of Phase Change

7.1. Social Complexity and Brain Size

7.2. Learning Abilities of Solitarious and Gregarious Locusts

7.2.1. Appetitive and Aversive Olfactory Learning in Gregarious Locusts

7.2.2. Phase State Affects Aversive but Not Appetitive Conditioning

7.2.3. Learning Using a Substance That Changes From Innately Aversive to Appetitive During Phase Change

7.3. Phase-Related Differences in Daily Rhythms of Activity

7.3.1. Solitarious Locust Behaviour

7.3.2. Gregarious Locust Behaviour

7.3.3. Diel Rhythms in Emergence From the Substratum

7.3.4. Diel Rhythms in Hatching From the Egg

7.3.5. Phase Differences in Hatching and Emergence

7.4. Neurophysiological Correlates of Diel Patterns of Activity

7.5. Circadian Clock Genes in Schistocerca gregaria

8. Collective Behaviour

8.1. Laboratory Studies of Locust Collective Behaviour

8.1.1. Locust Swarming and Coordinated Movement

8.1.2. Laboratory Studies of Locust Collective Movement

8.1.3. Modelling Locust Collective Behaviour

8.2. The Need for Large-Scale Movement Data

8.2.1. Studying Nymphal Band Patterns and Their Movement Over Their Lifetime

8.2.2. Remote Piloted Aircrafts and Nymphal Bands and Vegetation Photogrammetry

8.2.3. Individual Movement Quantification and Tracking in the Field

8.2.4. Conclusions

9. Environmental Stimuli Affecting Phase Change

10. Ecology and Landscape-Level Processes

10.1. Remote Sensing

10.2. Climate Change

10.2.1. Changes in Distribution Area

10.2.2. Earlier Hatching and Faster Development

10.3. Locust Ecology Case Study: The Central American Locust, Schistocerca piceifrons

10.3.1. Vegetation

10.3.2. Land Use

10.3.3. Weather

11. Human-Locust Interactions

12. Concluding Remarks

Acknowledgements

References

Chapter Eight: The Future of Environmental Epigenetics: Insights Using the Clonal Water Flea Model

1. Introduction

2. Daphnia as a Model Organism

3. Epigenetic Machinery in Daphnia: Evidence and Predictions

4. Insights From Epigenetic Studies

5. Technology-Driven Research: Methods and Bioinformatics

6. Quo Vadis?

Acknowledgements

References

Further Reading

Chapter Nine: Epigenetics: A Hidden Target of Insecticides

1. Insecticides

2. Insecticide Resistance

3. Epigenetics Involved in Insecticide Response

4. Epigenetics Can Enhance Early on Adaptation

5. Epigenetic System as Promising Target for New Insecticides

References

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