Work

A sex‐specific homologue of waprin is essential for embryonic development in the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: 1. Abstract Waprin, an extracellular secretory protein, is widely known for its antibacterial activity. Through the analysis of sex-specific transcriptomes of adult Tribolium castaneum , we identified a homologue of snake waprin ( Tc_Wap F ) with significantly higher level of its transcripts in females. Developmental- and tissue-specific profiling revealed the widespread expression of Tc_Wap F in adult female tissues. Interestingly, Tc_Wap F expression is not regulated by the classical sex-determination cascade of T. castaneum , as we fail to get any attenuation in Tc_Wap F transcript levels in Tcdsx and Tctra (key players of sex determination cascade of T. castaneum ) knockdown females. The eggs laid by Tc_Wap F knockdown females never hatched, indicating the involvement of Tc_Wap F in the embryonic development in T. castaneum . This is the first report of identification a sex-specific waprin homologue in an insect and its involvement as a novel candidate in the embryonic development. Future investigations on the functional conservation of insect waprins and their mechanistic role in embryonic development can be exploited for improving pest management strategies. Summary statement Tribolium castaneum possesses a female-specific homologue of snake Waprin (Tc_Wap F ) which is essential for its embryonic development. Expression of Tc_Wap F is independent of Tribolium sex-determination cascade.

Source: Insect Molecular Biology

DOI: 10.1111/imb.12956

Authors: Chhavi Choudhary, Divyanshu Kishore, Keshav Kumar Meghwanshi, Vivek Verma, Jayendra Nath Shukla

Institutions: Central University of Rajasthan, Gujarat Biotechnology University

Language: English

Topic: Genetic and Clinical Aspects of Sex Determination and Chromosomal Abnormalities

Subfield: Genetics

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: bronze

Funders: Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, India, Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology, India, National Centre for Biological Sciences

Awards: G3019115554, G3267490279, G7195988652