Endocrine analysis in evolutionary-developmental studies of insect polymorphism: hormone manipulation versus direct measurement of hormonal regulators
Endocrine analysis in evolutionary-developmental studies of insect polymorphism: hormone manipulation versus direct measurement of hormonal regulators
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DOI：
10.1111/j.1525-142x.2007.00181.x
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发表时间：
2007-09-01
影响因子：
2.9
通讯作者：
Zera, Anthony J.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Zera, Anthony J.
在进化发育生物学研究中，“激素操控”作为研究激素对昆虫多型性调控的唯一或主要技术被越来越多地使用，其中最显著的是保幼激素（JH）。本文批判性地评估了这种间接方法在推断内分泌调控方面的局限性和优势，以及从近期主要或完全通过这种方法获得数据的内分泌进化和发育研究中得出的结论。这一批判的主要结论如下：首先，当单独使用或作为主要的实证技术时，激素操控是一种肤浅的方法，在识别调控发育形态变异的激素方面存在诸多问题，更不用说识别其作用方式了。其次，在将这种技术作为唯一或几乎唯一的实验方法的研究中所报道的结论，尤其是近期关于保幼激素对蜣螂角多型性调控的研究以及一些关于翅多型性的研究，在得到充分验证的直接方法证实之前，至多只能被视为证据薄弱。最后，有许多可靠且经过充分验证的技术可用于直接和准确地量化许多昆虫（甚至是小型非模式物种）中的保幼激素水平以及保幼激素调节剂的活性。将简要描述其中一些最重要的检测方法，并讨论它们的优缺点。
"Hormone manipulation" is being used increasingly in evo-devo studies as the sole or primary technique to investigate the regulation of insect polymorphism by hormones, most notably juvenile hormone (JH). This manuscript critically evaluates the limitations and strengths of this indirect method for inferring aspects of endocrine regulation, and conclusions derived from recent endocrine studies of evolution and development in which data have been obtained primarily or exclusively by this method. The main conclusions of this critique are as follows: first, when used alone, or as the primary empirical technique, hormone manipulation is a superficial method that is fraught with problems with respect to identifying a hormone that regulates developmental-morphological variation, let alone identifying its mode of action. Second, conclusions reported in studies using this technique as the exclusive, or nearly exclusive experimental approach, most notably recent studies of JH regulation of horn polymorphism in dung beetles, and some studies of wing polymorphism should be considered, at best, weakly supported until substantiated by well-validated, direct methods. Finally, there are many reliable and well-validated techniques that can be used to directly and accurately quantify JH levels, and activities of JH regulators, in many insects, even in small, nonmodel species. Some of the most important of these assays will be briefly described and their strengths and weaknesses will be discussed.