Juvenile Hormone Reception in Male Pine Bark Beetles

保幼激素（JH）是昆虫和其他无脊椎动物发育和性成熟的关键。 由于JH分子的化学性质、其调节过程的复杂性以及识别主要应答基因的困难，JH信号传导的机制仍然未知。 研究人员将研究松树皮甲虫中的JH信号，这对美国森林有毁灭性的影响。 用JH处理成年雄性松树雕刻甲虫（Ips pini），其前中肠产生大量的信息素。 JH刺激甲羟戊酸途径中基因的表达，提供了一个简单而强大的工具来监测JH调节。 一个表达序列标签（EST）数据库和cDNA微阵列的信息素生物合成中肠表达的基因将被挖掘，以确定快速响应JH治疗的基因。 快速反应者将依次用于筛选基因组文库，以分离甲羟戊酸途径基因的5'侧翼区域，以及与JH反应的其他区域。 推定的JH反应元件最有可能位于该基因区域，并将通过生物信息学分析来鉴定。 研究人员还将使用中肠细胞的短期体外培养来研究JH对已鉴定基因的生物化学和影响。 这项工作将填补一个显着的差距，在JH的研究，使JH的研究鞘翅目，一个命令，否则被忽视。 除了提供有关JH信号传导和信息素生物合成的新知识外，研究人员还将发现可用于管理这些重要林业害虫的新分子靶标。 参与研究的学生和博士后研究员将接受生物化学，分子生物学，基因组学和生物信息学方面的培训。

Juvenile hormone (JH) is critical for the development and sexual maturation of insects and other invertebrates. The mechanism(s) of JH signaling remains unknown due to the chemical properties of the molecule, the complexity of the processes it regulates, and the difficulty of identifying primary responder genes. The investigators will examine JH signaling in pine bark beetles, which have a devastating impact on US forests. The anterior midguts of adult male pine engraver beetles, Ips pini, produce large amounts of pheromone when the beetles are treated with JH. JH stimulates expression of genes in the mevalonate pathway, providing a simple and robust tool to monitor JH regulation. An expressed sequence tag (EST) database and cDNA microarrays of genes expressed in pheromone-biosynthetic midguts will be mined to identify genes that respond quickly to JH treatment. Rapid responders will in turn be used to screen a genomic library in order to isolate 5' flanking regions of mevalonate pathway genes, as well as others that react to JH. Putative JH-response elements are most likely located in this region of the genes, and will be identified by bioinformatic analyses. The investigators will also study the biochemistry and effects of JH on identified genes using short-term in vitro cultures of midgut cells. This work will fill a significant gap in JH research by bringing JH studies to the Coleoptera, an order that has otherwise been overlooked. In addition to providing new knowledge about JH signaling and pheromone biosynthesis, the investigators will uncover new molecular targets that may be used to manage these significant forestry pests. Students and postdoctoral fellows involved in the research will receive training in biochemistry, molecular biology, genomics and bioinformatics.