SGER-Rapid Assessment of the Expression of Insect FXPRLamides in Copepods and White Shrimp Using Immunohistochemistry and Western Blot Analysis

摘要标题：免疫组织化学和蛋白质印迹分析法对水生桡足类和白色虾中昆虫神经肽的研究PI：威廉姆斯，J.在水生生态系统中，桡足类是数量上最占优势的生物，具有生态学意义，是捕食者/猎物营养系统中的关键环节。桡足类的陆地对应物是昆虫，桡足类通常被称为“海洋昆虫”。昆虫的生理途径有着广泛的信息，但对桡足类的生理却知之甚少。在这个建议中要测试的中心假设是，基于桡足类和昆虫共享相似的生活史策略的知识，很可能控制机制，即神经激素和神经肽，也可能是这两个类群之间的相似。 在这项研究中，“昆虫神经肽”家族FXPR酰胺的免疫反应性将在淡水桡足类（剑水蚤属）的幼年和成年阶段进行测试，一种河口桡足类（Acartiasp.）和商品白色虾（Litopenaeus setiferus）。 该神经肽家族是一个特征性很强的家族，它在昆虫产生控制信息素产生、黑化、向肌活性、蛹化和滞育的神经肽中起重要作用，并且可能在桡足类中也具有多种作用。 初步数据表明，信息素合成激素在昆虫，桡足类，蚂蚁，蜜蜂和穴居虾中表达。 确定水生甲壳动物是否表达与昆虫相同的神经肽是重要的，因为目前正在开发针对FXPRLamide家族的神经肽之一PBAN（信息素生物合成激活神经肽）的拮抗剂以改变或抑制昆虫害虫的发育。如果昆虫神经肽具有影响水生甲壳类动物种群的潜力，那么将昆虫神经肽用于昆虫控制具有成为严重环境问题的潜力，因为喷洒用于昆虫害虫控制的化学品可能最终进入水生生态系统。该项目将提供重要的第一步，以确定这些重要的神经肽在水生甲壳类动物的不同生活史阶段的存在和活性水平，以及针对昆虫神经肽的拮抗剂是否可能影响它们的发育和生存。

AbstractTitle: Investigation of Insect Neuropeptides in Aquatic Copepods and White Shrimp using Immunohistochemistry and Western Blot AnalysisPI: Williams, J.In aquatic ecosystems, copepods are the most numerically dominant organisms, are ecologically significant, and are a key link in predator/prey trophic system. The terrestrial counterparts to copepods are insects and copepods have often been called the 'insects of the sea'. Extensive information exists on physiological pathways in insects, but little is known about copepod physiology. The central hypothesis to be tested in this proposal is that based on the knowledge that copepods and insects share similar life history strategies; it is likely that the controlling mechanism, that is the neurohormones and neuropeptides, also may be similar among these two taxa. In this study immunoreactivity of the 'insect neuropeptide' family, the FXPRLamides, will be tested in juvenile and adult stages of a freshwater copepod (Cyclops sp.), an estuarine copepod (Acartia sp.) and the commercial white shrimp (Litopenaeus setiferus). This neuropeptide family is a well-characterized group, which is important to producing neuropeptides controlling pheromone production, melanization, myotropic activity, pupariation and diapause in insects and may expected to have multiple effects in copepods as well. Preliminary data suggest that a pheromone synthesizing hormone is expressed in insects, copepods, ants, honeybees and a burrowing shrimp. It is important to determine if aquatic crustacea express the same neuropeptides as insects because antagonists to PBAN (pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide), one of the neuropeptides of the FXPRLamide family, are presently being developed to alter or inhibit the development of insect pests. If insect neuropeptides have the potential of effecting aquatic crustacean population, then the use of insect neuropeptides for insect control has the potential of becoming a serious environmental problem, as chemicals sprayed for insect pest controls can end up in aquatic ecosystems. This project will provide an important first step in determining the presence and level of activity of these important neuropeptides in various life history stages of aquatic crustaceans and whether or not antagonists against insect neuropeptides may affect their development and survival.