Molecular mechanisms of pupal commitment and programed cell death during insect metamorphosis

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25292195
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Insect science
• Research Institution: Hirosaki University
• Principal Investigator: Hiruma Kiyoshi 弘前大学, 農学生命科学部, 教授 (70374816)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): KANEKO YU 弘前大学, 農学生命科学部, 助教 (90633610)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): BANNO YUTAKA 九州大学, 連合農学研究科, 准教授 (50192711)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: Verson's gland / 蛹変態 / エクダイソン / コミットメント / 幼若ホルモン / インスリン / crochet / 細胞死

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We have studied the molecular mechanisms of insect metamorphosis at a cellular level. (1) Pupal commitment of a single-celled Verson’s gland occurs gradually. (2) This commitment is caused by the decline of JH titer and nutrition, and it occurs by a two-step process by both the insulin signaling and TOR signaling pathway. (3) We found a gene responsible for the segment specific cell death of Verson’s glands, the gene of which is involved in the JH signaling pathway. (4) The cell death of a larval-specific organ, crochet, is caused by apoptosis, and the commitment of the death is initiated shortly before and/or after the final ecdysis.

Free Research Field

農学