Molecular mechanisms underlying maternal regulation in insect photoperiodism

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25450488
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Insect science
• Research Institution: Osaka City University
• Principal Investigator: Goto Shinsuke 大阪市立大学, 大学院理学研究科, 准教授 (70347483)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): SHIGA Sakiko 大阪市立大学, 大学院理学研究科, 教授 (90254383)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): NUMATA Hideharu 京都大学, 大学院理学研究科, 教授 (70172749)
• Research Collaborator: MUKAI Ayumu 大阪市立大学, 大学院理学研究科, 大学院生 ; NAGATA Masatoshi 大阪市立大学, 大学院理学研究科, 大学院生 ; SHIMIZU Yuta 大阪市立大学, 大学院理学研究科, 大学院生
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 昆虫 / 休眠 / 光周性 / 母性効果 / 概日時計

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Many organisms including insects are well-known to respond to photoperiods to enter diapause; i.e., photoperiodism. In some cases, mother receives the photoperiod and induces diapause in offspring; i.e., maternal regulation in photoperiodism. Mechanisms underlying this event are still largely veiled. Here, I focus on the molecular mechanisms underlying this event in a cricket and a wasp and found involvement of circadian clock genes period and Clock in maternal photoperiodic discrimination, unique gene expression in the ovary of the mother, and also unique gene and protein expression in offspring. These molecular events would be causally involved in the maternal induction of photoperiodic diapause.

Free Research Field

動物生理学