Juvenile hormone and colony conditions differentially influence cytochrome P450 gene expression in the termite Reticulitermes flavipes

Insect Mol Biol. 2006 Dec;15(6):749-61. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2583.2006.00675.x.

Abstract

In lower termites, the worker caste is a totipotent immature stage that is capable of differentiating into other adult caste phenotypes. We investigated the diversity of family 4 cytochrome P450 (CYP4) genes in Reticulitermes flavipes workers, with the specific goal of identifying P450s potentially involved in regulating caste differentiation. Seven novel CYP4 genes were identified. Quantitative real-time PCR revealed the tissue distribution of expression for the seven CYP4s, as well as temporal expression changes in workers in association with a release from colony influences and during juvenile hormone (JH)-induced soldier caste differentiation. Several fat-body-related CYP4 genes were differentially expressed after JH treatment. Still other genes changed expression in association with removal from colony influences, suggesting that primer pheromones and/or other colony influences impact their expression. These findings add to a growing database of candidate termite caste-regulatory genes, and provide explicit evidence that colony factors influence termite gene expression.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / genetics*
  • DNA, Complementary / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / drug effects*
  • Genes, Insect
  • Insect Proteins / chemistry
  • Introns / genetics
  • Isoptera / drug effects*
  • Isoptera / enzymology*
  • Juvenile Hormones / pharmacology*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phylogeny
  • Protein Biosynthesis / drug effects
  • Sequence Alignment

Substances

  • DNA, Complementary
  • Insect Proteins
  • Juvenile Hormones
  • Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System

Associated data

  • GENBANK/DQ279461
  • GENBANK/DQ279462
  • GENBANK/DQ279463
  • GENBANK/DQ279464
  • GENBANK/DQ279465
  • GENBANK/DQ279466
  • GENBANK/DQ279467
  • GENBANK/DQ279468
  • GENBANK/DQ279469
  • GENBANK/DQ279470
  • GENBANK/DQ279471
  • GENBANK/DQ279472