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C M Yin

Publications and source records attributed to C M Yin.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

A mutant Drosophila insulin receptor homolog that extends life-span and impairs neuroendocrine function.

The Drosophila melanogaster gene insulin-like receptor (InR) is homologous to mammalian insulin receptors as well as to Caenorhabditis elegans daf-2, a signal transducer regulating worm dauer formation and adult longevity. We describe a heteroallelic, hypomorphic genotype of mutant InR, which yields dwarf females with up to an 85% extension of adult longevity and dwarf males with reduced late age-specific mortality. Treatment of the long-lived InR dwarfs with a juvenile hormone analog restores life expectancy toward that of wild-type controls. We conclude that juvenile hormone deficiency, which results from InR signal pathway mutation, is sufficient to extend life-span, and that in flies, insulin-like ligands nonautonomously mediate aging through retardation of growth or activation of specific endocrine tissue.

Aging↗

Innervation of dromyosuppressin (DMS) immunoreactive processes and effect of DMS and benzethonium chloride on the Phormia regina (Meigen) crop.

Antibody to the dipteran myosuppressin peptide, dromyosuppressin, TDVDHVFLRFamide, stained cells and fibers in the brain, optic lobes, subesophageal ganglion, and thoracico-abdominal ganglion of the blow fly, Phormia regina (Meigen). Dromyosuppressin-like immunoreactive fibers were detected in the cardiac recurrent nerve, hypocerebral ganglion/corpora cardiaca complex, crop duct, and crop. In order to explore the mechanisms involved in regulating crop movement, we established an in vitro bioassay. The basal rate of crop movement was 50.8 +/- 1.5 contractions per minute. Application of 1 microl of saline to the crop did not significantly affect the rate of movement compared to the basal rate (46.1 +/- 1.1 contractions per minute, P < 0.05). Application of 1 microl 10(-6) M dromyosuppressin or 1 microl 10(-3) M benzethonium chloride to the crop slowed the rate to 2.2 +/- 0.2 and 6.1 +/- 0.7 contractions per minute, respectively. Although other data have previously been interpreted to suggest that dipteran crop contractions do not include a neural component, the neuropeptide dromyosuppressin affected P. regina crop motility. Innervation of the crop and crop duct by dromyosuppressin immunoreactive processes that originated in the central nervous system and the effect of dromyosuppressin on crop muscle contractions suggest that dromyosuppressin is released locally to modulate crop contractions and that crop motility is under neural regulation. Myosuppressins isolated from numerous insects have a high degree of structure identity and reduce spontaneous muscle contractions of the hindgut, oviduct, and heart. Benzethonium chloride, previously identified as a myosuppressin agonist on the cockroach hindgut and locust oviduct, mimicked the effect of dromyosuppressin on the crop. This suggests that structural requirements for myosuppressin receptor binding in the cockroach hindgut, locust oviduct, and fruit fly crop are similar.

Animals↗

Involvement of juvenile hormone in regulation of prothoracicotropic hormone transduction during the early last larval instar of Bombyx mori.

We previously reported that a deficiency in prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH) transduction during the early last larval instar of Bombyx mori plays a role in leading to very low ecdysteroid levels in the hemolymph, inactivation of corpora allata, as well as larval-pupal transformation. In the present study, the role of juvenile hormone (JH) in the regulation of PTTH transduction was clarified. When JH analog (hydroprene) was applied to early last instar larvae, the development of larvae was greatly inhibited. It was found that it was not PTTH release, but prothoracic gland competency in both cAMP generation and ecdysteroidogenesis to the stimulation of PTTH which was developmentally inhibited by hydroprene application. Glands in hydroprene-treated larvae showed no response in ecdysteroidogenesis to either PTTH or 1-methyl-3-isobutylxanthine (MIX) until day 7, 4 days later than those of control larvae. JH-I application showed the same effects as those of hydroprene. By contrast, allatectomy on day 0 of the last instar accelerated development, and glands showed the activation response to either PTTH or MIX in both cAMP generation and ecdysteroidogenesis 1 day after allatectomy. From these results, we conclude that the absence of JH is a prerequisite for successful PTTH transduction and for acquisition of the cAMP generating system of gland cells.

Animals↗

Baculovirus replication alters hormone-regulated host development.

The baculovirus Lymantria dispar nuclear polyhedrosis virus interferes with insect larval development by altering the host's hormonal system. The level of haemolymph ecdysteroids, the insect moulting hormone, was found to be higher in virus-infected larvae than in uninfected controls. This was consistently observed in both fourth instars and day 5-infected fifth instars. The rate of hormone synthesis was examined by in vitro incubation of the prothoracic gland. Gland activity in virus-infected larvae was higher than controls and continued until the late stages of virus infection, even during the time that controls had ceased to secrete ecdysone after moulting. During virus replication, the prothoracic gland was observed to maintain morphological and ultrastructural characteristics indicative of ecdysone biosynthetic activities. Therefore, it is likely that the insects are no longer under the control of the normal hormonal system after virus infection. It is felt that the alteration of hormone titre and the rate of ecdysone synthesis is the result of the activity of ecdysteroid UDP-glucosyl transferase (EGT), a virus-encoded enzyme which is thought to inactivate ecdysteroids by sugar conjugation.

Animals↗

Crop and midgut filling and emptying in a female Phormia regina (Diptera: Calliphoridae) fed a liver diet.

To study the role of the crop in protein storage, crop and midgut filling in female Phormia regina (Meigen) was measured volumetrically and the soluble protein content determined. During a 4-h feeding period on homogenized liver, nonligated females consumed and stored enough protein in the crop and midgut to develop a normal compliment of eggs. Within 26 h from the onset of feeding, 75% of the protein content of the crop and a similar amount from the midgut were emptied. Neck ligation or sham neck ligation 7 h after females fed to repletion slowed but still allowed delivery of sufficient protein for egg development.

Animals↗

Faeces feeding by adult Phormia regina (Diptera: Calliphoridae): impact on reproduction.

Fresh beef liver, sugar, and five different types of faeces were evaluated as supportive diets for egg development in the blowfly Phormia regina. Females on a sugar diet were unable to develop follicles beyond stage 3, whereas liver proved to be the best diet for complete egg maturation. Some faecal diets were unable to support egg maturation when fed upon for a short period of time; however, longer periods of feeding produced complete egg maturation. The necessity to feed for longer periods of time in order to produce eggs on most of these diets was attributed to their low protein content. Males, in a shorter period of time than females, obtained enough protein from faeces to activate the neuroendocrine system involved in mating.

Animals↗

Glucocorticoid action on the growth and development of insects.

Cortisol increased growth and differentiation in the large milkweed insect (Oncopeltus fasciatus). The glucocorticoid significantly increased the growth of the insect as analyzed by wet and dry weights. Cortisol also stimulated the development of the insects over that of the controls during the six day bioassay.

Aldosterone↗

The impact of depressed pH and elevated aluminum concentrations on specific dynamic action in Somatochlora cingulata (de Selys).

Differences in oxygen consumption attributable to apparent specific dynamic action (SDA) were measured in relation to feeding level in the dragonfly naiad Somatochlora cingulata exposed to low pH and sublethal aluminum concentration plus low pH. The average increases in respiration among the treatments following feeding were 50-60% that of controls. The average treatment peak height ratios (post/prefeeding respiration rates) were proportionately reduced and not significantly different from the average controls indicating that the resting metabolism, rather than SDA, was reduced.

Aluminum↗

Horomonal control of larval diapause and metamorphosis of the southwestern corn borer Diatraea grandiosella.

Changes in haemolymph juvenile hormone (JH) concentrations of larvae of the southwestern corn borer, Diatraea grandiosella, were used to estimate the activity of the corpora allata. The haemolymph of penultimate nondiapause instars contained a maximum JH titre of 3000 Galleria units (GU)/ml, whereas the titre in the final instar had dropped to 140 GU/ml within 6 h of the ecdysis and continued to remain low. Corpora allata of last-stage non-diapause larvae therefore remain inactive. Some signal other than a rapidly declining JH titre in mid-instar triggers the release of ecdysiotropin because the pupal moulting cyclic did not become independent of the brain and ecdvsial glands until 4-25 and 4-75 days after the final larval ecdysis, respectively. Newly diapaused immaculate larvae had a haemolymph JH titre of ca. 1500 GU/ml. Three JH mimics applied to early last stage non-dispause larvae induced the formation of the immaculate dispause morph. The mimics did not activate the recipient's corpora allata, but elevated the function JH concentration, each having a different intrinsic hormonal activity. Threshold JH concentrations which control larval ecdyses, dispause maintenance, and metamorphosis are presented.

Animals↗