Leading with purpose: Unraveling the impact of responsible leadership on employee green behavior in the workplace.

Although sustainability has been a priority for organizations, there is still a lack of research on how leaders with a stakeholder perspective can motivate employees to adopt green behavior for sustainability in a complex and changing environment. This paper introduced social cognitive theory to describe two mechanisms by which responsible leadership predicts employee green behavior. Our research considers felt obligation for constructive change and stakeholder value as mediations with cognitive perspective in this process. Additionally, we consider the moderating effects of positive emotion and the superior-subordinate relationship. Our model received support from the investigation and research. By emphasizing the significance of perceived responsible leadership and proposing a new way of perceiving employee green behavior that ensures guidance from responsible leadership along the cognition perspective, the present research contributes to our understanding of the incentive effect of responsible leadership on employee green behavior.

Lepidopteran wing scales contain abundant cross-linked film-forming histidine-rich cuticular proteins.

Scales are symbolic characteristic of Lepidoptera; however, nothing is known about the contribution of cuticular proteins (CPs) to the complex patterning of lepidopteran scales. This is because scales are resistant to solubilization, thus hindering molecular studies. Here we succeeded in dissolving developing wing scales from Bombyx mori, allowing analysis of their protein composition. We identified a distinctive class of histidine rich (His-rich) CPs (6%-45%) from developing lepidopteran scales by LC-MS/MS. Functional studies using RNAi revealed CPs with different histidine content play distinct and critical roles in constructing the microstructure of the scale surface. Moreover, we successfully synthesized films in vitro by crosslinking a 45% His-rich CP (BmorCPR152) with laccase2 using N-acetyl- dopamine or N-ß-alanyl-dopamine as the substrate. This molecular study of scales provides fundamental information about how such a fine microstructure is constructed and insights into the potential application of CPs as new biomaterials.

Circadian regulation of night feeding and daytime detoxification in a formidable Asian pest Spodoptera litura.

Voracious feeding, trans-continental migration and insecticide resistance make Spodoptera litura among the most difficult Asian agricultural pests to control. Larvae exhibit strong circadian behavior, feeding actively at night and hiding in soil during daytime. The daily pattern of larval metabolism was reversed, with higher transcription levels of genes for digestion (amylase, protease, lipase) and detoxification (CYP450s, GSTs, COEs) in daytime than at night. To investigate the control of these processes, we annotated nine essential clock genes and analyzed their transcription patterns, followed by functional analysis of their coupling using siRNA knockdown of interlocked negative feedback system core and repressor genes (SlituClk, SlituBmal1 and SlituCwo). Based on phase relationships and overexpression in cultured cells the controlling mechanism seems to involve direct coupling of the circadian processes to E-boxes in responding promoters. Additional manipulations involving exposure to the neonicotinoid imidacloprid suggested that insecticide application must be based on chronotoxicological considerations for optimal effectiveness.

The POU Transcription Factor POU-M2 Regulates Vitellogenin Receptor Gene Expression in the Silkworm, Bombyx mori.

Vitellogenin receptors (VgRs) play critical roles in egg formation by transporting vitellogenin (Vg) into oocytes in insects. Although the function of VgR in insects is well studied, the transcriptional regulation of this gene is still unclear. Here, we cloned the promoter of the VgR gene from Bombyx mori (BmVgR), and predicted many POU cis-response elements (CREs) in its promoter. Electrophoretic mobility shift and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays showed that the POU transcription factor POU-M2 bound directly to the CREs of the promoter. Overexpression of POU-M2 in an ovarian cell line (BmNs) enhanced BmVgR transcription and promoter activity detected by quantitative reverse transcription PCR and luciferase reporter assays. Analyses of expression patterns indicated that POU-M2 was expressed in ovary at day two of wandering stage initially, followed by BmVgR. RNA interference of POU-M2 significantly reduced the transcription of BmVgR in ovary and egg-laying rate. Our results suggest a novel function for the POU factor in silkworm oogenesis by its involvement in BmVgR regulation and expands the understanding of POU factors in insect VgR expression.

Genome-wide annotation and comparative analysis of cuticular protein genes in the noctuid pest Spodoptera litura.

Insect cuticle is considered an adaptable and versatile building material with roles in the construction and function of exoskeleton. Its physical properties are varied, as the biological requirements differ among diverse structures and change during the life cycle of the insect. Although the bulk of cuticle consists basically of cuticular proteins (CPs) associated with chitin, the degree of cuticular sclerotization is an important factor in determining its physical properties. Spodoptera litura, the tobacco cutworm, is an important agricultural pest in Asia. Compared to the domestic silkworm, Bombyx mori, another lepidopteran whose CP genes have been well annotated, S. litura has a shorter life cycle, hides in soil during daytime beginning in the 5th instar and is exposed to soil in the pupal stage without the protection of a cocoon. In order to understand how the CP genes may have been adapted to support the characteristic life style of S. litura, we searched its genome and found 287 putative cuticular proteins that can be classified into 9 CP families (CPR with three groups (RR-1, RR-2, RR-3), CPAP1, CPAP3, CPF, CPFL, CPT, CPG, CPCFC and CPLCA), and a collection of unclassified CPs named CPH. There were also 112 cuticular proteins enriched in Histidine residues with content varying from 6% to 30%, comprising many more His-rich cuticular proteins than B. mori. A phylogenetic analysis between S. litura, M. sexta and B. mori uncovered large expansions of RR-1 and RR-2 CPs, forming large gene clusters in different regions of S. litura chromosome 9. We used RNA-seq analysis to document the expression profiles of CPs in different developmental stages and tissues of S. litura. The comparative genomic analysis of CPs between S. litura and B. mori integrated with the unique behavior and life cycle of the two species offers new insights into their contrasting ecological adaptations.