The oriental armyworm genome yields insights into the long-distance migration of noctuid moths.

The oriental armyworm, Mythimna separata, is known for its long-distance seasonal migration and environment-dependent phase polymorphisms. Here, we present a chromosome-level genome reference and integrate multi-omics, functional genetics, and behavioral assays to explore the genetic bases of the hallmark traits of M. separata migration. Gene family comparisons show expansion of gustatory receptor genes in this cereal crop pest. Functional investigation of magnetoreception-related genes and associated flight behaviors suggest that M. separata may use the geomagnetic field to guide orientation in its nocturnal flight. Comparative transcriptome characterizes a suite of genes that may confer the observed plasticity between phases, including genes involved in protein processing, hormone regulation, and dopamine metabolism. We further report molecular signatures that underlie the dynamic regulation of a migratory syndrome coordinating reproduction and flight. Our study yields insights into environment-dependent developmental plasticity in moths and advances our understanding of long-distance migration in nocturnal insect pests.

Multiple stressors, allostasis and metabolic scaling in developing zebrafish.

Deoxygenation and warming affect adult fish physiology in all aquatic ecosystems, but how these stressors impact the energetics of sensitive developing stages is largely unknown. Addressing this knowledge gap, we investigated chronic and acute effects of two stressors (high temperature and hypoxia) in yolk-sac larval (48-168 hpf) zebrafish (Danio rerio) energy budgets measuring, oxygen consumption rate, growth rate (absolute and specific), % net conversion efficiency, net cost of growth and scaling relationships. Embryos and larvae were raised under four chronic treatments: (1) control (28°C and PO2 21 kPa, T28O21), (2) high temperature (31°C and PO2 21 kPa, T31O21), (3) hypoxia (28°C and PO2 11 kPa, T28TO11) and (4) high temperature and hypoxia (31°C and PO2 11 kPa, T31O11). From each chronic treatment, larvae were acutely exposed to the same combinations of stressors for 1 h in a respirometer. At hatching, larvae from chronic high temperature (T31O21 and T31O11) treatments were larger (higher dry mass and standard length) than controls (T28O21 and T28O11), but by the end of the yolk-sac stage, increased metabolic demands diverted energy away from growth, increasing net cost of growth and lowering % net conversion efficiency. Control metabolic scaling relationships were significant and differed from 0.75, but metabolic levels were lower in acute hypoxia and high temperature/hypoxia. Thus, high temperature dominated larval energetics, acting synergistically with hypoxia to increase cumulative energetic costs and making allostasis difficult compared with older stages.

A DRP-1 dependent autophagy process facilitates rebuilding of the mitochondrial network and modulates adaptation capacity in response to acute heat stress during C. elegans development.

Temperature variations induce stressful conditions that challenge the ability of organisms to maintain cell homeostasis. The intensity and duration of heat stress affect cell response very differently, ranging from a beneficial effect - hormesis - to necrotic cell death. There is a strong interplay between the cell response to heat shock and macroautophagy/autophagy, which is induced to cope with stress. Using Caenorhabditis elegans, we developed a new paradigm to study adaptation to acute non-lethal heat-stress (aHS) during development. We found that aHS results in transient fragmentation of mitochondria, decreased cellular respiration, and delayed development. Moreover, an active autophagy flux associated with mitophagy events is triggered in many tissues, enables the rebuilding of the mitochondrial network and modulates the adaptive plasticity of the development, showing that the autophagic response is protective for C. elegans. Using genetic and cellular approaches, we showed that mitochondria are a major site for autophagosome biogenesis in the epidermis, under both standard and heat-stress conditions. We determined that DRP-1 (Dynamin-Related Protein 1) involved in mitochondrial fission, is an important player for the autophagy process and the adaptation to aHS. Our study suggests that DRP-1 is involved in coordinating mitochondrial fission and autophagosome biogenesis during stress.

Effects of Parental Aging During Embryo Development and Adult Life: The Case of Nothobranchius furzeri.

Studies on parental aging are a very attractive field, although it is poorly understood how parental age affects embryonic development and adult traits of the offspring. In this study, we used the turquoise killifish Nothobranchius furzeri, as is the vertebrate with shortest captive lifespan and an interesting model. The embryos of N. furzeri can follow two distinct developmental pathways either entering diapause or proceeding through direct development. Thus, this embryonic plasticity allows this model to be used to study different factors that could affect their embryonic development, including parental age. The first goal of the present study was to investigate whether parental aging could affect the embryo development. To do this, we collected F1 embryos from two breeder groups (old parents and young parents). We monitored the duration of embryonic development and analyzed genes involved in dorsalization process. The second goal was to investigate if embryonic developmental plasticity could be modulated by an epigenetic process. To this end, the expression of DNMTs genes was examined. Our data support the hypothesis that diapause, occurring more frequently in embryos from old parents, is associated with increased expression of DNMT3A and DNMT3B suggesting an epigenetic control. Finally, we analyzed whether parental age could affect metabolism and growth during adult life. Morphometric results and qPCR analysis of genes from IGF system showed a slower growth in adults from old breeders. Moreover, a gender-specificity effect on growth emerged. In conclusion, these results may contribute to the better understanding of the complex mechanism of aging.