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Juvenile hormone regulates reproductive physiology and the production of fertility cues in the swarm-founding wasp Polybia occidentalis

Prato, Amanda; da Silva, Rafael Carvalho; Oi, Cintia Akemi; Casanova Turatti, Izabel Cristina; do Nascimento, Fabio Santos; (2022) Juvenile hormone regulates reproductive physiology and the production of fertility cues in the swarm-founding wasp Polybia occidentalis. Chemoecology , 32 (4-5) pp. 171-180. 10.1007/s00049-022-00376-6. Green open access

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Abstract

Juvenile hormone (JH) has important functions that regulate insect life. In adult individuals, it induces gonadotropic and behavioral changes. Manipulating JH levels helps to understand how it influences insect physiology. The effects of JH on Epiponini swarm-founding wasps have shown contrasting results, affecting reproduction, chemical compound expression, behavior, and age polyethism. In this study, we investigated whether JH affects reproductive physiology and production of fertility cues in a swarm-founding wasp species Polybia occidentalis in an age-controlled experimental setup. We treated newly emerged females with methoprene (JH analogue) and precocene-I (JH inhibitor) to determine their effects on ovary activation and cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) expression. Furthermore, we compared the chemical profiles of treated workers with those of queens. Our results show that methoprene and precocene-I affected the CHC production in P. occidentalis. Additionally, females treated with methoprene were chemically more similar to queens than precocene- and acetone-treated females. Methoprene affected ovarian status (increasing ovary activation). These results suggest that different levels of JH reflect changes in chemical and reproductive traits in P. occidentalis females. Furthermore, we point out the existence of fertility cues in this Epiponini wasp.

Type: Article
Title: Juvenile hormone regulates reproductive physiology and the production of fertility cues in the swarm-founding wasp Polybia occidentalis
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1007/s00049-022-00376-6
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00049-022-00376-6
Language: English
Additional information: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
Keywords: Epiponini wasp, Hormonal treatment, Methoprene, Precocene, PAPER WASP, CUTICULAR HYDROCARBONS, QUEEN PHEROMONES, TEMPORAL POLYETHISM, AGE POLYETHISM, HYMENOPTERA, EVOLUTION, WORKERS, TITERS, ENVIRONMENT
UCL classification: UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences > Div of Biosciences > Genetics, Evolution and Environment
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences > Div of Biosciences
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10157055
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