Research

Research

3) Molecular mechanism of tissue differentiation by insect hormones

Metamorphosis which is an adaptive developmental process controlled by hormones is observed in a wide variety of animals. We have been studying wing morphogenesis in Lepidoptera and found that the steroid hormone, ecdysone, induces cell proliferation in distal wing regions and cell death in proximal wing regions. This event is controlled by region-specific expression of ecdysone receptor (EcR) isoforms. Males of the tussock moth Orgyia recens, have wings, while female moths lose their wings, which difference appears during metamorphosis. Wing morphogenesis and sexual dimorphism in Lepidoptera are good models to study steroid action during metamorphosis. We also try to understand mechanisms of larval coloration, pupal coloration, antennal differentiation through the regulation of insect hormones.

Important papers are marked by yellow.

1) Fujiwara, H., Jindra, M., Newitt, R., Pallli, S. R., Hiruma, K. and Riddiford, L. M.: Cloning of an ecdysone receptor homolog from Manduca sexta and the developmental profile of its mRNA in wings. Insect Biochem. Molec. Biol. (1995) 25, 845-856.

2) Kamimura, M., Tomita, S. and Fujiwara, H.: Molecular cloning of an ecdysone receptor (B1 isoform homologue from the silkworm, Bombyx mori, and its mRNA expression during wing disk development. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. (1996) 113B, 341-347.

3) Fujiwara, H. and Hojyo, T.: Developmental profiles of wing imaginal discs of flugellos (fl), a wingless mutant of the silkworm, Bombyx mori. Dev Genes Evol. (1997) 207, 12-18.

4) Hojyo, T. and Fujiwara, H.: Reciprocal transplantation of wing discs between a wing deficient mutant (fl) and wild type of the silkworm, Bombyx mori. Dev Growth Differ. (1997) 39, 599-606.

5) Kamimura M., Tomita S., Kiuchi M. and Fujiwara H.: Tissue-specific and stage-specific expression of two silkworm ecdysone receptor isoforms -- ecdysteroid-dependent transcription in cultured anterior silk glands. Eur J Biochem. (1997) 248, 786-793.

6) Matsuoka, T. and Fujiwara, H.: Expression of ecdysteroid-regulated genes is reduced specifically in the wing discs of the wing-deficient mutant (fl) of Bombyx mori. Dev. Genes Evol. (2000) 210, 120-128.

7) Fujiwara, H. and Ogai, S.: Ecdysteroid-induced programmed cell death and cell proliferation during adult wing development of the silkworm, Bombyx mori. Dev. Genes Evol. (2001) 211, 118-123.

8) Matsunaga, M. T. and Fujiwara, H.: Identification and characterization of genes abnormally expressed in wing-deficient mutant (fl) of the silkworm, Bombyx mori. Insect Biochem Molec. Biol, (2002) 32, 691-699.

9) Lobbia, S., Niitsu, K. and Fujiwara, H.:Female-specific wing degeneration caused by ecdysteroid in the tussock moth, Orgyia recens: Hormonal and developmental regulation of sexual dimorphism formation. J. Insect Science (2003) 3:11(on line journal). 1-7 (insectscience.org/3.11).

10) Hossain, MD. M, Shimizu, S., Sakurai, S., Fujiwara, H. and Iwami, M.: EcR expression in the prothoracicotropic hormone-producing neurosecretory cells of the Bombyx mori brain: an indication of the master cells of insect metamorphosis. FEBS Journal 273, 3861-3868 (2006)

11) Shirai, H., Kamimura, M. and Fujiwara, H.: Characterization of core promoter elements for ecdysone receptor isoforms of the silkworm, Bombyx mori. Insect Mol. Biol. 16, 253-264.(2007)

12) Lobbia, S., Futahashi, R. and Fujiwara, H.: Modulation of ecdysteroid induced cell death by juvenile hormone during pupal wing development in Lepidoptera. Arch. Insect Biochem. Physiol. 65, 152-163. (2007)

13) Sato, K., Matsunaga, M. T., Futahashi, R., Kojima, T., Mita, K., Bannno, Y. and Fujiwara, H.: Positional cloning of Bombyx wingless loci flugellos (fl) reveals a critical role of fringe that is specific for wing morphogenesis. Genetics, 179, 875-885 (2008)

14) Ando, T., Kojima, T. and Fujiwara, H.: Dramatic changes in patterning gene expression during metamorphosis are associated with the formation of a feather-like antenna by the silk moth, Bombyx mori. Dev. Biol, 357, 53-63 (2011)

15) Shirai, H., Kamimura, M. Yamaguchi, J., Imanishi, S., Kojima, T. and Fujiwara, H.: Two adjacent cis-regulatory elements are required for ecdysone response of ecdysone receptor (EcR) B1 transcription. PLoS One 7(11) e49348 (2012)

16) Yamaguchi, J. Yamamoto, K. Mita, K. Bannno, Y., Ando, T. and Fujiwara, H.: Periodic Wnt expression in response to ecdysteroid generates twin-spot markings on caterpillars. Nat. Commun. 4, e1857 (2013)

17) Ando, T. and Fujiwara, H.: Electroporation mediated somatic transgenesis for rapid functional analysis in insects. Development, 140, 454-458 (2013)

18) Kamimura, M., Matsumoto H., Kiuchi M. et al: Development of a cell-based assay for ecdysteroid quantification using an early ecdysteroid-inducible gene promoter. Applied Entomology and Zoology, 49, 443-452. (2014)

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