Characterization of diuretic hormones and their receptors in spotted-wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii)

Sunday, November 13, 2022

8:24 AM – 8:36 AM PT

Location: Vancouver Convention Centre, Meeting Room 213

Presenting Author(s)

Ho Jung Yoon

Graduate Student
USDA-ARS
Corvallis, Oregon

Co-Author(s)

Briana Price

MS Graduate Student
USDA-ARS
Corvallis, Oregon
Man-Yeon Choi

Research Entomologist
USDA-ARS
Corvallis, Oregon
HJ

Hyo-Sang Jang

USDA-ARS
Corvallis, Oregon

Diuretic hormones (DHs) are neuropeptides that are produced in the central nervous system and are known to regulate osmotic and ionic homeostasis in insects. In Drosophila sp., there are two DH peptides, DH31, and DH44 present and are similar to vertebrate calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and corticotropin releasing factor (CRF), respectively.

DHs need to bind their DH receptors (DH-Rs) within the fly body to activate the diuretic processes. Generally, most insect G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) for neuropeptides utilize Ca²⁺ as a second messenger (class A) to transduce an intracellular signal, but DH-Rs, belong to class B and utilize cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). In this study, we used spotted wing drosophila Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae), an invasive insect from East Asia and one of the top-priority dipteran pests in the small fruits industry. We identified and characterized DH31 and DH44 peptides and their GPCRs, including variants. There is a lack of methodology available to characterize Class B GPCRs. Using a commercially available cAMP quantification kit, we adapted the protocol to work with insect Sf9 cells expressing various GPCRs and we evaluated binding intensities between the DH peptides and their receptors based on the change in luminescence emitted after adenylate cyclase is activated. Diuretic hormones in D. suzukii are essential to the endocrinal system, and DHs are a potential biological target for newly proclaimed RECEPTORi technology, using bioactive agonists or antagonists to disrupt homeostasis. This work assists in the development of these new pest control methods for D. suzukii.