Dynamics of maternal gene expression in Rhodnius prolixus

Abstract

The study of developmental processes in Rhodnius prolixus has recently advanced with the sequencing of the genome. In this work, we analyze the maternal gene expression driving oogenesis and early embryogenesis in R. prolixus. We examined the transcriptional profile of mRNAs to establish the genes expressed across the ovary, unfertilized eggs and different embryonic stages of R. prolixus until the formation of the germ band anlage (0, 12, 24, and 48 h post egg laying). We identified 81 putative maternal and ovary-related genes and validated their expression by qRT-PCR. We validate the function of the ortholog gene Bicaudal-D (Rp-BicD) by in situ hybridization and parental RNAi. Consistent with a role in oogenesis and early development of R. prolixus, we show that lack of Rp-BicD does not significantly affect oogenesis but impairs the formation of the blastoderm. Based on our findings, we propose three times of action for maternal genes during oogenesis and embryogenesis in R. prolixus.

A pro-BMP function exerted by Rhodnius prolixus short gastrulation reveals great diversity in the role of BMP modulators during embryonic patterning

“…In addition to oogenesis, Rp-dpp and Rp-gbb are expressed during embryogenesis [ 14 , 19 ], with a diffuse expression pattern in blastoderm embryos (stage 2, electronic supplementary material, figure S1). In terms of embryo morphogenesis, both Rp-dpp and Rp-gbb parental KD lead to loss of viability ( figure 1 i ) and embryos with halted germ band extension.…”

Embryonic piRNAs target horizontally transferred vertebrate transposons in assassin bugs

“…4D and E). First, we interrogated our RNA-Seq datasets together with those produced by Pascual and Rivera-Pomar 49 . Consistent with our previous studies, Rp-piwi2, Rp-piwi3 and Rp-ago3 are expressed in Rhodnius oogenesis (Fig.…”

“…Total RNA extracted from 1 st instar nymphs was also used to produce and sequence RN-Seq libraries (Macrogen, Korea). RNA-Seq datasets corresponding to four embryonic stages of Rhodnius development were produced by others and are available at NCBI-SRA 49 (SRR14606474, SRR14606475 and SRR14606473).…”

“Embryonic piRNAs target horizontally transferred vertebrate transposons in assassin bugs”

“…1F). To this aim we combined ovarian and embryonic RNA-Seq datasets that we and others previously generated together with newly sequenced transcriptomes of 1 st instar nymphs [48,51]. The temporal expression dynamics of the TEs appear to inversely correlate with piRNA abundance in each stage.…”