Red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum): From population genetics to functional genomics

Abstract

Tribolium castaneum is a small and low maintenance beetle that has emerged as a most suitable insect model for studying developmental biology and functional genetic analysis. Diverse population genetic studies have been conducted using Tribolium as the principal model to establish basic facts and principles of inbreeding experiments and response to the selection and other quantitative genetics fundamentals. The advanced molecular genetic studies presently focused on the use of Tribolium as a typical invertebrate model for higher diploid eukaryotes. After a whole genome sequencing of Tribolium, many areas of functional genomics were unraveled, which enabled the use of it in many technical approaches of genomics. The present text reviews the use of Tribolium in techniques such as RNAi, transgenic studies, immune priming, immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, gene sequencing for characterization of microRNAs, and gene editing using engineered endonuclease. In contrast to Drosophila, the T. castaneum holds a robust systemic RNAi response, which makes it an excellent model for comparative functional genetic studies.

Insights Into Chemosensory Proteins From Non-Model Insects: Advances and Perspectives in the Context of Pest Management

“…D. melanogaster , on the other hand, began to be a study model because of its short generation times, ease of breeding and tolerance to relatively high population densities ( Ashburner, 1989 ). Studies on the red flour beetle ( Tribolium castaneum ) arose because of its importance as a pest of stored grains and grain products, with a worldwide distribution, in addition to its ease of rearing, relatively short generation interval, ability to be reared in field and low maintenance ( Chu et al, 2014 ; Kumar et al, 2018 ). Finally, A. polyphemus (similar to B. mori ) has been extensively studied because of ease of breeding, large size and molecular mechanisms of sex pheromone action ( Collins and Weast, 1961 ; Hall, 2015 ).…”

Diet supplementation with egg yolk powder fattens the beetle Tribolium castaneum

“…Here, we explore the effects of a diet supplemented with egg yolk powder, with increased lipid content, on the physiology of the beetle Tribolium castaneum . Although this beetle is a widely used model in studies on embryonic development, insecticide resistance, physiological processes, and genomics (Adamski et al, 2019; Kumar et al, 2018; Rösner et al, 2020; Schröder et al, 2008), we have little information about its metabolic responses, especially regarding lipid metabolism.…”

Host condition and pathogen identity influence bacterial infection survival in the common eastern firefly,Photinus pyralis

“…Investigations of insect immune responses are growing in number, though many taxonomic groups remain vastly underrepresented, including beetles (Order: Coleoptera) ‐ one of the most speciose groups on Earth, with a dazzling array of habitats, adaptations, and ecological niches (McKenna et al, 2019). Both Tribolium castaneum and Tenebrio molitor have emerged as model beetle systems with their sequenced genomes, pest status, and ease of culture (Campbell et al, 2022; Kumar et al, 2018; Vigneron et al, 2019). Work in these two species and a few other, mostly culturable, beetle species has yielded important insights into the similarities (e.g composition of core signalling pathways) and differences (e.g., presence of specific microbial sensors and antimicrobial effectors) in immune response, spanning the 300 million years since beetles (Coleoptera) and Drosophila (Diptera) last shared a common ancestor (Altincicek et al, 2008; Hanson et al, 2019; Tate & Graham, 2017; Vigneron et al, 2019).…”