2. Academic Validation
  3. Inotocin, a potential modulator of reproductive behaviours in a biparental beetle, Lethrus apterus

Inotocin, a potential modulator of reproductive behaviours in a biparental beetle, Lethrus apterus

  • J Insect Physiol. 2021 Jul:132:104253. doi: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2021.104253.
Nikoletta A Nagy 1,  Zoltán Németh 2,  Edit Juhász 3,  Szilárd Póliska 4,  Rita Rácz 2,  Johanna Kiss 5,  András Kosztolányi 6,  Zoltán Barta 2
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 MTA-DE Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, Hungary; Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen H-4032, Egyetem tér 1, Hungary. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 2 MTA-DE Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, Hungary; Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen H-4032, Egyetem tér 1, Hungary.
  • 3 Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen H-4032, Egyetem tér 1, Hungary.
  • 4 Genomic Medicine and Bioinformatic Core Facility, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen H-4032, Egyetem tér 1, Hungary.
  • 5 MTA-DE Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, Hungary; MTA-DE "Lendület" Evolutionary Phylogenomic Research Group, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary.
  • 6 Department of Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, Budapest, Hungary.
PMID: 34022190 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2021.104253
Abstract

Several members of the highly conserved oxytocin/vasopressin neuropeptide family are involved in the regulation of reproductive and affiliative behaviours in numerous vertebrate and invertebrate species. Here we investigate gene expression patterns of inotocin, the insect ortholog of this peptide family, and its receptor to decipher their possible role in the control of reproductive behaviour in a beetle, Lethrus apterus, with biparental care. In an experiment performed on individuals of a wild population, we found that inotocin is not related to the control of water balance in this species because expression patterns did not change as a response to drought exposure. The expression levels of inotocin and its receptor, however, increased over the reproductive season i.e., when behaviour shifts from pair formation to parental care, suggesting that inotocin might be involved in the regulation of parental care in this insect. No difference was, however, found between sexes; a finding which might indicate that inotocin plays a similar role in both parents.

Keywords

Gene expression; Insect; Neuropeptide; Oxytocin/vasopressin ortholog; Pair-bonding.

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