An aegerolysin-like protein from Heliothis virescens ascovirus 3h (HvAV-3h) shows immune suppression and antibacterial activity.

Aegerolysins are lipid-binding proteins associated with multiple functions, including membrane pore-formation, insecticidal toxicity and defence against predators. Whilst distributed over the kingdoms of the Tree of Life, ascoviruses are the only representative viruses that encode an aegerolysin-like protein. Ascoviruses are entomopathogenic and possess a large dsDNA genome.

Assembly of ascovirus HvAV-3h long DNA fragment using the Transformation-Associated Recombination (TAR) approach in yeast cells.

Background: Synthetic biology is a young but rapidly growing field that allows for assembling long DNA fragments, including complete chromosomes. A key approach for long-DNA assembly is the Transformation Associated Recombination (TAR), which relies on efficient homologous recombination in yeast cells. Recent reports indicate that the TAR method efficiently assembles some human and animal viruses characterized by their large DNA genome size.

Monitoring invertebrate pests on cowpea crops across China using eDNA metabarcoding.

Background: Monitoring arthropod pests and their natural enemies provides essential information for pest control decisions in agricultural production. Traditional monitoring methods, such as trapping and visual surveys, have practical limitations because of their time-consuming preprocessing steps and the need for knowledgeable taxonomists. We tested the environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding approach for monitoring cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) arthropod pests and their natural enemies across seven climatic sub-regions of China, comparing it with traditional sample collection and morphological identification methods.

Suppression of Adipokinetic hormones enhances Ascovirus HvAV-3h killing speed in Helicoverpa armigera.

The emergence of pesticide resistance in Helicoverpa armigera and other pests represents a challenge, necessitating continued development of innovative insecticides. Ascoviruses are a potential insecticide for H. armigera.

Phylogenomic data exploration with increased sampling provides new insights into the higher-level relationships of butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera).

A robust and stable phylogenetic framework is a fundamental goal of evolutionary biology. As the third largest insect order in the world following Coleoptera and Diptera, Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) play a central role in almost every terrestrial ecosystem as indicators of environmental change and serve as important models for biologists exploring questions related to ecology and evolutionary biology. However, for such a charismatic insect group, the higher-level phylogenetic relationships among its superfamilies are still poorly resolved.

The fauna of the family Adelidae (Insecta, Lepidoptera, Adeloidea) from China.

Ninety-eight species of the family Adelidae, belonging to three genera in two subfamilies, were recorded and described in China, with illustrations of the adults and their genitalia. Keys to subfamilies, genera and species are also provided. Twenty-four new species are described, nine species are newly recorded from China, and four new combinations are made.

Flexible changes to the Heliothis virescens ascovirus 3h (HvAV-3h) virion components affect pathogenicity against different host larvae species.

Different pathogenic processes of a virus in different hosts are related to the host individual differences, which makes the virus undergoes different survival pressures. Here, we found that the virions of an insect virus, Heliothis virescens ascovirus 3h (HvAV-3h), had different protein composition when they were purified from different host larval species. These "adaptive changes" of the virions were analyzed in detail in this study, which mainly included the differences of the protein composition of virions and the differences in affinity between virions and different host proteins.

A new record family Neopseustidae (Insecta: Lepidoptera) from Chongqing of China, with the first description of the Neopseustis archiphenax female adult.

In 2022, the insect inventories organized by Prof. Zhi-Sheng Zhang of Southwest University were constructed in Yintiaoling Nature Reserve, Chongqing Municipality, China. The neopseustid moth from Chongqing based on three specimens of Neopseustis archiphenax by light trapping were reported in this paper.

An Efficient Feature Selection Algorithm for Gene Families Using NMF and ReliefF.

Gene families, which are parts of a genome's information storage hierarchy, play a significant role in the development and diversity of multicellular organisms. Several studies have focused on the characteristics of gene families, such as function, homology, or phenotype. However, statistical and correlation analyses on the distribution of gene family members in the genome have yet to be conducted.

Apoptosis or Antiapoptosis? Interrupted Regulated Cell Death of Host Cells by Ascovirus Infection .

Ascoviruses are insect-specific viruses thought to utilize the cellular apoptotic processes of host larvae to produce numerous virion-containing vesicles. In this study, we first determined the biochemical characteristics of ascovirus-infected, cultured insect cells and the possible antiapoptotic capacity of ascovirus-infected insect cells. The results indicated that the ascovirus infection in the first 24 h was different from the infection from 48 h to the later infection stages.

An Ascovirus Utilizes Different Types of Host Larval Regulated Cell Death Mechanisms To Produce and Release Vesicles.

Ascoviruses are insect-specific viruses that are thought to utilize the cellular apoptotic processes of host larvae to produce numerous virion-containing vesicles. In this study, we monitored the infection processes of Heliothis virescens ascovirus 3h (HvAV-3h) to illustrate the regulated cell death (RCD) of host cells. Transmission electron microscopic observations did not reveal any morphological markers of apoptosis in the fat bodies or hemocytes of HvAV-3h-infected Helicoverpa armigera or Spodoptera exigua larvae.

Insight into the regulation of the Nrf2 pathway in response to ascovirus infection in Spodoptera exigua.

Background: Ascoviruses are a type of entomopathogenic microorganism with high biological pest control potential and are expected to contribute to the natural control of lepidopteran pests. However, knowledge of the molecular mechanism underlying the biocidal activity of ascovirus on its host insects remains limited.

Results: In this study, the relative enzyme activity of superoxide dismutase and peroxidase, as well as the expression level of Spodoptera exigua peroxidase (SePOD), were found to be significantly increased at 6 h post infection with Heliothis virescens ascovirus 3h (HvAV-3h).

Comparative mitochondrial genome analysis and phylogenetic relationship among lepidopteran species.

Lepidoptera has rich species including many agricultural pests and economical insects around the world. The mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) were utilized to explore the phylogenetic relationships between difference taxonomic levels in Lepidoptera. However, the knowledge of mitogenomic characteristics and phylogenetic position about superfamily-level in this order is unresolved.

Phylogenetic relationships among Bombycinae (Lepidoptera, Bombycoidea, and Bombycidae) based on mitochondrial genomes.

The subfamily Bombycinae Latreille, [1802] is an important silk-producing group, including well-known economical insects. Although there are many studies on the development of these economic insects, the relationships between genera/species of this subfamily are still unclear. Two data sets of mitochondrial genomes, 13 protein-coding genes (13PCGs) and 13PCGs-AA, were used to estimate phylogenetic relationships based on the maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference methods.

Comprehensive identification of protein orthologs in the family Ascoviridae facilitates an understanding of phylogenomics, protein conservation, and phosphorylation.

Analysis of orthology is important for understanding protein conservation, function, and phylogenomics. In this study, we performed a comprehensive analysis of gene orthology in the family Ascoviridae based on identification of 366 protein homologue groups and phylogenetic analysis of 34 non-single-copy proteins. Our findings revealed 90 newly annotated proteins, five newly identified core proteins for the family Ascoviridae, and 14 core proteins for the genus Ascovirus.

Comparisons of pathogenic course of two Heliothis virescens ascovirus isolates (HvAV-3i and HvAV-3j) in four noctuid (Lepidoptera) pest species.

Ascoviruses are fatal double-stranded DNA viruses with a special pathogenesis in which cells are converted into vesicles with virions. Several closely related ascovirus isolates that shared more than 90% genomic DNA identity showed different pathogenic courses in previous studies. To investigate the pathogenic differences between the related ascovirus isolates, Heliothis virescens ascovirus 3i (HvAV-3i) and Heliothis virescens ascovirus 3j (HvAV-3j) were used to inoculate four noctuid pest species (Helicoverpa armigera, Mythimna separata, Spodoptera frugiperda, and Spodoptera litura), and the pathogenic indexes were recorded.

Chinese Cabbage Changes Its Release of Volatiles to Defend against .

Plants respond to herbivorous insect attacks by releasing volatiles that directly harm the herbivore or that indirectly harm the herbivore by attracting its natural enemies. Although the larvae of (the tobacco cutworm) are known to induce the release of host plant volatiles, the effects of such volatiles on host location by and by the parasitoid , a natural enemy of larvae, are poorly understood. Here, we found that both the regurgitate of larvae and -infested cabbage leaves attracted .

Heliothis virescens ascovirus 3h blocks the cell cycle of Spodoptera exigua fat body cells at G /M phase by downregulating cyclin B and cyclin-dependent kinase 1.

Ascoviruses are double-stranded DNA viruses that are pathogenic to noctuid larvae. In vitro infection causes the cells to fail to replicate and proliferate normally. However, the molecular mechanisms are unclear.

Identifying Lung Cancer Cell Markers with Machine Learning Methods and Single-Cell RNA-Seq Data.

Non-small cell lung cancer is a major lethal subtype of epithelial lung cancer, with high morbidity and mortality. The single-cell sequencing technique plays a key role in exploring the pathogenesis of non-small cell lung cancer. We proposed a computational method for distinguishing cell subtypes from the different pathological regions of non-small cell lung cancer on the basis of transcriptomic profiles, including a group of qualitative classification criteria (biomarkers) and various rules.

Notes on the genus Neopseustis Meyrick with description of a new species from China (Lepidoptera: Neopseustidae).

A new species, Neopseustis rectagnatha Liao, Chen Huang sp. nov., is described from the Nanling Mountains, China.

Floating elbow combining ipsilateral distal multiple segmental forearm fractures: A case report.

Background: Floating elbow along with ipsilateral multiple segmental forearm fracture is a rare and high-energy injury, although elbow dislocation or fracture of the ulna and radius may occur separately.

Case Summary: We report the case of a 37-year-old woman with open (IIIA) fracture of the right distal humerus with multiple shaft fractures of the ipsilateral radius and ulna with a history of falling from a height of almost 20 m from a balcony. After providing advanced trauma life support, damage control surgery was performed to debride the arm wound and temporarily stabilize the right upper limb with external fixators in the emergency operating room.

3H-31, A Non-structural Protein of Heliothis virescens ascovirus 3h, Inhibits the Host Larval Cathepsin and Chitinase Activities.

3h-31 of Heliothis virescens ascovirus 3h (HvAV-3h) is a highly conserved gene of ascoviruses. As an early gene of HvAV-3h, 3h-31 codes for a non-structural protein (3H-31) of HvAV-3h. In the study, 3h-31 was initially transcribed and expressed at 3 h post-infection (hpi) in the infected Spodoptera exigua fat body cells (SeFB).