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The apoptosis inhibitor survivin prevents insect midgut from cell death during postembryonic development

Hong-Juan He1, Li Hou, Jin-Xing Wang

  • 1School of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Plant Cell Engineering and Germplasm Innovation, Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250100, China.

Molecular Biology Reports
|June 3, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Insects utilize inhibitors of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) like Ha-survivin for programmed cell death (PCD) regulation. This study reveals Ha-survivin

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Biology
  • Insect Physiology
  • Cellular Biology

Background:

  • Programmed cell death (PCD) is crucial for tissue homeostasis in animals.
  • Inhibitors of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) regulate PCD, with known roles in embryonic development and cancer.
  • The function and hormonal control of IAPs in postembryonic development remain less understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of the IAP survivin (Ha-survivin) in the postembryonic development of the insect midgut.
  • To explore the hormonal regulation of Ha-survivin during insect development.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of Ha-survivin transcription patterns during embryonic and postembryonic stages.
  • Investigating the effect of the steroid hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) on Ha-survivin transcription.
  • Localization studies of Ha-survivin in embryonic and larval tissues.
  • RNA interference (RNAi) to knock down Ha-survivin expression in an epidermal cell line.

Main Results:

  • Ha-survivin is transcribed in embryos, haemocytes, fat body, and midgut during larval molting and pupal adulting.
  • 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) upregulates Ha-survivin transcription.
  • Ha-survivin localizes to embryonic cells and midgut epithelium.
  • Knockdown of Ha-survivin induces apoptosis in epidermal cells.

Conclusions:

  • Ha-survivin plays a significant role in both embryonic and postembryonic development.
  • Ha-survivin prevents cell death, contributing to tissue development during postembryonic stages.
  • Hormonal regulation by 20E influences Ha-survivin's function in insect development.

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