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Updated: Jun 13, 2025

Rearing and Double-stranded RNA-mediated Gene Knockdown in the Hide Beetle, Dermestes maculatus
Published on: December 28, 2016
The transcription factor RUNT-like regulates pupal cuticle development via promoting a pupal cuticle protein
Ke-Yan Jin1, Xiao-Pei Wang1, Yu-Qin Di1
1Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Cells and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Qingdao, China.
Abstract:
Holometabolous insects undergo morphological remodeling from larvae to pupae and to adults with typical changes in the cuticle; however, the mechanism is unclear. Using the lepidopteran agricultural insect Helicoverpa armigera, cotton bollworm, as a model, we revealed that the transcription factor RUNT-like (encoded by Runt-like) regulates the development of the pupal cuticle via promoting a pupal cuticle protein gene (HaPcp) expression. The HaPcp was highly expressed in the epidermis and wing during metamorphosis and was found being involved in pupal cuticle development by RNA interference (RNAi) analysis in larvae. Runt-like was also strongly upregulated in the epidermis and wing during metamorphosis. Knockdown of Runt-like produced similar phenomena, a failure of abdomen yellow envelope and wing formation, to those following HaPcp knockdown. The insect molting hormone 20-hydroxyecdysonen (20E) upregulated HaPcp transcription via RUNT-like. 20E upregulated Runt-like transcription via nuclear receptor EcR and the transcription factor FOXO. Together, RUNT-like and HaPCP are involved in pupal cuticle development during metamorphosis under 20E regulation.
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