Meeting Abstract

P1-98  Thursday, Jan. 5 15:30 – 17:30  Hacking the Solitary Bee: Connecting Hormonal Dynamics with Underlying Molecular Mechanisms During Development AGOSTO, L/M*; HELM, B/R; HOLTHUSEN, J; TORSON, A/S; YOCUM, G/D; GREENLEE, K/J; BOWSHER, J/H; University of Central Florida; North Dakota State University; USDA-ARS Animal Metabolism-Agricultural Chemicals; North Dakota State University; USDA-ARS Insect Genetics and Biochemistry; North Dakota State University; North Dakota State University laurie.agosto@knights.ucf.edu

Insects—especially holometabolous—undergo a complex metamorphosis in form and function from the immature to mature stage of their life cycle. Physiologically, metamorphosis is regulated by hormones, primarily juvenile hormone and ecdysone, which control different aspects of the metamorphic processes^1-3. However, much of our understanding of metamorphosis is based upon studies focusing on just a few model organisms, and connections between the physiological dynamics and their underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly described^1-3. Here, we simultaneously characterize the developmental physiology and corresponding molecular mechanisms of larval to adult metamorphosis in the alfalfa leaf cutter bee, Megachile rotundata. We measured the hemolymph titer of juvenile hormone III (JHIII) using a recently established HPLC-MSMS protocol⁴. From these same individuals, we quantified the expression of genes that regulate JHIII synthesis, degradation, and reception in target tissues. While we did not directly assay ecdysone quantities in hemolymph for this study, we quantified expression of genes that regulate its synthesis and reception. This research integrates physiology with the molecular mechanisms underlying insect metamorphosis.