Juvenile hormone III (JH III) plays an important role in insect reproduction, development, and behavior. The second branch of JH III production includes oxidation of farnesol to farnesal by farnesol dehydrogenase. This study reported the identification and characterization of Plutella xylostella farnesol dehydrogenase (PxFoLDH). Our results showed that PxFoLDH belongs to the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase superfamily, consisting of a single domain with a structurally conserved Rossman fold, an NAD(P) (H)-binding region and a structurally diverse C-terminal region. The purified enzyme displayed maximum activity at 55$\ $°C with pH 9.5 and was stable in the temperature below 70$\ ^\circ $C. PxFoLDH was determined to be a monomer with a relative molecular weight of 27 kDa and highly specific for trans, trans-farnesol, and NADP+. Among analog inhibitors tested, farnesyl acetate was the most effective inhibitor with the lowest Ki value of 0.02 µm. Our findings showed this purified enzyme may represent as NADP+-farnesol dehydrogenase.
Metisa plana (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) bagworm is a leaf-eater caterpillar ubiquitously found as a damaging pest in oil palm plantations, specifically in Malaysia. Various strategies have been implemented, including the usage of chemical insecticides. However, the main challenges include the development of insecticide resistance and its detrimental effects on the environment and non-target organisms. Therefore, a biorational insecticide is introduced by targeting the juvenile hormone (JH) biosynthetic pathway, which is mainly present in the insect and vital for the insect's growth, diapause, metamorphosis, and adult reproduction. This study aimed to investigate the potential inhibitor for the rate-limiting enzyme involved in the JH pathway known as farnesol dehydrogenase. A 255 amino acids sequence encoded for the putative M. plana farnesol dehydrogenase (MpFolDH) open reading frame had been identified and isolated. The three-dimensional structure of MpFolDH was predicted to have seven β- sheets with α-helices at both sides, showing typical characteristics for classical short-chain dehydrogenase and associated with oxidoreductase activity. Then, the ensemble-based virtual screening was conducted based on the ZINC20 database, in which 43 768 compounds that fulfilled pesticide-likeness criteria were screened by site-specific molecular docking. After a short molecular dynamics simulation (5 ns) was conducted towards 102 compounds, only the top 10 compounds based on their most favourable binding energy were selected for a more extended simulation (100 ns). Based on the protein-ligand stability, protein compactness, residues rigidity, binding interaction, binding energy throughout the 100 ns simulation, and physicochemical analysis, ZINC000408743205 was selected as a potential inhibitor for this enzyme. Amino acids decomposition analysis indicates Ile18, Ala95, Val198 and Val202 were the critical contributor residues for MpFolDH-inhibitors(s) complex.
Pseudomonas sp. strain SS22 telah dipencilkan daripada kolam oksidasi kilang minyak kelapa sawit di Malaysia. Dalam kajian ini, keupayaaan bakteria ini mentransformasikan asid oleik kepada produk baru telah dikaji. Produk biotransformasi dianalisis dengan kromatografi lapisan nipis (KLN), kromatografi gas (KG), spektroskopi inframerah gandingan fourier (SIGF) dan kromatografi gas-spektrometri jisim (KG-s.1). Analisis KLN menunjukkan bahawa hanya satu produk baru terbentuk selepas 7 hari eraman pada suhu 37°C, goncangan pada 150 ppm. Semakin lama eraman menyebabkan pengurangan titik produk pada 14 harL Analisis KG menunjukkan bahawa 5 puncak produk baru pada masa penahanan 13.1(*A), 15.0 (*C), 15.3 (*D), 16.8 (*E) dan 18.4 (*F) minit telah terbentuk selepas 7 hari eraman. Spektrum inframerah (Im) bagi produk yang terbentuk daripada asid oleik selepas 7 hari, menunjukkan kewujudan regangan OH/NH pada 3417 cm-'. Serapan pada 2673 cm-', kemungkinan regangan CH bersama-sama dengan kumpulan karbonil. Serapan pada 1712 cm-' adalah konstan dengan regangan c=o daripada keton atau asid karboksilik. Regangan CH pada 2932, 2854, 1462 dan 1379 cm-1 merupakan kumpulan alkil, menandakan produk hidrokarbon juga wujud dalam produk campuran. Kehadiran CH/C-C pada serapan 969 dan 725 cm-', menandakan kewujudan alkena trans (C=C). Analisis KG-SJ mengesahkan bahawa produk tersebut merupakan campuran asid 9(E)- heksadekenoik, asid kaprilik, asid miristik dan hidrokarbon. Walaupun produk yang terbentuk bercampur, asid 9(E)-heksadekenoik boleh digunakan sebagai komponen membran lipidnya. Penghasilan produk tersebut boleh dipertingkatkan dengan mengoptimumkan keadaan pertumbuhan.
The Miltochrista obliquilinea (Swinhoe, 1901) species-group is revised. Four new species are described: M. konta Volynkin, Černý N. Singh, sp. n. (Thailand, Laos and Vietnam), M. adelfika Volynkin, N. Singh, Černý, Kirti Datta, sp. n. (India, Myanmar, China, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam), M. stenovalva Volynkin, N. Singh, Černý, Kirti Datta, sp. n. (India and Thailand) and M. lavides Volynkin, Černý N. Singh, sp. n. (Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam). The lectotype for Lyclene obliquilinea Swinhoe, 1901 is designated. Adults, male and female genitalia are illustrated.
Kajian untuk memelihara Sycanus dichotomus Stal. (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), serangga pemangsa ulat bungkus tanaman sawit, Metisa plana Walker (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) dengan menggunakan larva dua spesies serangga, Corcyra cephalonica Stainton (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) dan Tenebrio molitor Linnaeus (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) telah dilakukan di makmal. Kemandirian hidup (%), bilangan telur yang menetas dan tempoh (hari) perkembangan pemangsa (lima peringkat nimfa) telah direkodkan. Min tempoh perkembangan pemangsa peringkat nimfa pertama hingga kelima pemangsa apabila diberi makan larva C. cephalonica masing-masingnya adalah 15.16, 12.09, 11.63, 14.25 dan 18.53 hari, manakala 15.21, 12.34, 12.64, 14.84 dan 21.89 hari apabila diberi makan T. molitor. Min masa perkembangan dari peringkat telur hingga dewasa S. dichotomus apabila diberi makan larva T. molitor adalah lebih lama (156.5 hari) dan berbeza secara bererti (t = 6.51; dk = 87; p < 0.05) berbanding apabila diberi makan dengan larva C. cephalonica (122.8 hari). Peratus kemandirian hidup S. dichotomus daripada peringkat nimfa pertama hingga dewasa adalah lebih tinggi (81%) apabila diberi larva T. molitor berbanding larva C. cephalonica (76%) sebagai makanan. Julat bilangan telur yang menetas apabila diberi makan larva T. molitor adalah antara 46.6 hingga 77.6 ekor. Keputusan menunjukkan S. dichotomus boleh dipelihara dengan menggunakan larva T. molitor sebagai makanan. Keputusan kajian ini juga diharapkan menjadi titik tolak permulaan penyelidikan seterusnya di dalam bidang hubungan mangsa-pemangsa bagi program kawalan biologi di ladang sawit.
Seasonal changes in Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera (EPT) community was studied at rivers in Gunung Jerai Forest Reserve, Kedah, Malaysia. The rivers were visited monthly from September 2007 to August 2008 to sample aquatic insects using D-pond nets. More EPT were found in the wet season (10664 individuals) compared with the dry season (6599 individuals). In all rivers, ephemeropteran populations was highest during the wet season (z=-2.465, p=0.014). Meanwhile, the plecopteran population was low and almost constant throughout seasons in all rivers (z=-2.280, p=0.023). Trichopterans exhibited the highest peak of abundance in the dry season (z=-6.096, p=0.00). Concomitantly, higher diversity was recorded in the dry season (29 taxa) compared with 25 taxa recorded in wet season from all rivers. Tupah River had the most diverse EPT assemblage during the dry season. In wet season, the abundance of ephemeropterans genera such as Baetis, Platybaetis, Campsoneuria and Thalerosphyrus increased tremendously especially in Teroi River.
The immature stages of necrophagous insects such as Diptera and Coleoptera play a vital ecological role in carrion decomposition. These invertebrates reduce the necromass significantly through consumption and recycle nutrients into organic forms which are readily being used by autotrophs or served as an abiotic storage in the soil ecosystem. Fly and beetle larvae are frequently encountered decomposers on ephemeral resource patches; however, lepidopterans associated with carrion decomposition is seldom reported. Here, we report colonization of Monopis sp. (Tineidae) and an unknown species of Psychidae on a rat carcass, and a Lithosiini caterpillar (Arctiidae) on a rabbit carcass in Peninsular Malaysia for the first time. The feeding behaviour and their potential forensic implications are discussed.
The predominantly tropical ophionine genus Enicospilus Stephens, 1835 is one of the largest genera of Darwin wasps (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae), with more than 700 extant species worldwide that are usually crepuscular or nocturnal and are parasitoids of Lepidoptera larvae. In the present study, the Japanese species of Enicospilus are revised using an integrative approach (combined morphology and DNA barcoding). On the basis of 3,110 specimens, 47 Enicospilus species are recognised in Japan, eight of which are new species (E. acutus Shimizu, sp. nov., E. kunigamiensis Shimizu, sp. nov., E. limnophilus Shimizu, sp. nov., E. matsumurai Shimizu, sp. nov., E. pseudopuncticulatus Shimizu, sp. nov., E. sharkeyi Shimizu, sp. nov., E. takakuwai Shimizu, sp. nov., and E. unctus Shimizu, sp. nov.), seven are new records from Japan (E. jilinensis Tang, 1990, E. laqueatus (Enderlein, 1921), E. multidens Chiu, 1954, stat. rev., E. puncticulatus Tang, 1990, E. stenophleps Cushman, 1937, E. vestigator (Smith, 1858), and E. zeugos Chiu, 1954, stat. rev.), 32 had already been recorded in Japan; three (E. biharensis Townes, Townes & Gupta, 1961, E. flavicaput (Morley, 1912), and E. merdarius (Gravenhorst, 1829)) have been erroneously recorded from Japan based on misidentifications, and four names that were previously on the Japanese list are deleted through synonymy. The following taxonomic changes are proposed: E. vacuus Gauld & Mitchell, 1981, syn. nov. (= E. formosensis (Uchida, 1928)); E. multidensstat. rev.; E. striatus Cameron, 1899, syn. nov. = E. lineolatus (Roman, 1913), syn. nov. = E. uniformis Chiu, 1954, syn. nov. = E. flatus Chiu, 1954, syn. nov. = E. gussakovskii Viktorov, 1957, syn. nov. = E. striolatus Townes, Townes & Gupta, 1961, syn. nov. = E. unicornis Rao & Nikam, 1969, syn. nov. = E. unicornis Rao & Nikam, 1970, syn. nov. (= E. pungens (Smith, 1874)); E. iracundus Chiu, 1954, syn. nov. (= E. sakaguchii (Matsumura & Uchida, 1926)); E. sigmatoides Chiu, 1954, syn. nov. (= E. shikokuensis (Uchida, 1928)); E. yamanakai (Uchida, 1930), syn. nov. (= E. shinkanus (Uchida, 1928)); E. ranunculus Chiu, 1954, syn. nov. (= E. yezoensis (Uchida, 1928)); and E. zeugosstat. rev. = E. henrytownesi Chao & Tang, 1991, syn. nov. In addition, the following new regional and country records are also provided: E. flavocephalus (Kirby, 1900), E. puncticulatus, and E. vestigator from the Eastern Palaearctic region, E. laqueatus from the Eastern Palaearctic and Oceanic regions, and E. maruyamanus (Uchida, 1928) from the Oriental region; E. abdominalis (Szépligeti, 1906) from Nepal, E. flavocephalus from Laos, E. formosensis from Laos and Malaysia, E. insinuator (Smith, 1860) from Taiwan, E. maruyamanus from India and Philippines, E. nigronotatus Cameron, 1903, E. riukiuensis (Matsumura & Uchida, 1926), and E. sakaguchii from Indonesia, E. pungens from 14 countries (Australia, Bhutan, Brunei, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, and Taiwan), and E. yezoensis from South Korea. An identification key to all Japanese species of Enicospilus is proposed. Although 47 species are recognised in the present study, approximately 55 species could potentially be found in Japan based on ACE and Chao 1 estimators. The latitudinal diversity gradient of Enicospilus species richness is also tested in the Japanese archipelago based on the constructed robust taxonomic framework and extensive samples. Enicospilus species richness significantly increases towards the south, contrary to the 'anomalous' pattern of some other ichneumonid subfamilies.
Pieris rapae is a serious pest of brassicas worldwide. We performed de novo assembly of P. rapae transcriptome by next-generation sequencing and assembled approximately 65,727,422 clean paired-end reads into 32,118 unigenes, of which 13,585 were mapped to 255 pathways in the KEGG database. A total of 6173 novel transcripts were identified from reads directly mapped to P. rapae genome. Additionally, 1490 SSRs, 301,377 SNPs, and 29,284 InDels were identified as potential molecular markers to explore polymorphism within P. rapae populations. We screened and mapped 36 transcripts related to OBP, CSP, SNMP, PBAN, and OR. We analyzed the expression profiles of 7 selected genes involved in pheromone transport and degradation by quantitative real-time PCR; these genes are sex-specific and differentially expressed in the developmental stages. Overall, the comprehensive transcriptome resources described in this study could help understand and identify molecular targets particularly reproduction-related genes for developing effective P. rapae management tools.
Matched MeSH terms: Lepidoptera/genetics*; Lepidoptera/growth & development
Temporal changes of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera (EPT) communities were investigated at the study area of Gunung Pulai Recreational Forest, Johor, Malaysia. Taxa diversity were also studied to determine the seasonality impact on certain benthic communities. Sampling of aquatic insects were carried out from November 2012 to July 2013 using rectangular dip net. As a result, more EPT were found during the dry season (1533 individuals) compared to wet season (321 individuals). Concomitantly, higher diversity was also recorded in the dry season. Among these three investigated orders, Trichoptera represented the most diverse community with three families recorded, followed by Plecoptera (2 families) and Ephemeroptera (1 family). Caddisfly family Hydropsychidae were found to be abundant in the study area. Therefore, seasonality impact on EPT assemblage at Gunung Pulai Recreational Forest is extremely evident.
The effects of various concentrations of honey and sucrose on the longevity and fecundity of Apanteles metesae (Nixon), an endoparasitoid of oil palm bagworm, Metisa plana (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) were studied in the laboratory. Our results showed that there were a significant difference (p<0.05) in the longevity of A. metesae fed on various concentrations of honey solutions. Longevity of A. metesae was significantly longer when fed on 50% honey than on pure honey. Nonetheless, longevity of A. metesae females when fed on 50% honey was relatively longer than other honey concentrations. The parasitoid lived significantly longer when fed on 20% sucrose than fed on 50% sucrose and distilled water. However, the parasitoid fed on 50% honey had a longevity that was statistically similar to 20% sucrose and 50% sucrose. Fecundity of A. metesae differed significantly (p<0.05) when fed on 50% honey, 20% sucrose and 50% sucrose. The highest and lowest fecundity was when the parasitoids fed on 20% sucrose and distilled water, respectively. Overall, the result showed that 20% sucrose was a more suitable diet for A. metesae females as compared with other diets.
Metisa plana (Walker) is a leaf defoliating pest that is able to cause staggering economical losses to oil palm cultivation. Considering the economic devastation that the pest could bring, an early warning system to predict its outbreak is crucial. The state of art of satellite technologies are now able to derive environmental factors such as relative humidity (RH) that may influence pest population's fluctuations in rapid, harmless, and cost-effective manners. This study examined the relationship between the presence of Metisa plana at different time lags and remote sensing (RS) derived RH by using statistical and machine learning approaches. Metisa plana census data of cumulated larvae instar 1, 2, 3, and 4 were collected biweekly in 2014 and 2015 in an oil palm plantation in Muadzam Shah, Pahang, Malaysia. Relative humidity values derived from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite images were apportioned to 6 time lags; 1 week (T1), 2 weeks (T2), 3 week (T3), 4 weeks (T4), 5 week (T5) and 6 weeks (T6) and paired with the respective census data. Pearson's correlation was carried out to analyse the relationship between Metisa plana and RH at different time lags. Regression analyses and artificial neural network (ANN) were also conducted to develop the best prediction model of Metisa plana's outbreak. The results showed relatively high correlations, positively or negatively, between the presences of Metisa plana with RH ranging from 0.46 to 0.99. ANN was found to be superior to regression models with the adjusted coefficient of determination (R2) between the actual and predicted Metisa plana values ranging from 0.06 to 0.57 versus 0.00 to 0.05. The analysis on the best time lags illustrated that the multiple time lags were more influential on the Metisa plana population than the individual time lags. The best Metisa plana prediction model was derived from T1, T2 and T3 multiple time lags modelled using the ANN algorithm with R2 value of 0.57, errors below 1.14 and accuracies above 93%. Based on the result of this study, the elucidation of Metisa plana's landscape ecology was possible with the utilization of RH as the predictor variable in consideration of the time lag effects of RH on the pest's population.
Biodiversity of aquatic insect and physicochemical water quality parameters in Mae Tao and Mae Ku watersheds were
assessed bi-monthly from February 2011 to February 2012. A total of 59 families representing 9 orders were recorded.
At order level, Trichoptera was found at the highest frequency in total abundance (45.75%) followed by Ephemeroptera
(18.06%), Hemiptera (13.45%), Odonata (9.62%), Diptera (8.17%), Coleoptera (4.6%), Megaloptera (0.17%),
Lepidoptera (0.11%) and Plecoptera (0.07%). The family Hydropsychidae was the most prominent and the most abundant
aquatic insect taxa followed by Chironomidae. Water temperature, dissolved oxygen and ammonia-nitrogen were similar
at all sampling stations. Significant variations in pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, sulfate, nitrate-nitrogen
and alkalinity were found at all sampling stations. Taxa richness and diversity index significantly correlated with dissolved
oxygen, sulfate, nitrate-nitrogen and ammonia-nitrogen (p<0.05, p<0.01). Physicochemical data and biological data
showed that mostly the surface water quality in Mae Tao and Mae Ku watersheds were within Type III of The Surface
Water Standard for Agriculture and Water Quality for Protection of Aquatic Resources in Thailand.
The genus Enispa Walker, 1866, type species: Enispa eosarialis Walker, 1866 [Borneo, Sarawak] (= Micraeschus Butler, 1878, type species: Hyria elataria Walker, 1861 [Sri Lanka]), contains several species, about 20 of which described and many still undescribed, some also probably misplaced. The genus occurs in Indo-Australian tropics and subtropics. Presently there are 5 species known from Borneo, with mention of several undescribed Enispa-like species (Holloway, 2009). From Thailand there are 8 species illustrated in Kononenko & Pinratana's (2013) book, 5 of which unidentified and some others, based on specimens originated from present author, which most probably are not Enispa. Nielsen & al. (1996) mentioned 7 species in Australia.
Sumatra is the second largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, but it is one of the most poorly explored areas for species diversity of the family Lecithoceridae, with less than 10 known species. In the present paper, six new species of Thubana Walker, 1864 (T. sumatrana sp. nov., T. spiniosa sp. nov., T. lata sp. nov., T. prapatensis sp. nov., T. siantarensis sp. nov., and T. selenisa sp. nov.) and three new species of Torodora Meyrick (T. diehliella sp. nov., T. exilivalvata sp. nov., and T. squariella sp. nov.) are described from Sumatra. In addition, Thubana ochracea Park & Abang, 2005, which was described from Sarawak, Malaysia, is reported for the first time from Sumatra. Illustrations of adults and genitalia of all new species are given. A list of the known species of the subfamily Torodorinae from Indonesia is provided.
Asian herminiine moths of the Herminia decipiens complex are revised and five allopatric species are recognized, i.e. Herminia decipiens (Hampson, 1898) in Nilgiri Hills, Khasi Hills, South China, Indochina, Malay Peninsula, H. terminalis (Wileman, 1915) in Taiwan, H. yuksam sp. nov. in East Nepal, Sikkim, H. borneo sp. nov. in Borneo and H. amamioshima sp. nov. in Amami-oshima Is., Shimo-Koshikijima Is. and South Kyushu (Kagoshima). Key to all species is given.
The production of carbon dioxide from Karas woods under argon atmosphere was investigated using a direct pyrolysis-combustion approach. Direct burning was used in this study, using argon for yrolysis and oxygen during combustion to look at the yield of carbon dioxide, produced at different parameters, such as the temperature, retention time and flow rate of argon, as the carrier gas. In this study, a new methodology, 23 response surface central composite design was successfully employed for the experimental design and analysis of results. Central composite experimental design and response surface method were utilized to determine the best operating condition for a maximum carbon dioxide production. Appropriate predictable empirical linear model was developed by incorporating interaction effects of all the variables involved. The results of the analysis revealed that linear equation models fitted well with the experimental for carbon dioxide yield. Nevertheless, the R-Squared obtained using the direct pyrolysis-combustion was 0.7118, indicating that the regression line was not at the best-fitted line.
Production of carbon dioxide from degraded woods especially Karas or Aquilariella Malaccensis using integrated pyrolysis-combustion is important for radiocarbon dating application. The effects of pyrolysis temperatures (300-400 0 C), retention times (20-35 minutes) and flow rates of argon (400- 1000 ml/min) on the production of carbon dioxide were studied. The experiments were arranged according to a 2 3 response surface central composite statistical design (CSD). This response surface methodology (RSM) was used to assess factor interactions and empirical models regarding carbon dioxide yield. The optimized yield of carbon dioxide was 82.57% for Karas and the optimum reaction conditions are 300 0 C of pyrolysis temperature, 20 minutes retention time and 982ml/min flow rates of argon. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) were conducted to assess the morphological characteristics of the woods and to look at the potential crystalline structure produced after the process took place, respectively.
Acanthamoeba keratitis is a serious ocular problem and can cause blindness if not treated. This study was therefore performed to evaluate the effectiveness of eyedrop antibiotics on eight Acanthamoeba spp. isolates, of which four
were clinical isolates and the remaining four from the environment. Three different eyedrop antibiotics (neomycin, ciprofloxacin and gentamicin) currently available in the market and ready for use were tested. Cyst suspension from all strains were tested against eyedrop antibiotics, respectively. After 48 hours of incubation period, the solutions were filtered and the filtered membranes were put onto non-nutrient agar lawn with E. coli. The plates were examined daily for Acanthamoeba trophozoites under inverted microscope until day 14. Neomycin, ciprofloxacin and gentamicin were found
to be effective against Acanthamoeba spp. cysts for all test strains.
Key words: Acanthamoeba Keratitis, Eyedrop Antibiotics, Effectiveness
Cocoa bean (Theobroma cacao L.) is part of the global cocoa and chocolate industry valued at 44 billion US dollars in 2019. Cocoa pod borer (CPB), Conopomorpha cramerella is a major pest of cocoa in Malaysia and Indonesia that is responsible for the decline for cocoa production. They have been detected since 1980s. Unfortunately, current control strategies are inefficient for CPB management. Although biotechnological alternatives, including RNA interference (RNAi), have been proposed in recent years to control insect pests, characterizing the genetics of the target pest is essential for successful application of these emerging technologies. We generated a comprehensive RNA-seq dataset (135,915,430 clean reads) for larva and adult stages of CPB by using the Illumina HiseqTM 4000 system to increase the understanding of CPB in relation to molecular features. The CPB transcriptome was assembled de novo and annotated. The final assembled produced 249,280 unigenes, of which 75,929 unigenes annotated against NCBI NR database and were distributed among 156 KEGG pathways. The raw data were uploaded to SRA database and the BioProject ID is PRJNA553611. The transcriptomic dataset we present are the first reports of transcriptome information in CPB that is valuable for further exploration and understanding of CPB molecular pathways.