Study On The Relationship Between Estrogen-related Receptor (ERR) And Dopa Decarboxylase (DDC) And Tyrosine Hydroxylase (TH) In The Black Spiny Ant

Estrogen-receptor related receptor(ERR),an orphan nuclear receptors,is similar to ER,which belongs to one of the nuclear receptor family members.ERR can participate in estrogen signaling pathways and is very important to coordinate the normal metabolism and growth of insects.Dopa decarboxylase(DDC),which can catalyze L-3,4-dihydroxy phenylalanine(L-dopa)and L-5-hydroxy tryptophan(L-5-HT)to dopamine and hoxytryptamine,is an important enzyme in the biosynthesis pathway of catecholamine and related to body color formation,molting process and development of insects.Tyrosine hydroxylase(TH)is a initial enzyme and rate-limiting enzyme of dopamine and other catecholamines in the neurotransmitter biosynthesis,and plays the role in the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system.Polyrhachis vicina Roger(P.vicina)affiliates to the Class Insecta,Hymenoptera,Formicidae,which has strong adaptability to environment,short life history and is a typical social insect.In this study,we used RNA interference(RNAi)technology to silence the PvERR gene mRNA expression,and investigated PvTH and PvDDC mRNA and protein level expressions in different development stages and the different castes of adult by the qRT-PCR,immunohistochemical technique,in situ hybridization and Western blot to reveal the correlation of PvERR,PvTH and PvDDC.The results are as follows:1.The expression of PvTH and PvDDC on the level of mRNA was detected by the qRT-PCR after RNAi.The results showed that PvDDC expressions in the different stages and different caste adults after PvERR RNAi were not much change.However,PvTH expressions in the different stages and different caste adults after RNAi were decreased.2.The expressions of PvTH and PvDDC on the level of protein was detected by the Western blot after PvERR RNAi.The results shown that PvTH in the different stages and different caste adults after PvERR RNAi were decreased.However,PvDDC in the different stages and different caste adults after PvERR RNAi were not much change.3.The protein position of PvTH and PvDDC in the different caste adults were investigated by immunohistochemical technique after PvERR RNAi.The results showed that PvTH expressions in the head and abdomen of different caste adults after PvERR RNAi were decreased.However,PvDDC expressions in the head and abdomen of different caste adults after PvERR RNAi were not much change.4.The mRNA position of PvTH and PvDDC in the different caste adults were investigated by in situ hybridization after PvERR RNAi.The results showed that PvDDC expressions in the head and abdomen of different caste adults after PvERR RNAi were not much change.However,PvTH expressions in the head and abdomen of different caste adults after PvERR RNAi were decreased.This results were similar to the results of immunohistochemical technique.The previous results showed that PvTH was related to PvERR,but PvDDC was not obvious with PvERR in relationship.This study demonstrated that PvERR was related to PvTH and PvERR was not related to PvDDC obviously.So there was bi-directional control mechanism between PvERR and PvTH,however,between PvERR and PvDDC was not obvious.