Juvenile hormone receptor established through fly genetics

Juvenile hormones (JHs)are sesquiterpenoids that play major roles in development and reproduction of insects and other arthropods. Synthetic compounds that mimic JH serve as potent insecticides against agricultural pests and disease vectors. However, the molecular action of this unique hormone or its insecticidal mimics has long been obscure as a receptor for JH remained unknown. The prime JH receptor candidate is a bHLH-PAS transcription factor, represented in the fruit fly Drosophila by two paralogous proteins, Gce and Met. Our current study demonstrates that the JH-binding capability of Gce/Met is essential for the proteins to function in vivo. Mutated Gce/Met variants that do not bind JH fail to activate expression of JH-dependent genes and cannot sustain normal development of the fly. This genetic evidencedefinitively establishes Gce/Metin its JH receptor role. Knowledge of a JH receptor impacts our understanding of arthropod biology and defines a molecular target for developmentof improved insecticides.

Jindra M., Uhlirova M., Charles JP., Smykal V., Hill R.J. (2015) Genetic evidence for function of the bHLH-PAS protein Gce/Met as a juvenile hormone receptor. PLoS Genetics 11: e1005394. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005394