Cold temperature, reproduction link holds promise for insect control

Good news!

"Scientists have uncovered a set of neurons in fruit flies that shut down in cold temperatures and slow reproduction, a system conserved in many insects, including mosquitoes, which could provide a target for pest control. ...
In the study, the researchers conducted genetic screens and identified a subset of circadian neurons in the fly brain. These circadian neurons are important for sensing and responding to such environmental cues as light and cold and for keeping time in the brain, but they are not well understood. ...

Their investigation revealed  an insect neuropeptide (signaling protein) called Allotostatin (AstC) is expressed specifically in these circadian neurons. Experiments showed that both injecting AstC or over-expressing the neuropeptide from the dorsal neurons stimulated egg production. Furthermore, AstC gene expression was also regulated by temperature, levels of AstC was low at cold temperatures and increased in in warm temperatures. “It looks like both the dorsal neuron activity and the neuropeptide expression decrease in the cold,” ...

The researchers also discovered the receptor that the AstC neuropeptide binds with to activate egg production. ..."

From the abstract:

"... Similar to other insects, the fly, Drosophila melanogaster, responds to sustained cold by reducing its metabolic rate and arresting its reproduction. Here, we show that a subset of dorsal neurons (DN3s) that express the neuropeptide allatostatin C (AstC) facilitates recovery from cold-induced reproductive dormancy. The activity of AstC-expressing DN3s, as well as AstC peptide levels, are suppressed by cold. Cold temperature also impacts AstC levels in other Drosophila species and mosquitoes, Aedes aegypti, and Anopheles stephensi. T... AstC/AstC-R2 is conserved across many insect species and their role in regulating female reproductive capacity makes them an ideal target for controlling the population of agricultural pests and human disease vectors."

Temperature, reproduction link holds promise for insect control | Cornell Chronicle

Recovery from cold-induced reproductive dormancy is regulated by temperature-dependent AstC signaling (no public access, but article above contains link to PDF file)