Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Czech Republic.
Physiol Res. 2023 Dec 29;72(S5):S475-S487. doi: 10.33549/physiolres.935221.
Insect vitellogenins are an intriguing class of complex proteins. They primarily serve as a source of energy for the developing embryo in insect eggs. Vitellogenesis is a complex hormonally and neurally controlled process that command synthesis of vitellogenin molecules and ensures their transport from the female fat bodies or ovarial cells into eggs. The representatives of all insect hormones such as juvenile hormones, ecdysteroids, and neurohormones participate in vitellogenesis, but juvenile hormones (most insect species) and ecdysteroids (mostly Diptera) play the most important roles in the process. Strikingly, not only insect females, but also males have been reported to synthesize vitellogenins indicating their further utility in the insect body. Indeed, it has recently been found that vitellogenins perform a variety of biological functions in the insect body. They participate in defense reactions against entomopathogens such as nematodes, fungi, and bacteria, as well as against venoms such as the honeybee Apis mellifera venom. Interestingly, vitellogenins are also present in the venom of the honeybee itself, albeit their exact role is unknown; they most likely increase the efficacy of the venom in the victim's body. Within the bee's body vitellogenins contribute to the lifespan regulation as anti-aging factor acting under tight social interactions and hormonal control. The current minireview covers all of these functions of vitellogenins and portrays them as biologically active substances that play a variety of significant roles in both insect females and males, and not only acting as passive energy sources for developing embryo.
昆虫卵黄蛋白原是一类有趣的复杂蛋白。它们主要作为昆虫卵中胚胎发育的能量来源。卵黄发生是一个复杂的激素和神经控制过程，指挥卵黄蛋白原分子的合成，并确保它们从雌性脂肪体或卵巢细胞运输到卵中。所有昆虫激素的代表，如保幼激素、蜕皮激素和神经激素，都参与了卵黄发生，但保幼激素（大多数昆虫物种）和蜕皮激素（主要是双翅目）在该过程中发挥最重要的作用。值得注意的是，不仅雌性昆虫，而且雄性昆虫也被报道能够合成卵黄蛋白原，这表明它们在昆虫体内具有进一步的用途。事实上，最近发现卵黄蛋白原在昆虫体内具有多种生物学功能。它们参与防御反应，对抗线虫、真菌和细菌等昆虫病原体，以及对抗蜜蜂 Apis mellifera 毒液等毒液。有趣的是，卵黄蛋白原也存在于蜜蜂自身的毒液中，尽管其确切作用尚不清楚；它们很可能提高毒液在受害者体内的效力。在蜜蜂体内，卵黄蛋白原作为一种抗衰老因子，在紧密的社会互动和激素控制下，有助于调节寿命。本综述涵盖了卵黄蛋白原的所有这些功能，并将其描绘为具有生物活性的物质，它们在雌性和雄性昆虫中都发挥着多种重要作用，不仅作为发育胚胎的被动能量来源。
