Harnessing little mighty cockroaches: Pest management and beneficial utilization

Summary: The early embryo of the cockroach Blattella germanica shows high expression of E93, which is essential for both adult morphogenesis and early embryogenesis. The depletion of E93 leads to developmental defects in the germ band formation and significant changes in gene expression during the early embryo stage. E93 expression varies across different insect species, suggesting its role in the evolution of metamorphosis.

Summary: This study reveals a single gene that integrates sex differentiation, hormone signaling, and sexual attractiveness in the German cockroach. In sexually mature females, the expression of CYP4PC1 and production of female-specific contact sex pheromone are induced by sex differentiation genes and juvenile hormone signaling. In adult males, CYP4PC1 expression is directly inhibited by doublesex(M) binding and lack of the gonadotropic hormone, preventing the production of the pheromone and male-male attraction. Manipulation of the upstream regulators demonstrates that wild-type males prefer to court cockroaches with higher CYP4PC1 expression and pheromone production in a dose-dependent manner, regardless of their sex.