Edible insects are insect species consumed as a nutrient-rich food source, with over 2,000 species eaten by populations worldwide. This topic intersects with plant science through entomophagy's role in sustainable agriculture, as insect farming often relies on plant-based feed sources and offers a lower-resource-intensive protein alternative compared to traditional livestock. Research in this area also explores how insect-plant interactions, such as pollination and herbivory, inform both food security strategies and ecological understanding of agricultural systems.
Researchers identified the gene Zmlaccase2 in superworm beetles (Zophobas morio) and showed it is essential for shell hardening, darkening, and completing metamorphosis. Blocking the gene by two independent methods left beetles pale and soft and prevented them from pupating or surviving to adulthood.
1
RNAi silencing of Zmlaccase2 caused persistent depigmentation from larval through adult stages and reduced both pupation and adult emergence rates significantly
2
CRISPR/Cas9 knockout of Zmlaccase2 produced mosaic depigmentation and complete failure to pupate in all tested mutant individuals
3
Gene expression peaked during the prepupal and late pupal stages, tracking precisely with the periods of active shell remodeling
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