Mucins are highly glycosylated proteins that are characterized by a higher proportion of threonine, serine, and proline residues in their sequences. Although mucins in humans and vertebrates have been implicated in many biological processes, their roles in growth and development in invertebrates such as in insects remain largely unknown. Based on bioinformatic analyses, we identified eight mucin or mucin-like genes in the migratory locust, Locusta migratoria. RNA interference against these genes demonstrated that three Lmmucin genes were essential for the survival of L. migratoria nymphs, and one Lmmucin was required for adult wing development. Indeed, knockdown of Lmhemomucin and Lmmucin-12 caused lethal phenotypes, with an observed defect of the gastric caeca in which cells were detached from cell junctions. Deficiency of LmIIM3 resulted in lethality of nymphs, with defects of the peritrophic membrane in midgut. Suppression of Lmmucin-17 greatly impaired the structural integrity of the wing cuticle during nymph-adult molting. The present study revealed the significance of mucin and mucin-like genes in insect growth and development, using the orthopteran insect locust as a model.

粘蛋白是高度糖基化的蛋白质，其特征在于其序列中苏氨酸，丝氨酸和脯氨酸残基的比例更高。尽管人类和脊椎动物中的粘蛋白与许多生物学过程有关，但它们在无脊椎动物（如昆虫）的生长和发育中的作用仍然未知。根据生物信息学分析，我们在游蝗蝗（Locusta migratoria）中鉴定了8个粘蛋白或类粘蛋白基因。对这些基因的RNA干扰表明，三个Lmmucin基因对于迁移偏头痛的若虫（L. migratoria）若虫的生存至关重要，而一个Lmmucin对于成年翅膀发育是必需的。确实，击倒Lmhemomucin和Lmmucin-12导致致命的表型，观察到胃盲肠缺损，其中细胞从细胞连接处脱落。LmIIM3的缺乏导致若虫的致死性，中肠有营养缺陷的膜。Lmmucin-17的抑制极大地损害了若虫成虫蜕皮过程中翼状角质层的结构完整性。本研究揭示了粘蛋白和粘蛋白样基因在昆虫生长发育中的重要性，使用直翅目昆虫蝗虫作为模型。