Ecdysteroids, insect steroid hormones, play key roles in regulating insect development and reproduction. Hemipteran insects require ecdysteroids for egg production; however, ecdysteroid synthesis (ecdysteroidogenesis) details have not been elucidated. We identified all known genes encoding ecdysteroidogenic enzymes in Nilaparvata lugens and clarified their necessity during nymphal and ovarian development. We confirmed that N. lugens utilized 20-hydroxyecdysone as an active hormone. Assays using heterologous expression of enzymes in Drosophila S2 cells showed conserved functions of enzymes Neverland, CYP306A2, CYP314A1 and CYP315A1, but not CYP302A1. RNA interference and rescue analysis using 20-hydroxyecdysone demonstrated that most of the genes were necessary for nymphal development. The identified N. lugens enzymes showed conserved functions and pathways for ecdysteroidogenesis. Knockdown of ecdysteroidogenic enzyme genes in newly molted females caused failure of egg production: less vitellogenic and mature eggs in ovaries, fewer laid eggs and embryonic development deficiency of laid eggs. Considering the high expressions of ecdysteroidogenic enzyme genes in adults and ovaries, ecdysteroidogenesis in ovaries was critical for N. lugens ovarian development. Our study presents initial evidence that hemipteran insects require ecdysteroidogenesis for ovarian development.

蜕皮类固醇，昆虫类固醇激素，在调节昆虫的发育和繁殖中起关键作用。半翅目昆虫需要蜕皮类固醇来生产卵。但是，蜕皮激素合成（蜕皮激素生成）的细节尚未阐明。我们鉴定了Nilaparvata lugens中所有编码蜕皮甾类酶的已知基因，并阐明了它们在若虫和卵巢发育过程中的必要性。我们证实，N。lugens利用20-羟基蜕皮激素作为活性激素。使用果蝇中酶异源表达的分析S2细胞显示酶Neverland，CYP306A2，CYP314A1和CYP315A1的保守功能，但不显示CYP302A1。使用20-羟基蜕皮激素的RNA干扰和拯救分析表明，大多数基因对于若虫发育是必需的。鉴定出的N. lugens酶显示出保守的功能和蜕皮激素生成的途径。新蜕皮雌性中蜕皮类固醇生成酶基因的敲除导致产卵失败：卵巢中卵黄蛋白形成和成熟的卵减少，产卵减少，产卵胚胎发育不足。考虑到蜕皮类固醇生成酶基因在成年人和卵巢中的高表达，卵巢中的蜕皮类固醇生成对于黄褐猪笼草至关重要。卵巢发育。我们的研究提供了初步证据，表明半翅目昆虫需要蜕皮类固醇生成才能促进卵巢发育。