AUTHOR=Li Tong , Jiang Yueli , Yang Xiaofan , Li Huiling , Gong Zhongjun , Qin Yifan , Zhang Jing , Lu Ruijie , Wei Guoshu , Wu Yuqing , Lu Chuantao 

TITLE=The effects of circularly polarized light on mating behavior and gene expression in Anomala corpulenta (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physiology

VOLUME=14

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2023.1172542

DOI=10.3389/fphys.2023.1172542

ISSN=1664-042X

ABSTRACT=<p>Light is an important abiotic factor affecting insect behavior. In nature, linearly polarized light is common, but circularly polarized light is rare. Left circularly polarized (LCP) light is selectively reflected by the exocuticle of most scarab beetles, including <italic>Anomala corpulenta</italic>. Despite our previous research showing that this visual signal probably mediates their mating behavior, the way in which it does so is not well elucidated. In this study, we investigated how LCP light affects not only mating behavior but also gene expression in this species using RNA-seq. The results indicated that disruption of LCP light reflection by females of <italic>A. corpulenta</italic> probably affects the process by which males of <italic>A. corpulenta</italic> search for mates. Furthermore, the RNA-seq results showed that genes of the environmental signaling pathways and also of several insect reproduction-related amino acid metabolic pathways were differentially expressed in groups exposed and not exposed to LCP light. This implies that <italic>A. corpulenta</italic> reproduction is probably regulated by LCP light-induced stress. Herein, the results show that LCP light is probably perceived by males of the species, further mediating their mating behavior. However, this hypothesis needs future verification with additional samples.</p>