About this Research Topic
Insects, the most diverse of all animal groups, are being extensively investigated in the context of both genetic and epigenetic mechanisms that regulate development, reproduction, and phenotypic plasticity. During development and reproduction, many species exhibit morphological, physiological, and behavioral plasticity as an adaptive response to environmental changes. Insect hormones, including juvenile hormone, ecdysteroids, and peptides regulate developmental and reproductive processes through conserved or species-specific hormone signaling pathways.
Recent studies in genetic and epigenetic regulation of developmental processes--including embryonic and post-embryonic development (e.g., tissue remodeling during metamorphosis), reproduction, cross-talk among major hormones (juvenile hormone, ecdysteroids, and insulin-like peptides)--produced many novel findings. In addition, research on epigenetic modifications (including noncoding RNAs, DNA methylation, and histone modification involved in regulation of development, reproduction, and phenotypic plasticity such as cast differentiation) reported some exciting findings.
In this Research Topic, we aim to gather articles from genomic and epigenetic studies of insect development, reproduction, and phenotypic plasticity. Principal themes covered in this Topic relate to:
I) Genetic and epigenetic regulation of development
II) Genetic and epigenetic regulation of reproduction
III) Genetic and epigenetic regulation of phenotypic plasticity (e.g. cast differentiation)
IV) Genetic and epigenetic regulation of other processes
Recent studies in genetic and epigenetic regulation of developmental processes--including embryonic and post-embryonic development (e.g., tissue remodeling during metamorphosis), reproduction, cross-talk among major hormones (juvenile hormone, ecdysteroids, and insulin-like peptides)--produced many novel findings. In addition, research on epigenetic modifications (including noncoding RNAs, DNA methylation, and histone modification involved in regulation of development, reproduction, and phenotypic plasticity such as cast differentiation) reported some exciting findings.
In this Research Topic, we aim to gather articles from genomic and epigenetic studies of insect development, reproduction, and phenotypic plasticity. Principal themes covered in this Topic relate to:
I) Genetic and epigenetic regulation of development
II) Genetic and epigenetic regulation of reproduction
III) Genetic and epigenetic regulation of phenotypic plasticity (e.g. cast differentiation)
IV) Genetic and epigenetic regulation of other processes
Keywords: Juvenile hormone, ecdysone, DNA methylation, microRNA, HDAC
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
