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Q&A ViewAttendees 5

Physiology, Biochemistry, and Toxicology

Member Symposium

Insulin Signaling as a Master Regulator for Arthropod Adaptation

Insulin signaling: An ancient, networked pathway that set the stage for the blood feeding interface

Wednesday, November 3, 2021
8:05 AM – 8:20 AM MT
Location: Colorado Convention Center, Meeting Room 401-402
In-Person
The insulin signaling pathway is likely over 600 million years old, with evidence for insulin-like hormones in eukaryotic protozoa and elements of insulin signaling proteins evident in sponges. Accordingly, the appearance of arthropods approximately 540 million years ago suggests a lengthy period of evolution that helps to frame the universality and conservation of this pathway across arthropods. The fundamental nature of this pathway is highlighted in its roles in the regulation of metabolism, lifespan, reproduction, behavior, feeding and immunity to pathogens across a wide range of arthropod species. Given the extant role of insulin signaling arthropod immunity, it is possible that adaptation of microbes to an arthropod host environment defined by insulin signaling enabled the successful transfer of these microbes to vertebrate hosts with the appearance of arthropod blood feeding approximately 220 million years ago. We will discuss two examples of biology in anopheline mosquitoes that connect to and highlight the fundamental role of insulin and insulin signaling in mediating host-parasite interactions in both mosquito and mammalian hosts.