Distribution of short neuropeptide F receptor in virgin and mated queens of the fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

In invertebrates, short neuropeptide F (sNPF) peptides share structural similarity with the vertebrate neuropeptide Y, which plays a significant role in basic physiological functions such as regulation of food consumption, blood pressure, circadian rhythms and anxiety. In insects, sNPF peptides are thought to be involved in the regulation of ovary growth, food intake and body size. The role of the sNPF signaling pathway in essential physiological processes makes it an important subject for studies in social insects in which the control of both feeding and reproductive behaviors is complex and poorly understood. The insect sNPF receptors belong to the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) rhodopsin family. Our previous study on the sNPF receptor from the Red Imported Fire Ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren, suggested that the sNPF pathway is involved in signaling related to queen feeding status because receptor transcript abundance decreased in the brain of starved mated queens. We have now developed a specific antibody against the sNPF receptor. The receptor tissue expression and cellular localization were analyzed in both virgin (alate) and mated (dealate) queens by western blot and immunohistochemistry. Results showed that the sNPF receptor may play potential roles in the regulation of food consumption and oocyte development. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the localization of the sNPF receptor in an adult insect.