Biological Time Capsule: Diapause Strategies and Multilayered Mechanisms in Lucilia sericata

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Polat N.

5th International Congress of Scientific Advances (ICONSAD'25), Balıkesir, Türkiye, 24 - 27 Aralık 2025, ss.652-653, (Özet Bildiri)

  • Yayın Türü: Bildiri / Özet Bildiri
  • Basıldığı Şehir: Balıkesir
  • Basıldığı Ülke: Türkiye
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.652-653
  • Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Diapause is a genetically programmed developmental arrest mechanism that insects have evolved in response to adverse environmental conditions. Lucilia sericata (green bottle fly), which is critically important in forensic entomology, belongs to the order Diptera and family Calliphoridae, and typically enters diapause during the larval or pupal stage to adapt to low temperatures and short photoperiods. The diapause mechanism initiates with the photoperiod detection system. Cryptochromes and circadian clock proteins (PERIOD, TIMELESS) sense day length and trigger the hormonal cascade. Ecdysone and juvenile hormone levels are altered, halting normal development, while the insulin signaling pathway is suppressed and the FOXO transcription factor activates stress resistance genes. At the morphological level, lipid and glycogen reserves accumulate, metabolic activity decreases by 70-80%, and the cuticle thickens. Cells produce cryoprotectants such as glycerol and trehalose to protect against freezing. Heat shock proteins (HSP70, HSP90) provide protein stabilization, while antioxidant systems (SOD, catalase, glutathione) establish defense against reactive oxygen species. For membrane adaptation, the proportion of unsaturated fatty acids is increased, maintaining fluidity at low temperatures. Epigenetic regulation controls gene expression through DNA methylation and histone modifications. MicroRNAs provide rapid and reversible regulation. In forensic entomology, diapause causes significant errors in PMI (post-mortem interval) calculations. Advanced and proposed mechanisms to address this challenge include: detection of diapause marker genes (couch potato, insulin receptor, HSP23) via RNA-seq and qPCR; metabolomic profiling (glycerol, trehalose, proline concentrations) using LC-MS/MS; cuticular hydrocarbon analysis by GC-MS; artificial intelligence-based prediction models; monitoring microbial community changes through 16S rRNA sequencing; and development of portable molecular diagnostic devices. Through the integration of transcriptomic, metabolomic, and bioinformatic approaches, diapause status can be accurately determined and the precision of PMI estimations can be enhanced. These advanced technologies hold promise for both fundamental insect biology and forensic applications.

Keywords- Cold Tolerance, Diapause Regulation, Lucilia sericata, Metabolic Depression, Stress Response Pathways