The Lolal-dpp axis mediates the regulation of host reproduction by gut symbionts in insects.

Jiao Qiao, Ziniu Li, Weiwei Zheng, Qiuyuan Zhang, Chenjun Zheng, Xiaoxue Li, Hongyu Zhang

Abstract read

In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it

0cells of the map it votes in

3citing papers in PubMed

–field-weighted citation impact

1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

Dual-line Genome-scale CRISPR Screening Enables Robust Target Gene Discovery.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2026
Article
Insects · 2026
Review
Diversity of theMicrobiology spectrum · 2026
Article

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Jiao QiaoNational Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization for Fruit and Vegetable Horticultural Crops, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Institute of Urban and Horticultural Entomology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.

Ziniu LiNational Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization for Fruit and Vegetable Horticultural Crops, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Institute of Urban and Horticultural Entomology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.

Weiwei ZhengNational Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization for Fruit and Vegetable Horticultural Crops, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Institute of Urban and Horticultural Entomology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.

Qiuyuan ZhangNational Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization for Fruit and Vegetable Horticultural Crops, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Institute of Urban and Horticultural Entomology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.ORCID 0009-0003-4835-0018

Chenjun ZhengNational Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization for Fruit and Vegetable Horticultural Crops, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Institute of Urban and Horticultural Entomology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.

Xiaoxue LiNational Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization for Fruit and Vegetable Horticultural Crops, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Institute of Urban and Horticultural Entomology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China. xiaoxueli@mail.hzau.edu.cn.ORCID 0000-0002-9484-3409

Hongyu ZhangNational Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization for Fruit and Vegetable Horticultural Crops, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Institute of Urban and Horticultural Entomology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China. hongyu.zhang@mail.hzau.edu.cn.ORCID 0000-0002-6368-5903

Funding

Agriculture Research System of China (China's Agricultural Research System) CARS-26National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 32220103009

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Gut commensal microbiota can play an integral role in shaping insect reproduction, but the underlying mechanisms remain largely unexplored. Here, we report that gut bacteria promote host reproduction in the oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis by inducing ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS)-mediated degradation of the key transcription factor Longitudinals lacking-like (Lolal). Antibiotic-induced gut bacterial depletion impairs ovarian development and fertility. These reproductive defects can be reversed by nicotinic acid (NA) supplementation or recolonization with a potent NA provider, Enterobacter hormaechei. Gut bacteria-derived NA enhances coenzyme nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) biosynthesis and mitochondrial energy production, thereby activating the UPS. Ubiquitinome analysis reveals that gut bacteria enhance Lolal ubiquitination and promote its degradation. Lolal overabundance in gut bacteria-depleted females leads to decapentaplegic (dpp) overexpression and impaired reproduction. Conversely, Lolal knockdown suppresses dpp expression, resulting in disrupted mature egg formation. Our results reveal a link between gut bacteria-derived metabolites and host protein homeostasis which determines host reproductive success.

Indexed as

Gastrointestinal MicrobiomeInsect ProteinsTephritidaeTranscription FactorsAnimalsFemaleFertilityNADNiacinOvaryProteasome Endopeptidase ComplexReproductionSymbiosisUbiquitinUbiquitinationInsect ProteinsNADNiacinProteasome Endopeptidase ComplexTranscription FactorsUbiquitin

Identifiers

PMID41629349

DOI10.1038/s41467-026-69021-y

PMCPMC12966389

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata

LicenceCC BY

Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.