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Radiation-induced bystander effect (RIBE), a non-targeted effect of ionizing radiation in which non-irradiated individuals behave as if they have been irradiated after interactions with irradiated individuals, has been well documented in vertebrates. However, little research has been done investigating RIBE in terrestrial insects, this paucity of invertebrate RIBE leads to lack of knowledge on invertebrates living in fallout and exclusion zones. This paper aims to better understand the impacts of RIBE on terrestrial insects. Methods and materials: House crickets who have interacted with irradiated crickets were examined to investigate population effects of ionizing radiation exposure to better understand RIBE in insects. The results demonstrated RIBE in crickets and found that cohabitated males had higher growth rate (mg/day) when compared to non-cohabitated males. Further, cohabitated males and females matured significantly faster with no significant difference in maturation weight than non-cohabitated populations. Experiment with adult irradiated crickets found saturability of bystander signals and similar shifts in maturation parameters. These results highlight that bystander signals can impacted development and maturation in crickets. Given long-term impacts of RIBE in insects, these results may have significant implications for interactions between insects inhabiting fringe nuclear exclusion zones and those outside of it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiation exposure of crickets during their fourth juvenile molt inflicted ionizing radiation damage and altered growth rate, adult size at sexual maturity. High levels of ionizing radiation also impacted the subsequent generation, likely via heritable epigenetic mechanisms. Using radiation as a proxy for external stress, we aim to understand the transgenerational impacts of stress on non-irradiated offspring. We assess the impacts of ionizing radiation on maturation mass and growth rate in F0 male and female house crickets (Acheta domesticus). We also assessed trans-generational impacts of irradiation on growth rate and maturation mass on non-irradiated offspring of irradiated parents compared to non-irradiated controls. Early-life exposure to high levels of ionizing radiation-induced lower growth rate and maturation mass compared to controls (p <.0001). Non-irradiated male F1 offspring of irradiated parents demonstrated significantly lower mass at maturation (p =.0012) and significantly faster time of maturation (p <.0001) compared to F1 non-irradiated controls. Our results show that a single early-life exposure to ionizing radiation can alter male offspring development through accelerated maturation and reduced maturation mass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For diploid model organisms, the actual transgenesis processes require subsequent periods of transgene management, which are challenging in emerging model organisms due to the lack of suitable methodology. We used the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, a stored-grain pest, to perform a comprehensive functional evaluation of our AClashOfStrings (ACOS) and the combined AGameOfClones/AClashOfStrings (AGOC/ACOS) vector concepts, which use four clearly distinguishable markers to provide full visual control over up to two independent transgenes. We achieved comprehensive statistical validation of our approach by systematically creating seventeen novel single and double homozygous sublines intended for fluorescence live imaging, including several sublines in which the microtubule cytoskeleton is labeled. During the mating procedures, we genotyped more than 20,000 individuals in less than 80 working hours, which corresponds to about 10 to 15 s per individual. We also confirm the functionality of our combined concept in two double transgene special cases, i.e. integration of both transgenes in close proximity on the same chromosome and integration of one transgene on the X allosome. Finally, we discuss our vector concepts regarding performance, genotyping accuracy, throughput, resource saving potential, fluorescent protein choice, modularity, adaptation to other diploid model organisms and expansion capability., Competing Interests: Competing interests The authors declare no competing or financial interests., (© 2023. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.)