Pro-apoptotic functions of insect acetylcholinesterase

Apoptosis contributes to the development of structured organs, enables the renewal of adult tissues, mediates the removal of compromised or malfunctioning cells and is critically involved in various degenerative diseases. Recent studies indicated that an early ancestor of all metazoans already possessed most components of the complex vertebrate-typical apoptotosis regulatory network. Consequently, the well investigated comparatively simple apoptotic networks of the model organisms C. elegans and D. melanogaster resulted from a secondary reduction of ancient complexity.




Pizza of Death
Summary of apoptotic pathways in mammals, nematodes (C. elegans) and insects (diptera (D. melanogaster), lepidoptera (S. frugiperda and B. mori) and orthoptera (L. migratoria)). Experimental data from lepidopteran, coleopteran and orthopteran insects indicate the contribution of cytochrome c and acetylcholinesterase to insect apoptosis. Detailed description in Knorr et al. 2020.


We study apoptotic mechanisms in L. migratoria and T. castaneum, to (1) determine stimuli that promote apoptosis, (2) characterize the molecular mechanisms underlying apoptosis and (3) identify protective pathways that interfere with apoptotic cell death. Along these lines, we demonstrated that the expression of acetylcholinesterase increases upon exposure of whole animals and cultured neurons to apoptogenic stimuli and that its activity promotes apoptosis of primary insect neurons. Hence, acetylcholinesterase may have a similar role in apoptosome formation as it has previously been described for various mammalian cell types.