亮點報導
Highlights

臺大昆蟲學系蚜蟲胚胎發育研究再度獲國際肯定!蚜蟲鐘樓怪人基因(hunchback gene) 之特殊表現,榮登昆蟲分子生物學(Insect Molecular Biology) 期刊2020 年封面,為昆蟲系教授張俊哲自2003年在昆蟲系建立其實驗室以來,蚜蟲研究成果第五度受國際期刊封面青睞,張俊哲也直呼這是「4+1的幸運」!

昆蟲系研究之蚜蟲鐘樓怪人基因(hunchback gene) 特殊表現,榮登昆蟲分子生物學(Insect Molecular Biology) 期刊2020 年封面。

 

張俊哲表示,連同他早先在2002 年之「發育生物學(Developmental Biology)」期刊封面(有關沙漠飛蝗生殖細胞特化研究),本次為第六度刊登,可見探索新興模式物種(rising model organisms) 的發育與解析其基因體,在過去二十年間已大幅受到國際科學社群之重視。因著這些「非典型」的發現,提升了知識的廣度與深度,改寫原先所作的結論,因而新的結論更加貼近事實,也再次獲國際學術界肯定。

事實上,這篇蚜蟲鐘樓怪人基因的研究早在2018 年底就發表於「昆蟲分子生物學」期刊(Insect Mol. Biol. (2018) 27(6), 752–765),為何到了2019 年底,張俊哲才接獲期刊編輯室通知,請他提供解析度較高的蚜蟲基因表現圖,作為該期刊2020 年的封面?據張俊哲表示,可能原因有二:

(一) 絕無僅有的特例:昆蟲的鐘樓怪人基因具有表現於早期胚胎前端和神經元細胞之共通特性,蚜蟲雖保有這兩個特徵,但卻多了一個大例外:她的鐘樓怪人基因竟出現於生殖細胞(附圖胚胎背側),而且扎扎實實地貫穿於早、中、晚發育時期;這個基因表現形式迄今尚未在其他昆蟲或節肢動物被發現。

(二) 科學圖案的品質:由於基因表現於胚胎的位置為解析基因功能的第一線證據,科圖品質之良窳不僅影響證據判讀,也係關先前所有實驗努力,從基因選殖、探針製作、雜合反應、直到免疫染色能否忠實完美呈現。有鑑於此,張老師研究團隊力求顯微影像品質之精良,從一個胚胎放上玻片至攝影完成,花上數小時甚至一整天亦在所不惜,此乃高品質影像產出之必經之路,也是上述各階段實驗成果的最後凝聚。

值得一提的是,這本由英國皇家昆蟲學會(Royal Society of Entomology) 主編的「昆蟲分子生物學」期刊仍維持其悠久傳統,一年6 期維持一個封面不換,因此張俊哲研究團隊的封面將出現6 次,和當今多數期刊一期更換封面一次稍有不同。

張俊哲也說,原以為本次登上「昆蟲分子生物學」封面機率非常小,因為2013年團隊的研究成果已受青睞一次。如今能登上封面,就像是「4+1的幸運」,他和團隊成員更加珍惜本次意外的榮譽,期待這第二次刊出能使臺大生農學院在蚜蟲發育與生殖之研究更受國際科學社群重視,為老師和同學們爭取更多國際合作與進修之機會,也為遏止蚜蟲此一重大農業害蟲之繁衍,貢獻一份心力。

 

Aphid embryo development studies conducted by the Department of Entomology are honored again by academia. The study of the special expression of the hunchback gene is published as the cover of Insect Molecular Biology in 2020. This is exceptional because Insect Molecular Biology keeps the cover for the whole year, including 6 volumes of the journal. Since 2003, the establishment of the research group of Professor of Chun-Che Chang, Department of Entomology, has been honored as the journal cover story five times. Prof. Chang was surprised and refers to this as the “4+1 fortune.” Additionally, his publication was also promoted on the cover of Developmental Biology in 2002. He suggests that this number indicates that exploring development and disentangling the genome of rising model organisms are significantly valued by academic society. Because these atypical discoveries broaden and deepen our knowledge, revised conclusions are more accurate and meaningful.

The study conducted bythe Department of Entomology on the special expression of hunchback gene published as a cover study on Insect Molecular Biology in 2020

This hunchback gene study was published in Insect Molecular Biology in 2018 (Germline expression of the hunchback orthologues in the asexual viviparous aphids: a conserved feature within the Aphididae, Insect Mol. Biol. (2018) 27(6), 752–765). Why was Prof. Chang invited to be the cover story by the journal editor only after the end of 2019? According to Prof. Chang, there are two possible reasons:

1. Unprecedent exception: Although the hunchback gene expresses in early-stage embryos and neurons in insects, it exceptionally appears in reproductive cells of aphids and is consistently expressed through early, middle, and late stages. This expression is not yet found in other insects or arthropods.

2. Quality scientific figure: Identifying the location of gene expression is direct evidence used in determining a gene’s function in an embryo, so the quality of the scientific figures both affects the interpretation and reflects the quality of pretreatment. Thus, Prof. Chang’s team does not regret dedicating up to ten days to producing a photo of a single embryo.

Prof. Chang and his team cherish this unexpected honor and look forward to seeing the aphid studies increasingly emphasized by academic society. Besides shooting for more opportunities for cooperation, they also aim for mitigating aphid-related agricultural damages.

 

回上頁