Fig. 2

Egfr RNAi impairs JH biosynthesis. A qPCR showing the tissue-specific expression of Egfr on 5-day-old adult females. Ov, ovary; CA, corpora allata; Mg, midgut; Cg, colleterial glands; Epi, epidermis; Fb, fat body; Br, brain. B Immunostaining of Egfr protein in the CA cells. Green, Egfr; blue, DNA; red, F-actin; scale bar: 10 μm. C qPCR showing the effect of Egfr knockdown on the expression levels of Jhamt and Cyp15A1 in the CA and Kr-h1 in the fat body. D–D’ JHAMT protein levels in the head after Egfr RNAi (D). Quantification of band intensity of JHAMT protein levels (D’). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, n = 3. E–E” Effects of Egfr RNAi on the size of maturing oocytes and each follicle cell as well as follicular patency formation (E). Quantification of the length of maturing oocyte (E’) and the area of each follicle cell (E”). ***P < 0.001, n = 20 or 21. Arrow: follicular patency, blue, DNA; red, F-actin; scale bar: 1000 μm or 20 μm. F JH III titer measurements in the hemolymph. **P < 0.01, n = 3. G–G Effects of Egfr RNAi on the morphology of CA and size of CA cell (G). Blue, DNA; red, F-actin; scale bar: 300 μm or 10 μm. Quantification of the areas of CA (G’) and each CA cell (G”). ***P < 0.001, n = 20 or 21. H Effects of treatment with methoprene on the size of ovaries and follicle cells after RNAi Egfr. Blue, DNA; red, F-actin; scale bar: 1000 μm or 20 μm. I–J Effects of treatment with methoprene on the expression of Kr-h1 and Vg in the fat body after RNAi Egfr. **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, n = 3. Ace, acetone; Meth, methoprene