Research lines

The main goal of this lab is to understand how nutrition regulates key physiological processes in insects. Thus, its main interest lies in unravelling how the insulin receptor pathway controls reproduction, and also how insects regulate the expression of insulin-like peptides (ILPs), the putative effectors of the signalling pathway. In addition to this, the Nutritional Signals in Insects lab, in collaboration with the Insect Reproduction Lab, studies how interference RNA (RNAi) works in insects, the enzymes involved and their functions and the mechanisms of production and selection of the small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) that are generated.

Lab website: Maestro Lab

Principal Investigator

José Luis Maestro Garriga

Maestro Garriga, José Luis
CSIC Tenured Scientist
Nutritional signals in Insects Lab

Current members

Judit Gonzalvo Colmena

Gonzalvo Colmena, Judit
Laboratory Technician
Nutritional signals in Insects Lab & Evolution of Insect Metamorphosis Lab

David Pujal Bau

Pujal Bau, David
Visiting Predoctoral researcher
Nutritional signals in Insects

Ongoing projects

Publications

Pujal D, Escudero J, Cabrera P, Bos L, Vargas-Chávez C, Fernández R, Bellés X, Maestro JL. 2024. Functional redundancy of the three insulin receptors of cockroaches. Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 172(July):104161. DOI:10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104161

Farrus N, Maestro JL, Piulachs MD. 2024. CHMP4B contributes to maintaining the follicular cells integrity in the panoistic ovary of the cockroach Blattella germanicaBiology of the Cell, 116(9):1-13. DOI:10.1111/boc.202400010

Domínguez C V., Pagone V, Maestro JL. 2022. Regulation of insulin-like peptide expression in adult Blattella germanica females. Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 141:103706. DOI:10.1016/j.ibmb.2021.103706

Montañes JC, Rojano C, Ylla G, Piulachs MD, Maestro JL. 2021. siRNA enrichment in Argonaute 2-depleted Blattella germanica. BBA - Gene Regulatory Mechanisms, 1864 (6-7): 194704. DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2021.194704

Castro-Arnau J, Marín A, Castells M, Ferrer I, Maestro JL. 2019. The expression of cockroach insulin-like peptides is differentially regulated by physiological conditions and affected by compensatory regulation. Journal of Insect Physiology, 114:57-67. DOI:10.1016/j.jinsphys.2019.02.010.

Rubio M, Maestro JL, Piulachs MD, Belles X. 2018. Conserved association of Argonaute 1 and 2 proteins with miRNA and siRNA pathways throughout insect evolution, from cockroaches to flies. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Gene Regulatory Mechanisms, 1861(6):554-560. DOI:10.1016/j.bbagrm.2018.04.001

Dominguez C V., Maestro JL. 2018. Expression of juvenile hormone acid O-methyltransferase and juvenile hormone synthesis in Blattella germanica. Insect Science, 25(5):787-796. DOI:10.1111/1744-7917.12467

Rahman MM, Franch-Marro X, Maestro JL, Martin D, Casali A. 2017. Local Juvenile Hormone activity regulates gut homeostasis and tumor growth in adult Drosophila. Scientific Reports, 7(1):1-9. DOI:10.1038/s41598-017-11199-9

Borras-Castells F, Nieva C, Maestro JL, Maestro O, Belles X, Martín D. 2017. Juvenile hormone biosynthesis in adult Blattella germanica requires nuclear receptors Seven-up and FTZ-F1. Scientific Reports, 7:1-15. DOI:10.1038/srep40234

Abrisqueta M, Süren-Castillo S, Maestro JL. 2017. S6 protein kinase activates Juvenile Hormone and vitellogenin production in the cockroach Blattella germanica. Physiological Entomology, 42(1):10-16. DOI:10.1111/phen.12156

Ons S, Bellés X, Maestro JL. 2015. Orcokinins contribute to the regulation of vitellogenin transcription in the cockroach Blattella germanica. Journal of Insect Physiology, 82:129-133. DOI:10.1016/j.jinsphys.2015.10.002

Süren-Castillo S, Abrisqueta M, Maestro JL. 2014. FoxO is required for the activation of hypertrehalosemic hormone expression in cockroaches. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - General Subjects, 1840(1):86-94. DOI:10.1016/j.bbagen.2013.08.015

Abrisqueta M, Süren-Castillo S, Maestro JL. 2014. Insulin receptor-mediated nutritional signalling regulates juvenile hormone biosynthesis and vitellogenin production in the German cockroach. Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 49(1):14-23. DOI:10.1016/j.ibmb.2014.03.005

Süren-Castillo S, Abrisqueta M, Maestro JL. 2012. FoxO inhibits juvenile hormone biosynthesis and vitellogenin production in the German cockroach. Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 42(7):491-498. DOI:10.1016/j.ibmb.2012.03.006

Maestro JL, Tobe SS, Belles X. 2011. Leucomyosuppressin modulates cardiac rhythm in the cockroach Blattella germanica. Journal of Insect Physiology, 57(12):1677-1681. DOI:10.1016/j.jinsphys.2011.09.001