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In a constantly changing environment, animals are forced to make crucial behavioral choices for survival. Food determines whether wild animals evolve, whether populations decline, or how ecological groups are structured. Animals have the ability to adapt their nutritional needs according to the availability of food, they detect and assimilate nutrients. Drosophila melanogaster, the fruit fly, is considered an important model for various studies. For example, in nutrition research and for understanding the mechanisms of human disease. In this study, we have provided an overview of fruit fly feeding behavior, how diet influences mating behavior and what volatiles attract flies. We show that mating behavior is very closely related to food and that egg laying is influenced by yeast, a very important source of protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the major challenges that global society is facing nowadays is finding sustainable and safe methods for crop growth and development. Besides the traditional crops cultivated worldwide (tomatoes, potatoes, lettuce, strawberries, etc.), there is a general trend in the exploitation of polyvalent plants. Mulberry (Morus spp.) faced no exception; with its undeniable proprieties, it became suitable not only to be used in the sericulture industry, but in the food chain, the pharma industry, and environmental safety. Spare parts of the plants can be used in a very wide range, starting from introducing mulberry leaves in supplements to increase the protein content of a meal to extracting biologically active compounds from fruits and roots to be used in phytotherapy. However, the outstanding proprieties of this plant come with some requirements related to space availability and watering; requirements that can be easily surpassed by using vertical farming methods, such as hydroponic, aeroponic, or aquaponic systems. The present paper aims to evaluate vertical farming techniques' applicability to mulberry propagation in a controlled environment and their prospects for a more sustainable and safer agricultural practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bombyx mori is one of the most studied species of Lepidoptera by the scientific community, being a permanent model organism especially for life sciences. Two major proteins named fibroin and sericin are found in silk thread used in the cocoon. Fibroin is widely used as a biomaterial due to the high biocompatibility, mechanical strength and biodegradability. Besides the great economic importance, over the past decade, Bombyx mori has received major attention as a bioreactor for large scale production of recombinant proteins. One of the greatest advantages of silkworms is the number of genes which are homologous to human genes, but also it is important to mention their short generation time and the rich genetic resource. In this article, we summarized a review of using the transgenic silkworm as a bioreactor to produce recombinant proteins. The recombinant proteins are currently used to optimize the biomaterials, which have a significant impact for the progress of human and veterinary medicine. For example, sericin hydrogels, containing human acidic fibroblast growth factor supporting wound healing, have been developed. Also, to improve cell adhesive properties, silk fibroin/hyaluronic scaffolds for human mesenchymal stem cell culture have been produced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the scientific community has been focused on developing feasible platforms to obtain recombinant proteins in order to meet the high demand. There is a wide range of bioreactors that are currently used for this purpose, as bacteria, yeast, mammalian, plant or insect cells. In this regard, decades of dedicated research have shown that the insect biotechnology field is showing the most promising results. In this direction, Bombyx mori exhibits a great potential as a bioreactor to produce target proteins as it possesses various advantages. As expression host, Bombyx mori cells provide optimal post-translational modifications and display a remarkable ability to produce in a short period a great amount of proteins. In this review we discuss progress and we highlight the potential of using transgenic Bombyx mori as a biotechnological platform to obtain both target proteins and to produce enhanced silk fibres. The versatility and the feasibility of transgenic Bombyx mori have been outlined by studies that reported the successful production of human proteins like adiponectin, animal proteins, virus-derived proteins and enhanced silk threads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aimed to present the microscopic techniques used in botanical origin determination of honey samples, shortly melissopalynology. This technique is used for microscopic examination of pollen grains to determine the botanical origin of honey. It is known that a certain number of pollen grains must be recovered from sediment of honey solution, and the presence of small amounts of pollen may be related to falsification. Identification of pollen structure is generally made using light microscopy; phase contrast microscopy may be also used. Fluorescence microscopy is also a powerful method in palynology. Confocal laser scanning microscopy is effective in revealing the ultrastructure of pollen outer layer and shape of the pollen. The determination of the botanical origin of honey using palynology is based on the relative frequency of the pollen belonging to nectariferous plants. Honey is considered monofloral if the pollen from the sediment comes predominantly from a named botanical origin and overpasses 45% from the total count of pollen grains counted on the microscopic slide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: One of the most powerful gene editing approaches is the CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)-Cas (CRISPR-associated) tool. The silkworm (Bombyx mori) has a great impact on the global economy, playing a pivotal role in the sericulture industry. However, B. mori came into the spotlight by representing one of science's greatest contributors, being used to establish extraordinary bioreactors for the production of target proteins and illustrating a great experimental model organism. Herein, we focus on progress made in the field of B. mori's genome manipulation by using CRISPR-Cas. In order to edit B. mori's genome, remarkable advances were made, such as exposing gene functions and developing mutant lines that exhibit enhanced resistance against B. mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV). We also discuss how CRISPR-Cas accelerated the fundamental investigation in B. mori, and beyond, thus highlighting the great potential of the insect's biotechnology in numerous scientific fields. CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)-Cas (CRISPR-associated) represents a powerful genome editing technology that revolutionized in a short period of time numerous natural sciences branches. Therefore, extraordinary progress was made in various fields, such as entomology or biotechnology. Bombyx mori is one of the most important insects, not only for the sericulture industry, but for numerous scientific areas. The silkworms play a key role as a model organism, but also as a bioreactor for the recombinant protein production. Nowadays, the CRISPR-Cas genome editing system is frequently used in order to perform gene analyses, to increase the resistance against certain pathogens or as an imaging tool in B. mori. Here, we provide an overview of various studies that made use of CRISPR-Cas for B. mori genome editing, with a focus on emphasizing the high applicability of this system in entomology and biological sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fallopia japonica (FJ), an invasive plant species known for its rich bioactive compounds, has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine. Despite its significant beekeeping potential, this aspect of FJ remains underexplored. This research aims to investigate the antimicrobial and antibiofilm properties of FJ plants and honey. Notably, this study is the first to identify individual phenolic compounds in both FJ plant tissues and FJ honey, highlighting resveratrol as a marker of FJ honey. The study tested inhibitory activity against seven bacterial strains: Staphylococcus aureus , Enterococcus faecalis , Escherichia coli , Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Bacillus cereus , Salmonella enteritidis , and the yeast Candida albicans . Disk diffusion and microdilution methods were used to assess antimicrobial activity, while the crystal violet staining test evaluated antibiofilm activity. Results showed that FJ plant tissues and honey exhibited strong inhibition, particularly against Gram-negative bacterial strains. The most significant inhibition of biofilm formation, by both FJ plant tissues and honey, was observed against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli . A significant positive correlation was found between antimicrobial activity and individual polyphenols, especially resveratrol. The antibacterial and antibiofilm potential of FJ plant tissues and honey suggests promising applications in sustainable beekeeping. Further research is necessary to evaluate the bioactive compounds found in FJ honey and their health effects.