Comprehensive Molecular Insect Science

by Peter W. Atkinson (Editor), Naoki Yamanaka (Editor)

Overview

Comprehensive Molecular Insect Science, Second Edition is a unique resource that provides extensive review articles on contemporary topics in insect science and entomology. It covers crucial new subjects such as genetic control, pollinators, and the effects of climate change and environmental shifts on insect physiology and molecular biology. Every section includes thorough discussions on the influence of genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and bioinformatics in the field, which has seen significant advancements since the previous edition. The book bridges gaps between disciplines, helping readers grasp the fundamentals of insect science and appreciate its applications, such as in environmental control.

Structured chapters guide readers, offering references and practical resources like methods. This authoritative reference is vital for understanding and managing the future of our civilization, intertwined with the fate of insects and flora on our planet.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780323954242
Publisher:	Elsevier Science
Publication date:	11/01/2025
Pages:	4200
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 10.88(h) x (d)

About the Author

UC Riverside’s College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences Dean Peter W. Atkinson, a Professor of Genetics in the Department of Entomology, joined UCR in 1997. Prior to his tenure at UC Riverside, he was a senior research scientist at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) in Canberra, Australia. Atkinson earned his Ph.D. and B.S., with honors, from the University of Melbourne, Australia.

Since joining UC Riverside, Atkinson has served in a number of administrative roles within the college, campus, and the University of California system. He has served as Deputy and Interim Director of the Institute of Integrative Genome Biology; Director of the Interdepartmental Graduate Program in Cell, Molecular, and Development Biology; Director of the Center for Vector Research; Chair of the Institutional Biosafety Committee; Divisional Dean of Life Sciences; and Chair of the Senate Committee on Planning and Budget.

Atkinson’s work internationally includes serving on various Research Coordination Committees of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) aimed at developing molecular biological approaches that would augment the efficacy of ionizing radiation-based methods for pest insect control.

Atkinson’s research focuses on developing and implementing genetic control strategies in pest insects. These area-wide strategies provide environmentally friendly alternatives to the use of conventional approaches. His work identified new transposable elements which were used to introduce genetic sequences into pest insects, such as mosquitoes, as well as into human cell culture. CRISPR-based technology now provides the specificity needed to generate targeted changes to pest insect genomes and so has been transformative in its application to genetic control approaches. Atkinson has joined with colleagues within CNAS to extend genetic control strategies into sap-feeding insect pests of agriculture, notably whiteflies, which are a global pest, and glassy-winged sharpshooters, an invasive pest of California.

Naoki Yamanaka is an Associate Professor in the Department of Entomology at the University of California, Riverside. Originally trained in biochemistry and molecular biology using the silkworm, he now applies molecular genetic tools to understand fundamental aspects of insect physiology. His current research program focuses on neuroendocrine signaling pathways that regulate development and reproduction in fruit flies and mosquitoes. He is a recipient of the NIH Director's New Innovator Award (2018) and Japan Academy Medal (2022).

Table of Contents

1. Reproduction and development
2. Immunity (including exoskeleton, trachea, digestion, Malpighian tubules, small RNA pathways – piRNA and siRNA, fat body-generated immunity)
3. Endocrinology
4. Nervous system, musculature, olfaction, gustation, and vision
5. Chemical ecology, behavior, social insects, ants, honey bees, termites, wasps
6. Pharmacology, insecticides, toxicology, insecticide resistance
7. Endosymbionts, Wolbachia
8.Molecular biology, genetics and biochemistry
9. Contemporary control strategies, Bacillus thuringiensis control, control by viruses, control by entomopathogens. Genetic Control
10. Climate science and species decline

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From the Publisher

Provides a single, authoritative work on molecular insect science