Molecular Ecology, Physiology and Biochemistry of Insects, 5th Edition
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Immunology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 February 2025 | Viewed by 39
Special Issue Editor
Interests: entomology; ecology; endocrinology; invertebrate biochemistry and physiology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Of all the zoological classes, insects are the most numerous in species and the most varied in structure. Estimates of the number of species vary from 1 to 10 million, and 1018 individuals are estimated to be alive at any given moment. Insects are relatively ancient and have survived more or less unchanged in their basic winged form for the last 300 million years. Due to their adaptability in behavior, physiology, and biochemistry to changing environmental conditions, insects have successfully colonized habitats stretching from arid deserts to the Arctic and Antarctic and from freshwater brooks to hot springs and saline marine environments.
Knowledge of the physiology and biochemistry of insects developed extensively at the end of the 20th century. The reasons for this increased interest in insect physiology and biochemistry were that insects can be useful as model systems for experimental studies of principles, but also as economic models. Mechanisms of environmental adaptation in growth and development, energy metabolism, or respiration to temperature, oxygen tension, food supply, or salt concentrations were the focus of interest. It was the time of “Physiological Ecology”.
About 30 years later, the omics era gives us the opportunity to gain deeper insight into the different aspects of insect physiology and environmental adaptation, for example, by silencing or overexpressing candidate genes of interest. A major challenge in current entomology is to integrate different levels of organization, from cellular mechanisms to functions in ecosystems. The rapid development of molecular techniques for studying the physiological functions of genes will revolutionize the entomology not only of so-called model organisms like Drosophila, but in general. When we understand how physiological processes are regulated and at what time, we will be able to manipulate them, thereby providing new attractive opportunities for practical applications, for example, in an ecologically friendly insect pest control.
We invite you to contribute original research articles and critical reviews on both basic and applied approaches in insect molecular biology. Articles on the molecular mechanisms of insect–plant interactions, and systems of insect communication in general, are also welcome.
Prof. Dr. Klaus H. Hoffmann
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- insect development and reproduction
- molecular endocrinology/neuropeptides
- insect immunity
- photoperiodism
- cold hardiness
- global climate change
- insect aging
- insect–plant interactions
- molecular interactions of insects with microorganisms
- chemical communication
- biochemistry of insect venoms
- insect genomics and proteomics
- genetic engineering
- molecular
- volution/population genetics
- insect biotechnology
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.
