Original paper
The goblet cells in lepidoptera intestines possess a plant-vacuole-like organelle for ethanol detoxification
Huang, Wuren; Guan, Ruobing; Yang, Bing; Liu, Qiuning; Wu, Kai; Wang, Jing; Li, Muwang; Miao, Xue-Xia; Beerntsen, Brenda T.; Cui, Hongjuan; Pan, Guoqing; Ling, Erjun
Entomologia Generalis Volume 45 Number 2 (2025), p. 577 - 586
published: May 22, 2025
published online: Mar 27, 2025
manuscript accepted: Feb 19, 2025
manuscript revision received: Jan 25, 2025
manuscript revision requested: Nov 14, 2024
manuscript received: Sep 24, 2024
DOI: 10.1127/entomologia/2025/3029
ArtNo. ESP146004502025, Price: 29.00 €
Abstract
Goblet cells, with their distinctive goblet-shaped structures, are found in the intestines of both humans and lepidopterans. In humans, these cells play a crucial role in defending against infections. However, our understanding of lepidopteran goblet cells is currently limited to their involvement in ion regulation. In this study, we have made a ground-breaking discovery that lepidopteran goblet cells contain an organelle called “gobletsome,” which shows remarkable morphological similarities to plant vacuoles. Through proteomics analysis on purified gobletsomes, we have identified 404 proteins associated with diverse functions within this organelle, including ion regulation. Notably, alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), one of these proteins, is exclusively found in the gobletsomes of various species of lepidopteran larvae; thus, serving as a distinctive marker for identifying goblet cells. Importantly, inhibiting ADH activity negatively affects food consumption and larval growth, highlighting the pivotal role played by lepidopteran goblet cells in ethanol detoxification within the intestines. The proteomics profiles of lepidopteran gobletsomes may serve as a valuable model for understanding their human counterparts.
Keywords
Lepidopteran • midgut • organelle • gobletsome • proteomics