Kr-h1 is vital for vitellogenesis in two ladybird beetle species

Krüppel homolog1 (Kr-h1), a transcription factor with a DNA-binding motif of eight C2H2 zinc fingers, exerts species-specific functions by mediating juvenile hormone (JH) signal in certain physiological processes during female reproduction in insects. Nevertheless, the regulatory role of Kr-h1 on vitellogenesis deserves further exploration. Here, we found that Kr-h1 was actively expressed from 0- to 12-day-old females and among detected tissues, including fat body and ovary in two potato-defoliating beetles, Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata and H. vigintioctomaculata. RNA interference (RNAi) for Kr-h1 significantly lengthened the preoviposition period, dramatically impaired ovarian development, and decreased oviposition. Weaker yolk accumulation occurred in the Kr-h1 RNAi oocytes, in contrast to a larger quantity of yolk granules in controls. Correspondingly, Vg transcript levels in the fat bodies and ovar..., Methods summary:

Female beetles of H. vigintioctomaculata and H. vigintioctopunctata were injected with dsRNAs targeting Kr-h1, Hairy, Groucho, or control dsEGFP.
qRT-PCR was used to quantify transcript levels of JH-pathway genes (Kr-h1, Met, Hairy, Groucho, Vg, VgR, and related biosynthetic genes) in whole bodies or selected tissues.
Relative expression was calculated using the 2 −ΔΔCt or 2 −ΔCt method with appropriate reference genes.
Preoviposition period, daily egg production, total egg number per female, and hatchability were recorded over time.
Statistical comparisons between treatments were performed using Student’s t-test in GraphPad Prism, and the corresponding P values and test statistics are included in the tables where applicable.

For full experimental details and interpretation, please refer to the associated article in Insect Molecular Biology.
, # Kr-h1 is vital for vitellogenesis in two ladybird beetle species

Dryad DOI: [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.47d7wm3t5](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.47d7wm3t5)

## 1. Overview

This dataset contains the raw experimental data underlying the manuscript:

Liu, Hai-Hui; Zhang, Xiao-Qing; Yu, Jia-Qing; Jin, Lin; Li, Guo-Qing.\
**Kr-h1 is vital for vitellogenesis in two ladybird beetle species.**\
*Insect Molecular Biology*, 2025.

The experiments investigate the role of **Krüppel homolog 1 (Kr-h1)** and downstream
juvenile hormone (JH) pathway components in vitellogenesis and oviposition in two
ladybird beetles:

* *Henosepilachna vigintioctomaculata* (Hvm)
* *Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata* (Hvp)

The data include:

* Temporal and tissue-based expression profiles of JH-pathway genes;
* Effects of **HvmKr-h1** RNAi on vitellogenesis and oviposition;
* Effects of **HvpKr-h1** RNAi on oviposition;
* Effects of **HvpKr-h1** RNAi on vitellogenin and vitellogenin receptor (Vg/VgR) expressio...,