Microarray-Based Transcriptomic Analysis of Differences between Long-Term Gregarious and Solitarious Desert Locusts

Desert locusts (Schistocerca gregaria) show an extreme form of phenotypic plasticity and can transform between a cryptic solitarious phase and a swarming gregarious phase. The two phases differ extensively in behavior, morphology and physiology but very little is known about the molecular basis of these differences. We used our recently generated Expressed Sequence Tag (EST) database derived from S. gregaria central nervous system (CNS) to design oligonucleotide microarrays and compare the expression of thousands of genes in the CNS of long-term gregarious and solitarious adult desert locusts. This identified 214 differentially expressed genes, of which 40% have been annotated to date. These include genes encoding proteins that are associated with CNS development and modeling, sensory perception, stress response and resistance, and fundamental cellular processes. Our microarray analysis has identified genes whose altered expression may enable locusts of either phase to deal with the different challenges they face. Genes for heat shock proteins and proteins which confer protection from infection were upregulated in gregarious locusts, which may allow them to respond to acute physiological challenges. By contrast the longer-lived solitarious locusts appear to be more strongly protected from the slowly accumulating effects of ageing by an upregulation of genes related to anti-oxidant systems, detoxification and anabolic renewal. Gregarious locusts also had a greater abundance of transcripts for proteins involved in sensory processing and in nervous system development and plasticity. Gregarious locusts live in a more complex sensory environment than solitarious locusts and may require a greater turnover of proteins involved in sensory transduction, and possibly greater neuronal plasticity

Sticks and Stones? Recognising and Optimally Responding to ‘eRage: A Growing Educational Challenge

Demand for online education, which provides students with the ability to study around their work and family commitments, has increased considerably in recent years and is expected to grow further. However, there are key differences between online and on-campus education that give rise to unique and complex challenges for online educators. One potential challenge is apparent greater volatility of online students that can see online educators experience greater levels of instructional dissent. We have termed this phenomenon ‘eRage’—students communicating electronically with staff in a rude, antisocial manner to express disagreement or contradictory opinions regarding classroom issues. This chapter will examine the challenges of online education that could contribute to eRage; briefly examine the literature pertaining to instructional dissent and provide recommendations for online educators to manage this somewhat overlooked and clandestine issue moving forward