Parental silencing of a horizontally transferred carotenoid desaturase gene causes a reduction of red pigment and fitness in the pea aphid

Divergence in the Morphology and Energy Metabolism of Adult Polyphenism in the Cowpea Beetle Callosobruchus maculatus

Adult polyphenism is a prevalent form of adaptive evolution that enables insects to generate discrete phenotypes based on environmental factors. However, the morphology and molecular mechanisms underlying adult dimorphism in Callosobruchus maculatus (a global storage pest) remain elusive. Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for predicting the dispersal and population dynamics of C. maculatus. This knowledge can also provide a theoretical basis for biological control strategies. In this study, we compared the morphology of the hind wing and chest muscles, the transcriptional profiles, the energy metabolism substances, and the fecundity between the flight form and the normal form. The flight form displays a lighter overall appearance with small black spots, while the normal form lacks most flight muscles. Moreover, there are differences in the energy metabolism pathways between the two forms, including carbohydrate metabolism and oxidative phosphorylation. The flight form exhibits higher contents of carbohydrates, lipids, and mitochondrial energetic storage. The normal form exhibits better fertility but has lost its ability to fly. This is the first study to analyze the morphology and molecular characteristics of adult polyphenism in C. maculatus using morphological, physiological, and behavioral approaches, providing a foundational understanding of these aspects. Our study on C. maculatus also provides supporting evidence of a trade-off between dispersion and reproduction, where the flight form is capable of flying while the normal form has more reproductive benefits.

Entomopathogenic fungi in crops protection with an emphasis on bioactive metabolites and biological activities

Plant pathogens with their abundance are harmful and cause huge damage to different agricultural crops and economy of a country as well as lead towards the shortage of food for humans. For their management, the utilization of entomopathogenic fungi is an eco-friendly technique, sustainable to the environment, safe for humans and has promising effect over chemical-based pesticides. This process requires a biochemical mechanism, including the production of enzymes, toxins, and other metabolites that facilitate host infection and invasion. Essential enzymes such as chitinase, proteinase, and lipase play a direct role in breaking down the host cuticle, the primary barrier to EPF (Entomopathogenic Fungi) infection. Additionally, secondary metabolites such as destruxins in Metarhizium, beauvericin in Beauveria, hirsutellides in Hirsutella, isarolides in Isaria, cordyols in Cordyceps, and vertihemipterins in Verticillium, among others, act both directly and indirectly to disable the defense mechanisms of insect hosts, thereby accelerating the EPF infection process. The chemical composition of these secondary metabolites varies, ranging from simple non-peptide pigments such as oosporine to highly complex piperazine derivatives such as vertihemiptellides. The biocontrol efficacy of EPF is extensively studied, with numerous fungal strains commercially available on a large scale for managing arthropod pests. This review emphasizes the role of proteins and enzymes against crop pathogens, detailing their mode of action, and describing the metabolites from entomopathogenic fungi and their biological activities. In doing so, these findings contribute to establishing a symbiotic equilibrium between agricultural productivity and environmental conservation.

Horizontally transferred genes as RNA interference targets for aphid and whitefly control

RNA interference (RNAi)-based technologies are starting to be commercialized as a new approach for agricultural pest control. Horizontally transferred genes (HTGs), which have been transferred into insect genomes from viruses, bacteria, fungi or plants, are attractive targets for RNAi-mediated pest control. HTGs are often unique to a specific insect family or even genus, making it unlikely that RNAi constructs targeting such genes will have negative effects on ladybugs, lacewings and other beneficial predatory insect species. In this study, we sequenced the genome of a red, tobacco-adapted isolate of Myzus persicae (green peach aphid) and bioinformatically identified 30 HTGs. We then used plant-mediated virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) to show that several HTGs of bacterial and plant origin are important for aphid growth and/or survival. Silencing the expression of fungal-origin HTGs did not affect aphid survivorship but decreased aphid reproduction. Importantly, although there was uptake of plant-expressed RNA by Coccinella septempunctata (seven-spotted ladybugs) via the aphids that they consumed, we did not observe negative effects on ladybugs from aphid-targeted VIGS constructs. To demonstrate that this approach is more broadly applicable, we also targeted five Bemisia tabaci (whitefly) HTGs using VIGS and demonstrated that knockdown of some of these genes affected whitefly survival. As functional HTGs have been identified in the genomes of numerous pest species, we propose that these HTGs should be explored further as efficient and safe targets for control of insect pests using plant-mediated RNA interference.

Differential regulation of the Tor gene homolog drives the red/green pigmentation phenotype in the aphid Myzuspersicae

In some aphid species, intraspecific variation in body colour is caused by differential carotenoid content: whilst green aphids contain only yellow carotenoids (β-, γ-, and β,γ-carotenes), red aphids additionally possess red carotenoids (torulene and 3,4-didehydrolycopene). Unusually, within animals who typically obtain carotenoids from their diet, ancestral horizontal gene transfer of carotenoid biosynthetic genes from fungi (followed by gene duplication), have imbued aphids with the intrinsic gene repertoire necessary to biosynthesise carotenoids. In the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum a lycopene (phytoene) desaturase gene (Tor) underpins the red/green phenotype, with this locus present in heterozygous form in red individuals but absent in green aphids, resulting in them being unable to convert lycopene into the red compounds 3,4-didehydrolycopene and torulene. The green peach aphid, Myzus persicae, separated from the pea aphid for ≈45MY also exists as distinct colour variable morphs, with both red and green individuals present. Here, we examined genomic data for both red and green morphs of M. persicae and identified an enlarged (compared to A. pisum) repertoire of 16 carotenoid biosynthetic genes (11 carotenoid desaturases and five carotenoid cyclase/synthase genes). From these, we identify the homolog of A. pisum Tor (here called carotene desaturase 2 or CDE-2) and show through 3D modelling that this homolog can accommodate the torulene precursor lycopene and, through RNA knockdown feeding experiments, demonstrate that disabling CDE-2 expression in red M. persicae clones results in green-coloured offspring. Unlike in A. pisum, we show that functional CDE-2 is present in the genomes of both red and green aphids. However, expression differences between the two colour morphs (350-700 fold CDE-2 overexpression in red clones), potentially driven by variants identified in upstream putative regulatory elements, underpin this phenotype. Thus, whilst aphids have a common origin of their carotenoid biosynthetic pathway, two aphid species separated for over 40MY have evolved very different drivers of intraspecific colour variation.

Discovery of a widespread presence bunyavirus that may have symbiont-like relationships with different species of aphids

Aphids are important agricultural pests, vectors of many plant viruses and have sophisticated relationships with symbiotic microorganisms. Abundant asymptomatic RNA viruses have been reported in aphids due to the application of RNA-seq, but aphid-virus interactions remain unclear. Bunyavirales is the most abundant RNA virus order, which can infect mammals, arthropods, and plants. However, many bunyaviruses have specific hosts, such as insects. Here, we discovered 18 viruses from 10 aphid species by RNA-seq. Importantly, a widespread presence bunyavirus, Aphid bunyavirus 1 (ABV-1), was determined to have a wide host range, infecting and replicating in all 10 tested aphid species. ABV-1 may be transmitted horizontally during feeding on plant leaves and vertically through reproduction. In a comparison of the physiological parameters of ABV-1^high and ABV-1^low strains of pea aphid, higher ABV-1 titers reduced the total nymphal duration and induced the reproduction. Moreover, viral titer significantly affected the lipid and protein contents in pea aphids. In summary, we proposed that ABV-1 may have stable symbiont-like relationships with aphids, and these observations may provide a new direction for studying bunyaviruses in aphids and establishing a model for virus-aphid interactions.

Carotenoid modifying enzymes in metazoans

Carotenoids constitute an essential dietary component of animals and other non-carotenogenic species which use these pigments in both their modified and unmodified forms. Animals utilize uncleaved carotenoids to mitigate light damage and oxidative stress and to signal fitness and health. Carotenoids also serve as precursors of apocarotenoids including retinol, and its retinoid metabolites, which carry out essential functions in animals by forming the visual chromophore 11-cis-retinaldehyde. Retinoids, such as all-trans-retinoic acid, can also act as ligands of nuclear hormone receptors. The fact that enzymes and biochemical pathways responsible for the metabolism of carotenoids in animals bear resemblance to the ones in plants and other carotenogenic species suggests an evolutionary relationship. We will explore some of the modes of transmission of carotenoid genes from carotenogenic species to metazoans. This apparent relationship has been successfully exploited in the past to identify and characterize new carotenoid and retinoid modifying enzymes. We will review approaches used to identify putative animal carotenoid enzymes, and we will describe methods used to functionally validate and analyze the biochemistry of carotenoid modifying enzymes encoded by animals.

Characterization of carotenoid biosynthetic pathway genes in the pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) revealed by heterologous complementation and RNA interference assays

Carotenoids are involved in many essential physiological functions and are produced from geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate through synthase, desaturase, and cyclase activities. In the pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum), the duplication of carotenoid biosynthetic genes, including carotenoid synthases/cyclases (ApCscA-C) and desaturases (ApCdeA-D), through horizontal gene transfer from fungi has been detected, and ApCdeB has known dehydrogenation functions. However, whether other genes contribute to aphid carotenoid biosynthesis, and its specific regulatory pathway, remains unclear. In the current study, functional analyses of seven genes were performed using heterologous complementation and RNA interference assays. The bifunctional enzymes ApCscA-C were responsible for the synthase of phytoene, and ApCscC may also have a cyclase activity. ApCdeA, ApCdeC, and ApCdeD had diverse dehydrogenation functions. ApCdeA catalyzed the enzymatic conversion of phytoene to neurosporene (three-step product), ApCdeC catalyzed the enzymatic conversion of phytoene to ζ-carotene (two-step product), and ApCdeD catalyzed the enzymatic conversion of phytoene to lycopene (four-step product). Silencing of ApCscs reduced the expression levels of ApCdes, and silencing these carotenoid biosynthetic genes reduced the α-, β-, and γ-carotene levels, as well as the total carotenoid level. The results suggest that these genes were activated and led to carotenoid biosynthesis in the pea aphid.

Genome-wide gene expression profiles of the pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) under cold temperatures provide insights into body color variation

Cold temperatures are one of the factors influencing color polymorphisms in Acyrthosiphon pisum, resulting in a change from a red to greenish color. Here we characterized gene expression profiles of A. pisum under different low temperatures (1°C, 4°C, 8°C, and 14°C) and durations (3, 6, 12, and 24 h). The number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) increased as temperatures decreased and time increased, but only a small number of significant DEGs were identified. Genes involved in pigment metabolism were downregulated. An interaction network analysis for 506 common DEGs in comparisons among aphids exposed to 1°C for four durations indicated that a cytochrome P450 gene (CYP, LOC112935894) significantly downregulated may interact with a carotenoid metabolism gene (LOC100574964), similar to other genes encoding CYP, lycopene dehydrogenase and fatty acid synthase. We proposed that the body color shift in A. pisum responding to low temperatures may be regulated by CYPs.

Elucidation of the whole carotenoid biosynthetic pathway of aphids at the gene level and arthropodal food chain involving aphids and the red dragonfly

Background

Aphids can be positioned as robust pest insects in farming and as ones of the model organisms for arthropods in molecular biology. Carotenoids are pigments that protect organisms from photooxidative damage caused by excessive light. Aphids were shown to possess genes of fungal origin for carotenoid biosynthesis, whereas a little knowledge was available about the functions of the genes and the biosynthetic pathway. Even carotenoid species contained in aphids were not enough understood. Main purpose of this study is to clarify these insufficient findings.

Results

The whole carotenoid biosynthetic pathway of the pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) was elucidated at the gene level, through comprehensive functional analysis of its carotenogenic genes, using Escherichia coli that synthesized carotenoid substrates, along with structural and quantitative analysis of carotenoids from various aphid species. Four genes were needed to synthesize all carotenoids accumulated in aphids from geranylgeranyl diphosphate. The tor gene mediated desaturation reaction from phytoene to 3,4-didehydrolycopene. It was revealed that a gene designated ApCrtYB3, which was considered to have functionally evolved in aphids, can convert lycopene into uncommon carotenoids with the γ-ring such as (6′S)-β,γ-carotene and γ,γ-carotene. We further demonstrated that the atypical carotenoids work as ecological indicators for estimating the food chain from aphids to predatory arthropods, and showed that aphids contributed with significant levels to the food chain from insect herbivores to several predatory arthropods, i.e., the red dragonfly (Sympetrum frequens; adults), seven-spotted ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata), and two spiders, Oxyopes sertatus and Nephila clavata. Gut microflora of the dragonfly (mature adults) was also found to include endosymbiotic bacteria such as Serratia symbiotica specific to the black bean aphid (Aphis fabae).

Conclusions

We revealed the whole carotenoid biosynthetic pathway of aphids, including functional identification of the corresponding genes. Subsequently, we showed that arthropodal food chain can be estimated using the uncommon carotenoids of aphids as ecological indicators. This result indicated that aphids made significant contributions to the food chain of several predatory arthropods including the red-dragonfly adults. Aphids are likely to be positioned as an important “phytochemicals” source for some predatory insects and arachnids, which are often active under bright sunlight.

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something red: the origin of ecologically relevant novelties in Hemiptera

Comparative transcriptomics, applied in an evolutionary context, has transformed the possibilities for studying phenotypic evolution in non-model taxa. We review recent discoveries about the development of novel, ecologically relevant phenotypes in hemipteran insects. These discoveries highlight the diverse genomic substrates of novelty: 'something old', when novelty results from changes in the regulation of existing genes or gene duplication; 'something new', wherein lineage-restricted genes contribute to the evolution of new phenotypes; and 'something borrowed', showcasing contributions of horizontal gene transfer to the evolution of novelty, including carotenoid synthesis (resulting in 'something red'). These findings show the power and flexibility of comparative transcriptomic approaches for expanding beyond the 'toolkit' model for the evolution of development. We conclude by raising questions about the relationship between new genes and new traits and outlining a research framework for answering them in Hemiptera.