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Kato AY, Freitas TAL, Gomes CRA, Alves TRR, Ferraz YMM, Trivellato MF, De Jong D, Biller JD, Nicodemo D. Bixafen, Prothioconazole, and Trifloxystrobin Alone or in Combination Have a Greater Effect on Health Related Gene Expression in Honey Bees from Nutritionally Deprived than from Protein Supplemented Colonies. INSECTS 2024; 15:523. [PMID: 39057256 PMCID: PMC11277445 DOI: 10.3390/insects15070523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Revised: 06/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate whether alterations in food availability compromise the metabolic homeostasis of honey bees exposed to three fungicides alone or together. Ten honey bee colonies were used, with half receiving carbohydrate-protein supplementation for 15 weeks while another five colonies had their protein supply reduced with pollen traps. Subsequently, forager bees were collected and exposed by contact to 1 or 7 µg of bixafen, prothioconazole, or trifloxystrobin, either individually or in combination. After 48 h, bee abdomens without the intestine were used for the analysis of expression of antioxidant genes (SOD-1, CAT, and GPX-1), detoxification genes (GST-1 and CYP306A1), the storage protein gene vitellogenin, and immune system antimicrobial peptide genes (defensin-1, abaecin, hymenoptaecin, and apidaecin), through real-time PCR. All fungicide treatments induced changes in gene expression, with bixafen showing the most prominent upregulation. Exposure to 1 µg of each of the three pesticides resulted in upregulation of genes associated with detoxification and nutrition processes, and downregulation of immune system genes. When the three pesticides were combined at a dose of 7 µg each, there was a pronounced downregulation of all genes. Food availability in the colonies affected the impact of fungicides on the expression of the studied genes in forager bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aline Y. Kato
- Post Graduate Program in Animal Science, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Jaboticabal 14884-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Tainá A. L. Freitas
- Post Graduate Program in Animal Science, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Jaboticabal 14884-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Cássia R. A. Gomes
- Post Graduate Program in Animal Science, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Jaboticabal 14884-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Thais R. R. Alves
- Post Graduate Program in Animal Science, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Jaboticabal 14884-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Yara M. M. Ferraz
- Post Graduate Program in Animal Science, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Jaboticabal 14884-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Matheus F. Trivellato
- Post Graduate Program in Animal Science, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Jaboticabal 14884-900, SP, Brazil
| | - David De Jong
- Genetics Department, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14049-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Jaqueline D. Biller
- Department of Animal Science, College of Agricultural and Technology Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Dracena 17915-899, SP, Brazil
| | - Daniel Nicodemo
- Department of Animal Science, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Jaboticabal 14884-900, SP, Brazil
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2
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Rodrigues PADP, Martins JR, Capizzani BC, Hamasaki LTA, Simões ZLP, Teixeira IRDV, Barchuk AR. Transcriptional signature of host shift in the seed beetle Zabrotes subfasciatus. Genet Mol Biol 2024; 47:e20230148. [PMID: 38314880 PMCID: PMC10851049 DOI: 10.1590/1678-4685-gmb-2023-0148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
In phytophagous insects, adaptation to a new host is a dynamic process, in which early and later steps may be underpinned by different features of the insect genome. Here, we tested the hypothesis that early steps of this process are underpinned by a shift in gene expression patterns. We set up a short-term artificial selection experiment (10 generations) for the use of an alternative host (Cicer arietinum) on populations of the bean beetle Zabrotes subfasciatus. Using Illumina sequencing on young adult females, we show the selected populations differ in the expression of genes associated to stimuli, signalling, and developmental processes. Particularly, the "C. arietinum" population shows upregulation of histone methylation genes, which may constitute a strategy for fine-tuning the insect global gene expression network. Using qPCR on body regions, we demonstrated that the "Phaseolus vulgaris" population upregulates the genes polygalacturonase and egalitarian and that the expression of an odorant receptor transcript variant changes over generations. Moreover, in this population we detected the existence of vitellogenin (Vg) variants in both males and females, possibly harbouring canonical reproductive function in females and extracellular unknown functions in males. This study provides the basis for future genomic investigations seeking to shed light on the nature of the proximate mechanisms involved in promoting differential gene expression associated to insect development and adaptation to new hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Augusto da Pos Rodrigues
- University of Georgia, Department of Entomology, Athens, GA, USA
- Instituto Federal Sul de Minas (IFSULDEMINAS), Campus Poços de Caldas, MG, Brazil
| | - Juliana Ramos Martins
- Universidade Federal de Alfenas (UNIFAL-MG), Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Departamento de Biologia Celular e do Desenvolvimento, Alfenas, MG, Brazil
| | - Bianca Corrêa Capizzani
- Universidade Federal de Alfenas (UNIFAL-MG), Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Departamento de Biologia Celular e do Desenvolvimento, Alfenas, MG, Brazil
| | - Lucas Takashi Araujo Hamasaki
- Universidade Federal de Alfenas (UNIFAL-MG), Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Departamento de Biologia Celular e do Desenvolvimento, Alfenas, MG, Brazil
| | - Zilá Luz Paulino Simões
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Departamento de Biologia, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Angel Roberto Barchuk
- Universidade Federal de Alfenas (UNIFAL-MG), Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Departamento de Biologia Celular e do Desenvolvimento, Alfenas, MG, Brazil
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3
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Daniels BC, Wang Y, Page RE, Amdam GV. Identifying a developmental transition in honey bees using gene expression data. PLoS Comput Biol 2023; 19:e1010704. [PMID: 37733808 PMCID: PMC10547183 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
In many organisms, interactions among genes lead to multiple functional states, and changes to interactions can lead to transitions into new states. These transitions can be related to bifurcations (or critical points) in dynamical systems theory. Characterizing these collective transitions is a major challenge for systems biology. Here, we develop a statistical method for identifying bistability near a continuous transition directly from high-dimensional gene expression data. We apply the method to data from honey bees, where a known developmental transition occurs between bees performing tasks in the nest and leaving the nest to forage. Our method, which makes use of the expected shape of the distribution of gene expression levels near a transition, successfully identifies the emergence of bistability and links it to genes that are known to be involved in the behavioral transition. This proof of concept demonstrates that going beyond correlative analysis to infer the shape of gene expression distributions might be used more generally to identify collective transitions from gene expression data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan C. Daniels
- School of Complex Adaptive Systems, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Ying Wang
- Banner Health Corporation, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Robert E. Page
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Gro V. Amdam
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
- Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Aas, Norway
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4
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Martins JR, Pinheiro DG, Ahmed ACC, Giuliatti S, Mizzen CA, Bitondi MMG. Genome-wide analysis of the chromatin sites targeted by HEX 70a storage protein in the honeybee brain and fat body. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 32:277-304. [PMID: 36630080 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Hexamerins, the proteins massively stored in the larval haemolymph of insects, are gradually used throughout metamorphosis as a source of raw material and energy for the development of adult tissues. Such behaviour defined hexamerins as storage proteins. Immunofluorescence experiments coupled with confocal microscopy show a hexamerin, HEX 70a, in the nucleus of the brain and fat body cells from honeybee workers, an unexpected localization for a storage protein. HEX 70a colocalizes with fibrillarin, a nucleolar-specific protein and H3 histone, thus suggesting a potential role as a chromatin-binding protein. This was investigated through chromatin immunoprecipitation and high-throughput DNA sequencing (ChIP-seq). The significant HEX 70a-DNA binding sites were mainly localized at the intergenic, promoter and intronic regions. HEX 70a targeted DNA stretches mapped to the genomic regions encompassing genes with relevant functional attributes. Several HEX 70a targeted genes were associated with H3K27ac or/and H3K27me3, known as active and repressive histone marks. Brain and fat body tissues shared a fraction of the HEX 70 targeted genes, and tissue-specific targets were also detected. The presence of overrepresented DNA motifs in the binding sites is consistent with specific HEX 70a-chromatin association. In addition, a search for HEX 70a targets in RNA-seq public libraries of fat bodies from nurses and foragers revealed differentially expressed targets displaying hex 70a-correlated developmental expression, thus supporting a regulatory activity for HEX 70a. Our results support the premise that HEX 70a is a moonlighting protein that binds chromatin and has roles in the brain and fat body cell nuclei, apart from its canonical role as a storage protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana R Martins
- Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Departamento de Genética, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Daniel G Pinheiro
- Departamento de Biotecnologia Agropecuária e Ambiental, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Jaboticabal, Brazil
| | - Amy C C Ahmed
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Silvana Giuliatti
- Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Departamento de Genética, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Craig A Mizzen
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Márcia M G Bitondi
- Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Departamento de Biologia, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
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5
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Cang T, Lou Y, Zhu YC, Li W, Weng H, Lv L, Wang Y. Mixture toxicities of tetrachlorantraniliprole and tebuconazole to honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) and the potential mechanism. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 172:107764. [PMID: 36689864 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.107764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The extensive use of pesticides has negative effects on the health of insect pollinators. Although pollinators in the field are seldom exposed to individual pesticides, few reports have assessed the toxic impacts of pesticide combinations on them. In this work, we purposed to reveal the combined impacts of tetrachlorantraniliprole (TET) and tebuconazole (TEB) on honey bees (Apis mellifera L.). Our data exhibited that TET had greater toxicity to A. mellifera (96-h LC50 value of 298.2 mg a.i. L-1) than TEB (96-h LC50 value of 1,841 mg a.i. L-1). The mixture of TET and TEB displayed acute synergistic toxicity to the pollinators. Meanwhile, the activities of CarE, CYP450, trypsin, and sucrase, as well as the expressions of five genes (ppo, abaecin, cat, CYP4G11, and CYP6AS14) associated with immune response, oxidative stress, and detoxification metabolism, were conspicuously altered when exposed to the mixture relative to the individual exposures. These results provided an overall comprehension of honey bees upon the challenge of sublethal toxicity between neonicotinoid insecticides and triazole fungicides and could be used to assess the intricate toxic mechanisms in honey bees when exposed to pesticide mixtures. Additionally, these results might guide pesticide regulation strategies to enhance the honey bee populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Cang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products / Key Laboratory of Detection for Pesticide Residues and Control of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Quality and Standard for Agro-products, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Yancen Lou
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products / Key Laboratory of Detection for Pesticide Residues and Control of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Quality and Standard for Agro-products, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Yu-Cheng Zhu
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), 141 Experiment Station Road, Stoneville, MS 38776, USA
| | - Wenhong Li
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products / Key Laboratory of Detection for Pesticide Residues and Control of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Quality and Standard for Agro-products, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, Zhejiang, PR China; Guizhou Institute of Plant Protection, Guizhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guiyang 550006, Guizhou, PR China
| | - Hongbiao Weng
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products / Key Laboratory of Detection for Pesticide Residues and Control of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Quality and Standard for Agro-products, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Lu Lv
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products / Key Laboratory of Detection for Pesticide Residues and Control of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Quality and Standard for Agro-products, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, Zhejiang, PR China.
| | - Yanhua Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products / Key Laboratory of Detection for Pesticide Residues and Control of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Quality and Standard for Agro-products, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, Zhejiang, PR China.
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6
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Wang D, Lv L, Gao Z, Zhu YC, Weng H, Yang G, Wang Y. Joint toxic effects of thiamethoxam and flusilazole on the adult worker honey bees (Apis mellifera L.). ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 317:120806. [PMID: 36470454 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Insect pollinators are routinely exposed to a complex mixture of many pesticides. However, traditional environmental risk assessment is only carried out based on ecotoxicological data of single substances. In this context, we aimed to explore the potential effects when worker honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) were simultaneously challenged by thiamethoxam (TMX) and flusilazole (FSZ). Results displayed that TMX possessed higher toxicity to A. mellifera (96-h LC50 value of 0.11 mg a. i. L-1) than FSZ (96-h LC50 value of 738 mg a. i. L-1). Furthermore, the mixture of TMX and FSZ exhibited an acute synergistic impact on the pollinators. Meanwhile, the activities of SOD, caspase 3, caspase 9, and PPO, as well as the expressions of six genes (abaecin, dorsal-2, defensin-2, vtg, caspase-1, and CYP6AS14) associated with oxidative stress, immune response, lifespan, cell apoptosis, and detoxification metabolism were noteworthily varied in the individual and mixture challenges than at the baseline level. These data revealed that it is imminently essential to investigate the combined toxicity of pesticides since the toxicity evaluation from individual compounds toward honey bees may underestimate the toxicity in realistic conditions. Overall, the present results could help understand the potential contribution of pesticide mixtures to the decline of bee populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dou Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products / Key Laboratory of Detection for Pesticide Residues and Control of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Quality and Standard for Agro-products, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Lu Lv
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products / Key Laboratory of Detection for Pesticide Residues and Control of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Quality and Standard for Agro-products, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Zhongwen Gao
- Research Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Yu-Cheng Zhu
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), 141 Experiment Station Road, Stoneville, MS, 38776, USA
| | - Hongbiao Weng
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products / Key Laboratory of Detection for Pesticide Residues and Control of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Quality and Standard for Agro-products, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Guiling Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products / Key Laboratory of Detection for Pesticide Residues and Control of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Quality and Standard for Agro-products, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Yanhua Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products / Key Laboratory of Detection for Pesticide Residues and Control of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Quality and Standard for Agro-products, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, Zhejiang, PR China.
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7
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Leipart V, Enger Ø, Turcu DC, Dobrovolska O, Drabløs F, Halskau Ø, Amdam GV. Resolving the zinc binding capacity of honey bee vitellogenin and locating its putative binding sites. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 31:810-820. [PMID: 36054587 PMCID: PMC9804912 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The protein vitellogenin (Vg) plays a central role in lipid transportation in most egg-laying animals. High Vg levels correlate with stress resistance and lifespan potential in honey bees (Apis mellifera). Vg is the primary circulating zinc-carrying protein in honey bees. Zinc is an essential metal ion in numerous biological processes, including the function and structure of many proteins. Measurements of Zn2+ suggest a variable number of ions per Vg molecule in different animal species, but the molecular implications of zinc-binding by this protein are not well-understood. We used inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry to determine that, on average, each honey bee Vg molecule binds 3 Zn2+ -ions. Our full-length protein structure and sequence analysis revealed seven potential zinc-binding sites. These are located in the β-barrel and α-helical subdomains of the N-terminal domain, the lipid binding site, and the cysteine-rich C-terminal region of unknown function. Interestingly, two potential zinc-binding sites in the β-barrel can support a proposed role for this structure in DNA-binding. Overall, our findings suggest that honey bee Vg bind zinc at several functional regions, indicating that Zn2+ -ions are important for many of the activities of this protein. In addition to being potentially relevant for other egg-laying species, these insights provide a platform for studies of metal ions in bee health, which is of global interest due to recent declines in pollinator numbers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vilde Leipart
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource ManagementNorwegian University of Life SciencesAasNorway
| | - Øyvind Enger
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource ManagementNorwegian University of Life SciencesAasNorway
| | | | | | - Finn Drabløs
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health SciencesNTNU – Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyTrondheimNorway
| | - Øyvind Halskau
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of BergenBergenNorway
| | - Gro V. Amdam
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource ManagementNorwegian University of Life SciencesAasNorway
- School of Life SciencesArizona State UniversityTempeArizonaUSA
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8
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Ribeiro TP, Vasquez DDN, Macedo LLP, Lourenço-Tessutti IT, Valença DC, Oliveira-Neto OB, Paes-de-Melo B, Rodrigues-Silva PL, Firmino AAP, Basso MF, Lins CBJ, Neves MR, Moura SM, Tripode BMD, Miranda JE, Silva MCM, Grossi-de-Sa MF. Stabilized Double-Stranded RNA Strategy Improves Cotton Resistance to CBW ( Anthonomus grandis). Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:13713. [PMID: 36430188 PMCID: PMC9691246 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232213713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Cotton is the most important crop for fiber production worldwide. However, the cotton boll weevil (CBW) is an insect pest that causes significant economic losses in infested areas. Current control methods are costly, inefficient, and environmentally hazardous. Herein, we generated transgenic cotton lines expressing double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) molecules to trigger RNA interference-mediated gene silencing in CBW. Thus, we targeted three essential genes coding for chitin synthase 2, vitellogenin, and ecdysis-triggering hormone receptor. The stability of expressed dsRNAs was improved by designing a structured RNA based on a viroid genome architecture. We transformed cotton embryos by inserting a promoter-driven expression cassette that overexpressed the dsRNA into flower buds. The transgenic cotton plants were characterized, and positive PCR transformed events were detected with an average heritability of 80%. Expression of dsRNAs was confirmed in floral buds by RT-qPCR, and the T1 cotton plant generation was challenged with fertilized CBW females. After 30 days, data showed high mortality (around 70%) in oviposited yolks. In adult insects fed on transgenic lines, chitin synthase II and vitellogenin showed reduced expression in larvae and adults, respectively. Developmental delays and abnormalities were also observed in these individuals. Our data remark on the potential of transgenic cotton based on a viroid-structured dsRNA to control CBW.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thuanne P. Ribeiro
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Brasilia 70770-917, DF, Brazil
- Biotechnology and Molecular Biology Department, Federal University of Brasilia (UnB), Brasilia 70910-900, DF, Brazil
| | - Daniel D. N. Vasquez
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Brasilia 70770-917, DF, Brazil
- Genetic and Molecular Biology Department, Catholic University of Brasilia (UCB), Brasilia 71966-700, DF, Brazil
| | - Leonardo L. P. Macedo
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Brasilia 70770-917, DF, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology (INCT Plant Stress Biotech), Embrapa, Brasilia 70770-917, DF, Brazil
| | - Isabela T. Lourenço-Tessutti
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Brasilia 70770-917, DF, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology (INCT Plant Stress Biotech), Embrapa, Brasilia 70770-917, DF, Brazil
| | - David C. Valença
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Brasilia 70770-917, DF, Brazil
| | - Osmundo B. Oliveira-Neto
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Brasilia 70770-917, DF, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology (INCT Plant Stress Biotech), Embrapa, Brasilia 70770-917, DF, Brazil
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Integrated Faculties of the Educational Union of Planalto Central, Brasilia 70675-760, DF, Brazil
| | - Bruno Paes-de-Melo
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Brasilia 70770-917, DF, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology (INCT Plant Stress Biotech), Embrapa, Brasilia 70770-917, DF, Brazil
| | | | - Alexandre A. P. Firmino
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Brasilia 70770-917, DF, Brazil
- Max Planck Institute Molecular Plant Physiol, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Marcos F. Basso
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Brasilia 70770-917, DF, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology (INCT Plant Stress Biotech), Embrapa, Brasilia 70770-917, DF, Brazil
| | - Camila B. J. Lins
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Brasilia 70770-917, DF, Brazil
| | - Maysa R. Neves
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Brasilia 70770-917, DF, Brazil
| | - Stefanie M. Moura
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Brasilia 70770-917, DF, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology (INCT Plant Stress Biotech), Embrapa, Brasilia 70770-917, DF, Brazil
| | | | | | - Maria C. M. Silva
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Brasilia 70770-917, DF, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology (INCT Plant Stress Biotech), Embrapa, Brasilia 70770-917, DF, Brazil
| | - Maria F. Grossi-de-Sa
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Brasilia 70770-917, DF, Brazil
- Genetic and Molecular Biology Department, Catholic University of Brasilia (UCB), Brasilia 71966-700, DF, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology (INCT Plant Stress Biotech), Embrapa, Brasilia 70770-917, DF, Brazil
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9
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Leipart V, Ludvigsen J, Kent M, Sandve S, To T, Árnyasi M, Kreibich CD, Dahle B, Amdam GV. Identification of 121 variants of honey bee Vitellogenin protein sequences with structural differences at functional sites. Protein Sci 2022; 31:e4369. [PMID: 35762708 PMCID: PMC9207902 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Proteins are under selection to maintain central functions and to accommodate needs that arise in ever-changing environments. The positive selection and neutral drift that preserve functions result in a diversity of protein variants. The amount of diversity differs between proteins: multifunctional or disease-related proteins tend to have fewer variants than proteins involved in some aspects of immunity. Our work focuses on the extensively studied protein Vitellogenin (Vg), which in honey bees (Apis mellifera) is multifunctional and highly expressed and plays roles in immunity. Yet, almost nothing is known about the natural variation in the coding sequences of this protein or how amino acid-altering variants might impact structure-function relationships. Here, we map out allelic variation in honey bee Vg using biological samples from 15 countries. The successful barcoded amplicon Nanopore sequencing of 543 bees revealed 121 protein variants, indicating a high level of diversity in Vg. We find that the distribution of non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (nsSNPs) differs between protein regions with different functions; domains involved in DNA and protein-protein interactions contain fewer nsSNPs than the protein's lipid binding cavities. We outline how the central functions of the protein can be maintained in different variants and how the variation pattern may inform about selection from pathogens and nutrition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vilde Leipart
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource ManagementNorwegian University of Life SciencesÅsNorway
| | - Jane Ludvigsen
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource ManagementNorwegian University of Life SciencesÅsNorway
- Fürst Medisinsk LaboratoriumOsloNorway
| | - Matthew Kent
- Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences, Centre for Integrative Genetics (CIGENE)Norwegian University of Life SciencesÅsNorway
| | - Simen Sandve
- Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences, Centre for Integrative Genetics (CIGENE)Norwegian University of Life SciencesÅsNorway
| | - Thu‐Hien To
- Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences, Centre for Integrative Genetics (CIGENE)Norwegian University of Life SciencesÅsNorway
| | - Mariann Árnyasi
- Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences, Centre for Integrative Genetics (CIGENE)Norwegian University of Life SciencesÅsNorway
| | - Claus D. Kreibich
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource ManagementNorwegian University of Life SciencesÅsNorway
| | - Bjørn Dahle
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource ManagementNorwegian University of Life SciencesÅsNorway
- Norwegian Beekeepers AssociationKløftaNorway
| | - Gro V. Amdam
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource ManagementNorwegian University of Life SciencesÅsNorway
- School of Life SciencesArizona State UniversityTempeArizonaUSA
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