An independent occurrence of the chimeric P450 enzyme CYP337B3 of Helicoverpa armigera confers cypermethrin resistance in Pakistan

Cytochrome P450 CYP6AE70 Confers Resistance to Multiple Insecticides in a Lepidopteran Pest, Spodoptera exigua

Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases are associated with the detoxification of xenobiotics, and overexpression of P450 genes has been proven to be associated with insecticide resistance in insect species. Our previous study has revealed that multiple CYP6AE genes were significantly overexpressed in a resistant strain of Spodoptera exigua, and among these genes, CYP6AE70 was particularly highly expressed. However, the functional roles of the CYP6AE genes in insecticide resistance remain unknown in this pest. Here, we investigate the relationship between the CYP6AE genes and insecticide resistance by focusing on CYP6AE70. The expression of CYP6AE70 was increased after exposure to chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin, and deltamethrin. Ectopic overexpression of P450 in transgenic flies by the GAL4/UAS system dramatically enhanced the tolerance to these three insecticides. Furthermore, the recombinant CYP6AE70 was functionally expressed in Sf9 cells, and metabolic assays revealed that the recombinant P450 protein could efficiently metabolize chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin, and deltamethrin. Finally, molecular modeling and docking also showed that this P450 protein were tightly bound to the three insecticides. These results determine that the upregulation of CYP6AE genes results in resistance to multiple insecticides in S. exigua. This study improves our understanding of P450-mediated insecticide resistance and will help us to design more effective resistance management for pest control.

Identification and functional validation of P450 genes associated with pyrethroid resistance in the malaria vector Anopheles sinensis (Diptera Culicidae)

Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s), a multifunctional protein superfamily, are one of three major classes of detoxification enzymes. However, the diversity and functions of P450 genes from pyrethroid-resistant populations of Anopheles sinensis have not been fully explored. In this study, P450 genes associated with pyrethroid resistance were systematically screened using RNA-seq in three field pyrethroid-resistant populations (AH-FR, CQ-FR, YN-FR) and one laboratory resistant strain (WX-LR) at developmental stages, tissues, and post blood-meal in comparison to the laboratory susceptible strain (WX-LS) in An. sinensis. Importantly, the expression of significantly upregulated P450s was verified using RT-qPCR, and the function of selected P450s in pyrethroid detoxification was determined with RNA interference using four laboratory pyrethroid-resistant strains (WX-LR, AH-LR, CQ-LR, YN-LR). Sixteen P450 genes were significantly upregulated in at least one field-resistant population, and 44 were significantly upregulated in different developmental stages, tissues or post blood-meal. A total of 19 P450s were selected to verify their association with pyrethroid resistance, and four of them (AsCYP6P3v1, AsCYP6P3v2, AsCYP9J10, and AsCYP9K1) demonstrated significant upregulation in laboratory pyrethroid-resistant strains using RT-qPCR. Knockdown of these four genes all significantly reduced pyrethroid resistance and increased the mortality by 57.19% (AsCYP6P3v1 and AsCYP6P3v2 knockdown group), 38.39% (AsCYP9K1 knockdown group) and 48.87% (AsCYP9J10 knockdown group) in An. sinensis by RNAi, which determined the pyrethroid detoxification function of these four genes. This study revealed the diversity of P450 genes and provided functional evidence for four P450s in pyrethroid detoxification in An. sinensis for the first time, which increases our understanding of the pyrethroid resistance mechanism, and is of potential value for pyrethroid resistance detection and surveillance.

Homology-based characterization of the cis-regulatory elements modulate flavone induction of CYP321A1 in Helicoverpa armigera

Xenobiotic response element (XRE) to flavone was the cis- regulatory elements that mediates the induction of the allelochemical-metabolizing CYP321A1 gene from Helicoverpa zea. However, it was unknown whether the XRE-Fla element existed in other species. Recently we have identified and cloned the CYP321A1 gene with promoter region in a related species, Helicoverpa armigera. Sequence similarity of two orthologous CYP321A1 genes was 97.27%, but the promoter sequence similarity was only 56.32%. Sequence alignment showed the XRE-Fla like element owns three mutations in H. armigera compared with H. zea. Progressive 5' deletions and internal mutation indicated that H. armigera XRE-Fla was the essential element of CYP321A1 gene in response to flavone. XRE-Fla mutations and EMSA analysis confirmed that the H. armigera XRE-Fla element binding factor was stronger than H. zea. The findings indicate the XRE element mutations mainly contribute to the differences between the flavone-induced expressions of two CYP321A1 genes, which improve the flexibility and adaptability for allelochemical response of H. armigera.

Differentiation in detoxification gene complements, including neofunctionalization of duplicated cytochrome P450 genes, between lineages of cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera

Here we investigate the evolutionary dynamics of five enzyme superfamilies (CYPs, GSTs, UGTs, CCEs and ABCs) involved in detoxification in Helicoverpa armigera. The reference assembly for an African isolate of the major lineages, H. a. armigera, has 373 genes in the five superfamilies. Most of its CYPs, GSTs, UGTs and CCEs and a few of its ABCs occur in blocks and most of the clustered genes are in subfamilies specifically implicated in detoxification. Most of the genes have orthologues in the reference genome for the Oceania lineage, H. a. conferta. However, clustered orthologues and subfamilies specifically implicated in detoxification show greater sequence divergence and less constraint on non-synonymous differences between the two assemblies than do other members of the five superfamilies. Two duplicated CYPs, which were found in the H. a. armigera but not H. a. conferta reference genome, were also missing in 16 Chinese populations spanning two different lineages of H. a. armigera. The enzyme produced by one of these duplicates has higher activity against esfenvalerate than a previously described chimeric CYP mutant conferring pyrethroid resistance. Various transposable elements were found in the introns of most detoxification genes, generating diverse gene structures. Extensive resequencing data for the Chinese H. a. armigera and H. a. conferta lineages also revealed complex copy number polymorphisms in 17 CCE001s in a cluster also implicated in pyrethroid metabolism, with substantial haplotype differences between all three lineages. Our results suggest that cotton bollworm has a versatile complement of detoxification genes which are evolving in diverse ways across its range.

Rapid Adaptation and Interspecific Introgression in the North American Crop Pest Helicoverpa zea

Insect crop pests threaten global food security. This threat is amplified through the spread of nonnative species and through adaptation of native pests to control measures. Adaptations such as pesticide resistance can result from selection on variation within a population, or through gene flow from another population. We investigate these processes in an economically important noctuid crop pest, Helicoverpa zea, which has evolved resistance to a wide range of pesticides. Its sister species Helicoverpa armigera, first detected as an invasive species in Brazil in 2013, introduced the pyrethroid-resistance gene CYP337B3 to South American H. zea via adaptive introgression. To understand whether this could contribute to pesticide resistance in North America, we sequenced 237 H. zea genomes across 10 sample sites. We report H. armigera introgression into the North American H. zea population. Two individuals sampled in Texas in 2019 carry H. armigera haplotypes in a 4 Mbp region containing CYP337B3. Next, we identify signatures of selection in the panmictic population of nonadmixed H. zea, identifying a selective sweep at a second cytochrome P450 gene: CYP333B3. We estimate that its derived allele conferred a ∼5% fitness advantage and show that this estimate explains independently observed rare nonsynonymous CYP333B3 mutations approaching fixation over a ∼20-year period. We also detect putative signatures of selection at a kinesin gene associated with Bt resistance. Overall, we document two mechanisms of rapid adaptation: the introduction of fitness-enhancing alleles through interspecific introgression, and selection on intraspecific variation.

Anatomy of a pest control failure: introgression of cytochrome P450 337B3 alleles from invasive old-world bollworm into native corn earworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

The establishment of invasive species populations can threaten the ecological balance in naïve habitats and impact agricultural production practices. Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) (old-world bollworm, OWBW) and Helicoverpa zea (corn earworm, CEW) were geographically separated prior to the 2013 report of OWBW invasion into South America. Introgression of OWBW-specific cytochrome P450 337B3 (CYP337B3) gene into CEW was repeatedly detected across South America and the Caribbean. Two hybrids were documented from Texas in 2019. In this study, screening insects collected in Olathe, CO, USA, where a failure of pyrethroids to control CEW damage to conventional sweetcorn in 2023 detected 28.6% of insects with the OWBW-specific CYP337B3 marker. Nucleotide sequencing of the CYP337B3 gene identified 73.1% and 26.9% of insects carried CYP337B3v2 and CYP337B3v6 alleles, respectively, and 0.15 overall frequency of CYP337B3 alleles. Based on prior data for distinct phylogeographic origins of CYP337B3v2 and v6 alleles, our results indicate Olathe samples were derived from 2 different introductions: An uncertain source of the v6 allele that was initially reported in West Africa and possibly South American or Caribbean origin of the globally distributed v2 allele. One of the 1618 individuals screened also carried a ribosomal RNA internal transcribed spacer 1 derived from OWBW. Local selection pressures at the Olathe location imposed by repeated pyrethroid exposures are likely attributed to the prevalence of CYP337B3, where control practices hasten the accumulation of phenotypic resistance by adaptive introgression. Pyrethroid and other resistance factors carried by invasive OWBW may continue to impact CEW management tactics across the Americas.

Absence of known knockdown resistance mutations but fixation of CYP337B3 was detected in field populations of Helicoverpa armigera across China

The cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera) is a worldwide agricultural pest that infests many important crops. Pyrethroids targeting the voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC) have been long used in the control of the cotton bollworm. Two amino acid substitutions (D1561V and E1565G) in H. armigera VGSC (HaVGSC) and the presence of a chimeric P450 gene (CYP337B3) have been documented to be associated with pyrethroid resistance. To understand the current occurrence of kdr mutations and the CYP337B3 gene in Chinese H. armigera populations, high-throughput amplicon sequencing was adopted to detect potential nucleotide variations in three fragments of the VGSC gene that cover 10 reported knockdown resistance (kdr) sites in insects, and gene-specific PCR was performed to examine the presence of CYP337B3 gene in H. armigera samples collected across China. The nucleotide variation analysis revealed a wealth of nucleotide variations in not only exons but also introns in the VGSC gene in Chinese H. armigera populations. However, neither previously reported kdr-conferring amino acid replacements nor other non-synonymous mutations were observed in a total of 1439 examined individuals. Population genetic analysis suggested that the H. armigera population in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province (JNC) had a moderate genetic differentiation from other populations, while no significant divergence was observed in other populations in northern and northwestern China. The CYP337B3 was present in all the examined individuals, indicating that CYP337B3 is extensively fixed in H. armigera populations across China. These results support that point mutations in VGSC are not a major factor involved in the current pyrethroid resistance in H. armigera. Instead, CYP337B3 plays a prevalent role in the development of resistance to pyrethroids in H. armigera.

Effects of different insecticides on transcripts of key genes in CncC pathway and detoxification genes in Helicoverpa armigera

The CncC pathway regulates the expression of multiple detoxification genes and contributes to the detoxification and antioxidation in insects. Many studies have focused on the impacts of plant allelochemicals on the CncC pathway, whereas studies on the effects of pesticides on key genes involved in this pathway are very limited. In this study, the effects of different types of commonly used insecticides on the transcripts of CncC, Keap1, and Maf and multiple detoxification genes of Helicoverpa armigera were evaluated using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The results showed that 8 insecticides (bifenthrin, λ-cyhalothrin, chlorantraniliprole, cyantraniliprole, spinosad, indoxacarb, chlorfenapyr, tolfenpyrad, and thiacloprid) significantly induced the expression of CncC and 4 insecticides (cypermethrin, acetamiprid, thiacloprid, and indoxacarb) suppressed the expression of Keap1 both at 24 h and 48 h; meanwhile, the expression levels of Maf were induced by 5 insecticides (fenvalerate, chlorantraniliprole, cyantraniliprole, lufenuron, and tolfenpyrad) at 24 h or 48 h. Multiple detoxification genes, especially cytochrome P450s genes, showed different up-regulation after bifenthrin, λ-cyhalothrin, chlorantraniliprole, cyantraniliprole, indoxacarb, and spinosad treatment for 48 h. Our results suggest that the CncC pathway and detoxification genes can be activated by different insecticides in H. armigera. These results establish a foundation for further studies on the relationship between the CncC pathway and the detoxification genes in H. armigera.

Adaptive evolution to the natural and anthropogenic environment in a global invasive crop pest, the cotton bollworm

The cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera, is set to become the most economically devastating crop pest in the world, threatening food security and biosafety as its range expands across the globe. Key to understanding the eco-evolutionary dynamics of H. armigera, and thus its management, is an understanding of population connectivity and the adaptations that allow the pest to establish in unique environments. We assembled a chromosome-scale reference genome and re-sequenced 503 individuals spanning the species range to delineate global patterns of connectivity, uncovering a previously cryptic population structure. Using a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and cell line expression of major effect loci, we show that adaptive changes in a temperature- and light-sensitive developmental pathway enable facultative diapause and that adaptation of trehalose synthesis and transport underlies cold tolerance in extreme environments. Incorporating extensive pesticide resistance monitoring, we also characterize a suite of novel pesticide and Bt resistance alleles under selection in East China. These findings offer avenues for more effective management strategies and provide insight into how insects adapt to variable climatic conditions and newly colonized environments.

Functional roles of two novel P450 genes in the adaptability of Conogethes punctiferalis to three commonly used pesticides

Introduction: Insect cytochrome P450 (CYP450) genes play important roles in the detoxification and metabolism of xenobiotics, such as plant allelochemicals, mycotoxins and pesticides. The polyphagous Conogethes punctiferalis is a serious economic pest of fruit trees and agricultural crops, and it shows high adaptability to different living environments. Methods: The two novel P450 genes CYP6CV1 and CYP6AB51 were identified and characterized. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) technology was used to study the expression patterns of the two target genes in different larval developmental stages and tissues of C. punctiferalis. Furthermore, RNA interference (RNAi) technology was used to study the potential functions of the two P450 genes by treating RNAi-silenced larvae with three commonly used pesticides. Results: The CYP6CV1 and CYP6AB51 genes were expressed throughout various C. punctiferalis larval stages and in different tissues. Their expression levels increased along with larval development, and expression levels of the two target genes in the midgut were significantly higher than in other tissues. The toxicity bioassay results showed that the LC₅₀ values of chlorantraniliprole, emamectin benzoate and lambda-cyhalothrin on C. punctiferalis larvae were 0.2028 μg/g, 0.0683 μg/g and 0.6110 mg/L, respectively. After treating with different concentrations of chlorantraniliprole, emamectin benzoate and lambda-cyhalothrin (LC₁₀, LC₃₀, LC₅₀), independently, the relative expressions of the two genes CYP6CV1 and CYP6AB51 were significantly induced. After the dsRNA injection, the expression profiles of the two CYP genes were reduced 72.91% and 70.94%, respectively, and the mortality rates of the larvae significantly increased when treated with the three insecticides independently at LC₁₀ values. Discussion: In the summary, after interfering with the CYP6CV1 and CYP6AB51 in C. punctiferalis, respectively, the sensitivity of C. punctiferalis to chlorantraniliprole, emamectin benzoate and lambda-cyhalothrin was significantly increased, indicating that the two CYP6 genes were responsible for the adaptability of C. punctiferalis to the three chemical insecticides in C. punctiferalis. The results from this study demonstrated that CYP6CV1 and CYP6AB51 in C. punctiferalis play crucial roles in the detoxification of chlorantraniliprole, emamectin benzoate and lambda-cyhalothrin.

Synergism and toxicity of iron nanoparticles derived from Trigonella foenum-graecum against pyrethriod treatment in S. litura and H. armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

The tobacco cutworm, Spodoptera litura and cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) are important pests of various agricultural crops that cause sevier economic loses throughout the world. Indiscriminate and frequent use of insecticide may lead to development of resistance in these pests. Nanotechnology has given an alternative to manage and overcome insecticide resistance for pest management strategies. In the present study the iron nanoparticles derived from Trigonella foenum-graecum leaf extract (FeNPs) was investigated for its ecofriendly management of pyrethroid resistance in two lepidopteron pest species at 24 h, 48 h and 72 h post treatment. The result showed high mortality (92.83% and 91.41%) of S. litura and H. armigera at 72 h treatment upon FeNPs and fenvalerate (Fen + FeNPs) teratment. Probit analysis revealed high LC₅₀ upon Fen + FeNPs treatment (130.31 and 89.32 mg/L) with a synergism ratio of 1.38 and 1.36. Antifeedant activity of six dofferent concentration of FeNPs revelaed increased antifeedant activity with respect to increasing concentration of nanoparticles ranging from 10 to 90% and 20-95% againt both insects (p<0.05). Detoxification activity of carboxylesterase was elevated at 630 μmol/mg protein/min (p<0.05) in fenvalerate treatment, whereas decreased activity was found (392umole/mg protein/min) in FeNPs and Fen + FeNPs treatment (P<0.001). GST and P450 activity was also increased in fenvalerate treatment, whereas decreased activity was observed in FeNPs and Fen + FeNPs. Esterase isoenzyme banding pattern revealed four bands in fenvalerate treatment and two bans (E3 and E4) in Fen + FeNPs combination. Hence the present study concludes that T. foenum-graecum synthesized iron nanoparticles could be an effective alternate for ecofriendly management of S. litura and H. armigera.

Single amino acid variations drive functional divergence of cytochrome P450s in Helicoverpa species

Divergence of gene function is a hallmark of evolution, but assessing such divergence in one species or between species requires information on functional alterations of the alleles and homologs. Here, we explore the functional divergence of two paralogs, CYP6AE19 and CYP6AE20, from Helicoverpa armigera, and two close orthologs, CYP6B8 and CYP6B7, from two related species (Helicoverpa zea and H. armigera); although there is high sequence identity within each pair of enzymes, the latter P450 of each pair has lost metabolic competence towards the plant allelochemical xanthotoxin. Multiple chimeric and single/double site mutants were created by exchanging the diverse substrate recognition sites (SRSs) and amino acids within each pair of P450s. Heterologous expression in Sf9 cells and in vitro metabolism studies showed that the exchange of SRS4 swapped the activity of CYP6AE19 and CYP6AE20, and subsequent site-directed mutagenesis demonstrated that the CYP6AE20 V318M substitution causes a gain-of-function towards xanthotoxin. Meanwhile, a single amino acid substitution (L489P) in SRS6 was found to swap activity between the CYP6B orthologs. Sequence alignments of CYP6AE paralogs and all reported insect xanthotoxin-metabolizing P450s suggest M318 and P489 are essential for the catalytic activities of CYP6AE paralogs and CYP6B orthologs, respectively, but P450s in different subfamilies may have different mechanisms towards the same substrate. Our findings demonstrate that a single amino acid substitution can suffice to alter substrate metabolism and this functional divergence resulting from natural mutations will help to further our understanding of the process of natural selection of P450 genes and their role in insect-host plant interactions.

Functionally characterized arthropod pest and pollinator cytochrome P450s associated with xenobiotic metabolism

The cytochrome P450 family (P450s) of arthropods includes diverse enzymes involved in endogenous essential physiological functions and in the oxidative metabolism of xenobiotics, insecticides and plant allelochemicals. P450s can also establish insecticide selectivity in bees and pollinators. Several arthropod P450s, distributed in different phylogenetic groups, have been associated with xenobiotic metabolism, and some of them have been functionally characterized, using different in vitro and in vivo systems. The purpose of this review is to summarize scientific publications on arthropod P450s from major insect and mite agricultural pests, pollinators and Papilio sp, which have been functionally characterized and shown to metabolize xenobiotics and/or their role (direct or indirect) in pesticide toxicity or resistance has been functionally validated. The phylogenetic relationships among these P450s, the functional systems employed for their characterization and their xenobiotic catalytic properties are presented, in a systematic approach, including critical aspects and limitations. The potential of the primary P450-based metabolic pathway of target and non-target organisms for the development of highly selective insecticides and resistance-breaking formulations may help to improve the efficiency and sustainability of pest control.

The Role of Cytochrome P450s in Insect Toxicology and Resistance

Insect cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s) perform a variety of important physiological functions, but it is their role in the detoxification of xenobiotics, such as natural and synthetic insecticides, that is the topic of this review. Recent advances in insect genomics and postgenomic functional approaches have provided an unprecedented opportunity to understand the evolution of insect P450s and their role in insect toxicology. These approaches have also been harnessed to provide new insights into the genomic alterations that lead to insecticide resistance, the mechanisms by which P450s are regulated, and the functional determinants of P450-mediated insecticide resistance. In parallel, an emerging body of work on the role of P450s in defining the sensitivity of beneficial insects to insecticides has been developed. The knowledge gained from these studies has applications for the management of P450-mediated resistance in insect pests and can be leveraged to safeguard the health of important beneficial insects.

Involvement of CYP2 and mitochondrial clan P450s of Helicoverpa armigera in xenobiotic metabolism

Insect CYP2 and mitochondrial clan P450s are relatively conserved genes encoding enzymes generally thought to be involved in biosynthesis or metabolism of endobiotics. However, emerging evidence argues they have potential roles in chemical defense as well, but their actual detoxification functions remain largely unknown. Here, we focused on the full complement of 8 CYP2 and 10 mitochondrial P450s in the generalist herbivore, Helicoverpa armigera. Their varied spatiotemporal expression profiles were analyzed and reflected their specific functions. For functional study of the mitochondrial clan P450s, the redox partners, adrenodoxin reductase (AdR) and adrenodoxin (Adx), were identified from genomes of eight insects and an efficient in vitro electron transfer system of mitochondrial P450 was established by co-expression with Adx and AdR of H. armigera. All CYP2 clan P450s and 8 mitochondrial P450s were successfully expressed in Sf9 cells and compared functionally. In vitro metabolism assays showed that two CYP2 clan P450s (CYP305B1 and CYP18A1) and CYP333B3 (mito clan) could epoxidize aldrin to dieldrin, while CYP305B1 and CYP339A1 (mito clan) have limited but significant hydroxylation capacities to esfenvalerate. CYP303A1 of the CYP2 clan exhibits high metabolic efficiency to 2-tridecanone. Screening the xenobiotic metabolism competence of CYP2 and mitochondrial clan P450s not only provides new insights on insect chemical defense but also can give indications on their physiological functions in H. armigera and other insects.

Perspectives on gene copy number variation and pesticide resistance

Although the generation of evolutionary diversity by gene duplication has long been known, the implications for pesticide resistance are just now beginning to be appreciated. A few examples will be cited to illustrate the point that there are many variations on the theme that gene duplication does not follow a set pattern. Transposable elements may facilitate the process but the mechanistic details are obscure and unpredictable. New developments in DNA sequencing technology and genome assembly promise to reveal more examples, yet care must be taken in interpreting the results of transcriptome and genome assemblies and independent means of validation are important. Once a specific gene family is identified, special methods generally must be used to avoid underestimating population polymorphisms and being trapped in preconceptions about the simplicity of the process. © 2021 The Author. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Silencing of cytochrome P450 gene CYP321A1 effects tannin detoxification and metabolism in Spodoptera litura

Cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (P450 or CYP) plays an important role in the metabolism of insecticides and plant allelochemicals by insects. CYP321B1, a novel Spodoptera litura P450 gene, was identified and characterized. CYP321B1 contains a 1488 bp open reading frame (ORF) that encodes a 495 amino acid protein. In fourth instar larvae, the highest CYP321B1 expression levels were found in the midgut and fat body. In the tannin feeding test, tannin can significantly induce the expression of CYP321B1 in the midgut and fat body of 4th instar larvae. To verify the function of CYP321B1, RNA interference and metabolome analysis were performed. The results showed that silencing CYP321B1 significantly reduced the rate of weight gain under tannin induction. Metabolome analysis showed silencing affected 47 different metabolites, mainly involved in secondary metabolite biosynthesis and amino acid metabolism, including amino acids, lipid fatty acids, organic acids and their derivatives. Henoxyacetic acid and cysteamine are the most highly regulated metabolites, respectively. These findings demonstrate that CYP321B1 plays an important role in tannin detoxification and metabolism. Functional knowledge about metabolite detoxification genes in this major herbivorous insect pest can provide new insights into this biological process and provide new targets for agricultural pest control.

Pyrethroid metabolism by eleven Helicoverpa armigera P450s from the CYP6B and CYP9A subfamilies

Lepidopteran P450s of the CYP6B and CYP9A subfamilies are thought to play important roles in host plant adaptation and insecticide resistance. An increasing number of paralogs and orthologs with high levels of sequence identity have been found in these subfamilies by mining recent genome projects. However, the biochemical function of most of them remains unknown. A better understanding of the evolution of P450 genes and of the catalytic competence of the enzymes they encode is needed to facilitate studies of host plant use and insecticide resistance. Here, we focused on the full complement of CYP6B (4 genes) and CYP9A (7 genes) in the generalist herbivore, Helicoverpa armigera. These P450s were heterologously expressed in Sf9 cells and compared functionally. In vitro assays showed that all CYP6B and CYP9A P450s can metabolize esfenvalerate efficiently, except for the evolutionarily divergent CYP6B43. A new 2'-hydroxy-metabolite of esfenvalerate was identified and found to be the main metabolite produced by CYP9A12. All tested P450s showed only low induction responses to esfenvalerate. To put these results from H. armigera P450s in perspective, 158 complete CYP6B and 100 complete CYP9A genes from 34 ditrysian species were manually curated. The CYP9A subfamily was more widespread than the CYP6B subfamily and the latter showed dramatic gains and losses, with ten species lacking CYP6B genes. Two adjacent CYP6B loci were found on chromosome 21, with different fates during the evolution of Lepidoptera. The diversity and functional redundancy of CYP6B and CYP9A genes challenge resistance management and pest control strategies as many P450s are available to insects to cope with chemical stresses they encounter.

Saltational evolution of a pesticide-metabolizing cytochrome P450 in a global crop pest

BACKGROUND

The cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner), is a damaging insect pest threatening agricultural crops worldwide as a result of its resistance to insecticides. Metabolic resistance to pyrethroid insecticides is conferred by the chimeric P450 enzyme CYP337B3, produced by unequal crossing-over between CYP337B1 and CYP337B2. CYP337B3 is 99.7% similar to CYP337B1 except for the 177 N-terminal amino acids (AAs) containing the substrate recognition site 1 from CYP337B2. Here, we studied the structure-function relationship of CYP337B3 and CYP337B1 to determine the AAs that enable CYP337B3 to efficiently hydroxylate the 4'-carbon position of fenvalerate, which neither CYP337B1 nor CYP337B2 can do.

RESULTS

Site-directed mutagenesis showed that the L114F substitution in CYP337B3 reduced its 4'-hydroxylation activity by 89%, but the reciprocal F114L substitution in CYP337B1 increased its 4'-hydroxylation activity to only 49% of the level of CYP337B3. Docking models showed that AA 114 seems to have different functions in CYP337B1 and CYP337B3. Antibodies detected two- to three-fold more CYP337B1 than CYP337B3 in larval cuticle, which along with a 49% 4'-hydroxylation activity increase due to a F114L substitution in vivo might be expected to provide as much protection for the larva against exposure to fenvalerate as CYP337B3. However, CYP337B3 is present at much higher frequencies than CYP337B1-CYP337B2 in most populations, including those recently invading South America.

CONCLUSION

The metabolic resistance to pyrethroids in H. armigera has evolved by saltational evolution - by a single mutation, an unequal crossing-over, producing a larger selective advantage than could be attained gradually by stepwise improvement of the parental enzyme. © 2021 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Pyrethrin-resembling pyrethroids are metabolized more readily than heavily modified ones by CYP9As from Helicoverpa armigera

The cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera, is a polyphagous pest threatening many economically important crops worldwide. Until recently, synthetic pyrethroids remain in wide use for controlling pest insects including the cotton bollworm. Understanding the metabolic mechanism of pyrethroids in a given pest can provide significant implication for a smart choice of insecticides, and such information is useful for the development of novel selective and safe insecticides. In this study, we used complexes of recombinant H. armigera cytochrome P450 CYP9A and NADPH-dependent cytochrome P450 reductase to investigate the capacity of three CYP9A paralogs in the transformation of seven structurally different pyrethroids by metabolism assays. The results showed that the three paralogous CYP9As were able to metabolize multiple pyrethroids. Interestingly, all the three CYP9As transformed pyrethrin-resembling pyrethroids (e.g. bioallethrin) more efficiently than the heavily modified ones (e.g. bifenthrin). These findings suggest that herbivorous insects can cope with synthetic insecticides using their physiological systems that initially evolved to survive exposure to the defensive chemicals in their host plants, adding support to the pre-adaptation hypothesis.

High-resolution genetic mapping reveals cis-regulatory and copy number variation in loci associated with cytochrome P450-mediated detoxification in a generalist arthropod pest

Chemical control strategies are driving the evolution of pesticide resistance in pest populations. Understanding the genetic mechanisms of these evolutionary processes is of crucial importance to develop sustainable resistance management strategies. The acaricide pyflubumide is one of the most recently developed mitochondrial complex II inhibitors with a new mode of action that specifically targets spider mite pests. In this study, we characterize the molecular basis of pyflubumide resistance in a highly resistant population of the spider mite Tetranychus urticae. Classical genetic crosses indicated that pyflubumide resistance was incompletely recessive and controlled by more than one gene. To identify resistance loci, we crossed the resistant population to a highly susceptible T. urticae inbred strain and propagated resulting populations with and without pyflubumide exposure for multiple generations in an experimental evolution set-up. High-resolution genetic mapping by a bulked segregant analysis approach led to the identification of three quantitative trait loci (QTL) linked to pyflubumide resistance. Two QTLs were found on the first chromosome and centered on the cytochrome P450 CYP392A16 and a cluster of CYP392E6-8 genes. Comparative transcriptomics revealed a consistent overexpression of CYP392A16 and CYP392E8 in the experimental populations that were selected for pyflubumide resistance. We further corroborated the involvement of CYP392A16 in resistance by in vitro functional expression and metabolism studies. Collectively, these experiments uncovered that CYP392A16 N-demethylates the toxic carboxamide form of pyflubumide to a non-toxic compound. A third QTL coincided with cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR), a vital component of cytochrome P450 metabolism. We show here that the resistant population harbors three gene copies of CPR and that this copy number variation is associated with higher mRNA abundance. Together, we provide evidence for detoxification of pyflubumide by cytochrome P450s that is likely synergized by gene amplification of CPR.

Our understanding of the causal genetic variants that drive the evolution of quantitative traits, such as polygenic pesticide resistance, remains very limited. Here, we followed a high-resolution genetic mapping approach to localize the genetic variants that cause pyflubumide resistance in the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae. Three well-supported QTL were uncovered and pointed towards a major role for cytochrome P450-mediated detoxification. Cis-regulatory variation for cytochrome P450s was observed, and in vitro cytochrome P450 experiments showed that pyflubumide was metabolized into a non-toxic derivate. A third QTL centered on cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR), which is required for cytochrome P450 activity, and is amplified in pyflubumide resistant populations. Our results indicate that pyflubumide resistance is mediated by cytochrome P450 detoxification that is enhanced by gene amplification at the CPR locus.

Biotransformation of 1,8-Dihydroxyanthraquinone into Peniphenone under the Fermentation of Aleurodiscus mirabilis

The present study verified that 1,8-dihydroxyanthraquinone (1), a common component in some industrial raw materials and dyes, could be converted into peniphenone (2), which possesses immunosuppressive activity and other medicinal potential, by Aleurodiscus mirabilis fermentation. The yield of peniphenone (2) after 7 days of fermentation was 11.05 ± 2.19%. To reveal the transformation mechanism, two secondary metabolites, emodin (3) and monodictyphenone (4), were isolated from the fermentation broth of A. mirabilis, implying that polyketide metabolic pathways from emodin (3) to monodictyphenone (4) might exist in A. mirabilis. 1,8-Dihydroxyanthraquinone (1) was suspected to be converted into peniphenone (2) via the same pathway since emodin (3) and 1,8-dihydroxyanthraquinone (1) share very similar skeletons. The P450 enzyme and Baeyer-Villiger oxidase in A. mirabilis were confirmed to catalyze this biotransformation on the basis of ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) analysis. This novel investigation could shed light on the mechanism and therefore development of peniphenone production from 1,8-dihydroxyanthraquinone by microbial fermentation.

Roles of the variable P450 substrate recognition sites SRS1 and SRS6 in esfenvalerate metabolism by CYP6AE subfamily enzymes in Helicoverpa armigera

The cotton bollworm P450s of the clustered CYP6AE subfamily share high sequence identities but differ dramatically in their capacity to metabolize xenobiotics, especially esfenvalerate. Among them, CYP6AE17 has the highest sequence identity with CYP6AE18 but shows ~7-fold higher metabolic efficiency. CYP6AE11 is most active towards esfenvalerate but CYP6AE20 is inactive even though the enzymes share 54.8% sequence identity. Sequence analysis revealed the SRS1 (Substrate Recognition Site) and SRS6 between CYP6AE17 and CYP6AE18, and SRS1 between CYP6AE11 and CYP6AE20 are the most variable among all six SRSs. In order to identify the key factors that underlie the observed catalytic difference, we exchanged these SRS sequences between two pairs of P450s and studied the activity of the resulting hybrid mutants or chimeras. In vitro metabolism showed that the CYP6AE17/18 chimeras had 2- and 14-fold decreased activities and the CYP6AE18/17 chimeras had 6- and 10-fold increased activities to esfenvalerate. Meanwhile, after exchanging SRS1 with each other, the CYP6AE11/20 chimera folded incorrectly but the CYP6AE20/11 chimera gained moderate activity to esfenvalerate. Molecular modelling showed that amino acids variants within SRS1 or SRS6 change the shape and chemical environment of the active sites, which may affect the ligand-binding interactions. These results indicate that the protein structure variation resulting from the sequence diversity of SRSs promotes the evolution of insect chemical defense and contributes to the development of insect resistance to pesticides.

Xenobiotic transcription factors CncC and maf regulate expression of CYP321A16 and CYP332A1 that mediate chlorpyrifos resistance in Spodoptera exigua

Insect cytochrome P450 s (P450 s) are associated with the metabolic detoxification of toxic xenobiotics and their constitutive upregulation is often associated with resistance to natural and synthetic toxicants. The P450 s CYP321A16 and CYP332A1 are constitutively overexpressed in an insecticide-resistant strain of beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua. However, the function and upstream regulation of these two P450 s remain unknown. Here, we investigated the function of CYP321A16 and CYP332A1 in resistance to the organophosphate insecticide, chlorpyrifos and their regulation by the transcription factors CncC and Maf. Transgenic strains of Drosophila melanogaster expressing CYP321A16 or CYP332A1 showed higher levels of tolerance to chlorpyrifos than the control flies with the same genetic background. Furthermore, recombinant CYP321A16 and CYP332A1 proteins metabolized chlorpyrifos. Analysis of the putative promoter sequences of the genes coding for CYP321A16 and CYP332A1 revealed conserved CncC/Maf binding sites. Transfection of luciferase reporter plasmids containing the promoter of CYP450 gene together with CncC and Maf expression plasmids significantly enhanced the activity of the reporter. Promoter truncation identified a site in the promoter of CYP321A16 that is critical for the CncC/Maf binding. These data demonstrate that resistance to chlorpyrifos in S. exigua is conferred by the combined action of CYP321A16 and CYP332A1 and uncovered their regulation by the transcription factors CncC and Maf.

Fly-Tox: A panel of transgenic flies expressing pest and pollinator cytochrome P450s

There is an on-going need to develop new insecticides that are not compromised by resistance and that have improved environmental profiles. However, the cost of developing novel compounds has increased significantly over the last two decades. This is in part due to increased regulatory requirements, including the need to screen both pest and pollinator insect species to ensure that pre-existing resistance will not hamper the efficacy of a new insecticide via cross-resistance, or adversely affect non-target insect species. To add to this problem the collection and maintenance of toxicologically relevant pest and pollinator species and strains is costly and often difficult. Here we present Fly-Tox, a panel of publicly available transgenic Drosophila melanogaster lines each containing one or more pest or pollinator P450 genes that have been previously shown to metabolise insecticides. We describe the range of ways these tools can be used, including in predictive screens to avoid pre-existing cross-resistance, to identify potential resistance-breaking inhibitors, in the initial assessment of potential insecticide toxicity to bee pollinators, and identifying harmful pesticide-pesticide interactions.

Comparative Toxicity of Helicoverpa armigera and Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) to Selected Insecticides

Until recently, the Old World bollworm (OWB) Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) and the corn earworm Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) were geographically isolated. Both species are major pests of agricultural commodities that are known to develop insecticide resistance, and they now coexist in areas where H. armigera invaded the Americas. This is the first study to compare the susceptibility of the two species to conventional insecticides. The susceptibility of third instar H. armigera and H. zea larvae to indoxacarb, methomyl, spinetoram, and spinosad was determined using a diet-overlay bioassay in a quarantine laboratory in Puerto Rico. Mortality was assessed at 48 h after exposure for up to eight concentrations per insecticide. Spinetoram exhibited the highest acute toxicity against H. armigera, with a median lethal concentration (LC50) of 0.11 µg a.i./cm2, followed by indoxacarb and spinosad (0.17 µg a.i./cm2 for both) and methomyl (0.32 µg a.i./cm2). Spinetoram was also the most toxic to H. zea (LC50 of 0.08 µg a.i./cm2), followed by spinosad (0.17 µg a.i./cm2) and methomyl (0.18 µg a.i./cm2). Indoxacarb was the least toxic to H. zea, with an LC50 of 0.21 µg a.i./cm2. These findings could serve as a comparative reference for monitoring the susceptibility of H. armigera and H. zea to indoxacarb, methomyl, spinetoram, and spinosad in Puerto Rico, and may facilitate the detection of field-selected resistance for these two species and their potential hybrids in areas recently invaded by H. armigera.

Biotransformation of α-terpineol by Alternaria alternata

α-Terpineol (1), the main volatile constituent in some traditional Chinese medicines, has been reported to be metabolized to 4R-oleuropeic acid by the larvae of common cutworms. The present study verified that α-terpineol could be converted to 4R-oleuropeic acid (2) and (1S,2R,4R)-p-menthane-1,2,8-triol (3) by Alternaria alternata fermentation. Using shortened fermentation times, 7-hydroxy-α-terpineol (2a) was identified as an oxidative intermediate, which was consistent with the hypothesis put forward by previous studies. Cytochrome P450 enzymes were also confirmed to catalyze this biotransformation. This is the first study on the biotransformation of α-terpineol by microbial fermentation.

The cytochrome P450 CYP389C16 contributes to the cross-resistance between cyflumetofen and pyridaben in Tetranychus cinnabarinus (Boisduval)

BACKGROUND

Acaricide resistance is a serious problem in spider mites. Cyflumetofen is a new complex II inhibitor, whereas pyridaben acts at complex I and has been used for decades. Although cross-resistance between cyflumetofen and pyridaben has been observed in Tetranychus cinnabarinus, the specific mechanisms at play have not yet been investigated.

RESULTS

Investigation into the cross-resistance mechanisms identified five P450s, among which CYP389C16 was evaluated as the most likely candidate conferring cross-resistance. Knockdown of CYP389C16 expression via RNA interference diminished the level of cross-resistance in the cyflumetofen-resistant strain. In addition, recombinant CYP389C16 (40 pmol) effectively metabolized 25.0 ± 0.7% of cyflumetofen, 39.7 ± 1.0% of pyridaben, and 69.3 ± 3.3% of AB-1 (active de-esterified metabolite of cyflumetofen) within 2 h. In addition, hydroxylation metabolite of AB-1 was identified by HPLC-MS/MS.

CONCLUSIONS

The study reveals that overexpressed CYP389C16 is involved in the cross-resistance between cyflumetofen and pyridaben in T. cinnabarinus. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effect of Plant Essential Oils and Their Major Constituents on Cypermethrin Tolerance Associated Detoxification Enzyme Activities in Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Essential oils are well known to act as biopesticides. This research evaluated the acute toxicity and synergistic effect of essential oil compounds in combination with cypermethrin against Spodoptera litura Fabricius (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). The effects of distillation extracts of essential oils from Alpinia galanga Zingiberaceae (Zingiberales) rhizomes and Ocimum basilicum Lamiaceae (Lamiales) leaves; one of their primary essential oil compounds 1,8-cineole; and linalool were studied on second-instar S. litura by topical application under laboratory conditions. The results showed that A. galanga had the highest control efficiency, whereas1,8-cineole provided a moderate efficacy. The mixtures of linalool, 1,8-cineole, O. basilicum, or A. galanga with cypermethrin were synergistic on mortality. Activity measurements of the main detoxification enzymes show that linalool and 1,8-cineole inhibit the activity of cytochromes P450 and carboxylesterases, which could explain their synergistic effect. Based on our results, the use of these mixtures represents an ideal eco-friendly approach, helping to manage cypermethrin resistance of S. litura.

Invasion origin, rapid population expansion, and the lack of genetic structure of cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera) in the Americas

In 2013, Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) was officially declared as present in Brazil and, after two years, the species was detected in the Caribbean and North America. Information on genetic features and accurate distribution of pests is the basis for agricultural protection policies. Furthermore, such knowledge is imperative to develop control strategies, understand the geographical range, and genetic patterns of this species in the Americas. Here, we carried out the widest sampling of H. armigera in the South American continent and Puerto Rico, after we estimated the diversity, demographic parameters, and genetic structure. The Internal Transcribed Spacer 1 (ITS1) nuclear marker was used to investigate the presence of putative hybrids between H. armigera and H. zea, and they were observed at a frequency of 1.5%. An ABC analysis, based in COI gene fragment, suggested Europe as the origin of South America specimens of H. armigeraand following a movement northward through the Caribbean. Three mtDNA genes and three nDNA markers revealed high genetic diversity distributed without the defined population structure of H. armigera in South America. Most of the genetic variation is within populations with a multidirectional expansion of H. armigera among morphoclimatic regions. High genetic diversity, rapid population expansion, and hybridization have implications for pest management since they suggest that adaptive alleles are spread through wide areas in South America that favor rapid local adaptation of H. armigera to new and disturbed environments (e.g., in agricultural areas).

Cytochrome P450-Mediated λ-Cyhalothrin-Resistance in a Field Strain of Helicoverpa armigera from Northeast China

Resistance to pyrethroid and organophosphate insecticides has been a growing problem in the management of cotton bollworm Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) populations in the Yangtze River and Yellow River valleys of China, but resistance status and mechanisms of H. armigera populations from northeast China are less documented. In this study, a field strain collected from Shenyang in northeast China (SYR) is up to 16-fold more resistant than a susceptible strain (SS) to λ-cyhalothrin, while the resistance level to phoxim remained low (2.6-fold). Synergist tests and enzymatic assays show that increased cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (P450) activity is the main mechanism for λ-cyhalothrin resistance. Eight out of 10 genes from CYP6 and CYP9 subfamilies were significantly overexpressed in the SYR strain, and CYP6AE11 was the mostly overexpressed P450 (59-fold). These results suggest that overexpression of multiple P450 enzymes contributes to λ-cyhalothrin resistance in the SYR strain of H. armigera from northeast China.

Multiple recombination events between two cytochrome P450 loci contribute to global pyrethroid resistance in Helicoverpa armigera

The cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) is one of the most serious insect pest species to evolve resistance against many insecticides from different chemical classes. This species has evolved resistance to the pyrethroid insecticides across its native range and is becoming a truly global pest after establishing in South America and having been recently recorded in North America. A chimeric cytochrome P450 gene, CYP337B3, has been identified as a resistance mechanism for resistance to fenvalerate and cypermethrin. Here we show that this resistance mechanism is common around the world with at least eight different alleles. It is present in South America and has probably introgressed into its closely related native sibling species, Helicoverpa zea. The different alleles of CYP337B3 are likely to have arisen independently in different geographic locations from selection on existing diversity. The alleles found in Brazil are those most commonly found in Asia, suggesting a potential origin for the incursion of H. armigera into the Americas.

Development of a highly accurate and sensitive diagnostic tool for pyrethroid-resistant chimeric P450 CYP337B3 of Helicoverpa armigera using loop-mediated isothermal amplification

Recent studies have shown that pyrethroid resistance in the cotton bollworm (CBW) Helicoverpa armigera is conferred by the generation of a chimeric CYP337B3 gene, which resulted from unequal crossing-over between the CYP337B1 and CYP337B2 genes. In this study, we developed a diagnostic protocol based on the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for the detection of chimeric CYP337B3. The CYP337B3 LAMP assay utilized six primers and generated strong fluorescence signals visible to the naked eye under normal or ultraviolet light. The primers were designed based on CYP337B3v1 (JQ995292), the major allele detected in Australia. The detection limit of this LAMP assay was 10 fg genomic DNA in a 25-µl reaction mixture. Compared with CYP337B2v1, the Korean CYP337B3v2 allele had two nucleotide mismatches within the amplifying regions of this LAMP assay; therefore, we confirmed that polymerase chain reaction-synthesized CYP337B3v2 was well amplified using this LAMP assay. In addition, we determined that the presence of CYP337B3 from H. armigera collected by pheromone traps from Korean fields could be confirmed using this LAMP assay. This assay could detect CYP337B3 even in heterozygotes, which is relevant because CYP337B3 is dominant, and heterozygotes are pyrethroid resistant. Therefore, the newly developed CYP337B3 LAMP assay could detect the presence of pyrethroid resistance in H. armigera that were captured by pheromone traps during the early season and provide information on whether pyrethroids could be used to control H. armigera.

Overexpression of cytochrome P450s in a lambda-cyhalothrin resistant population of Apolygus lucorum (Meyer-Dür)

The mirid bug, Apolygus lucorum Meyer-Dür, has been an important pest of cotton crop in China, and is primarily controlled with insecticides, such as pyrethroids. To elucidate the potential resistant mechanisms of A. lucorum to lambda-cyhalothrin, a series of biological, biochemical, and molecular assays were conducted in the reference (AL-S) and lambda-cyhalothrin-resistant (AL-R) populations. Comparison of the molecular target of pyrethroid insecticides, voltage-gated sodium channel, revealed that there were no mutation sites in the resistant population, indicating target insensitivity is not responsible for increased resistance of AL-R to lambda-cyhalothrin. Furthermore, the synergism assays and the activities of detoxification enzymes were performed to determine detoxification mechanism conferring the lambda-cyhalothrin resistance. In the tested synergists, the piperonyl butoxide had the highest synergism ratio against lambda-cyhalothrin, which was up to five-fold in both populations. In addition, the result also showed that only cytochrome P450 had significantly higher O-deethylase activity with 7-ethoxycoumarin (1.78-fold) in AL-R population compared with AL-S population. Seven cytochrome P450 genes were found to be significantly overexpressed in the resistant AL-R population compared with AL-S population. Taken together, these results demonstrate that multiple over-transcribed cytochrome P450 genes would be involved in the development of lambda-cyhalothrin resistance in AL-R population.

Deltamethrin is metabolized by CYP6FU1, a cytochrome P450 associated with pyrethroid resistance, in Laodelphax striatellus

BACKGROUND

Cytochrome P450s (CYPs) are known to play a major role in metabolizing a wide range compounds. CYP6FU1 has been found to be over-expressed in a deltamethrin-resistant strain of Laodelphax striatellus. This study was conducted to express CYP6FU1 in Sf9 cells as a recombinant protein, to confirm its ability to degrade deltamethrin, chlorpyrifos, imidacloprid and traditional P450 probing substrates.

RESULTS

Carbon monoxide difference spectrum analysis indicated that the intact CYP6FU1 protein was expressed in insect Sf9 cells. Catalytic activity tests with four traditional P450 probing substrates revealed that the expressed CYP6FU1 preferentially metabolized p-nitroanisole and ethoxyresorufin, but not ethoxycoumarin and luciferin-HEGE. The enzyme kinetic parameters were tested using p-nitroanisole. The michaelis constant (K_m ) and catalytic constant (K_cat ) values were 17.51 ± 4.29 µm and 0.218 ± 0.001 pmol min^-1 mg^-1 protein, respectively. Furthermore, CYP6FU1 activity for degradation of insecticides was tested by measuring substrate depletion and metabolite formation. The chromatogram analysis showed obvious nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-dependent depletion of deltamethrin, and formation of the unknown metabolite. Mass spectra and the molecular docking model showed that the metabolite was 4-hydroxy-deltamethrin. However, the recombinant CYP6FU1 could not metabolize imidacloprid and chlorpyrifos.

CONCLUSION

These results confirmed that the over-expressed CYP6FU1 contributes to deltamethrin resistance in L. striatellus, and p-nitroanisole might be a potential diagnostic probe for deltamethrin metabolic resistance detection and monitoring. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Phylogenetic and functional characterization of ten P450 genes from the CYP6AE subfamily of Helicoverpa armigera involved in xenobiotic metabolism

The cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera, is a generalist herbivore widely distributed over the world and is a major lepidopteran pest on cotton. Studies, especially from Asia, show that it relies on cytochrome P450 monooxygenases with broad substrate specificities to protect itself from pesticides. The number of P450s may have expanded in the processes of coping with the wide diversity of phytochemicals that the insect encounters among its numerous host plants. In order to examine the metabolic capabilities of these P450s, we focused here on all ten P450s of the Helicoverpa armigera CYP6AE subfamily, which can be easily induced by plant toxins and pyrethroids. These P450s, along with cytochrome P450 reductase, were heterologously expressed in insect cells and compared functionally. In vitro metabolism showed that all CYP6AE subfamily members can convert esfenvalerate to 4'-hydroxyesfenvalerate efficiently except CYP6AE20. In contrast, none of the recombinant CYP6AE enzymes could metabolise gossypol under our experimental conditions. Epoxidation capabilities were observed in the CYP6AE subfamily, aldrin can be converted to dieldrin at rates up to 0.45 ± 0.04 pmol/min/pmol P450. Seven P450s in this subfamily can metabolise imidacloprid, but with lower efficiency than Bemisia tabaci CYP6CM1vQ. CYP6AE20 had virtually no metabolic competence to these four compounds but could metabolise several model fluorogenic substrates. These results showed the broad substrate spectrum of H. armigera CYP6AE P450s and suggest a limited role of gossypol upon the evolution of H. armigera CYP6AE genes.

High frequency of CYP337B3 gene associated with control failures of Helicoverpa armigera with pyrethroid insecticides in Brazil

Control failures with the use of pyrethroid insecticides have been reported frequently for populations of Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) in Brazil, since its detection in 2013. Here, we confirmed and investigated the metabolic mechanisms of pyrethroid resistance in H. armigera populations from Brazil. Mortality of H. armigera populations was lower than 50% at the highest dose (10μg a.i./3rd instar larva) of the pyrethroids deltamethrin and fenvalerate in dose-response bioassays. Very low mortality (10 to 40%) was obtained at a diagnostic dose of 10μg a.i./larva for each pyrethroid in H. armigera populations collected from different agricultural regions in Brazil, from 2013 to 2016. In synergist bioassays, when larvae were treated with PBO synergist, the mortality of all populations tested was 100%. The frequency of the cytochrome P450 CYP337B3 gene was above 0.95 in all populations of H. armigera. We found only fourteen heterozygous H. armigera out of 497 individuals tested for this gene subfamily. Our results indicated that H. armigera populations from Brazil have different degrees of susceptibility to deltamethrin and fenvalerate, but all populations can be considered tolerant to pyrethroid insecticides. The chimeric P450 CYP337B3 enzyme is one of the main mechanisms of pyrethroid resistance in Brazilian H. armigera populations.

Genomic innovations, transcriptional plasticity and gene loss underlying the evolution and divergence of two highly polyphagous and invasive Helicoverpa pest species

BACKGROUND

Helicoverpa armigera and Helicoverpa zea are major caterpillar pests of Old and New World agriculture, respectively. Both, particularly H. armigera, are extremely polyphagous, and H. armigera has developed resistance to many insecticides. Here we use comparative genomics, transcriptomics and resequencing to elucidate the genetic basis for their properties as pests.

RESULTS

We find that, prior to their divergence about 1.5 Mya, the H. armigera/H. zea lineage had accumulated up to more than 100 more members of specific detoxification and digestion gene families and more than 100 extra gustatory receptor genes, compared to other lepidopterans with narrower host ranges. The two genomes remain very similar in gene content and order, but H. armigera is more polymorphic overall, and H. zea has lost several detoxification genes, as well as about 50 gustatory receptor genes. It also lacks certain genes and alleles conferring insecticide resistance found in H. armigera. Non-synonymous sites in the expanded gene families above are rapidly diverging, both between paralogues and between orthologues in the two species. Whole genome transcriptomic analyses of H. armigera larvae show widely divergent responses to different host plants, including responses among many of the duplicated detoxification and digestion genes.

CONCLUSIONS

The extreme polyphagy of the two heliothines is associated with extensive amplification and neofunctionalisation of genes involved in host finding and use, coupled with versatile transcriptional responses on different hosts. H. armigera's invasion of the Americas in recent years means that hybridisation could generate populations that are both locally adapted and insecticide resistant.

A P-glycoprotein gene serves as a component of the protective mechanisms against 2-tridecanone and abamectin in Helicoverpa armigera

P-glycoprotein (P-gp) exists in animals, fungi and bacteria and likely evolved as a defense mechanism against harmful substances. Here a cDNA (4054bp) encoding a putative P-glycoprotein gene from Helicoverpa armigera was cloned and named HaPgp1. This putative HaPgp1 sequence encoded a protein of 1253 amino acids with a molecular mass of approximately 137kDa. qPCR analyses demonstrated that the expression of HaPgp1 was significantly higher in 4th instar larvae when compared to other developmental stages. HaPgp1 transcripts were more abundant in the head and fat bodies than in other tissues. Compared with the control, the expression of HaPgp1 reach a peak at 12h after the treatment by 2-tridecanone in all tissues. However, the expression of HaPgp1 increased from 12h to 48h after treatment with abamectin in all tissues. Immunohistochemistry analyses also verified that 2-tridecanone and abamectin can induce the increase of HaPgp1 expression. RNAi of HaPgp1 significantly raised the mortality rate of larvae treated by 2-tridecanone and abamectin, as compared to control larvae fed with GFP dsRNA. These results illustrate the possible involvement of HaPgp1 as a component of the protective mechanisms to plant secondary chemicals such as 2-tridecanone and to certain classes of insecticides, like abamectin.

CYP6B6 is involved in esfenvalerate detoxification in the polyphagous lepidopteran pest, Helicoverpa armigera

The cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera, is a polyphagous pest that has a strong capacity to evolve resistance against various classes of insecticides. Cytochrome P450 enzymes have been suspected involved in pyrethroid metabolism and resistance in this pest. However, how many and which P450s are involved in pyrethroid metabolism is largely unknown. In this study, CYP6B6 and NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase (HaCPR) from H. armigera were successfully co-expressed in Escherichia coli. Incubation of esfenvalerate with the recombinant CYP6B6-HaCPR monooxygenase complex revealed that CYP6B6 was able to transform esfenvalerate into 4'-hydroxy fenvalerate. Kcat and Km values for the formation of 4'-hydroxyfenvalerate by the E. coli-produced CYP6B6 were determined to be 1.65±0.11min^-1 and 4.10±0.84μM respectively. Our results demonstrate that CYP6B6 has the ability to hydroxylate esfenvalerate, thus plays a role in fenvalerate detoxification.

Population structure and gene flow in the global pest, Helicoverpa armigera

Helicoverpa armigera is a major agricultural pest that is distributed across Europe, Asia, Africa and Australasia. This species is hypothesized to have spread to the Americas 1.5 million years ago, founding a population that is at present, a distinct species, Helicoverpa zea. In 2013, H. armigera was confirmed to have re-entered South America via Brazil and subsequently spread. The source of the recent incursion is unknown and population structure in H. armigera is poorly resolved, but a basic understanding would highlight potential biosecurity failures and determine the recent evolutionary history of region-specific lineages. Here, we integrate several end points derived from high-throughput sequencing to assess gene flow in H. armigera and H. zea from populations across six continents. We first assemble mitochondrial genomes to demonstrate the phylogenetic relationship of H. armigera with other Heliothine species and the lack of distinction between populations. We subsequently use de novo genotyping-by-sequencing and whole-genome sequences aligned to bacterial artificial chromosomes, to assess levels of admixture. Primarily, we find that Brazilian H. armigera are derived from diverse source populations, with strong signals of gene flow from European populations, as well as prevalent signals of Asian and African ancestry. We also demonstrate a potential field-caught hybrid between H. armigera and H. zea, and are able to provide genomic support for the presence of the H. armigera conferta subspecies in Australasia. While structure among the bulk of populations remains unresolved, we present distinctions that are pertinent to future investigations as well as to the biosecurity threat posed by H. armigera.

Over-expression of multiple cytochrome P450 genes in fenvalerate-resistant field strains of Helicoverpa armigera from north of China

Pyrethroid resistance was one of the main reasons for control failure of cotton bollworm Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) in China. The promotion of Bt crops decreased the application of chemical insecticides in controlling H.armigera. However, the cotton bollworm still kept high levels of resistance to fenvalerate. In this study, the resistance levels of 8 field-collected strains of H. armigera from north of China to 4 insecticides, as well as the expression levels of related P450 genes were investigated. The results of bioassay indicated that the resistance levels to fenvalerate in the field strains varied from 5.4- to 114.7-fold, while the resistance levels to lambda-cyhalothrin, phoxim and methomyl were low, which were ranged from 1.5- to 5.2-, 0.2- to 1.6-, and 2.9- to 8.3- fold, respectively, compared to a susceptible strain. Synergistic experiment showed that PBO was the most effective synergist in increasing the sensitivity of H. armigera to fenvalerate, suggesting that P450 enzymes were involved in the pyrethroid resistance in the field strains. The results of quantitative RT-PCR indicated that eight P450 genes (CYP332A1, CYP4L11, CYP4L5, CYP4M6, CYP4M7, CYP6B7, CYP9A12, CYP9A14) were all significantly overexpressed in Hejian1 and Xiajin1 strains of H. armigera collected in 2013, and CYP4L5 was significantly overexpressed in all the 6 field strains collected in 2014. CYP332A1, CYP6B7 and CYP9A12 had very high overexpression levels in all the field strains, indicating their important roles in fenvalerate resistance. The results suggested that multiple P450 genes were involved in the high-level fenvalerate-resistance in different field strains of H. armigera collected from north of China.

Transcriptome and Difference Analysis of Fenpropathrin Resistant Predatory Mite, Neoseiulus barkeri (Hughes)

Several fenpropathrin-resistant predatory mites have been reported. However, the molecular mechanism of the resistance remains unknown. In the present study, the Neoseiulus barkeri (N. barkeri) transcriptome was generated using the Illumina sequencing platform, 34,211 unigenes were obtained, and 15,987 were manually annotated. After manual annotation, attentions were attracted to resistance-related genes, such as voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC), cytochrome P450s (P450s), and glutathione S-transferases (GSTs). A polymorphism analysis detected two point mutations (E1233G and S1282G) in the linker region between VGSC domain II and III. In addition, 43 putative P450 genes and 10 putative GST genes were identified from the transcriptome. Among them, two P450 genes, NbCYP4EV2 and NbCYP4EZ1, and four GST genes, NbGSTd01, NbGSTd02, NbGSTd03 and NbGSTm03, were remarkably overexpressed 3.64-46.69-fold in the fenpropathrin resistant strain compared to that in the susceptible strain. These results suggest that fenpropathrin resistance in N. barkeri is a complex biological process involving many genetic changes and provide new insight into the N. barkeri resistance mechanism.

The roles of CYP6AY1 and CYP6ER1 in imidacloprid resistance in the brown planthopper: Expression levels and detoxification efficiency

Two P450 monooxygenase genes, CYP6AY1 and CYP6ER1, were reported to contribute importantly to imidacloprid resistance in the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens. Although recombinant CYP6AY1 could metabolize imidacloprid efficiently, the expression levels of CYP6ER1 gene were higher in most resistant populations. In the present study, three field populations were collected from different countries, and the bioassay, RNAi and imidacloprid metabolism were performed to evaluate the importance of two P450s in imidacloprid resistance. All three populations, DOT (Dongtai) from China, CNA (Chainat) from Thailand and HCM (Ho Chi Minh) from Vietnam, showed high resistance to imidacloprid (57.0-, 102.9- and 89.0-fold). CYP6AY1 and CYP6ER1 were both over expressed in three populations, with highest ratio of 13.2-fold for CYP6ER1 in HCM population. Synergism test and RNAi analysis confirmed the roles of both P450 genes in imidacloprid resistance. However, CYP6AY1 was indicated more important in CNA population, and CYP6AY1 and CYP6ER1 were equal in HCM population, although the expression level of CYP6ER1 (13.2-fold) was much higher than that of CYP6AY1 (4.11-fold) in HCM population. Although the recombinant proteins of both P450 genes could metabolize imidacloprid efficiently, the catalytic activity of CYP6AY1 (Kcat=3.627 pmol/min/pmol P450) was significantly higher than that of CYP6ER1 (Kcat=2.785 pmol/min/pmol P450). It was supposed that both P450 proteins were important for imidacloprid resistance, in which CYP6AY1 metabolized imidacloprid more efficiently and CYP6ER1 gene could be regulated by imidacloprid to a higher level.

Over-expression of CYP6A2 is associated with spirotetramat resistance and cross-resistance in the resistant strain of Aphis gossypii Glover

A laboratory-selected spirotetramat-resistant strain (SR) of cotton aphid developed 579-fold and 15-fold resistance to spirotetramat in adult aphids and 3rd instar nymphs, respectively, compared with a susceptible strain (SS) [26]. The SR strain developed high-level cross-resistance to alpha-cypermethrin and bifenthrin and very low or no cross-resistance to the other tested insecticides. Synergist piperonyl butoxide (PBO) dramatically increased the toxicity of spirotetramat and alpha-cypermethrin in the resistant strain. RT-qPCR results demonstrated that the transcriptional levels of CYP6A2 increased significantly in the SR strain compared with the SS strain, which was consistent with the transcriptome results [30]. The depletion of CYP6A2 transcripts by RNAi also significantly increased the sensitivity of the resistant aphid to spirotetramat and alpha-cypermethrin. These results indicate the possible involvement of CYP6A2 in spirotetramat resistance and alpha-cypermethrin cross-resistance in the cotton aphid. These together with other cross-resistance results have implications for the successful implementation of resistance management strategies for Aphis gossypii.

Variation in P450-mediated fenvalerate resistance levels is not correlated with CYP337B3 genotype in Chinese populations of Helicoverpa armigera

Metabolic resistance to synthetic pyrethroids in Helicoverpa   armigera has recently been associated with the chimeric cytochrome P450 enyzme CYP337B3. One variant of the latter, CYP337B3v1, accounts for 40-50 fold resistance to fenvalerate in an Australian population while a second variant, CYP337B3v2, has been associated with ~7 fold resistance to cypermethrin in a Pakistani population. Here we show that ~250-1200 fold resistance to fenvalerate in populations of the species from northern and northwestern China is largely due to P450-based metabolism, and that CYP337B3v2 is also at high frequency in these populations but absent in a susceptible control strain. However we find little correlation between the level of resistance and CYP337B3v2 frequency, either across the resistant populations studied, or over time within them. While there is variation between populations in the levels of CYP337B3v2 expression, this is not correlated with the level of resistance either. These data suggest that much of the variation in the level of fenvalerate resistance in China is explained by P450s other than CYP337B3. We also find that both the level of resistance and CYP337B3v2 frequency decline in field populations transferred to the laboratory and remained there without fenvalerate exposure, suggesting a fitness cost to both characters in the absence of the pesticide pressure. However the declines in the two characters are not well correlated across populations, again consistent with a large contribution to the variation in resistance levels from factors other than CYP337B3.

Genotype to phenotype, the molecular and physiological dimensions of resistance in arthropods

The recent accumulation of molecular studies on mutations in insects, ticks and mites conferring resistance to insecticides, acaricides and biopesticides is reviewed. Resistance is traditionally classified by physiological and biochemical criteria, such as target-site insensitivity and metabolic resistance. However, mutations are discrete molecular changes that differ in their intrinsic frequency, effects on gene dosage and fitness consequences. These attributes in turn impact the population genetics of resistance and resistance management strategies, thus calling for a molecular genetic classification. Mutations in structural genes remain the most abundantly described, mostly in genes coding for target proteins. These provide the most compelling examples of parallel mutations in response to selection. Mutations causing upregulation and downregulation of genes, both in cis (in the gene itself) and in trans (in regulatory processes) remain difficult to characterize precisely. Gene duplications and gene disruption are increasingly reported. Gene disruption appears prevalent in the case of multiple, hetero-oligomeric or redundant targets.

Sequence Analysis of Insecticide Action and Detoxification-Related Genes in the Insect Pest Natural Enemy Pardosa pseudoannulata

The pond wolf spider Pardosa pseudoannulata, an important natural predatory enemy of rice planthoppers, is found widely distributed in paddy fields. However, data on the genes involved in insecticide action, detoxification, and response are very limited for P. pseudoannulata, which inhibits the development and appropriate use of selective insecticides to control insect pests on rice. We used transcriptome construction from adult spider cephalothoraxes to analyze and manually identify genes enconding metabolic enzymes and target receptors related to insecticide action and detoxification, including 90 cytochrome P450s, 14 glutathione S-transferases (GSTs), 17 acetylcholinesterases (AChEs), 17 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), and 17 gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors, as well as 12 glutamate-gated chloride channel (GluCl) unigenes. Sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis revealed the different subclassifications of P450s and GSTs, some important sequence diversities in nAChRs and GABA receptors, polymorphism in AChEs, and high similarities in GluCls. For P450s in P. pseudoannulata, the number of unigenes belonging to the CYP2 clade was much higher than that in CYP3 and CYP4 clades. The results differed from insects in which most P450 genes were in CYP3 and CYP4 clades. For GSTs, most unigenes belonged to the delta and sigma classes, and no epsilon GST class gene was found, which differed from the findings for insects and acarina. Our results will be useful for studies on insecticide action, selectivity, and detoxification in the spider and other related animals, and the sequence differences in target genes between the spider and insects will provide important information for the design of selective insecticides.