1
|
Yang L, Cheng Y, Wang Q, Hou J, Rong Q, Xiao C, Zhang Y, Yan J, Xia Q, Hou Y. Insights into the activation mechanism of Bm-CPA: Implications for insect molting regulation. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 173:104175. [PMID: 39134228 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 08/06/2024] [Accepted: 08/06/2024] [Indexed: 08/19/2024]
Abstract
Carboxypeptidase A has been found across various animal species, yet its activation mechanism during the insect molting process remains elusive. Our study specifically delved into the activation mechanism of carboxypeptidase A (Bm-CPA), identified in Bombyx mori's molting fluid during metamorphosis. Initially, western blotting identified two forms of Bm-CPA, 65 kDa and 54 kDa, in the epidermis of silkworms during the molting stage. Expressing the complete Bm-CPA sequence in Pichia pastoris allowed the identification, via mass spectrometry analysis, of a 75-amino-acid propeptide for the initial hydrolysis process. Subsequently, a 35 kDa form of Bm-CPA emerged in the molting fluid, confirmed as the active form through in vitro assays, demonstrating potent carboxypeptidase A activity and faint carboxypeptidase B activity. Four potential activation sites (including Lys158/Arg159 and Arg177/Arg178) were identified through mass spectrometry and amino acid mutation analysis. RNAi of Bm-CPA indicates its critical role in molting. Finally, the carboxypeptidase inhibitor (Bm-CPI) from silkworm molting fluid was expressed to explore its role in regulating Bm-CPA activity, demonstrating a direct interaction with the 35 kDa Bm-CPA. Our research implies Bm-CPA's potential involvement in the silkworm molting process, suggesting diverse regulatory roles. These findings highlight intricate protein regulation patterns during insect metamorphosis and development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lingzhen Yang
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China
| | - Yuejing Cheng
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China
| | - Qinglang Wang
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China
| | - Jianing Hou
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China
| | - Qingyu Rong
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China
| | - Chunxia Xiao
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China
| | - Yuhao Zhang
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China
| | - Jiamin Yan
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China
| | - Qingyou Xia
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China
| | - Yong Hou
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Otte KA, Fredericksen M, Fields P, Fröhlich T, Laforsch C, Ebert D. The cuticle proteome of a planktonic crustacean. Proteomics 2024; 24:e2300292. [PMID: 38676470 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.202300292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
The cuticles of arthropods provide an interface between the organism and its environment. Thus, the cuticle's structure influences how the organism responds to and interacts with its surroundings. Here, we used label-free quantification proteomics to provide a proteome of the moulted cuticle of the aquatic crustacean Daphnia magna, which has long been a prominent subject of studies on ecology, evolution, and developmental biology. We detected a total of 278 high-confidence proteins. Using protein sequence domain and functional enrichment analyses, we identified chitin-binding structural proteins and chitin-modifying enzymes as the most abundant protein groups in the cuticle proteome. Structural cuticular protein families showed a similar distribution to those found in other arthropods and indicated proteins responsible for the soft and flexible structure of the Daphnia cuticle. Finally, cuticle protein genes were also clustered as tandem gene arrays in the D. magna genome. The cuticle proteome presented here will be a valuable resource to the Daphnia research community, informing genome annotations and investigations on diverse topics such as the genetic basis of interactions with predators and parasites.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin A Otte
- Institute of Cell and Systems Biology of Animals, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Maridel Fredericksen
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Zoology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Peter Fields
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Zoology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Fröhlich
- Laboratory for Functional Genome Analysis, Gene Center, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Dieter Ebert
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Zoology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Yang L, Cheng Y, Wang Q, Dong H, Shen T, Gong J, Xia Q, Hou Y. Distinct enzyme activities of serine protease p37k in silkworm midgut and molting fluid. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 261:129778. [PMID: 38296126 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.129778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Serine proteases possess various biological functions. The serine protease p37k exhibits gelatinolytic activity in the silkworm midgut and degrades cuticular proteins in the molting fluid. In this study, we analyzed the activity changes of recombinant p37k (re-p37k) and p37k in the midgut and molting fluid of Bombyx mori. Firstly, in vitro-expressed re-p37k was activated when a 22 kDa band was observed by western blot. Re-p37k exhibits strong gelatinolytic activity, with the highest activity observed at pH 7.0-9.0 and 45 °C. Compared to p37k in the midgut, re-p37k loses thermal stability but can be restored by midgut extract or ions. E64, AEBSF, and an inhibitor cocktail inhibited the hydrolytic activity of re-p37k on epidermal proteins but did not inhibit the gelatinolytic activity. Subsequently, zymography showed that the positions of gelatinolytic band produced by p37k in the midgut and molting fluid were different, 35 kDa and 40 kDa, respectively. Finally, when heated midgut extract was added to re-p37k or molting fluid, the gelatinolytic band shifted from 40 kDa to 35 kDa, and the proteolytic activity of p37k in the molting fluid was inhibited. Collectively, our results demonstrate that p37k exhibits different activities in various tissues, suggesting its distinct tissue-specific functions during insect metamorphosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lingzhen Yang
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Yuejing Cheng
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Qinglang Wang
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Haonan Dong
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Taixia Shen
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Jing Gong
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Qingyou Xia
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Yong Hou
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Wang Q, Yang L, Tian T, Sun Y, Dong H, Gong J, Hou Y. Proteomic Analysis of the Midgut Contents of Silkworm in the Pupal Stage. INSECTS 2023; 14:953. [PMID: 38132625 PMCID: PMC10743435 DOI: 10.3390/insects14120953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
The silkworm Bombyx mori, a lepidopteran insect, possesses an 8-10-day pupal stage, during which significant changes occur in the midgut, where it first condenses into the yellow body, and then undergoes decomposition. To gain insights into this transformation process, proteomics was performed on Bombyx mori midgut contents on day 2 and day 7 after pupation. The results revealed the identification of 771 proteins with more than one unique peptide. An analysis using AgriGO demonstrated that these proteins were predominantly associated with catalytic activity. Among the identified proteins, a considerable number were found to be involved in carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid metabolism, lipid metabolism, nucleic acid degradation, and energy support. Additionally, variations in the levels of certain proteases were observed between the midgut contents on day 2 and day 7 after pupation. An in-depth analysis of the two-dimensional electrophoresis of the midgut contents on day 7 after pupation led to the identification of twelve protein spots with potential gelatinolytic activity. Among these, six proteases were identified through mass spectrometry, including the p37k protease, vitellin-degrading protease, chymotrypsin-2, etc. These proteases may be responsible for the digestion of the yellow body during the later stages of pupal development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Yong Hou
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (Q.W.); (L.Y.); (T.T.); (Y.S.); (H.D.); (J.G.)
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Xie YC, Zhang HH, Li HJ, Zhang XY, Luo XM, Jiang MX, Zhang CX. Molting-related proteases in the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 152:103893. [PMID: 36513274 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2022.103893] [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: 08/28/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Digestion and absorption of old cuticles during insect molting are necessary for new cuticle formation, during which complicated enzyme catalysis is essential. To date, a few carboxypeptidases, aminopeptidases and serine proteases (mostly trypsins) connected with cuticle digestion, zymogen activation and histological differentiation during the ecdysis of lepidopteran, dipteran and hymenopteran insects have been identified. However, little is known about these proteins in hemimetabolous insects. In this study, we identified 33 candidate trypsin and trypsin-like homologs, 14 metallocarboxypeptidase and 32 aminopeptidase genes in the brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens, a hemipteran rice pest. Among the proteins encoded by these genes, 9 trypsin-like proteases, 3 metallocarboxypeptidases and 1 aminopeptidase were selected as potential procuticle hydrolases by bioinformatics analysis and in vivo validation. RNA interference targeting these genes demonstrated that 3 trypsin-like proteases (NlTrypsin-8, NlTrypsin-29 and NlTrypsin-32) genes and 1 metallocarboxypeptidase (NlCpB) gene were found to be essential for ecdysis in N. lugens; specifically, gene silencing led to incomplete cuticle degradation and arrested ecdysis, causing lethal morphological phenotype acquisition. Spatiotemporal expression profiling by quantitative PCR and western blotting revealed their specific expression in the integument and their periodic expression during each stadium, with a peak before ecdysis and eclosion. Transmission electron microscopy demonstrated corresponding ultrastructural defects after RNAi targeting, with NlCpB-silenced specimens having the most undigested old procuticles. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that NlTrypsin-8, NlTrypsin-29 and NlCpB were predominantly located in the exuvial space. This research further adds to our understanding of proteases and its potential role in insect ecdysis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Cheng Xie
- Institute of Insect Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Hou-Hong Zhang
- Institute of Insect Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Han-Jing Li
- Institute of Insect Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Xiao-Ya Zhang
- Institute of Insect Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Xu-Mei Luo
- Institute of Insect Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Ming-Xing Jiang
- Institute of Insect Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Chuan-Xi Zhang
- Institute of Insect Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China; State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Pang R, Chen B, Wang S, Chi Y, Huang S, Xing D, Yao Q. Decreased cuticular penetration minimizes the impact of the pyrethroid insecticide λ-cyhalothrin on the insect predator Eocanthecona furcellata. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2023; 249:114369. [PMID: 36508800 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.114369] [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: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The use of broad-spectrum pesticides may reduce the biological control efficacy of predatory arthropods. Hence, the risks of pesticides to predators need to be evaluated. Here, we assessed the effects of a broad spectrum pyrethroid λ-cyhalothrin on a polyphagous predatory insect Eocanthecona furcellata via contact exposure route. The recommended application rate of λ-cyhalothrin was lower than the LR50 and HQ (in-field) was equal to 0.57, indicating the risk of λ-cyhalothrin to E. furcellata was low. Dried λ-cyhalothrin residue had no effect on the mortality, body weight, protein content of cuticle, or activities of major detoxification enzymes in E. furcellata. Residual of λ-cyhalothrin was only detected in the cuticle and legs of E. furcellata with a decreasing trend as time went by and no λ-cyhalothrin was detected inside the body. Additionally, a comparative transcriptome analysis was conducted to study global changes in gene expression in E. furcellata at different time points following exposure to λ-cyhalothrin-contaminated environment. A total of 57,839 unigenes with an average length of 1044 bp and an N50 of 1820 bp were obtained. In total, 118 and 109 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) at 12 h, and 60 h were identified between two groups. The DEGs were largely enriched in functional categories related to the structural constituent of cuticle. Accordingly, multiple cuticle protein-coding genes were up-regulated at 12 h after pesticide exposure. The present study stressed the importance of evaluating the compatibility between a specific pesticide (λ-cyhalothrin) and E. furcellata via simulating the releasing predators after insecticide application. The data could help optimize the pesticide use, optimizing the ecological services of E. furcellata as a BCA, and expanding its use into more areas of agriculture.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rui Pang
- Institute of Plant Protection, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of High Technology for Plant Protection, Guangzhou 510640, China; South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510070, China
| | - Bingxu Chen
- Institute of Plant Protection, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of High Technology for Plant Protection, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Siwei Wang
- Institute of Plant Protection, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of High Technology for Plant Protection, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Yanyan Chi
- Institute of Plant Protection, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of High Technology for Plant Protection, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Shixuan Huang
- South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Dongxu Xing
- Sericulture and Agri-Food Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510610, China
| | - Qiong Yao
- Institute of Plant Protection, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of High Technology for Plant Protection, Guangzhou 510640, China.
| |
Collapse
|