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Vatanparast M, Esmaeily M, Stanley D, Kim Y. A PLA2 deletion mutant using CRISPR/Cas9 coupled to RNASeq reveals insect immune genes associated with eicosanoid signaling. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0304958. [PMID: 39018338 PMCID: PMC11253937 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0304958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Eicosanoids mediate insect immune responses and synthesized by the catalytic activity of phospholipase A2 (PLA2). A uniquely encoded secretory PLA2 (sPLA2) is associated with immune responses of a lepidopteran insect, Spodoptera exigua. Its deletion mutant was generated using a CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology. Both wild and mutant lines were then immune-challenged, and the resulting transcripts were compared with their naïve transcripts by RNASeq using the Illumina-HiSeq platform. In total, 12,878 unigenes were further analyzed by differentially expressed gene tools. Over 69% of the expressed genes in S. exigua larvae are modulated in their expression levels by eicosanoids, recorded from CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis against an eicosanoid-synthetic gene, Se-sPLA2. Further, about 36% of the immune-associated genes are controlled by the eicosanoids in S. exigua. Indeed, the deletion mutant suffered significant immunosuppression in both cellular and humoral responses in response to bacterial challenge as well as severely reduced developmental and reproductive potentials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Vatanparast
- Department of Plant Medicals, Andong National University, Andong, Korea
- Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Epigenetics and RNAi Lab, Institute for Biosafety in Plant Biotechnology, Julius Kühn Institute (JKI), Quedlinburg, Germany
| | - Mojtaba Esmaeily
- Department of Plant Medicals, Andong National University, Andong, Korea
| | - David Stanley
- USDA/Agricultural Research Service, Biological Control of Insects Research Laboratory, Columbia, MO, United States of America
| | - Yonggyun Kim
- Department of Plant Medicals, Andong National University, Andong, Korea
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Ali S, Zhang X, Gao T, Hamid Bashir M, Wang X. Comparative transcriptome analysis reveals disruption of Plutella xylostella immune system by fungal peptide cyclosporin C. J Invertebr Pathol 2024; 206:108156. [PMID: 38901686 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2024.108156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
The diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella), a major threat to crucifers across the globe, has developed resistance against the majority of insecticides enhancing the need for alternate control measures against this pest. Recently cyclosporin C, a secondary metabolite produced by the insect pathogenic fungus Purpeocillium lilacinum, has been reported to induce lethal and sub-lethal effects against P. xylostella. To date, little is known about the molecular mechanisms of interaction between cyclosporin C and P. xylostella immune systems. This study reports the transcriptome-based immune response of P. xylostella to cyclosprin C treatment. Our results showed differential expression of 322, 97, and 504 differentially expressed genes (DEGS) in P. xylostella treated with cyclosporin C compared to control 24, 48, and 72 h post-treatment, respectively. Thirteen DEGs were commonly expressed at different time intervals in P. xylostella larvae treated with cyclosporin C compared to control. Cyclosporin C treatment induced the down-regulated expression of majority of immune-related genes related to pattern recognition responses, signal modulation, Toll and IMD pathways, antimicrobial peptides and antioxidant responses confirming the ability to suppress immune response of P. xylostella. These results will further improve our knowledge of the infection mechanism and complex biochemical processes involved in interaction between cyclosporin C and insect immune systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaukat Ali
- College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China; Engineering Research Center of Biological Control, Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
| | - Xiaochen Zhang
- College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China; Engineering Research Center of Biological Control, Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
| | - Tianxiang Gao
- College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China; Engineering Research Center of Biological Control, Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
| | | | - Xingmin Wang
- College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China; Engineering Research Center of Biological Control, Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
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Hafeez M, Mc Donnell R, Colton A, Howe D, Denver D, Martin RC, Choi MY. Immune-Related Gene Profiles and Differential Expression in the Grey Garden Slug Deroceras reticulatum Infected with the Parasitic Nematode Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita. INSECTS 2024; 15:311. [PMID: 38786867 PMCID: PMC11122010 DOI: 10.3390/insects15050311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
The grey garden slug (Deroceras reticulatum), a common terrestrial slug native to Europe with a global distribution including North America, is commonly considered the most severe slug pest in agriculture. The nematode Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita, which has been used in the U.K. and Europe as a commercial biocontrol agent since 1994, has also recently been collected in Oregon and California and has long been considered a candidate biocontrol agent for slug management in the U.S. In this study, we report differential gene expressions in nematode-infected slugs using RNA-seq to identify slug immune-related genes against nematodes. Comparison of gene expression levels between the whole bodies of a nematode-infected slug (N-S) and an uninfected control slug (C-S) revealed that there were a total of 39,380 regulated unigenes, of which 3084 (3%) were upregulated and 6761 (6%) were downregulated at greater than 2-fold change (FC > 2) in the nematode-infected slug. To further investigate the biological functions of differentially expressed genes (DEGs), gene ontology (GO) and functional enrichment analysis were performed to map the DEGs to terms in the GO, eukaryotic ortholog groups of proteins (KOG) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genome Pathway (KEGG) databases. Among these DEGs, approximately 228 genes associated with immunity or immune-related pathways were upregulated 2-fold or more in the N-S compared to C-S. These genes include toll, Imd, JNK, scavenger receptors (SCRs), C-type lectins (CTLs), immunoglobulin-like domains, and JAK/STAT63 signaling pathways. From the RNA-seq results, we selected 18 genes and confirmed their expression levels by qRT-PCR. Our findings provide insights into the immune response of slugs during nematode infection. These studies provide fundamental information that will be valuable for the development of new methods of pest slug control using pathogenic nematodes in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Hafeez
- USDA-ARS, Horticultural Crops Disease and Pest Management Research Unit, Corvallis, OR 97330, USA;
- Department of Horticulture, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA;
| | - Rory Mc Donnell
- Department of Crop and Soil Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA; (R.M.D.); (A.C.)
| | - Andrew Colton
- Department of Crop and Soil Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA; (R.M.D.); (A.C.)
| | - Dana Howe
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA; (D.H.); (D.D.)
| | - Dee Denver
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA; (D.H.); (D.D.)
| | - Ruth C. Martin
- Department of Horticulture, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA;
| | - Man-Yeon Choi
- USDA-ARS, Horticultural Crops Disease and Pest Management Research Unit, Corvallis, OR 97330, USA;
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Wang J, Hu H, Pang S, Yin X, Cao B, Huang J, Xu X, Weng Q, Hu Q. Destruxin A inhibits the hemocytin-mediated hemolymph immunity of host insects to facilitate Metarhizium infection. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113686. [PMID: 38219149 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113686] [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: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Insects have an effective innate immune system to protect themselves against fungal invasion. Metarhizium employs a toxin-based strategy using a nonribosomal peptide called destruxin A (DA) to counteract the host immune response. However, the mechanism by which DA inhibits insect immunity is still unclear. Here, we identified 48 DA-binding proteins in silkworm hemolymph, with the binding affinity (KD) ranging from 2 to 420 μM. Among these proteins, hemocytin, an important immune factor, was determined to be the strongest DA-binding protein. DA binds to hemocytin and regulates its conformation in a multisite manner. Furthermore, DA exerts a significant inhibitory effect on hemocytin-mediated hemocyte aggregation. By disrupting the interaction between hemocytin, actin A3, and gelsolin, DA prevents the transformation of granules into vesicles in hemocytes. These vesicles are responsible for storing, maturing, and exocytosing hemocytin. Therefore, hemocytin secretion is reduced, and the formation of structures that promote aggregation in outer hemocytes is inhibited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Wang
- College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Wushan RD483, Tianhe, Guangzhou, China; College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Wushan RD483, Tianhe, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hongwang Hu
- College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Wushan RD483, Tianhe, Guangzhou, China
| | - Suyun Pang
- College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Wushan RD483, Tianhe, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xuyu Yin
- College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Wushan RD483, Tianhe, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bihao Cao
- College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Wushan RD483, Tianhe, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jilei Huang
- Instrumental Analytical and Research Center, South China Agricultural University, Wushan RD483, Tianhe, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoli Xu
- Instrumental Analytical and Research Center, South China Agricultural University, Wushan RD483, Tianhe, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qunfang Weng
- College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Wushan RD483, Tianhe, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qiongbo Hu
- College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Wushan RD483, Tianhe, Guangzhou, China.
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Hrithik MTH, Kim Y. Immune responses of the Asian onion moth, Acrolepiopsis sapporensis, and their genetic factors from RNA-Seq analysis. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 114:1-21. [PMID: 37459157 DOI: 10.1002/arch.22038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
A nonmodel insect, Acrolepiopsis sapporensis, has been analyzed in immune responses. The total hemocytes in the fifth instar larvae were 2.33 × 106 cells/mL. These hemocytes comprised at least five different types and different relative ratios: 47% granulocytes, 26% plasmatocytes, 11% oenocytoid, 8% prohemocytes, and 5% spherulocytes. Upon bacterial challenge, some of the hemocytes exhibited typical hemocyte-spreading behaviors, such as focal adhesion, and filopodial and lamellipodial cytoplasmic extensions. The hemocyte behaviors induced cellular immune responses demonstrated by nodule formation. In addition, the plasma collected from the immune-challenged larvae exhibited humoral immune responses by bacterial growth inhibition along with enhanced phenoloxidase enzyme activity. These cellular and humoral immune responses were further analyzed by determining the immune-associated genes from a transcriptome generated by RNA-Seq. A total of about 12 Gb sequences led to about 218,116 contigs, which were predicted to encode about 46,808 genes. Comparative expression analysis showed 8392 uniquely expressed genes in the immune-challenged larvae. Differentially expressed gene (DEG) analysis among the commonly expressed genes indicated that 782 genes were upregulated and 548 genes were downregulated in the expressions after bacterial challenge. These immune-associated genes included pattern recognition receptors, immune mediation/signaling genes, and various immune effectors. Specifically, the genetic components of the Toll, IMD, and JAK/STAT immune signaling pathways were included in the DEG database. These results demonstrate the immune responses of A. sapporensis larvae and suggest the genes associated with the immune responses in this nonmodel insect.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yonggyun Kim
- Department of Plant Medicals, Andong National University, Andong, Korea
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Wang J, Weng Q, Zhang K, Hu Q. Binding proteins of destruxin A from Metarhizium against insect cell. BMC Microbiol 2023; 23:96. [PMID: 37016280 PMCID: PMC10071776 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-023-02843-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Destruxin A (DA) is a cyclo-hexadepsipeptidic insecticidal mycotoxin isolated from the entomopathogenic fungi, Metarhizium spp. However, its mode of action is unknown. In this study, we isolated 149 candidate DA-binding proteins by drug affinity response target stability, and determined the interactions of 80 canditates with DA in vitro by surface plasmon resonance. The affinity coefficients (KD) ranged from 24 to 469 μM. Binding proteins were functionally diverse and included cytoskeletal components and cell motility, protein transcription and translation pathways, ubiquitin dependent protein metabolic processes, nucleus pore entry and exit, and endoplasmic reticulum vesicle transport and etc. Electron microscopy revealed that DA damaged the cytoskeleton and multiple organelles, disrupted cell adhesion and motility, and led to cell death. DA appeared to have a multi-targeted approach to cellular structures and multiple life processes, leading to cell death. The results of this study could provide molecular evidence for the analysis of the insecticidal toxicology of DA and further improve the study of the pathogenic insect mechanism of Metarhizium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide; Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
- College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Qunfang Weng
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide; Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Ke Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide; Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Qiongbo Hu
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide; Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
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Galarza JA, Murphy L, Mappes J. Antibiotics accelerate growth at the expense of immunity. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20211819. [PMID: 34666517 PMCID: PMC8527196 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.1819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibiotics have long been used in the raising of animals for agricultural, industrial or laboratory use. The use of subtherapeutic doses in diets of terrestrial and aquatic animals to promote growth is common and highly debated. Despite their vast application in animal husbandry, knowledge about the mechanisms behind growth promotion is minimal, particularly at the molecular level. Evidence from evolutionary research shows that immunocompetence is resource-limited, and hence expected to trade off with other resource-demanding processes, such as growth. Here, we ask if accelerated growth caused by antibiotics can be explained by genome-wide trade-offs between growth and costly immunocompetence. We explored this idea by injecting broad-spectrum antibiotics into wood tiger moth (Arctia plantaginis) larvae during development. We follow several life-history traits and analyse gene expression (RNA-seq) and bacterial (r16S) profiles. Moths treated with antibiotics show a substantial depletion of bacterial taxa, faster growth rate, a significant downregulation of genes involved in immunity and significant upregulation of growth-related genes. These results suggest that the presence of antibiotics may aid in up-keeping the immune system. Hence, by reducing the resource load of this costly process, bodily resources may be reallocated to other key processes such as growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan A. Galarza
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Survontie, 9, P.C. 40500, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Liam Murphy
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Survontie, 9, P.C. 40500, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Johanna Mappes
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Survontie, 9, P.C. 40500, Jyväskylä, Finland
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Program, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Viikki Biocenter 3, FIN-00014, University of Helsinki, Finland
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Ma S, Ma T, Ren M, Li H, Ma Z. Insecticidal action of the botanical insecticide wilforine on Mythimna separata (Walker) related with the changes of ryanodine receptor expression. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2021; 213:112025. [PMID: 33578098 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2021.112025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The detailed molecular mechanism of wilforine, a novel botanical insecticidal component, remains unclear, except for the knowledge that it affects the calcium signaling pathway. The aim of the current study was to examine the underlying molecular mechanism of wilforine in Mythimna separata (Walker) by transcriptome and RNA interference (RNAi), with chlorantraniliprole as control. RNA sequencing showed that the relative expression of genes related to the calcium signaling pathway and muscle contraction in M. separata treated with wilforine significantly changed and was further validated by qRT-PCR. Interestingly, the expression level of the ryanodine receptor (MsRyR) gene was downregulated by wilforine at relatively high concentrations and long treatment time, contrary to that observed using chlorantraniliprole. Furthermore, a putative MsRyR was cloned using a 16,258-bp contiguous sequence containing a 308-bp 5'-untranslated region and 578-bp 3'-untranslated region by RT-PCR and RACE. The results of the RNAi experiment showed that injection of dsMsRyR significantly reduced MsRyR mRNA levels, and growth and development were inhibited. Importantly, silencing of the MsRyR gene resulted in decreased susceptibility to both wilforine and chlorantraniliprole. Together with the results of our previous studies on toxic symptoms and muscle tissue lesions between wilforine and chlorantraniliprole, we propose that RyR Ca2+ release channel dysfunction is closely related with significant lethal mechanisms of wilforine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shujie Ma
- College of Plant Protection, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province 712100, China; College of Plant Protection, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, Hebei Province 071001, China
| | - Ting Ma
- College of Plant Protection, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province 712100, China
| | - Meiru Ren
- College of Plant Protection, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, Hebei Province 071001, China
| | - Hai Li
- College of Plant Protection, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province 712100, China
| | - Zhiqing Ma
- College of Plant Protection, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province 712100, China.
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Roy MC, Kim Y. sPLA 2 behaves like a prophylactic agent and mediates cellular and humoral immune responses in Plutella xylostella. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 104:e21670. [PMID: 32196735 DOI: 10.1002/arch.21670] [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: 01/30/2020] [Revised: 03/07/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Most immune effectors are inducible to microbial pathogen infection while some are already present to act as prophylactic immunity against as yet unseen infection. This study identified secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2 ) as a prophylactic factor in diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella. Western blotting using a polyclonal antibody raised against other lepidopteran sPLA2 reacted specifically with ∼25 kDa protein, which was present at approximately 0.4 mM in the plasma of naïve larvae. Interrogation of P. xylostella transcriptomes revealed an open-reading frame for sPLA2 (Px-sPLA2 ), exhibiting high homology with other Group III sPLA2 s. Px-sPLA2 was expressed in all developmental stages. In the larval stage, bacterial challenge induced its expression in hemocytes and fat body but not in gut or epidermis. RNA interference (RNAi) suppressed Px-sPLA2 messenger RNA level and sPLA2 activity in plasma. An inhibition zone assay showed that Px-sPLA2 exhibited antibacterial activities against different species, because specific RNAi knockdown impaired the activity. The RNAi treatment also suppressed the cellular immune response assessed by hemocyte nodule formation and humoral immune response assessed by antimicrobial peptide gene expression. Finally, benzylideneacetone (BZA, a specific sPLA2 inhibitor) treatment inhibited plasma sPLA2 activity of naive larvae in a dose-dependent manner. An addition of BZA significantly increased the bacterial virulence of an entomopathogen, Bacillus thuringiensis. These results suggest that Px-sPLA2 is an immune-associated factor of P. xylostella and its relatively high level of concentration in the plasma of naive larvae strongly suggests its role as a prophylactic factor in defending against pathogens at early infection stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miltan Chandra Roy
- Department of Plant Medicals, Andong National University, Andong, South Korea
| | - Yonggyun Kim
- Department of Plant Medicals, Andong National University, Andong, South Korea
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Shakeel M, Xu X, De Mandal S, Jin F. Role of serine protease inhibitors in insect-host-pathogen interactions. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 102:e21556. [PMID: 31050038 DOI: 10.1002/arch.21556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2019] [Revised: 04/03/2019] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Serine protease inhibitors (serpins), evolutionary old, structurally conserved molecules, are a superfamily of proteins found in almost all living organisms. Serpins are relatively large, typically 350-500 amino acids in length, with three β-sheets and seven to nine α-helices folding into a conserved tertiary structure with a reactive center loop. Serpins perform various physiological functions in insects, including development, digestion, host-pathogen interactions, and innate immune response. In insects, the innate immune system is characterized as the first and major defense system against the invasion of microorganisms. Serine protease cascades play a critical role in the initiation of innate immune responses, such as melanization and the production of antimicrobial peptides, and are strictly and precisely regulated by serpins. Herein, we provide a microreview on the role of serpins in the insect-host-pathogen interactions, emphasizing their role in immune responses, particularly in diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella), highlighting the important discoveries and also the gaps that remain to be explored in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Shakeel
- Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Creation and Application, Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoxia Xu
- Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Creation and Application, Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Surajit De Mandal
- Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Creation and Application, Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fengliang Jin
- Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Creation and Application, Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
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Effects of Destruxin A on Silkworm's Immunophilins. Toxins (Basel) 2019; 11:toxins11060349. [PMID: 31216655 PMCID: PMC6628623 DOI: 10.3390/toxins11060349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Revised: 06/09/2019] [Accepted: 06/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Destruxin A (DA), a major secondary metabolite of Metarhizium anisopliae, has anti-immunity to insects. However, the detailed mechanism and its interactions with target proteins are elusive. Previously, three immunophilins, peptidyl–prolyl cis–trans isomerase (BmPPI), FK506 binding-protein 45 (BmFKBP45) and BmFKBP59 homologue, were isolated from the silkworm, Bombyx mori Bm12 cell line following treatment with DA, which suggested that these proteins were possible DA-binding proteins. To validate the interaction between DA and the three immunophilins, we performed bio-layer interferometry (BLI) assay, and the results showed that DA has interaction with BmPPI, whose affinity constant value is 1.98 × 10−3 M and which has no affinity with FKBP45 and FKBP59 homologue in vitro. Furthermore, we investigated the affinity between DA and human PPI protein (HsPPIA) and the affinity constant (KD) value is 2.22 × 10−3 M. Additionally, we compared the effects of silkworm and human PPI proteins produced by DA and immunosuppressants, cyclosporine A (CsA), and tacrolimus (FK506), by employing I2H (insect two-hybrid) in the SF-9 cell line. The results indicated that in silkworm, the effects created by DA and CsA were stronger than FK506. Furthermore, the effects created by DA in silkworm were stronger than those in humans. This study will offer new thinking to elucidate the molecular mechanism of DA in the immunity system of insects.
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BmTudor-sn Is a Binding Protein of Destruxin A in Silkworm Bm12 Cells. Toxins (Basel) 2019; 11:toxins11020067. [PMID: 30682818 PMCID: PMC6409614 DOI: 10.3390/toxins11020067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Revised: 01/20/2019] [Accepted: 01/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Destruxin A (DA), a hexa-cyclodepsipeptidic mycotoxin secreted by the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae, was reported to have an insecticidal effect and anti-immunity activity. However, its molecular mechanism of action remains unclear. Previously, we isolated several potential DA-affinity (binding) proteins in the Bombyx mori Bm12 cell line. By docking score using MOE2015, we selected three proteins—BmTudor-sn, BmPiwi, and BmAGO2—for further validation. First, using Bio-Layer Interferometry in vitro, we found that BmTudor-sn had an affinity interaction with DA at 125, 250, and 500 µM, while BmPiwi and BmAGO2 had no interaction signal with DA. Second, we employed standard immunoblotting to verify that BmTudor-sn is susceptible to DA, but BmPiwi and BmAGO2 are not. Third, to verify these findings in vivo, we used a target engagement strategy based on shifts in protein thermal stability following ligand binding termed the cellular thermal shift assay and found no thermal stability shift in BmPiwi and BmAGO2, whereas a shift was found for BmTudor-sn. In addition, in BmTudor-sn knockdown Bm12 cells, we observed that cell viability increased under DA treatment. Furthermore, insect two-hybrid system results indicated that the key site involved in DA binding to BmTudor-sn was Leu704. In conclusion, in vivo and in vitro experimental evidence indicated that BmTudor-sn is a binding protein of DA in silkworm Bm12 cells at the 100 µM level, and the key site of this interaction is Leu704. Our results provide new perspectives to aid in elucidating the molecular mechanism of action of DA in insects and developing new biopesticide.
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Li S, Xu X, Shakeel M, Xu J, Zheng Z, Zheng J, Yu X, Zhao Q, Jin F. Bacillus thuringiensis Suppresses the Humoral Immune System to Overcome Defense Mechanism of Plutella xylostella. Front Physiol 2018; 9:1478. [PMID: 30498450 PMCID: PMC6249373 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.01478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2018] [Accepted: 09/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Plutella xylostella has become a notorious pest of cruciferous crops all over the world. Delta-endotoxins of Bacillus thuringiensis are widely used insecticidal proteins for controlling P. xylostella. However, the interaction mechanism of B. thuringiensis with the immune system of P. xylostella, at the genomic level, is still unclear. This study explored the immune response of P. xylostella to B. thuringiensis, at different time intervals, 6 h, 12 h, 18 h, 24 h, and 36 h, by using RNA-Sequencing (RNA-Seq) and RT-qPCR. Results: In total, 167 immunity-related genes were identified and placed into different families, including pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), signal modulators, immune pathways (Toll, IMD, and JAK/STAT), and immune effectors. It is worth mentioning that the analyses of the differentially expressed immunity-related genes revealed that most of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (87, 56, 76, 67, and 73 genes) were downregulated in P. xylostella following B. thuringiensis oral infection at 6 h, 12 h, 18 h, 24 h, and 36 h. Interestingly, our RNA-Seq analysis also revealed reduced expression of antimicrobial peptides, that play a vital role in the humoral immune system of P. xylostella. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that B. thuringiensis plays a novel role in controlling P. xylostella, by suppressing the immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuzhong Li
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Innovation and Application of Guangdong Province, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoxia Xu
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Innovation and Application of Guangdong Province, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Muhammad Shakeel
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Innovation and Application of Guangdong Province, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jin Xu
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Innovation and Application of Guangdong Province, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhihua Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Innovation and Application of Guangdong Province, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jinlong Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Innovation and Application of Guangdong Province, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoqiang Yu
- Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qian Zhao
- Beijing Genomics Institute, Shenzhen, China
| | - Fengliang Jin
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Innovation and Application of Guangdong Province, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
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Shakeel M, Xu X, Xu J, Li S, Yu J, Zhou X, Xu X, Hu Q, Yu X, Jin F. Genome-Wide Identification of Destruxin A-Responsive Immunity-Related MicroRNAs in Diamondback Moth, Plutella xylostella. Front Immunol 2018; 9:185. [PMID: 29472927 PMCID: PMC5809476 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.00185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2017] [Accepted: 01/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Plutella xylostella, a global key pest, is one of the major lepidopteran pests of cruciferous vegetables owing to its strong ability of resistance development to a wide range of insecticides. Destruxin A, a mycotoxin of the entomopathogenic fungus, Metarhizium anisopliae, has broad-spectrum insecticidal effects and has been used as an alternative control strategy to reduce harmful effects of insecticides. However, microRNA (miRNA)-regulated reactions against destruxin A have not been elucidated yet. Therefore, here, to identify immunity-related miRNAs, we constructed four small RNA libraries from destruxin A-injected larvae of P. xylostella at three different time courses (2, 4, and 6 h) with a control, and sequenced by Illumina. Our results showed that totally 187 known and 44 novel miRNAs were identified in four libraries by bioinformatic analysis. Interestingly, among differentially expressed known miRNAs, some conserved miRNAs, such as miR-263, miR-279, miR-306, miR-2a, and miR-308, predicted to be involved in regulating immunity-related genes, were also identified. Worthy to mention, miR-306 and miR-279 were also listed as common abundantly expressed miRNA in all treatments. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis also indicated that differentially expressed miRNAs were involved in several immunity-related signaling pathways, including toll signaling pathway, IMD signaling pathway, JAK-STAT signaling pathway, and cell adhesion molecules signaling pathway. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive report of destruxin A-responsive immunity-related miRNAs in P. xylostella. Our findings will improve in understanding the role of destruxin A-responsive miRNAs in the host immune system and would be useful to develop biological control strategies for controlling P. xylostella.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Shakeel
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Creation and Application of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoxia Xu
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Creation and Application of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jin Xu
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Creation and Application of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shuzhong Li
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Creation and Application of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jialin Yu
- Beijing Genomic Institute, Shenzhen, China
| | | | | | - Qiongbo Hu
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Creation and Application of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoqiang Yu
- School of Life Sciences, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fengliang Jin
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Creation and Application of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, China
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Xu J, Xu X, Li S, Wang S, Xu X, Zhou X, Yu J, Yu X, Shakeel M, Jin F. Genome-Wide Profiling of Plutella xylostella Immunity-Related miRNAs after Isaria fumosorosea Infection. Front Physiol 2017; 8:1054. [PMID: 29311981 PMCID: PMC5735356 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2017.01054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2017] [Accepted: 12/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of resistance by Plutella xylostella to almost all insecticides is of significant concern all over the world. Entomopathogenic fungi such as Isaria fumosorosea have been used as an alternative to insecticides. However, the knowledge of miRNA-regulated reactions against entomopathogenic fungi is still in its infant stage. In the present study, P. xylostella was challenged with I. fumosorosea at four different time points (12, 18, 24, and 36 h) including a control, to build miRNA libraries by Illumina sequencing. The results of differential expression analysis exhibited that 23 miRNAs were differentially expressed, compared to control, in all treatments. It is worth mentioning, of these, some conserved miRNAs such as miR-2, miR-9a, miR-745, miR-7b, and miR-2767, known to play critical roles in host-pathogen interaction, were also identified. Furthermore, differentially expressed miRNAs were validated by RT-qPCR. Our results provide an essential information for further functional studies of the interaction between I. fumosorosea and P. xylostella at the post-transcriptional level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Xu
- Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Creation and Application of Guangdong Province, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoxia Xu
- Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Creation and Application of Guangdong Province, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shuzhong Li
- Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Creation and Application of Guangdong Province, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shuang Wang
- Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Creation and Application of Guangdong Province, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | | | | | - Jialin Yu
- Beijing Genomic Institute, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiaoqiang Yu
- School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
| | - Muhammad Shakeel
- Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Creation and Application of Guangdong Province, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fengliang Jin
- Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Creation and Application of Guangdong Province, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
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