Cold tolerance and silencing of three cold-tolerance genes of overwintering Chinese white pine larvae

Depending on different apoptosis pathways, the effector Cscaspase-3 in Chilo suppressalis exposed to temperature and parasitic stress was induced

Apoptosis is a form of programmed cell death (PCD) that is largely triggered by caspases through both the mitochondria-dependent and mitochondria-independent pathways. The rice stem borer, Chilo suppressalis, serves as an economically important pest of rice, which is often suffered by temperature and parasitic stress under natural conditions. In the present study, effector Cscaspase-3 encoding caspase was obtained from the rice pest Chilo suppressalis. CsCaspase-3 possesses p20 and p10 subunits, two active sites, four substrate-binding sites, and two cleavage motifs. Real-time quantitative PCR showed that Cscaspase-3 was expressed at maximal levels in hemocytes; furthermore, transcription was most highly in female adults. Expression of Cscaspase-3 was induced by hot and cold temperatures, with the highest expression at 39 °C. Cscaspase-3 expression was also significantly induced at 10 h, 2 d, 5 d, and 7 d of parasitism. Flow cytometry results showed that both temperature and parasitism trigger apoptosis, but only parasitism induces apoptosis via the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway in C. suppressalis. RNAi-mediated silencing of Cscaspase-3 expression reduced C. suppressalis survival at -3 °C. This study provides a foundation for further studies of caspases in insects during biotic and abiotic stress.

Cold tolerance strategies of the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, is native to the tropical and subtropical areas of the American continent and is one of the world's most destructive insect pests and invaded Africa and spread to most of Asia in two years. Glycerol is generally used as a cryoprotectant for overwintering insects in cold areas. In many studies, the increase in glycerol as a main rapid cold hardening (RCH) factor and enhancing the supercooling point was revealed at low temperatures. There are two genes, including glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) and glycerol kinase (GK), that were identified as being associated with the glycerol synthesis pathway. In this study, one GPDH and two GK sequences (GK1 and GK2) were extracted from FAW transcriptome analysis. RNA interference (RNAi) specific to GPDH or GK1 and GK2 exhibited a significant down-regulation at the mRNA level as well as a reduction in survival rate when the RNAi-treated of FAW larvae post a RCH treatment. Following a cold period, an increase in glycerol accumulation was detected utilizing high-pressure liquid chromatography and colorimetric analysis of glycerol quantity in RCH treated hemolymph of FAW larvae. This research suggests that GPDH and GK isozymes are linked to the production of a high quantity of glycerol as an RCH factor, and glycerol as main cryoprotectant plays an important role in survival throughout the cold period in this quarantine pest studied.

Glycerol biosynthesis plays an essential role in mediating cold tolerance the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta

The red imported fire ant (RIFA), Solenopsis invicta Buren is native to South America and known as a global problematic invasive species. At low temperatures, several investigations have demonstrated an increase in glycerol as a primary rapid cold hardening (RCH) component and an increase in the supercooling point. Two genes, glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) and glycerol kinase (GK), have been identified as being involved in the glycerol production process. In this study, one GPDH and two GK sequences were extracted from RIFA transcriptome analysis (Si-GPDH, Si-GK1, and Si-GK2). All three genes were expressed in different body parts and different tissues of S. invicta that Si-GK2 showed a higher expression level than the others. According to gene expression levels by qRT-PCR analysis, the highest expression levels of three genes were observed in fat body tissues. After 1 h of exposure to low temperatures (5°C or lower), the mRNA levels of these genes significantly increased, according to expression analyses. RNA interference (RNAi) of Si-GPDH or Si-GK1 and Si-GK2 exhibited a significant downregulation at the mRNA level. The mortality rate of treated RIFA by double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) specific to GPDH and GK2 significantly increased at low temperatures. This study indicates that GPDH and GK2 as glycerol biosynthesis genes in RIFA have a high expression level to synthesize a high level of glycerol as an RCH factor and they play crucial roles in survival during the cold period.

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

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

DNA Methyltransferases Contribute to Cold Tolerance in Ticks Dermacentor silvarum and Haemaphysalis longicornis (Acari: Ixodidae)

DNA methylation, mediated by DNA methyltransferases (Dnmts), is a typical epigenetic process that plays an important role in affecting organism acclimatization and adaptation to environmental changes. However, information about Dnmts and their associations with the cold tolerance of ticks remains meager. Hence, in the present study, the Dnmts in important vector ticks Dermacentor silvarum and Haemaphysalis longicornis were cloned and identified, and their functions in cold response were further explored. Results showed that the length of DsDnmt and DsDnmt1 in D. silvarum, and HlDnmt1 and HlDnmt in H. longicornis were 1,284, 549, 1,500, and 1,613 bp, respectively. Bioinformatics in protein analysis revealed that they were all unstable hydrophilic proteins and were mainly characterized with Dcm (DNA cytosine methyltransferase domain), Dnmt1-RFD (DNA methyltransferase replication foci domain), zf-CXXC (zinc finger-CXXC domain), and BAH (Bromo adjacent homology domain). The relative expression of these Dnmts was reduced after cold treatment for 3 days (P < 0.05), and increased with the extension of treatment. Western blot revealed that Dnmt1 decreased first and then increased significantly (P < 0.05) in both tick species, whereas other Dnmts fluctuated at varying degrees. RNA interference significantly silenced the genes Dnmts (P < 0.01), and mortality increased significantly (P < 0.05), when exposed to sub-lethal temperature, underscoring the important roles of Dnmts during the cold response of D. silvarum and H. longicornis. The above results lay the foundation for further understanding of the epigenetic regulation of DNA methylation in cold acclimatization and adaptation of ticks.

Climate Mismatch between Introduced Biological Control Agents and Their Invasive Host Plants: Improving Biological Control of Tropical Weeds in Temperate Regions

Simple Summary

Mismatched distributions between biological control agents and their host plants occur for a variety of reasons but are often linked to climate, specifically differences in their low-temperature tolerances. How to measure and use low-temperature tolerances of control agents to inform agent prioritization, selection for redistribution, or predict efficacy is vitally important, but has not been previously synthesized in a single source. We discuss causes of climate mismatches between agents and target weeds, the traditional and non-traditional approaches that could be used to decrease the degree of mismatch and improve control, and regulatory issues to consider when taking such approaches. We also discuss the variety of cold tolerance metrics, their measurement and ecological value, and the types of modeling that can be carried out to improve predictions about potential distributions of agents. We also briefly touch on molecular bases for cold tolerance and opportunities for improving cold tolerance of agents using modern molecular tools.

Abstract

Many weed biological control programs suffer from large-scale spatial variation in success due to restricted distributions or abundances of agents in temperate climates. For some of the world’s worst aquatic weeds, agents are established but overwintering conditions limit their survival in higher latitudes or elevations. The resulting need is for new or improved site- or region-specific biological control tools. Here, we review this challenge with a focus on low-temperature limitations of agents and propose a roadmap for improving success. Investigations across spatial scales, from global (e.g., foreign exploration), to local (selective breeding), to individual organisms (molecular modification), are discussed. A combination of traditional (foreign) and non-traditional (introduced range) exploration may lead to the discovery and development of better-adapted agent genotypes. A multivariate approach using ecologically relevant metrics to quantify and compare cold tolerance among agent populations is likely required. These data can be used to inform environmental niche modeling combined with mechanistic modeling of species’ fundamental climate niches and life histories to predict where, when, and at what abundance agents will occur. Finally, synthetic and systems biology approaches in conjunction with advanced modern genomics, gene silencing and gene editing technologies may be used to identify and alter the expression of genes enhancing cold tolerance, but this technology in the context of weed biological control has not been fully explored.

Selection of reference genes for normalization of RT-qPCR data in gene expression studies in Anthonomus eugenii Cano (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

The pepper weevil, Anthonomus eugenii Cano (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is the main insect pest of peppers (Capsicum spp.) throughout the southern U.S. and a potential target for novel control methods that may require gene expression analyses. Careful selection of adequate reference genes to normalize RT-qPCR data is an important prerequisite for gene expression studies since the expression stability of reference genes can be affected by the experimental conditions leading to biased or erroneous results. The lack of studies on validation of reference genes for RT-qPCR analysis in A. eugenii limits the investigation of gene expression, therefore it is needed a systematic selection of suitable reference genes for data normalization. In the present study, three programs (BestKeeper, geNorm and NormFinder) were used to analyze the expression stability of candidate reference genes (β-ACT, ArgK, EF1-α, GAPDH, RPL12, RPS23, α-TUB, 18S and 28S) in A. eugenii under different experimental conditions. Our results revealed that the most stably expressed reference genes in A. eugenii varied according to the experimental condition evaluated: developmental stages (EF1-α, 18S and RPL12), sex (RPS23 and RPL12), low temperature (GAPDH and α-TUB), high temperature (α-TUB and RPS23), all temperatures (α-TUB and GAPDH), starvation (RPL12 and α-TUB), and dsRNA exposure (α-TUB and RPL12). Our study provides for the first time valuable information on appropriate reference genes that can be used in the analysis of gene expression by RT-qPCR in biological experiments involving A. eugenii.

Dynamic transcriptome profiling exploring cold tolerance in forensically important blow fly, Aldrichina grahami (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

Background

Aldrichina grahami (Diptera: Calliphoridae) is a forensically important fly, which has been widely applied to practical legal investigations. Unlike other necrophagous flies, A. grahami exhibits cold tolerance which helps to maintain its activity during low-temperature months, when other species are usually not active. Hence, A. grahami is considered an important forensic insect especially in cold seasons. In this study, we aim to explore the molecular mechanisms of cold tolerance of A. grahami through transcriptome.

Results

We collected eggs and larvae (first-instar, second-instar and third-instar) at three different temperatures (4 °C, 12 °C and 20 °C) and performed RNA-seq analyses. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with the cold-tolerance were screened out. The Venn analysis of DEGs from egg to third-instar larvae at three different temperatures showed there were 9 common genes. Candidate biological processes and genes were identified which refer to growth, and development of different temperatures, especially the chitin and cuticle metabolic process. The series-clusters showed crucial and unique trends when the temperature changed. Moreover, by comparing the results of growth and developmental transcriptomes from different temperatures, we found that DEGs belonging to the family of larval cuticle proteins (LCP), pupal cuticle protein (CUP), and heat shock proteins (HSP) have certain differences.

Conclusions

This study identified functional genes and showed differences in the expression pattern of diverse temperatures. The DEGs series-clusters with increasing or decreasing trends were analyzed which may play an important role in cold-tolerance. Moreover, the findings in LCP, CUP and HSP showed more possible modulations in a cold environment. This work will provide valuable information for the future investigation of the molecular mechanism of cold tolerance in A. grahami.

Autumn shifts in cold tolerance metabolites in overwintering adult mountain pine beetles

The mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is a major forest pest of pines in western North America. Beetles typically undergo a one-year life cycle with larval cold hardening in preparation for overwintering. Two-year life cycle beetles have been observed but not closely studied. This study tracks cold-hardening and preparation for overwintering by adult mountain pine beetles in their natal galleries. Adults were collected in situ between September and December 2016 for a total of nine time points during 91 days. Concentrations of 41 metabolites in these pooled samples were assessed using quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Levels of glycerol and proline increased significantly with lowering temperature during the autumn. Newly eclosed mountain pine beetles appear to prepare for winter by generating the same cold-tolerance compounds found in other insect larvae including mountain pine beetle, but high on-site mortality suggested that two-year life cycle adults have a less efficacious acclimation process. This is the first documentation of cold acclimation metabolite production in overwintering new adult beetles and is evidence of physiological plasticity that would allow evolution by natural selection of alternate life cycles (shortened or lengthened) under a changing climate or during expansion into new geoclimatic areas.

Identification, Expression Patterns and RNA Interference of Aquaporins in Dendroctonus armandi (Coleoptera: Scolytinae) Larvae During Overwintering

The ability to survive annual temperature minima could be a key determinant of distribution limits for insects under global climate change. Recent studies have suggested that insect aquaporins are indispensable for cellular water management under conditions that lead to dehydration and cold stress. Aquaporins are integral membrane water channel proteins in the major intrinsic protein superfamily and promote selected solutes and the movement of water across biological membranes. We cloned and characterized nine full-length aquaporins from Dendroctonus armandi (DaAqps), the most destructive forest pest in the Qinling Mountains of Shaanxi Province, China. Eight of the DaAqps belong to three classical aquaporin grades, including the Drosophila integral protein, the Pyrocoelia rufa integral protein, the entomoglyceroporins and one that belongs to the unorthodox grade of aquaporin 12-like channels. The DaAqps were increasingly expressed during different developmental stages and in different larval tissues, and expression peaked in mid-winter. They were tested under cold conditions for different lengths of time, and the expression of almost all DaAqps was down regulated with decreasing temperatures and long-term exposure to cold conditions. However, when the lowest temperatures were reached, the levels were immediately upregulated. These genes indicate that cold tolerance can improve through mortality responses at low temperatures after RNA interference of DaAqps. In our study, we analyzed the molecular response, expression patterns, and RNA interference of DaAqps and clarified the crucial role of protective compounds (aquaporins) underlying D. armandi cold tolerance and provide a new pest control method.

Transcriptomic analysis of the hepatopancreas induced by eyestalk ablation in shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei

Although eyestalk ablation (ESA) is currently considered the most effective method to facilitate molting and maturation, its physiological responses are still not clearly explained in decapod crustaceans. In this study, we analyzed the hepatopancreatic transcriptomes of Litopenaeus vannamei after ESA using the Illumina Miseq platform. After screening 53,029 contigs with high cutoff values (fold change>|10|; P-value<0.05; RPKM>1), we were able to identify 105 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), of which 100 were up-regulated and five were down-regulated. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis showed that many DEGs were involved in the synthetic pathways for glycerol and trehalose, which are known to function as the major protectants under conditions of low temperature and osmotic stress in arthropods. Additional analysis of the other DEGs enabled us to classify them in four categories: immunity; cellular trafficking; transcriptional regulation; molting and maturation. Many DEGs were involved in immunity and stress responses, in particular the proPO activation system, which is the major immune and wound-healing system in arthropods. In addition to immunity and stress responses, we were also able to identify DEGs involved in molting and maturation processes (e.g., group I chitinase), as well as those involved in hormone metabolism and trafficking. Collectively, based on the transcriptomic analysis, ESA causes not only stress and immune responses, but also molting and maturation in L. vannamei. The DEGs identified in this study could be useful markers to understand the physiological responses that ESA induces in shrimp, such as molting, maturation, and immunity.