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Sassù F, Vomáčková Kykalová B, Vieira CS, Volf P, Loza Telleria E. Stability and suitability of housekeeping genes in phlebotomine sand flies. Sci Rep 2024; 14:23353. [PMID: 39375431 PMCID: PMC11458623 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-74776-9] [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: 08/07/2024] [Accepted: 09/30/2024] [Indexed: 10/09/2024] Open
Abstract
We investigated gene expression patterns in Lutzomyia and Phlebotomus sand fly vectors of leishmaniases. Using quantitative PCR, we assessed the expression stability of potential endogenous control genes commonly used in dipterans. We analyzed Lutzomyia longipalpis and Phlebotomus papatasi samples from L3 and L4 larval stages, adult sand flies of different sexes, diets, dsRNA injection, and Leishmania infection. Six genes were evaluated: actin, α-tubulin, GAPDH, 60 S ribosomal proteins L8 and L32 (RiboL8 and RiboL32), and elongation factor 1-α (EF1-α). EF1-α was among the most stably expressed along with RiboL8 in L. longipalpis larvae and RiboL32 in adults. In P. papatasi, EF1-α and RiboL32 were the top in larvae, while EF1-α and actin were the most stable in adults. RiboL8 and actin were the most stable genes in dissected tissues and infected guts. Additionally, five primer pairs designed for L. longipalpis or P. papatasi were effective in PCR with Lutzomyia migonei, Phlebotomus duboscqi, Phlebotomus perniciosus, and Sergentomyia schwetzi cDNA. Furthermore, L. longipalpis RiboL32 and P. papatasi α-tubulin primers were suitable for qPCR with cDNA from the other four species. Our research provides tools to enhance relative gene expression studies in sand flies, facilitating the selection of endogenous control for qPCR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiana Sassù
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague, 128 00, Czech Republic
| | - Barbora Vomáčková Kykalová
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague, 128 00, Czech Republic
| | - Cecilia Stahl Vieira
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague, 128 00, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Volf
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague, 128 00, Czech Republic
| | - Erich Loza Telleria
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague, 128 00, Czech Republic.
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Volpe G, Mazzucchiello SM, Rosati N, Lucibelli F, Varone M, Baccaro D, Mattei I, Di Lelio I, Becchimanzi A, Giordano E, Salvemini M, Aceto S, Pennacchio F, Saccone G. Simultaneous Silencing of Gut Nucleases and a Vital Target Gene by Adult dsRNA Feeding Enhances RNAi Efficiency and Mortality in Ceratitis capitata. INSECTS 2024; 15:717. [PMID: 39336685 PMCID: PMC11432467 DOI: 10.3390/insects15090717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2024] [Revised: 09/10/2024] [Accepted: 09/16/2024] [Indexed: 09/30/2024]
Abstract
Ceratitis capitata, known as the Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly), is a major dipteran pest significantly impacting fruit and vegetable farming. Currently, its control heavily relies mainly on chemical insecticides, which pose health risks and have effects on pollinators. A more sustainable and species-specific alternative strategy may be based on double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) delivery through feeding to disrupt essential functions in pest insects, which is poorly reported in dipteran species. Previous reports in Orthoptera and Coleoptera species suggested that dsRNA degradation by specific nucleases in the intestinal lumen is among the major obstacles to feeding-mediated RNAi in insects. In our study, we experimented with three-day adult feeding using a combination of dsRNA molecules that target the expression of the ATPase vital gene and two intestinal dsRNA nucleases. These dsRNA molecules were recently tested separately in two Tephritidae species, showing limited effectiveness. In contrast, by simultaneously feeding dsRNA against the CcVha68-1, CcdsRNase1, and CcdsRNase2 genes, we observed 79% mortality over seven days, which was associated with a decrease in mRNA levels of the three targeted genes. As expected, we also observed a reduction in dsRNA degradation following RNAi against nucleases. This research illustrates the potential of utilizing molecules as pesticides to achieve mortality rates in Medfly adults by targeting crucial genes and intestinal nucleases. Furthermore, it underscores the importance of exploring RNAi-based approaches for pest management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gennaro Volpe
- Department of Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", 80126 Naples, Italy
| | | | - Noemi Rosati
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Portici, 80055 Naples, Italy
| | - Francesca Lucibelli
- Department of Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Marianna Varone
- Department of Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Dora Baccaro
- Department of Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Ilaria Mattei
- Department of Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Ilaria Di Lelio
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Portici, 80055 Naples, Italy
| | - Andrea Becchimanzi
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Portici, 80055 Naples, Italy
| | - Ennio Giordano
- Department of Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Marco Salvemini
- Department of Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Serena Aceto
- Department of Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Francesco Pennacchio
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Portici, 80055 Naples, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Saccone
- Department of Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", 80126 Naples, Italy
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Dong R, Cao F, Yu J, Yuan Y, Wang J, Li Z, Zhu C, Li S, Li N. Selection and Validation of Reference Genes for Quantitative Real-Time PCR Analysis in Cockroach Parasitoid Tetrastichus hagenowii (Ratzeburg). INSECTS 2024; 15:668. [PMID: 39336636 PMCID: PMC11431952 DOI: 10.3390/insects15090668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2024] [Revised: 08/14/2024] [Accepted: 08/19/2024] [Indexed: 09/30/2024]
Abstract
Parasitoid wasps play a crucial role in the efficient control of pests, a substantial menace to human health and well-being. Tetrastichus hagenowii (Ratzeburg) stands out as the most effective egg parasitoid wasp for controlling American cockroaches, but accurate and stable reference genes for quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction of T. hagenowii genes are still lacking. In this study, we assessed seven candidate nuclear genes, including α-tubulin (α-TUB), elongation factor-1-alpha (EF-1α), β-actin (Actin), ribosomal protein 49 (RP49), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH), and elongation factor 2 (EF2) of T. hagenowii. By analyzing expression stability with four algorithms (Delta Ct, geNorm, NormFinder, and BestKeeper), as well as comprehensive ranking with RefFinder, we identified α-TUB as the most stable reference gene for the larval, pupal, female adult, and male adult stages. Subsequently, we estimated the transcript levels of vitellogenin (Vg) and cuticle protein (CP) after normalization with α-TUB across various developmental stages. Significantly higher expression levels of CP and Vg were observed in pupae and female adults, respectively, consistent with previous findings in other insects. This study offers a reliable reference gene for normalizing transcription levels of T. hagenowii genes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Na Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China; (R.D.); (F.C.); (J.Y.); (Y.Y.); (J.W.); (Z.L.); (C.Z.); (S.L.)
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Ortolá B, Urbaneja A, Eiras M, Pérez-Hedo M, Daròs JA. RNAi-mediated silencing of Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata) endogenous genes using orally-supplied double-stranded RNAs produced in Escherichia coli. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2024; 80:1087-1098. [PMID: 37851867 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly), Ceratitis capitata Wiedemann, is a major pest affecting fruit and vegetable production worldwide, whose control is mainly based on insecticides. Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) able to down-regulate endogenous genes, thus affecting essential vital functions via RNA interference (RNAi) in pests and pathogens, is envisioned as a more specific and environmentally-friendly alternative to traditional insecticides. However, this strategy has not been explored in medfly yet. RESULTS Here, we screened seven candidate target genes by injecting in adult medflies gene-specific dsRNA hairpins transcribed in vitro. Several genes were significantly down-regulated, resulting in increased insect mortality compared to flies treated with a control dsRNA targeting the green fluorescent protein (GFP) complementary DNA (cDNA). Three of the dsRNAs, homologous to the beta subunit of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthase (ATPsynbeta), a vacuolar ATPase (V-ATPase), and the ribosomal protein S13 (RPS13), were able to halve the probability of survival in only 48 h after injection. We then produced new versions of these three dsRNAs and that of the GFP control as circular molecules in Escherichia coli using a two-self-splicing-intron-based expression system and tested them as orally-delivered insecticidal compounds against medfly adults. We observed a significant down-regulation of V-ATPase and RPS13 messenger RNAs (mRNAs) (approximately 30% and 90%, respectively) compared with the control medflies after 3 days of treatment. No significant mortality was recorded in medflies, but egg laying and hatching reduction was achieved by silencing V-ATPase and RPS13. CONCLUSION In sum, we report the potential of dsRNA molecules as oral insecticide in medfly. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beltrán Ortolá
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universitat Politècnica de València), Valencia, Spain
| | - Alberto Urbaneja
- Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA), Centro de Protección Vegetal y Biotecnología, Moncada, Valencia, Spain
| | - Marcelo Eiras
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universitat Politècnica de València), Valencia, Spain
- Laboratório de Fitovirologia e Fisiopatologia, Instituto Biológico, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Meritxell Pérez-Hedo
- Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA), Centro de Protección Vegetal y Biotecnología, Moncada, Valencia, Spain
| | - José-Antonio Daròs
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universitat Politècnica de València), Valencia, Spain
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Ni Y, Zhang Q, Li W, Cao L, Feng R, Zhao Z, Zhao X. Selection and validation of reference genes for normalization of gene expression in Floccularia luteovirens. Fungal Biol 2024; 128:1596-1606. [PMID: 38341265 DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2023.12.005] [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: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Floccularia luteovirens is one of the rare edible fungi with high nutritional value found on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. However, research at the molecular level on this species is currently constrained due to the lack of reliable reference genes for this species. Thirteen potential reference genes (ACT, GAPDH, EF-Tu, SAMDC, UBI, CLN1, β-TUB, γ-TUB, GTP, H3, UBC, UBC-E2, and GTPBP1) were chosen for the present study, and their expression under various abiotic conditions was investigated. Stability of gene expression was tested using GeNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, Delta-Ct, and RefFinder. The results showed that the most suitable reference genes for salt treatment were ACT and EF-Tu. Under drought stress, γ-TUB and UBC-E2 would be suitable for normalization. Under oxidative stress, the reference genes H3 and GAPDH worked well. Under heat stress, the reference genes EF-Tu and γ-TUB were suggested. Under extreme pH stress, UBC-E2 and H3 were appropriate reference genes. Under cadmium stress, the reference genes ACT and UBC-E2 functioned well. In different tissues, H3 and GTPBP1 were appropriate reference genes. The optimal internal reference genes when analyzing all samples were H3 and SAMDC. The expression level of HSP90 was studied to further validate the applicability of the genes identified in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanqing Ni
- College of Food and Biological Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, 610106, Sichuan, China; Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu, 610299, Sichuan, China.
| | - Qin Zhang
- Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu, 610299, Sichuan, China; Chengdu National Agricultural Science and Technology Center, Chengdu, 610299, Sichuan, China.
| | - Wensheng Li
- College of Food and Biological Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, 610106, Sichuan, China; Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu, 610299, Sichuan, China.
| | - Luping Cao
- Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu, 610299, Sichuan, China; College of Life Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730070, Gansu, China.
| | - Rencai Feng
- Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu, 610299, Sichuan, China; Chengdu National Agricultural Science and Technology Center, Chengdu, 610299, Sichuan, China.
| | - Zhiqiang Zhao
- Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu, 610299, Sichuan, China; Chengdu National Agricultural Science and Technology Center, Chengdu, 610299, Sichuan, China.
| | - Xu Zhao
- College of Food and Biological Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, 610106, Sichuan, China; Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu, 610299, Sichuan, China; Chengdu National Agricultural Science and Technology Center, Chengdu, 610299, Sichuan, China.
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Kim TK, Waldman J, Ibanez-Carrasco F, Tirloni L, Waltero C, Calixo C, Braz GR, Mulenga A, da Silva Vaz Junior I, Logullo C. Stable internal reference genes for quantitative RT-PCR analyses in Rhipicephalus microplus during embryogenesis. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2023; 14:102251. [PMID: 37708803 PMCID: PMC10555470 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102251] [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: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Studies on the transcriptional control of gene expression are crucial to understand changes in organism's physiological or cellular conditions. To obtain reliable data on mRNA amounts and the estimation of gene expression levels, it is crucial to normalize the target gene with one or more internal reference gene(s). However, the use of constitutive genes as reference genes is controversial, as their expression patterns are sometimes more complex than previously thought. In various arthropod vectors, including ticks, several constitutive genes have been identified by studying gene expression in different tissues and life stages. The cattle tick Rhipicephalus microplus is a major vector for several pathogens and is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions globally. Tick developmental physiology is an essential aspect of research, particularly embryogenesis, where many important developmental events occur, thus the identification of stable reference genes is essential for the interpretation of reliable gene expression data. This study aimed to identify and select R. microplus housekeeping genes and evaluate their stability during embryogenesis. Reference genes used as internal control in molecular assays were selected based on previous studies. These genes were screened by quantitative PCR (qPCR) and tested for gene expression stability during embryogenesis. Results demonstrated that the relative stability of reference genes varied at different time points during the embryogenesis. The GeNorm tool showed that elongation factor 1α (Elf1a) and ribosomal protein L4 (Rpl4) were the most stable genes, while H3 histone family 3A (Hist3A) and ribosomal protein S18 (RpS18) were the least stable. The NormFinder tool showed that Rpl4 was the most stable gene, while the ranking of Elf1a was intermediate in all tested conditions. The BestKeeper tool showed that Rpl4 and cyclophilin A (CycA) were the more and less stable genes, respectively. These data collectively demonstrate that Rpl4, Elf1a, and GAPDH are suitable internal controls for normalizing qPCR during R. microplus embryogenesis. These genes were consistently identified as the most stable in various analysis methods employed in this study. Thus, findings presented in this study offer valuable information for the study of gene expression during embryogenesis in R. microplus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tae Kwon Kim
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA; Department of Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA; Laboratório de Bioquímica de Artrópodes Hematófagos, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Jéssica Waldman
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Freddy Ibanez-Carrasco
- Department of Entomology, Minnie Bell Heep Center, Texas A&M University, Suite 412, 2475 TAMU, 370 Olsen Blvd, College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, 2415 East US Highway 83, Weslaco, TX 78596, USA
| | - Lucas Tirloni
- Tick-Pathogen Transmission Unit, Laboratory of Bacteriology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Hamilton, MT, USA
| | - Camila Waltero
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Artrópodes Hematófagos, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Christiano Calixo
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Artrópodes Hematófagos, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Gloria R Braz
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia - Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Albert Mulenga
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Itabajara da Silva Vaz Junior
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia - Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
| | - Carlos Logullo
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Artrópodes Hematófagos, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil,; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia - Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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Morrow JL, Sharpe SR, Tilden G, Wyatt P, Oczkowicz S, Riegler M. Transmission modes and efficiency of iflavirus and cripavirus in Queensland fruit fly, Bactrocera tryoni. J Invertebr Pathol 2023; 197:107874. [PMID: 36574813 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2022.107874] [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: 10/08/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Infections of insects with insect-specific RNA viruses are common and can affect host fitness and health. Previously, persistent RNA virus infections were detected in tephritid fruit flies, including the Queensland fruit fly (Bactrocera tryoni), Australia's most significant horticultural pest. Their transmission modes and efficiency are unclear yet may influence virus epidemiology in field and laboratory populations. Using standard RT-PCR and RT-qPCR we detected iflavirus, cripavirus and sigmavirus in five laboratory populations recently established with field-collected B.tryoni. Virus absence in some individuals suggested that virus transmission is incomplete. Random virus segregation in an isofemale experiment resulted in the establishment of isofemale lines with and without iflavirus and cripavirus. In infected lines, viral loads normalised against host gene transcripts were variable, but did not differ between pupae and adults. Iflavirus and cripavirus were transmitted horizontally, with viruses detected (including at low viral loads) in many previously uninfected individuals after four days, and in most after 12 days cohabitation with infected flies. Iflavirus, but not cripavirus, was transmitted vertically, and surface-sterilised embryos contained high loads. Furthermore, high iflavirus loads in individual females resulted in high loads in their offspring. We demonstrated that viruses are highly prevalent in laboratory populations and that it is possible to establish and maintain uninfected fly lines for the assessment of virus transmission and host effects. This is important for pest management strategies such as the sterile insect technique which requires the mass-rearing of flies, as their fitness and performance may be affected by covert virus infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Morrow
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia.
| | - Stephen R Sharpe
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia
| | - Geraldine Tilden
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia
| | - Pauline Wyatt
- Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Queensland, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Dutton Park, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Sybilla Oczkowicz
- Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Queensland, Redden Street Research Facility, 21-23 Redden Street, Portsmith, QLD 4870, Australia
| | - Markus Riegler
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia.
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Wang Z, Zhang H, Zhang Z, Zhao J, Ma F, Zheng M, Yang M, Sang X, Ma K, Li L. Selection of Reference Genes for Normalization of qRT‒PCR Analysis in the Soybean Aphid Aphis glycines Matsumura (Hemiptera: Aphididae). JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 2022; 115:2083-2091. [PMID: 36256384 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toac162] [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: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The soybean aphid Aphis glycines Matsumura is a predominant insect pest in Asia and North America and causes great losses to soybean. The release of genome data for A. glycines will facilitate gene function research in the future. However, suitable reference genes for A. glycines under various experimental conditions are scarce. To search for appropriate reference genes for A. glycines, nine candidate reference genes, including Act, α-Tub, β-Tub, RPS12, RPS18, RPL5, RPL27, EF1α, and Fer, were tested under six experimental conditions to evaluate their suitability for use in the normalization of qRT‒PCR data. Results showed that EF1α and RPS12 were optimal for the developmental stages of A. glycines, RPS18 and RPS12 were appropriate for wing dimorphism, β-Tub and RPS18 were suitable for different tissues and RPL5, and α-Tub could be used for normalization at different temperatures. β-Tub and EF1α could be proposed as reference genes for insecticide treatment, and RPL5 and RPS12 were found to be the most stable reference genes in different photoperiods. The results provide appropriate reference genes for analyzing gene expression in A. glycines and contribute to future research on the molecular physiology and biochemistry of A. glycines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengbing Wang
- College of Life Science and Agronomy, Zhoukou Normal University, Zhoukou, China
| | - Hongfei Zhang
- College of Life Science and Agronomy, Zhoukou Normal University, Zhoukou, China
| | - Ziyi Zhang
- College of Life Science and Agronomy, Zhoukou Normal University, Zhoukou, China
| | - Jiayu Zhao
- College of Life Science and Agronomy, Zhoukou Normal University, Zhoukou, China
| | - Feilong Ma
- Key Laboratory of Plant Genetics and Molecular Breeding, Zhoukou Normal University, Zhoukou, China
| | - Manman Zheng
- College of Life Science and Agronomy, Zhoukou Normal University, Zhoukou, China
| | - Mingsheng Yang
- College of Life Science and Agronomy, Zhoukou Normal University, Zhoukou, China
| | - Xiaoyue Sang
- College of Journalism and Communication, Zhoukou Normal University, Zhoukou, China
| | - Keshi Ma
- College of Life Science and Agronomy, Zhoukou Normal University, Zhoukou, China
| | - Lili Li
- College of Life Science and Agronomy, Zhoukou Normal University, Zhoukou, China
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Pan YN, Zhao RN, Fu D, Yu C, Pan CN, Zhou W, Chen WL. Assessment of Suitable Reference Genes for qRT-PCR Normalization in Eocanthecona furcellata (Wolff). INSECTS 2022; 13:773. [PMID: 36135474 PMCID: PMC9505644 DOI: 10.3390/insects13090773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) is a widely used tool for measuring gene expression; however, its accuracy relies on normalizing the data to one or more stable reference genes. Eocanthecona furcellata (Wolff) is a polyphagous predatory natural enemy insect that preferentially feeds on more than 40 types of agricultural and forestry pests, such as those belonging to the orders Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, and Hymenoptera. However, to our knowledge, the selection of stable reference genes has not been reported in detail thus far. In this study, nine E. furcellata candidate reference genes (β-1-TUB, RPL4, RPL32, RPS17, RPS25, SDHA, GAPDH2, EF2, and UBQ) were selected based on transcriptome sequencing results. The expression of these genes in various samples was examined at different developmental stages, in the tissues of male and female adults, and after temperature and starvation treatments. Five algorithms were used, including ΔCt, geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and RefFinder, to evaluate reference gene expression stability. The results revealed that the most stable reference genes were RPL32 and RPS25 at different developmental stages; RPS17, RPL4, and EF2 for female adult tissue samples; RPS17 and RPL32 for male adult tissue samples; RPS17 and RPL32 for various temperature treatments of nymphs; RPS17 and RPS25 for nymph samples under starvation stress; and RPS17 and RPL32 for all samples. Overall, we obtained a stable expression of reference genes under different conditions in E. furcellata, which provides a basis for future molecular studies on this organism.
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Li J, Fu N, Ren L, Luo Y. Identification and Validation of Reference Genes for Gene Expression Analysis in Monochamus saltuarius Under Bursaphelenchus xylophilus Treatment. Front Physiol 2022; 13:882792. [PMID: 35547586 PMCID: PMC9082747 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.882792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A special mutual relationship exists between the pine wood nematode (PWN) Bursaphelenchus xylophilus and its vector beetles of genus Monochamus, which enables PWN to spread, at the same time provides longhorned beetles with more weak hosts. PWN are attracted to the pupal chambers and then carried inside the trachea of beetle adults, which is a necessary part to complete the B. xylophilus infection cycle. The growth and immune responses of the vector beetle will affect this carrying process, however, they were rarely studied in Monochamus saltuarius. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), one of the most common methods for quantitative gene expression analysis, was performed to explore the key genes and pathways involved in the growth, development and immune responses of M. saltuarius at different developmental stages associated with infection of PWN and PWN treatment conditions. To enhance the accuracy of RT-qPCR data, the expression of target genes needs to be normalized with reference genes, which are stably expressed under varied experimental conditions. In our study, the stability of 14 candidate reference genes in M. saltuarius samples at different developmental stages associated with infection of PWN or PWN treatment conditions was evaluated using delta Ct, geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper and RefFinder algorithms. Moreover, KLF gene was used to validate the stability of the selected reference genes. Under experimental conditions of this study, RPL7 and TER were suitable reference genes at different developmental stages associated with infection of PWN. RPL7 and RPS5 were considered the most stable reference genes in the pupae treated with PWN. RPS5 and SNX6 could be used as reference genes in the adults treated with PWN. RPL7, EF1-γ, and RPS5 could be used as stable reference genes in all the samples. This work is the first to evaluate reference genes in M. saltuarius, laying a foundation for further gene expression experimental procedures and understanding the phoretic relationship between M. saltuarius and B. xylophilus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxing Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Forest Pest Control, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Ningning Fu
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Forest Pest Control, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Lili Ren
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Forest Pest Control, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Youqing Luo
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Forest Pest Control, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
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11
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Screening and validation of reference genes for qPCR analysis in gonads and embryos of Takifugu bimaculatus. AQUACULTURE AND FISHERIES 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.aaf.2020.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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12
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Zhao X, Geng Y, Hu T, Zhao Y, Yang S, Hao D. Evaluation of Optimal Reference Genes for qRT-PCR Analysis in Hyphantria cunea (Drury). INSECTS 2022; 13:97. [PMID: 35055939 PMCID: PMC8778541 DOI: 10.3390/insects13010097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
The relative quantification of gene expression is mainly achieved through reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR); however, its reliability and precision rely on proper data normalization using one or more optimal reference genes. Hyphantria cunea (Drury) has been an invasive pest of forest trees, ornamental plants, and fruit trees in China for many years. Currently, the molecular physiological role of reference genes in H. cunea is unclear, which hinders functional gene study. Therefore, eight common reference genes, RPS26, RPL13, UBI, AK, RPS15, EIF4A, β-actin, α-tub, were selected to evaluate levels of gene expression stability when subjected to varied experimental conditions, including developmental stage and gender, different tissues, larvae reared on different hosts and different larval density. The geNorm, BestKeeper, ΔCt method, and NormFinder statistical algorithms were used to normalize gene transcription data. Furthermore, the stability/suitability of these candidates was ranked overall by RefFinder. This study provides a comprehensive evaluation of reference genes in H. cunea and could help select reference genes for other Lepidoptera species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xudong Zhao
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; (X.Z.); (Y.G.); (T.H.)
- College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Yishu Geng
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; (X.Z.); (Y.G.); (T.H.)
- College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Tianyi Hu
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; (X.Z.); (Y.G.); (T.H.)
- College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Yongang Zhao
- Forest Station of Huaian District, Huaian 223001, China; (Y.Z.); (S.Y.)
| | - Suling Yang
- Forest Station of Huaian District, Huaian 223001, China; (Y.Z.); (S.Y.)
| | - Dejun Hao
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; (X.Z.); (Y.G.); (T.H.)
- College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
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13
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Cao Y, Li B, Chen N, Yang D, Li L, Liu T. Evaluation of Reference Genes for Quantitative Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction in Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae) Subjected to Various Phytosanitary Treatments. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12100945. [PMID: 34680714 PMCID: PMC8537244 DOI: 10.3390/insects12100945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary In this study, seven internal reference genes (G6PDH, GAPDH, RPL-32, Rpl-13, Rps-3, α-tub, and 18S) of Bactroceradorsalis under different quarantine treatments (heat treatment, cold treatment, methyl bromide fumigation, and irradiation) were screened. Finally, the most stable internal reference gene was selected, which laid a foundation for the further study of its resistance mechanisms to some abiotic stresses. Abstract Bactrocera dorsalis is a major pest that causes serious damage to many fruits. Although phytosanitary treatment methods have been developed for Bactrocera control, there is a lack of information related to the gene expression pattern of B. dorsalis subjected to phytosanitary treatment conditions. Prior to quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis of the most stable reference genes in B. dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae), B. dorsalis third-instar larvae were exposed to various phytosanitary treatments; seven candidate reference genes (18S, G6PDH, GAPDH, RPL-13, RPL-32, RPS-3, and α-Tub) were amplified and their expression stabilities were evaluated using geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and RefFinder algorithms. Different reference genes were found under different stress conditions. G6PDH was the most stable gene after heat treatment. After cold treatment, α-Tub exhibited the highest expression stability. G6PDH expression stability was the highest after fumigation with methyl bromide. RPL-32 showed the highest expression stability after irradiation treatment. Collectively, RefFinder analysis results revealed G6PDH and RPL-32 as the most suitable genes for analyzing phytosanitary treatment in B. dorsalis. This study provides an experimental basis for further gene expression analyses in B. dorsalis subjected to various phytosanitary treatments, which can aid in the development of novel phytosanitary treatments against insect pests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Cao
- Institute of Equipment Technology, Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine, Beijing 100123, China; (Y.C.); (B.L.); (N.C.)
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China;
| | - Baishu Li
- Institute of Equipment Technology, Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine, Beijing 100123, China; (Y.C.); (B.L.); (N.C.)
| | - Naizhong Chen
- Institute of Equipment Technology, Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine, Beijing 100123, China; (Y.C.); (B.L.); (N.C.)
| | - Ding Yang
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China;
| | - Li Li
- Institute of Equipment Technology, Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine, Beijing 100123, China; (Y.C.); (B.L.); (N.C.)
- Correspondence: (L.L.); (T.L.)
| | - Tao Liu
- Institute of Equipment Technology, Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine, Beijing 100123, China; (Y.C.); (B.L.); (N.C.)
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China;
- Correspondence: (L.L.); (T.L.)
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14
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Meccariello A, Krsticevic F, Colonna R, Del Corsano G, Fasulo B, Papathanos PA, Windbichler N. Engineered sex ratio distortion by X-shredding in the global agricultural pest Ceratitis capitata. BMC Biol 2021; 19:78. [PMID: 33863334 PMCID: PMC8051031 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-021-01010-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genetic sex ratio distorters are systems aimed at effecting a bias in the reproductive sex ratio of a population and could be applied for the area-wide control of sexually reproducing insects that vector disease or disrupt agricultural production. One example of such a system leading to male bias is X-shredding, an approach that interferes with the transmission of the X-chromosome by inducing multiple DNA double-strand breaks during male meiosis. Endonucleases targeting the X-chromosome and whose activity is restricted to male gametogenesis have recently been pioneered as a means to engineer such traits. RESULTS Here, we enabled endogenous CRISPR/Cas9 and CRISPR/Cas12a activity during spermatogenesis of the Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata, a worldwide agricultural pest of extensive economic significance. In the absence of a chromosome-level assembly, we analysed long- and short-read genome sequencing data from males and females to identify two clusters of abundant and X-chromosome-specific sequence repeats. When targeted by gRNAs in conjunction with Cas9, cleavage of these repeats yielded a significant and consistent distortion of the sex ratio towards males in independent transgenic strains, while the combination of distinct distorters induced a strong bias (~ 80%). CONCLUSION We provide a first demonstration of CRISPR-based sex distortion towards male bias in a non-model organism, the global pest insect Ceratitis capitata. Although the sex ratio bias reached in our study would require improvement, possibly through the generation and combination of additional transgenic lines, to result in a system with realistic applicability in the field, our results suggest that strains with characteristics suitable for field application can now be developed for a range of medically or agriculturally relevant insect species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Meccariello
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, South Kensington Campus, London, UK
| | - Flavia Krsticevic
- Department of Entomology, Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Rita Colonna
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, South Kensington Campus, London, UK
| | - Giuseppe Del Corsano
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, South Kensington Campus, London, UK
| | - Barbara Fasulo
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, South Kensington Campus, London, UK
| | - Philippos Aris Papathanos
- Department of Entomology, Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel.
| | - Nikolai Windbichler
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, South Kensington Campus, London, UK.
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15
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Bayega A, Oikonomopoulos S, Gregoriou ME, Tsoumani KT, Giakountis A, Wang YC, Mathiopoulos KD, Ragoussis J. Nanopore long-read RNA-seq and absolute quantification delineate transcription dynamics in early embryo development of an insect pest. Sci Rep 2021; 11:7878. [PMID: 33846393 PMCID: PMC8042104 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-86753-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae, is the most important pest for the olive fruit but lacks adequate transcriptomic characterization that could aid in molecular control approaches. We apply nanopore long-read RNA-seq with internal RNA standards allowing absolute transcript quantification to analyze transcription dynamics during early embryo development for the first time in this organism. Sequencing on the MinION platform generated over 31 million reads. Over 50% of the expressed genes had at least one read covering its entire length validating our full-length approach. We generated a de novo transcriptome assembly and identified 1768 new genes and a total of 79,810 isoforms; a fourfold increase in transcriptome diversity compared to the current NCBI predicted transcriptome. Absolute transcript quantification per embryo allowed an insight into the dramatic re-organization of maternal transcripts. We further identified Zelda as a possible regulator of early zygotic genome activation in B. oleae and provide further insights into the maternal-to-zygotic transition. These data show the utility of long-read RNA in improving characterization of non-model organisms that lack a fully annotated genome, provide potential targets for sterile insect technic approaches, and provide the first insight into the transcriptome landscape of the developing olive fruit fly embryo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Bayega
- McGill Genome Centre, Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Spyros Oikonomopoulos
- McGill Genome Centre, Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Maria-Eleni Gregoriou
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Genomics, Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece
| | - Konstantina T Tsoumani
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Genomics, Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece
| | - Antonis Giakountis
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Genomics, Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece
| | - Yu Chang Wang
- McGill Genome Centre, Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Kostas D Mathiopoulos
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Genomics, Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
| | - Jiannis Ragoussis
- McGill Genome Centre, Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
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16
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Gregoriou ME, Reczko M, Kakani EG, Tsoumani KT, Mathiopoulos KD. Decoding the Reproductive System of the Olive Fruit Fly, Bactrocera oleae. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:355. [PMID: 33670896 PMCID: PMC7997189 DOI: 10.3390/genes12030355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In most diploid organisms, mating is a prerequisite for reproduction and, thus, critical to the maintenance of their population and the perpetuation of the species. Besides the importance of understanding the fundamentals of reproduction, targeting the reproductive success of a pest insect is also a promising method for its control, as a possible manipulation of the reproductive system could affect its destructive activity. Here, we used an integrated approach for the elucidation of the reproductive system and mating procedures of the olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae. Initially, we performed a RNAseq analysis in reproductive tissues of virgin and mated insects. A comparison of the transcriptomes resulted in the identification of genes that are differentially expressed after mating. Functional annotation of the genes showed an alteration in the metabolic, catalytic, and cellular processes after mating. Moreover, a functional analysis through RNAi silencing of two differentially expressed genes, yellow-g and troponin C, resulted in a significantly reduced oviposition rate. This study provided a foundation for future investigations into the olive fruit fly's reproductive biology to the development of new exploitable tools for its control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria-Eleni Gregoriou
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, 41500 Larissa, Greece; (M.-E.G.); (K.T.T.)
| | - Martin Reczko
- Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Science, Biomedical Sciences Research Centre “Alexander Fleming”, 16672 Vari, Greece;
| | - Evdoxia G. Kakani
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Building 1, Room 103, Boston, MA 02115, USA;
- Verily Life Sciences, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Konstantina T. Tsoumani
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, 41500 Larissa, Greece; (M.-E.G.); (K.T.T.)
| | - Kostas D. Mathiopoulos
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, 41500 Larissa, Greece; (M.-E.G.); (K.T.T.)
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17
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Tsoumani KT, Belavilas-Trovas A, Gregoriou ME, Mathiopoulos KD. Anosmic flies: what Orco silencing does to olive fruit flies. BMC Genet 2020; 21:140. [PMID: 33339492 PMCID: PMC7747369 DOI: 10.1186/s12863-020-00937-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The olive fruit fly (Bactrocera oleae) is the most destructive pest of the olive cultivation worldwide causing significant production losses and olive fruit impoverishment, as its larvae feed exclusively on the olive fruit. Reproductive and sexual behavior, as well as host-plant recognition of the fly, are highly dependent on its chemosensory system. Therefore, exploring the role of genes that play a critical role in olfaction, could reveal potential molecular targets that determine species-specific features on chemical communication and could be used to impair sexual behavior. Results In this study we identified the gene that encodes the conserved olfactory co-receptor Orco (Odorant receptor co-receptor), which interacts with all divergent insect odorant receptors, and investigated how disruption of its expression affects chemoreception. We initially searched the expression profile of Bo-Orco in both sexes during sexual maturation, as well as pre- and post-mating communication by relative quantitative real time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis suggesting that Bo-Orco was abundantly expressed in sexually mature adults. We further investigated the functional role of Bo-Orco in mating and oviposition behavior via transient gene silencing that was performed through in vivo dsRNA hemolymph injections in sexually mature flies 7 days after eclosion. Orco-knockdown phenotypes in both sexes showed reduced copulation rates in mating competitiveness tests, possibly through impaired olfactory-mediated detection of sex pheromone. In addition, oviposition was significantly inhibited in dsRNA-Orco injected females in a post-mating behavior test. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that Orco plays a crucial role in the reproductive behavior of the olive fruit fly, since pre- and post-mating processes were affected. This is the first report in the olive fruit fly that links the chemosensory pathway with the mating behavior and the reproductive potential at a molecular basis, rendering this gene a potential target for the improvement of the olive fruit fly population control techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantina T Tsoumani
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Biopolis, 41500, Larissa, Greece
| | | | - Maria-Eleni Gregoriou
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Biopolis, 41500, Larissa, Greece
| | - Kostas D Mathiopoulos
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Biopolis, 41500, Larissa, Greece.
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18
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Effect of Nitrogen Sources on Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Biosynthesis and Gene Expression in Thraustochytriidae sp. Mar Drugs 2020; 18:md18120612. [PMID: 33271856 PMCID: PMC7760700 DOI: 10.3390/md18120612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Revised: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The molecular mechanism that contributes to nitrogen source dependent omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA) synthesis in marine oleaginous protists Thraustochytriidae sp., was explored in this study. The fatty acid (FA) synthesis was significantly influenced by the supplement of various levels of sodium nitrate (SN) (1–50 mM) or urea (1–50 mM). Compared with SN (50 mM) cultivation, cells from urea (50 mM) cultivation accumulated 1.16-fold more n-3 PUFAs (49.49% docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (w/w, of total FAs) and 5.28% docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) (w/w, of total FAs)). Strikingly higher quantities of short chain FAs (<18 carbons) (52.22-fold of that in urea cultivation) were produced from SN cultivation. Ten candidate reference genes (RGs) were screened by using four statistical methods (geNorm, NormFinder, Bestkeeper and RefFinder). MFT (Mitochondrial folate transporter) and NUC (Nucleolin) were determined as the stable RGs to normalize the RT-qPCR (real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction) data of essential genes related to n-3 PUFAs-synthesis. Our results elucidated that the gene transcripts of delta(3,5)-delta(2,4)-dienoyl-CoA isomerase, enoyl-CoA hydratase, fatty acid elongase 3, long-chain fatty acid acyl-CoA ligase, and acetyl-CoA carboxylase were up-regulated under urea cultivation, contributing to the extension and unsaturated bond formation. These findings indicated that regulation of the specific genes through nitrogen source could greatly stimulate n-3 PUFA production in Thraustochytriidae sp.
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19
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Sinno M, Bézier A, Vinale F, Giron D, Laudonia S, Garonna AP, Pennacchio F. Symbiosis disruption in the olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae (Rossi), as a potential tool for sustainable control. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2020; 76:3199-3207. [PMID: 32358914 DOI: 10.1002/ps.5875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Revised: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/01/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The olive fruit fly Bactrocera oleae (Rossi) (OLF) is a major agricultural pest, whose control primarily relies on the use of chemical insecticides. Therefore, development of sustainable control strategies is highly desirable. The primary endosymbiotic bacterium of OLF, 'Candidatus Erwinia dacicola', is essential for successful larval development in unripe olive fruits. Therefore, targeting this endosymbiont with antimicrobial compounds may result in OLF fitness reduction and may exert control on natural populations of OLF. RESULTS Here, we evaluate the impact of compounds with antimicrobial activity on the OLF endosymbiont. Copper oxychloride (CO) and the fungal metabolite viridiol (Vi), produced by Trichoderma spp., were used. Laboratory bioassays were carried out to assess the effect of oral administration of these compounds on OLF fitness and molecular analyses (quantitative polymerase chain reaction) were conducted to measure the load of OLF-associated microorganisms in treated flies. CO and Vi were both able to disrupt the symbiotic association between OLF and its symbiotic bacteria, determining a significant reduction in the endosymbiont and gut microbiota load as well as a decrease in OLF fitness. CO had a direct negative effect on OLF adults. Conversely, exposure to Vi significantly undermined larval development of the treated female's progeny but did not show any toxicity in OLF adults. CONCLUSIONS These results provide new insights into the symbiotic control of OLF and pave the way for the development of more sustainable strategies of pest control based on the use of natural compounds with antimicrobial activity. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Sinno
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Portici (NA), Italy
| | - Annie Bézier
- Research Institute for the Biology of Insect (IRBI) - UMR 7261 CNRS/Université de Tours, Tours, France
| | - Francesco Vinale
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
- CNR Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, Portici (NA), Italy
| | - David Giron
- Research Institute for the Biology of Insect (IRBI) - UMR 7261 CNRS/Université de Tours, Tours, France
| | - Stefania Laudonia
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Portici (NA), Italy
| | - Antonio P Garonna
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Portici (NA), Italy
| | - Francesco Pennacchio
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Portici (NA), Italy
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20
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Gregoriou ME, Mathiopoulos KD. Knocking down the sex peptide receptor by dsRNA feeding results in reduced oviposition rate in olive fruit flies. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 104:e21665. [PMID: 32091155 DOI: 10.1002/arch.21665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Insect pests can cause crop damage in yield or quality, resulting in profit losses for farmers. The primary approach to control them is still the use of chemical pesticides resulting in significant hazards to the environment and human health. Biological control and the sterile insect technique are alternative strategies to improve agriculture protection. However, both strategies have significant limitations. A newly introduced approach that could be both effective and species-specific is the RNA interference mechanism. One key point for the success of this strategy is the delivery method of double-strand RNA (dsRNA) to the insects. A method of dsRNA delivery to insects with potential use in the field is the oral delivery, feeding the insects engineered microorganisms that produce dsRNA. Here, we present the first protocol for dsRNA feeding using modified bacteria, in the olive fruit fly, the most important insect pest of cultivated olives. We chose to target the sex peptide receptor gene. The sex peptide receptor interacts with the sex peptide, a peptide that is responsible for the postmating behavior in the model organism, Drosophila melanogaster. Feeding the female olive fruit fly with bacteria that produced dsRNA for the sex peptide receptor gene resulted in the development of female insects with significantly lower oviposition rates. Administration of dsRNA producing bacteria in insect diet against target genes that lead to genetic sexing or female-specific lethality could be added in the armory of control methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria-Eleni Gregoriou
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece
| | - Kostas D Mathiopoulos
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece
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21
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Meccariello A, Tsoumani KT, Gravina A, Primo P, Buonanno M, Mathiopoulos KD, Saccone G. Targeted somatic mutagenesis through CRISPR/Cas9 ribonucleoprotein complexes in the olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 104:e21667. [PMID: 32100335 DOI: 10.1002/arch.21667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Revised: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae (Diptera: Tephritidae), is the most destructive insect pest of olive cultivation, causing significant economic and production losses. Here, we present the establishment of the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 methodology for gene disruption in this species. We performed targeted mutagenesis of the autosomal gene white (Bo-we), by injecting into early embryos in vitro preassembled and solubilized Cas9 ribonucleoprotein complexes loaded with two gene-specific single-guide RNAs. Gene disruption of Bo-we led to somatic mosaicism of the adult eye color. Large eye patches or even an entire eye lost the iridescent reddish color, indicating the successful biallelic mutagenesis in somatic cells. Cas9 induced either indels in each of the two simultaneously targeted Bo-we sites or a large deletion of the intervening region. This study demonstrates the first efficient implementation of the CRISPR/Cas9 technology in the olive fly, providing new opportunities towards the development of novel genetic tools for its control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Meccariello
- Department of Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | | | - Andrea Gravina
- Department of Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Pasquale Primo
- Department of Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Martina Buonanno
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB), CNR, Naples, Italy
| | - Kostas D Mathiopoulos
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece
| | - Giuseppe Saccone
- Department of Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
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22
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Pinheiro DH, Siegfried BD. Selection of reference genes for normalization of RT-qPCR data in gene expression studies in Anthonomus eugenii Cano (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Sci Rep 2020; 10:5070. [PMID: 32193506 PMCID: PMC7081190 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-61739-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele H Pinheiro
- University of Florida, Entomology and Nematology Department, Charles Steinmetz Hall, P. O. Box 110620, Gainesville, FL, 32611-0620, United States
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Parque Estação Biológica, W5 Norte, P. O. Box 02372, Brasília, DF, 70770-917, Brazil
| | - Blair D Siegfried
- University of Florida, Entomology and Nematology Department, Charles Steinmetz Hall, P. O. Box 110620, Gainesville, FL, 32611-0620, United States.
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García-Reina A, Rossi E, Galián J. Effects of lipopolysaccharide and juvenile hormone III treatments on cell growth and gene expression in the Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae) CCE/CC128 cell line. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 102:e21617. [PMID: 31512283 DOI: 10.1002/arch.21617] [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: 02/01/2019] [Revised: 06/27/2019] [Accepted: 08/16/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata is one of the most important insect pest species in the world. It has a high colonization capacity and population variety, giving it considerable genetic diversity. Strategies for its control have included the sterile insect technique and insect growth regulators. Many studies have analyzed the medfly transcriptome, and along with the medfly genome sequence, the sequences of multiple genes related to sex determination, mating, development, pheromone detection, immunity, or stress have been identified. In this study, the medfly CCE/CC128 cell line was used to assess cell growth variation and changes in the expression of genes covering different functions, after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and juvenile hormone III (JHIII) treatments. No significant effects on cell growth and gene expression were observed in the cells treated with LPS. In the cells treated with JHIII, the results showed significant effects on cell growth, and an overexpression was found of the Shade gene, one of the Halloween gene members of the cytochrome p450 family, which is involved in development and the synthesis of 20-hydroxyecdysone. This study shows preliminary results on the insect cell line in combination with whole-genome sequencing, which can facilitate studies regarding growth, toxicity, immunity, and transcriptome regulations as a response to different compounds and environmental alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés García-Reina
- Department of Zoology and Physical Anthropology, Faculty of Veterinary, Campus Mare Nostrum, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | | | - José Galián
- Department of Zoology and Physical Anthropology, Faculty of Veterinary, Campus Mare Nostrum, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
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Meccariello A, Salvemini M, Primo P, Hall B, Koskinioti P, Dalíková M, Gravina A, Gucciardino MA, Forlenza F, Gregoriou ME, Ippolito D, Monti SM, Petrella V, Perrotta MM, Schmeing S, Ruggiero A, Scolari F, Giordano E, Tsoumani KT, Marec F, Windbichler N, Arunkumar KP, Bourtzis K, Mathiopoulos KD, Ragoussis J, Vitagliano L, Tu Z, Papathanos PA, Robinson MD, Saccone G. Maleness-on-the-Y ( MoY) orchestrates male sex determination in major agricultural fruit fly pests. Science 2019; 365:1457-1460. [PMID: 31467189 DOI: 10.1126/science.aax1318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2019] [Accepted: 08/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
In insects, rapidly evolving primary sex-determining signals are transduced by a conserved regulatory module controlling sexual differentiation. In the agricultural pest Ceratitis capitata (Mediterranean fruit fly, or Medfly), we identified a Y-linked gene, Maleness-on-the-Y (MoY), encoding a small protein that is necessary and sufficient for male development. Silencing or disruption of MoY in XY embryos causes feminization, whereas overexpression of MoY in XX embryos induces masculinization. Crosses between transformed XY females and XX males give rise to males and females, indicating that a Y chromosome can be transmitted by XY females. MoY is Y-linked and functionally conserved in other species of the Tephritidae family, highlighting its potential to serve as a tool for developing more effective control strategies against these major agricultural insect pests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Meccariello
- Department of Biology, University of Naples "Federico II," 80126 Napoli, Italy
| | - Marco Salvemini
- Department of Biology, University of Naples "Federico II," 80126 Napoli, Italy
| | - Pasquale Primo
- Department of Biology, University of Naples "Federico II," 80126 Napoli, Italy
| | - Brantley Hall
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Panagiota Koskinioti
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, A-1400 Vienna, Austria.,Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, 41500 Larissa, Greece
| | - Martina Dalíková
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Andrea Gravina
- Department of Biology, University of Naples "Federico II," 80126 Napoli, Italy
| | | | - Federica Forlenza
- Department of Biology, University of Naples "Federico II," 80126 Napoli, Italy
| | - Maria-Eleni Gregoriou
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, 41500 Larissa, Greece
| | - Domenica Ippolito
- Department of Biology, University of Naples "Federico II," 80126 Napoli, Italy
| | - Simona Maria Monti
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB), CNR, 80134 Naples, Italy
| | - Valeria Petrella
- Department of Biology, University of Naples "Federico II," 80126 Napoli, Italy
| | | | - Stephan Schmeing
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences and SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Alessia Ruggiero
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB), CNR, 80134 Naples, Italy
| | - Francesca Scolari
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Ennio Giordano
- Department of Biology, University of Naples "Federico II," 80126 Napoli, Italy
| | - Konstantina T Tsoumani
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, 41500 Larissa, Greece
| | - František Marec
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Nikolai Windbichler
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Kallare P Arunkumar
- Centre of Excellence for Genetics and Genomics of Silkmoths, Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, Hyderabad 500 039, India
| | - Kostas Bourtzis
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, A-1400 Vienna, Austria
| | - Kostas D Mathiopoulos
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, 41500 Larissa, Greece
| | - Jiannis Ragoussis
- Department of Human Genetics and Bioengineering, McGill University and Genome Quebec Innovation Centre, Montreal, QC H3A 0G1, Canada
| | - Luigi Vitagliano
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB), CNR, 80134 Naples, Italy
| | - Zhijian Tu
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Philippos Aris Papathanos
- Section of Genomics and Genetics, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, 06132 Perugia, Italy. .,Department of Entomology, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Mark D Robinson
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences and SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Giuseppe Saccone
- Department of Biology, University of Naples "Federico II," 80126 Napoli, Italy.
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25
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mRNA extraction of Xanthomonas fragariae in strawberry and validation of reference genes for the RT-qPCR for study of bacterial gene expression. Mol Biol Rep 2019; 46:5723-5733. [PMID: 31368022 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-019-05006-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 07/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
This is the first study which describes a unique procedure of isolating of high-quality, intact RNA from strawberry leaves of Xanthomonas fragariae, three most suitable reference genes, crucial for the normalization of RT-qPCR data for this pathogen and accurate expression analysis of target genes. In our study, various mathematic algorithms: NormFinder geNorm, BestKeeper, the delta CT method, RefFinder were adopted for validation of most stable reference genes from nine candidate genes (ffh, glyA, gyrA, gyrB, proC, pykA, recA, rpoB, rpoD). The analyses allowing to select three most suitable pioneer reference genes, gyrB, ffh, and pykA, that we recommend for the normalization of RT-qPCR data and for the study of the expression of target genes in Xf. Moreover, their combination as references allowed for an accurate expression analysis and computation of the fold change of the flhF and iroN2 genes in Xf. These two genes are important for the success of the colonization of plant tissue and pathogenicity and sequences of primers designed to study these genes, are presented.
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26
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Kaur R, Gupta M, Singh S, Pandher S. Evaluation and validation of experimental condition-specific reference genes for normalization of gene expression in Asia II-I Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae). Gene Expr Patterns 2019; 34:119058. [PMID: 31185291 DOI: 10.1016/j.gep.2019.119058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Revised: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 05/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Functional genomics in whitefly, Bemisia tabaci is gaining impetus due to its polyphagous nature, worldwide distribution and recently sequenced whole genome. These studies require an in-depth evaluation and validation of reference genes in different development stages and variable experimental setups. Normalization with reference genes is an essential step in the gene expression studies. Rather than selecting a reference gene empirically, the suitability of these genes must be validated for an individual organism, its specific stage or even for particular experimental conditions. The Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) has evolved as an efficient and widely used technique for precise monitoring of gene expression. The prime focus of this study was to identify candidate reference genes in different developmental stages (adults, nymphs, eggs), sex (male and female), hosts (Gossypium hirsutum, G. arboreum), and under insecticidal and starvation stress. Expression stability of these genes in different experimental samples was evaluated by employing five different computational algorithms such as NormFinder, BestKeeper, Comparative delta-CT, geNorm and RefFinder. Our results identified a different set of reference genes under each experimental setup such as electron transfer flavoprotein-ubiquinone oxidoreductase (ETF-QO), ubiquitin (UBIQ) and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) as best reference genes in adult whitefly. In addition, glutathione S-transferase (GST) in eggs, cyclophilin (CYCLOPH) in red eyed nymph, GAPDH in third instar, tubulin (Tub) in female, ubiquitin ribosomal protein S27 (UBIRPS2) in male, succinate dehydrogenase complex subunit B (SDHB) under insecticidal stress, ETF-QO under starvation stress, UBIRPS2 under host influence were the top most stable genes. Our studies report the importance of selection of specific reference genes for accurate gene expression studies under various experimental setups in B. tabaci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramandeep Kaur
- Punjab Agricultural University, Regional Research Station, Faridkot, 151203, Punjab, India
| | - Mridula Gupta
- Punjab Agricultural University, Regional Research Station, Faridkot, 151203, Punjab, India
| | - Satnam Singh
- Punjab Agricultural University, Regional Research Station, Faridkot, 151203, Punjab, India.
| | - Suneet Pandher
- Punjab Agricultural University, Regional Research Station, Faridkot, 151203, Punjab, India
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27
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Bin S, Pu X, Shu B, Kang C, Luo S, Tang Y, Wu Z, Lin J. Selection of Reference Genes for Optimal Normalization of Quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction Results for Diaphorina citri Adults. JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 2019; 112:355-363. [PMID: 30289505 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toy297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae), can cause direct damage to citrus trees and is the main vector for the devastating disease, citrus greening disease or huanglongbing. Most molecular studies on this important insect pest use real-time reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) to quantify gene expression, including analyzing molecular basis for insecticide resistance in field populations. One critical factor to cause inaccuracy in RT-qPCR results is the lack of appropriate internal reference genes for optimal data normalization. In this study, the expression levels of 10 selected reference genes were evaluated in different tissue samples of psyllid adults and in the insects treated with different temperatures and insecticides. Data were analyzed using different computational algorithms, including Delta Ct, BestKeeper, NormFinder, geNorm, and RefFinder. According to our results, at least two reference genes should be used for the normalization of RT-qPCR data in this insect. The best choices of reference genes for different samples are as follows: ACT1 and Ferritin for different tissue samples, RPS20 and Ferritin for samples treated with different temperatures, TBP and EF1α for samples treated with imidacloprid, and Ferritin and TBP for samples treated with beta-cypermethrin. The reference genes identified in this study should be useful for future studies to analyze the expression patterns of target genes, especially for genes linked with temperature adaptability and insecticide resistance in this insect species in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuying Bin
- Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Subtropical Fruit Trees Outbreak Control, Institute for Management of Invasive Alien Species, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Yingdong Teaching Building, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinhua Pu
- Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Subtropical Fruit Trees Outbreak Control, Institute for Management of Invasive Alien Species, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Yingdong Teaching Building, Guangzhou, China
| | - Benshui Shu
- Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Subtropical Fruit Trees Outbreak Control, Institute for Management of Invasive Alien Species, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Yingdong Teaching Building, Guangzhou, China
| | - Cong Kang
- Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Subtropical Fruit Trees Outbreak Control, Institute for Management of Invasive Alien Species, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Yingdong Teaching Building, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shaoming Luo
- Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Subtropical Fruit Trees Outbreak Control, Institute for Management of Invasive Alien Species, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Yingdong Teaching Building, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yu Tang
- Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Subtropical Fruit Trees Outbreak Control, Institute for Management of Invasive Alien Species, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Yingdong Teaching Building, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhongzhen Wu
- Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Subtropical Fruit Trees Outbreak Control, Institute for Management of Invasive Alien Species, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Yingdong Teaching Building, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jintian Lin
- Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Subtropical Fruit Trees Outbreak Control, Institute for Management of Invasive Alien Species, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Yingdong Teaching Building, Guangzhou, China
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Lü J, Yang C, Zhang Y, Pan H. Selection of Reference Genes for the Normalization of RT-qPCR Data in Gene Expression Studies in Insects: A Systematic Review. Front Physiol 2018; 9:1560. [PMID: 30459641 PMCID: PMC6232608 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.01560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2018] [Accepted: 10/18/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Reverse transcriptase-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) is a reliable technique for quantifying expression levels of targeted genes during various biological processes in numerous areas of clinical and biological research. Selection of appropriate reference genes for RT-qPCR normalization is an elementary prerequisite for reliable measurements of gene expression levels. Here, by analyzing datasets published between 2008 and 2017, we summarized the current trends in reference gene selection for insect gene expression studies that employed the most widely used SYBR Green method for RT-qPCR normalization. We curated 90 representative papers, mainly published in 2013–2017, in which a total of 78 insect species were investigated in 100 experiments. Furthermore, top five journals, top 10 frequently used reference genes, and top 10 experimental factors have been determined. The relationships between the numbers of the reference genes, experimental factors, analysis tools on the one hand and publication date (year) on the other hand was investigated by linear regression. We found that the more recently the paper was published, the more experimental factors it tended to explore, and more analysis tools it used. However, linear regression analysis did not reveal a significant correlation between the number of reference genes and the study publication date. Taken together, this meta-analysis will be of great help to researchers that plan gene expression studies in insects, especially the non-model ones, as it provides a summary of appropriate reference genes for expression studies, considers the optimal number of reference genes, and reviews the average number of experimental factors and analysis tools per study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Lü
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Innovation and Application of Guangdong Province, Department of Entomology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chunxiao Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Youjun Zhang
- Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Huipeng Pan
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Innovation and Application of Guangdong Province, Department of Entomology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
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