1
|
Kiuchi T, Shoji K, Izumi N, Tomari Y, Katsuma S. Non-gonadal somatic piRNA pathways ensure sexual differentiation, larval growth, and wing development in silkworms. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1010912. [PMID: 37733654 PMCID: PMC10513339 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) guide PIWI proteins to target transposons in germline cells, thereby suppressing transposon activity to preserve genome integrity in metazoans' gonadal tissues. Piwi, one of three Drosophila PIWI proteins, is expressed in the nucleus and suppresses transposon activity by forming heterochromatin in an RNA cleavage-independent manner. Recently, Piwi was reported to control cell metabolism in Drosophila fat body, providing an example of piRNAs acting in non-gonadal somatic tissues. However, mutant flies of the other two PIWI proteins, Aubergine (Aub) and Argonaute3 (Ago3), show no apparent phenotype except for infertility, blurring the importance of the piRNA pathway in non-gonadal somatic tissues. The silkworm, Bombyx mori, possesses two PIWI proteins, Siwi (Aub homolog) and BmAgo3 (Ago3 homolog), whereas B. mori does not have a Piwi homolog. Siwi and BmAgo3 are mainly expressed in gonadal tissues and play a role in repressing transposon activity by cleaving transposon RNA in the cytoplasm. Here, we generated Siwi and BmAgo3 loss-of-function mutants of B. mori and found that they both showed delayed larval growth and failed to become adult moths. They also exhibited defects in wing development and sexual differentiation. Transcriptome analysis revealed that loss of somatic piRNA biogenesis pathways results in abnormal expression of not only transposons but also host genes, presumably causing severe growth defects. Our results highlight the roles of non-gonadal somatic piRNAs in B. mori development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Kiuchi
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Biology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Yayoi 1-1-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Keisuke Shoji
- Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, Yayoi 1-1-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Natsuko Izumi
- Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, Yayoi 1-1-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yukihide Tomari
- Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, Yayoi 1-1-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Computational Biology and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Susumu Katsuma
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Biology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Yayoi 1-1-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Chen J, Guo Y, Huang S, Zhan H, Zhang M, Wang J, Shu Y. Integration of transcriptome and proteome reveals molecular mechanisms underlying stress responses of the cutworm, Spodoptera litura, exposed to different levels of lead (Pb). CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 283:131205. [PMID: 34147986 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.131205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Heavy metals are major environmental pollutants that affect organisms across different trophic levels. Herbivorous insects play an important role in the bioaccumulation, and eventually, biomagnification of these metals. Although effects of heavy metal stress on insects have been well-studied, the molecular mechanisms underlying their effects remain poorly understood. Here, we used the RNA-Seq profiling and isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) approaches to unravel these mechanisms in the polyphagous pest Spodoptera litura exposed to lead (Pb) at two different concentrations (12.5 and 100 mg Pb/kg; PbL and PbH, respectively). Altogether, 1392 and 1630 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 58, 114 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified in larvae exposed to PbL and PbH, respectively. After exposed to PbL, the main up-regulated genes clusters and proteins in S. litura larvae were associated with their metabolic processes, including carbohydrate, protein, and lipid metabolism, but the levels of cytochrome P450 associated with the pathway of xenobiotic biodegradation and metabolism were found to be decreased. In contrast, the main up-regulated genes clusters and proteins in larvae exposed to PbH were enriched in the metabolism of xenobiotic by cytochrome P450, drug metabolism-cytochrome P450, and other drug metabolism enzymes, while the down-regulated genes and proteins were found to be closely related to the lipid (lipase) and protein (serine protease, trypsin) metabolism and growth processes (cuticular protein). These findings indicate that S. litura larvae exposed to PbL could enhance food digestion and absorption to prioritize for growth rather than detoxification, whereas S. litura larvae exposed to PbH reduced food digestion and absorption and channelized the limited energy for detoxification rather than growth. These contrasting results explain the dose-dependent effects of heavy metal stress on insect life-history traits, wherein low levels of heavy metal stress induce stimulation, while high levels of heavy metal stress cause inhibition at the transcriptome and proteome levels.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jin Chen
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Environment in the Tropics, Ministry of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Eco-Circular Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China; Guangdong Engineering Research Centre for Modern Eco-agriculture, Guangzhou, 510642, China; Department of Ecology, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Yeshan Guo
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Environment in the Tropics, Ministry of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Eco-Circular Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China; Guangdong Engineering Research Centre for Modern Eco-agriculture, Guangzhou, 510642, China; Department of Ecology, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Shimin Huang
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Environment in the Tropics, Ministry of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Eco-Circular Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China; Guangdong Engineering Research Centre for Modern Eco-agriculture, Guangzhou, 510642, China; Department of Ecology, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Huiru Zhan
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Environment in the Tropics, Ministry of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Eco-Circular Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China; Guangdong Engineering Research Centre for Modern Eco-agriculture, Guangzhou, 510642, China; Department of Ecology, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Meifang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Environment in the Tropics, Ministry of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Eco-Circular Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China; Guangdong Engineering Research Centre for Modern Eco-agriculture, Guangzhou, 510642, China; Department of Ecology, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Jianwu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Environment in the Tropics, Ministry of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Eco-Circular Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China; Guangdong Engineering Research Centre for Modern Eco-agriculture, Guangzhou, 510642, China; Department of Ecology, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
| | - Yinghua Shu
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Environment in the Tropics, Ministry of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Eco-Circular Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China; Guangdong Engineering Research Centre for Modern Eco-agriculture, Guangzhou, 510642, China; Department of Ecology, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Yang C, Kang L, Zhao Q. Comparative transcriptomic analysis of the l-4i silkworm (Lepidoptera: Bombyx mori) mutants and its wild-type strain P33 by RNA-Seq. COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY D-GENOMICS & PROTEOMICS 2021; 38:100800. [PMID: 33607576 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbd.2021.100800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/30/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The silkworm (Bombyx mori) is a domesticated holometabolous insect, and more than 400 Mendelian mutations have been identified. Investigating the mechanism behind these silkworm mutants is essential for understanding the development of silkworms and other lepidopterans, and lethal genes could be used for pest control. The lethal silkworm mutant in the fourth instar (l-4i) has been recently found; however, the underlying mechanism is not yet clear. Herein, we studied the l-4i mutant and its wild-type strain P33 using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). Our results revealed that 2013 genes were significantly downregulated, and 20 biological processes, including spliceosomal snRNP assembly, protein folding and protein catabolic process, were significantly enriched in these downregulated genes. Moreover, 2405 genes were significantly upregulated in the l-4i mutant, and 20 biological processes, including purine nucleobase metabolic process, nucleoside metabolic process and de novo IMP biosynthetic process, were significantly enriched in these upregulated genes. The study suggests that the imbalance of multiple biological processes and pathways and abnormal protein generation from RNA alternative splicing may cause the death of the l-4i mutant.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chenjie Yang
- School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Nanxv Road, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212018, China; The Sericulture Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212018, China
| | - Lequn Kang
- School of Grain Science and Technology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212018, China
| | - Qiaoling Zhao
- School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Nanxv Road, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212018, China; The Sericulture Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212018, China.
| |
Collapse
|