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Dong Y, Xu X, Qian L, Kou Z, Andongma AA, Zhou L, Huang Y, Wang Y. Genome-wide identification of yellow gene family in Hermetia illucens and functional analysis of yellow-y by CRISPR/Cas9. INSECT SCIENCE 2024. [PMID: 38685755 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
The yellow gene family plays a crucial role in insect pigmentation. It has potential for use as a visible marker gene in genetic manipulation and transgenic engineering in several model and non-model insects. Sadly, yellow genes have rarely been identified in Stratiomyidae species and the functions of yellow genes are relatively unknown. In the present study, we first manually annotated and curated 10 yellow genes in the black soldier fly (BSF), Hermetia illucens (Stratiomyidae). Then, the conserved amino acids in the major royal jelly proteins (MRJPs) domain, structural architecture and phylogenetic relationship of yellow genes in BSF were analyzed. We found that the BSF yellow-y, yellow-c and yellow-f genes are expressed at all developmental stages, especially in the prepupal stage. Using the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) system, we successfully disrupted yellow-y, yellow-c and yellow-f in the BSF. Consequently, the mutation of yellow-y clearly resulted in a pale-yellow body color in prepupae, pupae and adults, instead of the typical black body color of the wild type. However, the mutation of yellow-c or yellow-f genes did not result in any change in color of the insects, when compared with the wild type. Our study indicates that the BSF yellow-y gene plays a role in body pigmentation, providing an optimal marker gene for the genetic manipulation of BSF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongcheng Dong
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Sustainable Management of Plant Diseases and Pests of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, College of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Xiaomiao Xu
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Sustainable Management of Plant Diseases and Pests of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, College of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Lansa Qian
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, CAS, Shanghai, China
| | - Zongqing Kou
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, CAS, Shanghai, China
| | - Awawing A Andongma
- Insect and Parasite Ecology Group, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
| | - Lijun Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Sustainable Management of Plant Diseases and Pests of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, College of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Yongping Huang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yaohui Wang
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Sustainable Management of Plant Diseases and Pests of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, College of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
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Cheng Y, Wang P, Zeng Y, An W, Wang T, Xiao Y. Characterization of five pigmentation genes as transgenic markers in Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Int J Biol Macromol 2023:124981. [PMID: 37236572 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.124981] [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: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), has become one of the most damaging pests worldwide since its invasion of Africa, Asia and Oceania from 2016, threatening plants in 76 families including important crops. Genetics-based methods have proved to be an efficient way to control pests, especially invasive species, but many difficulties must be overcome to develop a transgenic insect strain, especially for a non-model species. Here we thus sought to identify a visible marker that would facilitate the distinction between genetically modified (GM) and non-transgenic insects, thereby simplifying mutation identification and facilitating the broader application of genome editing tools in non-model insects. Five genes (sfyellow-y, sfebony, sflaccase2, sfscarlet, and sfok) that are orthologs of well-studied genes in pigment metabolism were knocked out using the CRISPR/Cas9 system to identify candidate gene markers. Two genes, Sfebony and Sfscarlet, were identified responsible for body and compound eye coloration, respectively, in S. frugiperda, and could be potential visual markers for genetics-based pest management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Cheng
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Gene Editing Technologies(Hainan), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Peng Wang
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Gene Editing Technologies(Hainan), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yuxiao Zeng
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Gene Editing Technologies(Hainan), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Wenwen An
- School of Life Science and Technology, Jining Normal University, Jining, China
| | - Tao Wang
- School of Life Science and Technology, Hubei Engineering University, Xiaogan, China
| | - Yutao Xiao
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Gene Editing Technologies(Hainan), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China.
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Abdelmawla A, Yang C, Li X, Li M, Li CL, Liu YB, He XJ, Zeng ZJ. Feeding Asian honeybee queens with European honeybee royal jelly alters body color and expression of related coding and non-coding RNAs. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1073625. [PMID: 36776963 PMCID: PMC9908965 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1073625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and aims: The Asian honeybee (Apis cerana) and the European honeybee (Apis mellifera) are reproductively isolated. Previous studies reported that exchanging the larval food between the two species, known as nutritional crossbreeding, resulted in obvious changes in morphology, physiology and behavior. This study explored the molecular mechanisms underlying the honeybee nutritional crossbreeding. Methods: This study used full nutritional crossbreeding technology to rear A. cerana queens by feeding them with an A. mellifera royal jelly-based diet in an incubator. The body color and the expression of certain genes, microRNA, lncRNA, and circRNA among nutritional crossbred A. cerana queens (NQ), and control A. cerana queens (CQ) were compared. The biological functions of two target genes, TPH1 and KMO, were verified using RNA interference. Results: Our results showed that the NQ's body color turned yellow compared to the black control queens. Whole transcriptome sequencing results showed that a total of 1484, 311, 92, and 169 DEGs, DElncRNAs, DEmiRNAs, and DEcircRNAs, respectively, were identified in NQ and CQ, in which seven DEGs were enriched for three key pathways (tryptophan, tyrosine, and dopamine) involved in melanin synthesis. Interestingly, eight DElncRNAs and three DEmiRNAs were enriched into the key pathways regulating the above key DEGs. No circRNAs were enriched into these key pathways. Knocking down two key genes (KMO and TPH1) resulted in altered body color, suggesting that feeding NQ's an RNAi-based diet significantly downregulated the expression of TPH1 and KMO in 4-day-old larvae, which confirmed the function of key DEGs in the regulation of honeybee body color. Conclusion: These findings reveal that the larval diets from A. mellifera could change the body color of A. cerana, perhaps by altering the expression of non-coding RNAs and related key genes. This study serves as a model of epigenetic regulation in insect body color induced by environmental factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amal Abdelmawla
- Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China,Faculty of Agriculture, Fayoum University, Fayoum, Egypt
| | - Chen Yang
- Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China
| | - Xin Li
- Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China
| | - Mang Li
- Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China
| | - Chang Long Li
- Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China
| | - Yi Bo Liu
- Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China
| | - Xu Jiang He
- Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China,Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Honeybee Biology and Bee Keeping, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China,*Correspondence: Xu Jiang He, ; Zhi Jiang Zeng,
| | - Zhi Jiang Zeng
- Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China,Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Honeybee Biology and Bee Keeping, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China,*Correspondence: Xu Jiang He, ; Zhi Jiang Zeng,
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Tomihara K, Andolfatto P, Kiuchi T. Allele-specific knockouts reveal a role for apontic-like in the evolutionary loss of larval melanin pigmentation in the domesticated silkworm, Bombyx mori. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 31:701-710. [PMID: 35752945 PMCID: PMC9633403 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The domesticated silkworm, Bombyx mori, and its wild progenitor, B. mandarina, are extensively studied as a model case of the evolutionary process of domestication. A conspicuous difference between these species is the dramatic reduction in melanin pigmentation in both larval and adult B. mori. Here we evaluate the efficiency of CRISPR/Cas9-targeted knockouts of pigment-related genes as a tool to understand their potential contributions to domestication-associated melanin pigmentation loss in B. mori. To demonstrate the efficacy of targeted knockouts in B. mandarina, we generated a homozygous CRISPR/Cas9-targeted knockout of yellow-y. In yellow-y knockout mutants, black body colour became lighter throughout the larval, pupal and adult stages, confirming a role for this gene in melanin pigment formation. Further, we performed allele-specific CRISPR/Cas9-targeted knockouts of the pigment-related transcription factor, apontic-like (apt-like) in B. mori × B. mandarina F1 hybrid individuals which exhibit B. mandarina-like larval pigmentation. Knockout of the B. mandarina allele of apt-like in F1 embryos results in white patches on the dorsal integument of larvae, whereas corresponding knockouts of the B. mori allele consistently exhibit normal F1 larval pigmentation. These results demonstrate a contribution of apt-like to the evolution of reduced melanin pigmentation in B. mori. Together, our results demonstrate the feasibility of CRISPR/Cas9-targeted knockouts as a tool for understanding the genetic basis of traits associated with B. mori domestication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenta Tomihara
- Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Peter Andolfatto
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10026, USA
| | - Takashi Kiuchi
- Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
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Brent CS, Heu CC, Gross RJ, Fan B, Langhorst D, Hull JJ. RNAi-Mediated Manipulation of Cuticle Coloration Genes in Lygus hesperus Knight (Hemiptera: Miridae). INSECTS 2022; 13:986. [PMID: 36354810 PMCID: PMC9698757 DOI: 10.3390/insects13110986] [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: 10/01/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Cuticle coloration in insects is a consequence of the accumulation of pigments in a species-specific pattern. Numerous genes are involved in regulating the underlying processes of melanization and sclerotization, and their manipulation can be used to create externally visible markers of successful gene editing. To clarify the roles for many of these genes and examine their suitability as phenotypic markers in Lygus hesperus Knight (western tarnished plant bug), transcriptomic data were screened for sequences exhibiting homology with the Drosophila melanogaster proteins. Complete open reading frames encoding putative homologs for six genes (aaNAT, black, ebony, pale, tan, and yellow) were identified, with two variants for black. Sequence and phylogenetic analyses supported preliminary annotations as cuticle pigmentation genes. In accord with observable difference in color patterning, expression varied for each gene by developmental stage, adult age, body part, and sex. Knockdown by injection of dsRNA for each gene produced varied effects in adults, ranging from the non-detectable (black 1, yellow), to moderate decreases (pale, tan) and increases (black 2, ebony) in darkness, to extreme melanization (aaNAT). Based solely on its expression profile and highly visible phenotype, aaNAT appears to be the best marker for tracking transgenic L. hesperus.
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Wang P, Ze LJ, Jin L, Li GQ. Yellow-b, -c, -d, and -h are required for normal body coloration of Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 109:e21856. [PMID: 34850449 DOI: 10.1002/arch.21856] [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: 09/18/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The involvement of yellow genes y-b, y-c, y-e, and y-h in cuticle tanning has poorly been clarified. In the present paper, six putative yellow (y-y, y-b, y-c, y-e y-f, and y-h) genes were identified in Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata. Hvy-b, Hvy-c, Hvy-e, and Hvy-h were abundantly transcribed at early larval and late pupal stages, especially in the epidermis. Accordingly, RNA interference (RNAi) experiments were performed by an injection of dsy-b, dsy-c, dsy-e, or dsy-h into the second instar larvae and 1-day-old pupae. The head capsule, scoli and strumae, and legs in the fourth-instar larvae became blacker; the blackish spots in the pupae were darkened and widened after RNAi of Hvy-b, compared with those of dsegfp-treated controls. Depletion of Hvy-b at the 1-day-old pupal stage expanded two pair of black markings on the sternum of the metathorax, and darkened the black patched on the sterna of the abdomen segments I-VI in the resultant adults. Depletion of Hvy-e caused darker pigmented adult body and elytral cuticles than those of dsegfp-introduced controls. However, there was no obvious difference in pigmentation of the black markings. Hvy-h-deficient larvae displayed dark yellow body color, whereas the body color of the dsegfp-injected control was pale yellow. There was no obvious difference in coloration of larval specific-black markings or pupal cuticle between dsHvy-h- and dsegfp-treated animals. Moreover, silence of Hvy-c at the second instar larval stage lightened black markings in the resulting larvae and pupae, but had no influence on pale yellow body color. Our results demonstrated their different roles of the four yellow genes during body pigmentation: HvY-b and HvY-c, respectively, inhibit and facilitate the coloration within dark markings, whereas HvY-e and HvY-h, respectively, repress the pigmentation in adult and larval body cuticles outside the black patches in H. vigintioctopunctata.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei Wang
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests/State and Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Green Pesticide Invention and Application, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Long-Ji Ze
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests/State and Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Green Pesticide Invention and Application, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Lin Jin
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests/State and Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Green Pesticide Invention and Application, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Guo-Qing Li
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests/State and Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Green Pesticide Invention and Application, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
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Noh MY, Mun S, Kramer KJ, Muthukrishnan S, Arakane Y. Yellow-y Functions in Egg Melanization and Chorion Morphology of the Asian Tiger Mosquito, Aedes albopictus. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:769788. [PMID: 34977021 PMCID: PMC8716798 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.769788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, is one of the most serious public health pests, which can transmit various vector-borne diseases. Eggs from this mosquito species become dark black shortly after oviposition and exhibit high desiccation resistance. Some of the Yellow proteins that act as dopachrome conversion enzymes (DCEs) are involved in the tyrosine-mediated tanning (pigmentation and sclerotization) metabolic pathway that significantly accelerates melanization reactions in insects. In this research, we analyzed the function of one of the yellow genes, yellow-y (AalY-y), in eggshell/chorion melanization of Ae. albopictus eggs. Developmental and tissue-specific expression measured by real-time PCR showed that AalY-y transcripts were detected at all stages of development analyzed, with significantly higher levels in the ovaries from blood-fed adult females. Injection of double-stranded RNA for AalY-y (dsAalY-y) had no significant effect on fecundity. However, unlike dsEGFP-treated control eggs that become black by 2–3 h after oviposition (HAO), dsAalY-y eggs were yellow-brown at 2 HAO, and reddish-brown even at 48 HAO. dsEGFP eggs exhibited resistance to desiccation at 48 HAO, whereas approximately 50% of the dsAalY-y eggs collapsed when they were moved to a low humidity condition. In addition, TEM analysis revealed an abnormal morphology and ultrastructure of the outer-endochorion in the dsAalY-y eggs. These results support the hypothesis that AalY-y is involved in the tyrosine-induced melanin biosynthetic pathway, plays an important role in black melanization of the chorion and functions in conferring proper morphology of the outer-endochorion, a structure that is presumably required for egg desiccation resistance in Ae. albopictus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mi Young Noh
- Department of Forest Resources, AgriBio Institute of Climate Change Management, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, South Korea
- *Correspondence: Mi Young Noh, ; Yasuyuki Arakane,
| | - Seulgi Mun
- Department of Applied Biology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Karl J. Kramer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, United States
| | - Subbaratnam Muthukrishnan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, United States
| | - Yasuyuki Arakane
- Department of Applied Biology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, South Korea
- *Correspondence: Mi Young Noh, ; Yasuyuki Arakane,
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Li JJ, Shi Y, Wu JN, Li H, Smagghe G, Liu TX. CRISPR/Cas9 in lepidopteran insects: Progress, application and prospects. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 135:104325. [PMID: 34743972 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2021.104325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Clustered regularly spaced short palindrome repeats (CRISPR) structure family forms the acquired immune system in bacteria and archaea. Recent advances in CRISPR/Cas genome editing as derived from prokaryotes, confirmed the characteristics of robustness, high target specificity and programmability, and also revolutionized the insect sciences field. The successful application of CRISPR in a wide variety of lepidopteran insects, with a high genetic diversity, provided opportunities to explore gene functions, insect modification and pest control. In this review, we present a detailed overview on the recent progress of CRISPR in lepidopteran insects, and described the basic principles of the system and its application. Major interest is on wing development, pigmentation, mating, reproduction, sex determination, metamorphosis, resistance and silkworm breeding innovation. Finally, we outlined the limitations of CRISPR/Cas system and discussed its application prospects in lepidopteran insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiang-Jie Li
- Key Lab of Integrated Crop Pest Management of Shandong Province, College of Plant Health and Medicine, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, Shandong 266109, PR China; Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Yan Shi
- Key Lab of Integrated Crop Pest Management of Shandong Province, College of Plant Health and Medicine, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, Shandong 266109, PR China; Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Ji-Nan Wu
- Key Lab of Integrated Crop Pest Management of Shandong Province, College of Plant Health and Medicine, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, Shandong 266109, PR China
| | - Hao Li
- Key Lab of Integrated Crop Pest Management of Shandong Province, College of Plant Health and Medicine, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, Shandong 266109, PR China
| | - Guy Smagghe
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Tong-Xian Liu
- Key Lab of Integrated Crop Pest Management of Shandong Province, College of Plant Health and Medicine, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, Shandong 266109, PR China.
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Han W, Tang F, Zhong Y, Zhang J, Liu Z. Identification of yellow gene family and functional analysis of Spodoptera frugiperda yellow-y by CRISPR/Cas9. PESTICIDE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 178:104937. [PMID: 34446204 DOI: 10.1016/j.pestbp.2021.104937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Revised: 06/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
For a devastating agricultural pest, functional genomics promotes the finding of novel technology to control Spodoptera frugiperda, such as the genetics-based strategies. In the present study, 11 yellow genes were identified in Spodoptera frugiperda. The transcriptome analysis showed the tissue-specific expression of part yellow genes, which suggested the importance of yellow genes in some biological processes in S. frugiperda, such as pigmentation. Among these yellow genes, the expression profiles of yellow-y gene showed that it was expressed in all life stages. In order to realize the further study of yellow-y, we employed CRISPR/Cas9 system to knock out this gene. Following knock out, diverse phenotypes were observed, such as color changes in both larvae and adults. Different from the wild-type larvae and adults, G0 mutants were yellowed since hatching. However, no color difference was observed with the pupal cuticle between the wild-type and mutant pupae before the 8th day. On the basis of the single-pair strategy of G0 generation, the yellow-y gene was proved to be a recessive gene. The G1 yellowish larvae with biallelic mutations displayed a relatively longer development period than wild-type, and often generated abnormal pupae and moths. The deletion of yellow-y also resulted in a decline in the fecundity. The results revealed that yellow-y gene was important for S. frugiperda pigmentation, as well as in its development and reproduction. Besides, the present study set up a standard procedure to knock out genes in S. frugiperda, which could be helpful for our understanding some key molecular processes, such as functional roles of detoxification genes as insecticide resistance mechanisms or modes of action of insecticides to facilitate the management of this insect pest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weikang Han
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang 1, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Fengxian Tang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang 1, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yanni Zhong
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang 1, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Junteng Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang 1, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Zewen Liu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang 1, Nanjing 210095, China.
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