Transgenic cotton expressing CYP392A4 double‐stranded RNA decreases the reproductive ability of Tetranychus cinnabarinus

As a polyphagous pest, Tetranychus cinnabarinus has the ability to overcome the defense of various hosts, and causes severe losses to various economically important crops. Since the interaction between pest and host plants is a valuable clue to investigate potential ways for pest management, we intend to identify the key genes of T. cinnabarinus for its adaption on cotton, then, with RNA interference (RNAi) and transgenic technology, construct a transgenic cotton strain to interfere with this process, and evaluate the effect of this method on the management of the mites. The difference of gene expression of T. cinnabarinus was analyzed when it was transferred to a new host (from cowpea to cotton) through high‐throughput sequencing, and a number of differentially expressed genes involved in detoxification, digestion and specific processes during the development were classified. From them, a P450 gene CYP392A4 with high abundance and prominent over‐expression on the cotton was selected as a candidate. With transgenic technology, cotton plants expressing double‐stranded RNA of CYP392A4 were constructed. Feeding experiments showed that it can decrease the expression of the target gene, result in the reduction of reproductive ability of the mites, and the population of T. cinnabarinus showed an apparent fitness cost on the transgenic cotton. These results provide a new approach to restrict the development of mite population on the host. It is also a useful attempt to control piercing sucking pests through RNAi and transgenic technology.     

草地贪夜蛾雄性成虫和5龄幼虫的转录组比较分析

【目的】草地贪夜蛾Spodoptera frugiperda是一种新近入侵我国的重要害虫。本研究旨在对草地贪夜蛾雄性成虫和5龄幼虫两个不同发育阶段的转录组进行比较分析。【方法】利用高通量测序技术对草地贪夜蛾雄性成虫和5龄幼虫进行转录组测序和数据组装,并对转录组数据进行功能注释和比较分析。【结果】经de novo组装共获得209 002条转录本,平均长度为687.55 bp,N50为982 bp。共有46 198条(57.43%) unigene在至少一个数据库中获得功能注释,其中1 713条(2.13%) unigene在所有数据库中均能获得注释。在GO数据库中获得205 269条unigene的注释,主要包括68个功能分类;在KEGG数据库中共有3 408条unigene得到注释,涉及277个代谢通路。共鉴定到424个嗅觉相关的基因,并且在雄性成虫和5龄幼虫之间的表达存在差异。通过比较转录组分析,在雄性成虫中鉴定到9 162个上调和6 399个下调差异表达基因(DEGs);功能富集分析发现在上调DEGs中涉及信息素以及信号转导的代谢通路显著富集,而下调DEGs中涉及解毒相关的通路显著富集。【结论】这些转录组数据为探究草地贪夜蛾的生长发育、嗅觉相关功能基因以及候选分子靶标提供资源信息。     

象甲科昆虫转录组研究进展

转录组是细胞在特定发育阶段或生理条件下的全部转录本及其数量总和,并能揭示特定状态下的基因表达模式及分子机理。象甲科昆虫拥有动物界中最多的物种种类,该科许多昆虫也是我国粮食仓储和农林产业上的重大害虫。通过研究象甲科昆虫转录组,从分子水平揭示其生命过程中相关的基因及其功能,对寻找害虫防治的新方法具有重要意义。本文对象甲科昆虫转录组研究现状进行了浅析,涉及象甲科不同发育阶段基因差异、昆虫触角、与植物互作、防治、免疫机制、进化、基因沉默7个方面的分析,可在理论上丰富对象甲科昆虫遗传发育、免疫、潜在RNA干扰靶点筛选等方面的理解,并在此基础上提出了象甲科转录组今后的研究热点与应用前景,为害虫防控提供理论指导。     

Next‐generation transgenic cotton: pyramiding RNAi and Bt counters insect resistance

Transgenic crops producing insecticidal proteins from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) are extensively cultivated worldwide. To counter rapidly increasing pest resistance to crops that produce single Bt toxins, transgenic plant ‘pyramids’ producing two or more Bt toxins that kill the same pest have been widely adopted. However, cross‐resistance and antagonism between Bt toxins limit the sustainability of this approach. Here we describe development and testing of the first pyramids of cotton combining protection from a Bt toxin and RNA interference (RNAi). We developed two types of transgenic cotton plants producing double‐stranded RNA (dsRNA) from the global lepidopteran pest Helicoverpa armigera designed to interfere with its metabolism of juvenile hormone (JH). We focused on suppression of JH acid methyltransferase (JHAMT), which is crucial for JH synthesis, and JH‐binding protein (JHBP), which transports JH to organs. In 2015 and 2016, we tested larvae from a Bt‐resistant strain and a related susceptible strain of H. armigera on seven types of cotton: two controls, Bt cotton, two types of RNAi cotton (targeting JHAMT or JHBP) and two pyramids (Bt cotton plus each type of RNAi). Both types of RNAi cotton were effective against Bt‐resistant insects. Bt cotton and RNAi acted independently against the susceptible strain. In computer simulations of conditions in northern China, where millions of farmers grow Bt cotton as well as abundant non‐transgenic host plants of H. armigera, pyramided cotton combining a Bt toxin and RNAi substantially delayed resistance relative to using Bt cotton alone.     

基于转录组的苹小卷叶蛾杀虫剂靶标及解毒代谢相关基因分析

【目的】建立苹小卷叶蛾Adoxophyes orana转录组数据库,挖掘杀虫剂靶标及解毒代谢相关基因。【方法】采用Illumina HiSeq~(TM) 2000高通量测序技术对苹小卷叶蛾进行转录组测序,挖掘并分析杀虫剂靶标基因;利用qPCR检测6个杀虫剂靶标基因在苹小卷叶蛾卵、幼虫、蛹和成虫各不同发育阶段的表达;挖掘并分析苹小卷叶蛾转录组中解毒代谢相关基因的代谢通路及进化关系。【结果】通过组装有效序列共获得48 610条unigene(GenBank登录号:GGMW00000000)。挖掘鉴定到155个杀虫剂靶标unigene;qPCR结果显示,1个蜕皮激素受体(ecdysone receptor, ECR)、2个乙酰胆碱酯酶(acetylcholinesterase, AChE)、1个氯离子通道蛋白(chloride channel, CLC)、1个几丁质酶(chitinase, CS)和1个鱼尼丁受体(ryanodine receptor, RyR)基因在苹小卷叶蛾不同发育阶段均存在表达差异。挖掘鉴定到69个羧酸酯酶(carboxylesterase, CarE)unigene、66个谷胱甘肽S-转移酶(glutathion S-transferase, GST)unigene和205个细胞色素P450(cytochrome P450)unigene等解毒代谢相关基因,共鉴定20个CarE unigene, 32个GST unigene和30个P450 unigene与有毒物质代谢相关的通路有关。基于氨基酸序列对具有完整ORF的unigene聚类分析结果显示:12个CarEs中9个为G类,即鳞翅目保幼激素类;分别有10个AoGSTs属于Delta和Epsilon亚家族;18个P450全部聚到CYP3集团。【结论】该研究有助于苹小卷叶蛾杀虫剂靶标基因的挖掘及抗药性的研究。     

陆地棉矮化突变体Ari1327茎尖的转录组分析

为了从分子水平上研究陆地棉矮秆突变体Ari1327的矮化机理,本研究以矮秆突变体Ari1327、野生型Ari971和高秆突变体Ari3697的茎尖为材料,建立3个cDNA文库,用Illumina HiSeqTM2000系统对3个材料的茎尖cDNA进行转录组测序。3个文库测序共得4.9 G数据量,拼接得到Unigene 70877个。通过矮化突变体Ari1327与野生型Ari971和高秆突变体Ari3697两个文库的差异筛选,得到13919个与矮化相关的差异表达基因,其中5406个表现上调,8513个表现下调。GO功能和KEGG通路富集发现,差异基因在植物激素信号转导途径显著富集。通过实时荧光定量PCR(qRT-PCR)验证,推测Ari1327的矮化可能与赤霉素和生长素2种激素的信号转导及互作有关。转录组测序得到的大量差异基因,为深入研究棉花的矮化机理具有重要参考价值,同时为棉花的矮化育种工作奠定了基础。