Comparative proteomic analysis between the domesticated silkworm (Bombyx mori) reared on fresh mulberry leaves and on artificial diet

To gain an insight into the effects of different diets on growth and development of the domesticated silkworm at protein level, we employed comparative proteomic approach to investigate the proteomic differences of midgut, hemolymph, fat body and posterior silk gland of the silkworms reared on fresh mulberry leaves and on artificial diet. Seventy-six differentially expressed proteins were identified by MALDI TOF/TOF MS, and among them, 41 proteins were up-regulated, and 35 proteins were downregulated. Database searches, combined with GO analysis and KEGG pathway analysis revealed that some hemolymph proteins such as Nuecin, Gloverin-like proteins, PGRP, P50 and beta/-N-acetylglucosamidase were related to innate immunity of the silkworm, and some proteins identified in silkworm midgut including Myosin 1 light chain, Tropomyosin 1, Profilin, Serpin-2 and GSH-Px were involved in digestion and nutrition absorption. Moreover, two up-regulated enzymes in fat body of larvae reared on artificial diet were identified as V-ATPase subunit B and Arginine kinase which participate in energy metabolism. Furthermore, 6 down-regulated proteins identified in posterior silk gland of silkworm larvae reared on artificial diet including Ribosomal protein SA, EF-2, EF-1gamma, AspAT, ERp57 and PHB were related to silk synthesis. Our results suggested that the different diets could alter the expression of proteins related to immune system, digestion and absorption of nutrient, energy metabolism and silk synthesis poor nutrition and absorption of nutrition in silkworm. The results also confirmed that the poor nutrient absorption, weakened innate immunity, decreased energy metabolism and reduced silk synthesis are the main reasons for low cocoons yield, inferior filament quality, low survival rate of young larvae and insufficient resistance against specific pathogens in the silkworms fed on artificial diet.     

茉莉酸甲酯处理对棉铃虫生长和解毒能力的影响

【目的】为明确茉莉酸甲酯（methyl jasmonate, MeJA）的不同处理方式对昆虫生长和解毒代谢能力的影响,以及MeJA熏蒸处理昆虫对植物防御和昆虫解毒代谢之间关系的影响。【方法】本文比较了取食MeJA和MeJA熏蒸等两种处理对棉铃虫Helicoverpa armigera 3龄末幼虫生长和解毒代谢酶活性的影响,并系统研究了经MeJA熏蒸处理的棉铃虫3龄末幼虫,再取食经MeJA喷雾处理的棉叶,其中肠解毒酶活性的变化。【结果】取食MeJA和MeJA熏蒸两种不同处理,对棉铃虫幼虫的生长及解毒能力的影响有所不同。取食含2.9 μg/g MeJA的人工饲料显著抑制了棉铃虫的生长,同时诱导棉铃虫幼虫P450活性增加了1.92倍,而MeJA熏蒸虽然没有影响棉铃虫幼虫的生长,但MeJA熏蒸处理使棉铃虫幼虫P450活性和羧酸酯酶活性分别增加了2.94倍和1.16倍。经MeJA熏蒸处理后的棉铃虫幼虫,再取食正常的或经MeJA喷雾处理的棉叶,其幼虫P450活性显著增加,其中经MeJA熏蒸处理的棉铃虫,再取食经MeJA喷雾处理的棉叶,其P450酶显示了最高活性。【结论】MeJA熏蒸处理棉铃虫,不仅使棉铃虫中与P450酶相关的解毒能力显著增加,而且增加了棉铃虫对于MeJA所诱导的棉花防御反应的解毒能力。     

Complexity in specificities and expression of Helicoverpa armigera gut proteinases explains polyphagous nature of the insect pest

Helicoverpa armigera is a devastating pest of cotton and other important crop plants all over the world. A detailed biochemical investigation of H. armigera gut proteinases is essential for planning effective proteinase inhibitor (PI)-based strategies to counter the insect infestation. In this study, we report the complexity of gut proteinase composition of H. armigera fed on four different host plants, viz. chickpea, pigeonpea, cotton and okra, and during larval development. H. armigera fed on chickpea showed more than 2.5- to 3-fold proteinase activity than those fed on the other host plants. H. armigera gut proteinase composition revealed the predominance of serine proteinase activity; however, the larvae fed on pigeonpea revealed the presence of metalloproteases and low levels of aspartic and cysteine proteases as well. Gut proteinase activity increased during larval development with the highest activity seen in the fifth instar larvae which, however, declined sharply in the sixth instar. Over 90% of the gut proteinase activity of the fifth instar larvae was of the serine proteinase type, however, the second instar larvae showed the presence of proteinases of other mechanistic classes like metalloproteases, aspartic and cysteine proteases along with serine proteinase activity as evident by inhibition studies. Analysis of fecal matter of larvae showed significant increase in proteinase activity when fed on an artificial diet with or without non-host PIs than larvae fed on a natural diet. The diversity in the proteinase activity observed in H. armigera gut and the flexibility in their expression during developmental stages and depending upon the diet provides a base for selection of proper PIs for insect resistance in transgenic crop plants.     

Esterification of cholesterol and cholestanol in the whole body,tissues, and frass of Heliothis zea

The quantity of free and esterified sterols in the whole body, intestine, hemolymph, fat body, and frass of 6th-instar larvae of H. zea, fed cholesterol or cholestanol, was measured in order to determine if there was a difference in the utilization of these two molecules. The principal sterol in the tissues of the larvae was cholestanol or cholesterol, when they were fed diet containing these two molecules, respectively; there was little, if any, metabolism of dietary cholestanol to cholesterol. There was little or no difference in the amount of total sterol in the whole body, tissues, or frass of larvae fed the two different diets, indicating that the absence of a Δ⁵-bond in cholestanol does not prevent the uptake or distribution of this sterol to various tissues. However, the relative percentage of steryl ester was significantly higher in prepupae reared on a diet containing cholestanol instead of cholesterol (6–7-, 4-, 13-, 4-, and 2-fold increase, for the whole body, intestine, hemolymph, fat body, and frass, respectively). The average percentage of total sterol that was esterified in the tissues was greater in the fat body (10.8 ± 15.4 and 44.2 ± 12.3%, respectively, for larvae fed cholesterol and cholestanol) than in the hemolymph (0.5 ± 0.1 and 6.3 ± 0.8%) and intestine (1.2 ± 0.1 and 4.7 ± 1.1%). The percentage of sterol that was esterified in the frass of larvae was large (26.9 ± 3.7 and 48.2 ± 0.5%, respectively, for larvae fed cholesterol and cholestanol). Therefore, the fact that larvae of H. zea fed cholestanol, instead of cholesterol, contain this saturated molecule as their principal tissue sterol and preferentially esterify it may explain, at least in part, why their rate of growth on cholestanol is slower than on cholesterol.     

七氟菊酯和溴氰菊酯对棉铃虫肠道菌群的影响

【目的】本研究旨在探究拟除虫菊酯类杀虫剂对棉铃虫Helicoverpa armigera幼虫肠道菌群结构及代谢的影响,丰富对杀虫剂作用机理的认识。【方法】分别对棉铃虫2和3龄幼虫饲喂普通人工饲料(对照组, SS)、含2%七氟菊酯(Ⅰ型拟除虫菊酯)粉剂饲料(七氟菊酯处理组,Te)和含2.5%溴氰菊酯(Ⅱ型拟除虫菊酯)乳油饲料(溴氰菊酯处理组, DM),然后提取3龄幼虫肠道菌群基因组DNA;利用Illumina MiSeq二代高通量测序技术对肠道细菌的16S rDNA的V3-V4变异区进行测序,分析其肠道细菌的多样性和丰富度;利用qPCR验证16S rDNA测序分析结果。取2和3龄幼虫肠道,匀浆后进行Biolog-Eco实验,分析肠道细菌对Eco板上31种碳源的代谢情况。【结果】16S rDNA测序结果表明,棉铃虫3龄幼虫肠道细菌主要是厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)、变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)和蓝藻菌门(Cyanobacteria)。与对照组相比,溴氰菊酯处理组和七氟菊酯处理组的棉铃虫幼虫肠道细菌的α多样性指数没有显著性改变,但是菌群结构发生了变化：在门水平,拟杆菌门的相对丰度减少,厚壁菌门和蓝藻菌门的相对丰度增加,qPCR验证结果亦支持16S rDNA测序分析的这个结果;在属水平,拟杆菌属Bacteroides、普氏菌属Prevotella和假单胞菌属Pseudomonas等的相对丰度降低,狭义梭菌属Clostridium sensu stricto 1、埃希菌属-志贺氏菌属Escherichia-Shigella和盐单胞菌属Halomonas等的相对丰度增加,其中盐单胞菌属Halomonas的相对丰度显著增加。Biolog-Eco结果表明,与对照组相比,溴氰菊酯处理组中2龄幼虫对羧酸类碳源的代谢能力下降;溴氰菊酯处理组和七氟菊酯处理组中3龄幼虫对DL-α-磷酸甘油、肝糖和L-苯丙氨酸等碳源的利用能力下降。【结论】结果显示,拟除虫菊酯类杀虫剂对棉铃虫肠道菌群的结构和代谢能力有明显影响,拟除虫菊酯类杀虫剂使棉铃虫肠道有益菌的相对丰度下降,而使致病菌的相对丰度增加。短时间拟除虫菊酯处理未造成抗药性菌群的丰度增加。qPCR检测结果与16S rDNA测序分析结果相似。Ⅰ型和Ⅱ型拟除虫菊酯类杀虫剂对棉铃虫肠道菌群结构和代谢功能的影响不同。     

The expression of proteins involved in digestion and detoxification are regulated in Helicoverpa armigera to cope up with chlorpyrifos insecticide

Helicoverpa armigera is a key pest in many vital crops, which is mainly controlled by chemical strategies. To manage this pest is becoming challenging due to its ability and evolution of resistance against insecticides. Further, its subsequent spread on nonhost plant is remarkable in recent times. Hence, decoding resistance mechanism against phytochemicals and synthetic insecticides is a major challenge. The present work describes that the digestion, defense and immunity related enzymes are associated with chlorpyrifos resistance in H. armigera. Proteomic analysis of H. armigera gut tissue upon feeding on chlorpyrifos containing diet (CH) and artificial diet (AD) using nano‐liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry identified upregulated 23‐proteins in CH fed larvae. Database searches combined with gene ontology analysis revealed that the identified gut proteins engrossed in digestion, proteins crucial for immunity, adaptive responses to stress, and detoxification. Biochemical and quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction analysis of candidate proteins indicated that insects were struggling to get nutrients and energy in presence of CH, while at the same time endeavoring to metabolize chlorpyrifos. Moreover, we proposed a potential processing pathway of chlorpyrifos in H. armigera gut by examining the metabolites using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. H. armigera exhibit a range of intriguing behavioral, morphological adaptations and resistance to insecticides by regulating expression of proteins involved in digestion and detoxification mechanisms to cope up with chlorpyrifos. In these contexts, as gut is a rich repository of biological information; profound analysis of gut tissues can give clues of detoxification and resistance mechanism in insects.     

基于均匀设计与支持向量回归的棉铃虫幼虫全纯人工饲料配方优化

昆虫全纯人工饲料配方是精细研究昆虫营养生理的前提。本研究以棉铃虫Helicoverpa armigera幼虫为供试对象, 以本研究室前期发展的多因素多水平配方优化实验设计与分析方法UD-SVR为指导, 以略加修改的苹浅褐卷蛾Epiphyas postvittana幼虫全纯人工饲料为初始配方, 先优化20种天然氨基酸, 再优化蔗糖等其他8种非氨基酸营养组分, 经4轮97个处理组合, 获得一个棉铃虫幼虫全纯人工饲料满意配方, 平均蛹重、 化蛹率分别由初始配方的0.160 g和10.4％高效增至满意配方的0.255 g和97.9％。该全纯人工饲料满意配方的获得, 不但再次证实了UD-SVR方法的有效性, 同时为进一步深入研究棉铃虫营养需求与营养代谢奠定了基础。     

Comparative proteomic analysis of Bombyx mori hemolymph and fat body after calorie restriction

Calorie restriction (CR) is known to extend life span from yeast to mammals. To gain an insight into the effects of CR on growth and development of the silkworm Bombyx mori at protein level, we employed comparative proteomic approach to investigate proteomic differences of hemolymph and fat body of the silkworm larvae subjected to CR. Thirty-nine differentially expressed proteins were identified by MALDI TOF/TOF MS. Among them, 19 were from the hemolymph and 20 from the fat body. The hemolymph of the CR group contained two down-regulated and 17 up-regulated proteins, whereas the fat body contained 15 down-regulated and five up-regulated ones. These proteins belonged to those functioning in immune system, in signal transduction and apoptosis, in regulation of growth and development, and in energy metabolism. Our results suggest that CR can alter the expression of proteins related to the above four aspects, implying that these proteins may regulate life span of the silkworm through CR.     

棉铃虫幼虫唾液腺cDNA文库的构建及EST分析

棉铃虫Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner)幼虫唾液中的各种酶类及各种生化组分在棉铃虫与植物相互作用及协同进化中起到重要作用; 唾液腺是棉铃虫唾液成分的合成器官。本研究通过构建棉铃虫幼虫唾液腺全长cDNA文库, 测序得到1 502条EST序列, 聚类分析后获得821个unigenes, 为筛选棉铃虫与寄主互作信号因子提供基因信息资源。使用Blast2 GO软件对821个unigenes进行了比对和功能注释, 初步获得棉铃虫幼虫唾液腺中mRNA的构成特征。结果显示, 在棉铃虫唾液腺ESTs文库中, 鉴定得到脂类相关消化酶基因17个, 糖类相关消化酶基因5个, 半胱氨酸蛋白酶基因1个, 丝氨酸蛋白酶基因20个（其中16个为新发现）, 提示唾液腺的主要功能是分泌消化酶进行预消化; 还发现在棉铃虫幼虫唾液腺中存在表皮蛋白、 气味结合蛋白和化学感受蛋白基因。结果为研究棉铃虫预消化系统打下基础。     

Higher accumulation of proteinase inhibitors in flowers than leaves and fruits as a possible basis for differential feeding preference of Helicoverpa armigera on tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill, Cv. Dhanashree)

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum, Mill; cultivar- Dhanashree) proteinase inhibitors (PIs) were tested for their trypsin inhibitory (TI) and Helicoverpa armigera gut proteinases inhibitory (HGPI) activity in different organs of the tomato plants. Analysis of TI and HGPI distribution in various parts of the plant showed that flowers accumulated about 300 and 1000 times higher levels of TI while 700 and 400 times higher levels of HGPI as compared to those in leaves and fruits, respectively. Field observation that H. armigera larvae infest leaves and fruits but not the flowers could be at least partially attributed to the protective role-played by the higher levels of PIs in the flower tissue. Tomato PIs inhibited about 50-80% HGP activity of H. armigera larvae feeding on various host plants including tomato, of larvae exposed to non-host plant PIs and of various larval instars. Tomato PIs were found to be highly stable to insect proteinases wherein incubation of inhibitor with HGP even for 3h at optimum conditions did not affect inhibitory activity. Bioassay using H. armigera larvae fed on artificial diet containing tomato PIs revealed adverse effect on larval growth, pupae development, adult formation and fecundity.     

Host recognition by the specialist endoparasitoidMicroplitis croceipes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae): Role of host- and plant-related volatiles

The specialist parasitoidMicroplitis croceipes Cresson can parasitize only noctuid larvae in the generaHelicoverpa andHeliothis. To be successful in their search for hosts, the ability to distinguish hosts from nonhosts feeding on the same plant is beneficial. In flight tunnel experiments, we found that prior to landing on the odor sourceM. croceipes were able to distinguish volatiles released from frass of host larvae(Helicoverpa zea Boddie) and nonhost larvae (Spodoptera exigua Hübner andSpodoptera frugiperda J. E. Smith) fed on cotton. However, an initial contact experience with frass of cotton-fed host larvae appeared to be critical for this ability. Wasps that had antennated frass of host larvae fed pinto bean diet were equally attracted to frass of host and nonhost larvae fed on pinto bean diet. In short-range walking experiments, wasps located cotton-fed host larvae faster than diet-fed larvae, regardless of their experience. Wasps that had antennated frass of cotton-fed host larvae were less attracted to cotton-fed nonhost larvae, compared to host larvae, and preferred to sting host larvae. Plant-related volatiles in host frass and larvae appear to play a major role in the successful location of host larvae.     

Toxicity of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry proteins to Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in South Africa

The susceptibility of one of the most important pests in southern Africa, Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), to Bacillus thuringiensis Cry proteins was evaluated by bioassay. Cry proteins were produced in Escherichia coli BL21 cells that were transformed with plasmids containing one of six cry genes. The toxicity of each Cry protein to H. armigera larvae was determined by the diet contamination method for second instar larvae and the droplet feeding method for neonate larvae. For each of the proteins, dose-mortality and dose-growth inhibition responses were analyzed and the median lethal dose (LD(50)) and median inhibitory dose (ID(50)) determined. Second instar larvae were consistently less susceptible to the evaluated Cry proteins than neonate larvae. The relative toxicity of Cry proteins ranked differently between neonate larvae and second instar larvae. On the basis of the LD(50) and ID(50) values, Cry1Ab, Cry1Ac, and Cry2Aa were the most toxic of the evaluated proteins to H. armigera larvae. The study provides an initial benchmark of the toxicity of individual Cry proteins to H. armigera in South Africa.     

Structure of the gut contents of Trichogramma australicum Girault (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) larvae fixed in situ in eggs of its host Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Abstract Trichogramma australicum larvae develop most rapidly in younger eggs of its host, the pest lepidopteran Helicoverpa armigera . To establish how the developmental stage of the host affects the diet of T. australicum , larvae were fixed in situ in eggs of H. armigera of different ages and the structure of the egg contents and parasitoid gut contents examined histologically. Larvae feeding on newly laid host eggs contain primarily yolk particles in their gut, while larvae feeding on older hosts contain necrotic cells and yolk particles. The gut of T. australicum larvae does not contain organised tissue remnants, indicating that larvae feed primarily by sucking food into their pharynx and feed best on a mixture of particulate semisolids in a liquid matrix. Secretory structures of T. australicum larvae that could be involved in modifying the host environment were examined. The hindgut is modified to form an anal vesicle with a number of attributes suggesting that it may be a specialised secretory structure. The paired salivary glands open to the exterior via a common duct.     

棉铃虫幼虫自相残杀习性与其龄期和食物营养的相关性（英文）

【目的】 昆虫自相残杀行为可以促进特定病原体的传播,这在利用昆虫病原体防治害虫方面有潜在的应用价值。本研究旨在探究棉铃虫 Helicoverpa armigera 幼虫自相残杀习性与其龄期及食物营养之间的相关性。【方法】 分别饲喂室内品系和野外品系的棉铃虫幼虫含不同Na⁺浓度的人工饲料,并在饲养至3龄、4龄、5龄和6龄时,将取食相同饲料的10头幼虫为一群组移入同一培养皿中,通过测定各处理幼虫存活率,评估幼虫龄期和饲料中的Na⁺含量对自相残杀行为的影响。【结果】 当以3龄和4龄为群组的起始龄期时,棉铃虫幼虫存活率显著低于起始龄期为5龄和6龄的群组。此外,取食正常人工饲料的幼虫存活率最高,取食缺钠饲料时,幼虫存活率明显下降。最后,幼虫群组起始龄期和食物Na⁺含量对幼虫化蛹率无明显影响。【结论】结果说明,棉铃虫4和5龄幼虫与3和6龄幼虫相比,自相残杀行为发生的概率更大,而Na⁺含量较低的食物在一定程度上促进自相残杀行为发生的可能性。本研究为在这一领域的进一步工作提供了基础。     

Oviposition deterrents in larval frass of the cotton boll worm, Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae): chemical identification and electroantennography analysis

Oviposition deterrents in the frass of cotton bollworm (CBW), Helicoverpa armigera larvae fed on an artificial diet (FA) and on cotton Gossypium hirsutum leaves (FC) were investigated by behavioral bioassays and electroantennography analyses in the laboratory. It was found that a water suspension or a hexane extract of the frass FA or FC, in contrast to the corresponding foods, significantly deterred oviposition of conspecifics. When hexane extracts of the frass FA and FC were further partitioned into polar and neutral lipid fractions, two polar fractions significantly reduced oviposition. The neutral fraction from frass FC also exhibited significant deterrence, although the activity was much lower than that of the corresponding polar fraction. The polar lipid fractions contained several fatty acids, mainly palmitic and oleic acid at the ratio nearly 1:1. A blend of authentic fatty acids of the same composition found in frass FA or FC mimicked the deterring effect. Moreover, these fatty acids and their blend at the ratio found in frass FA or FC elicited significant electroantennogram responses and typical dose-response curves. Thus, it is suggested that CBW larvae may deploy two types of oviposition deterrents: a non-specific and a specific one. The former is a blend of fatty acids, independent of food and plays an important role in oviposition deterrence, whereas the latter may be produced only when the larvae feed on cotton leaves. The possible explanations of this deployment have also been discussed.     

The Hemolymph Proteome of Fed and Starved Drosophila Larvae

The co-operation of specialized organ systems in complex multicellular organisms depends on effective chemical communication. Thus, body fluids (like blood, lymph or intraspinal fluid) contain myriads of signaling mediators apart from metabolites. Moreover, these fluids are also of crucial importance for immune and wound responses. Compositional analyses of human body fluids are therefore of paramount diagnostic importance. Further improving their comprehensiveness should increase our understanding of inter-organ communication. In arthropods, which have trachea for gas exchange and an open circulatory system, the single dominating interstitial fluid is the hemolymph. Accordingly, a detailed analysis of hemolymph composition should provide an especially comprehensive picture of chemical communication and defense in animals. Therefore we used an extensive protein fractionation workflow in combination with a discovery-driven proteomic approach to map out the detectable protein composition of hemolymph isolated from Drosophila larvae. Combined mass spectrometric analysis revealed more than 700 proteins extending far beyond the previously known Drosophila hemolymph proteome. Moreover, by comparing hemolymph isolated from either fed or starved larvae, we provide initial provisional insights concerning compositional changes in response to nutritional state. Storage proteins in particular were observed to be strongly reduced by starvation. Our hemolymph proteome catalog provides a rich basis for data mining, as exemplified by our identification of potential novel cytokines, as well as for future quantitative analyses by targeted proteomics.     

Microorganisms are involved in the production of volatile kairomones affecting the host seeking behaviour of Diadromus pulchellus, a parasitoid of Acrolepiopsis assectella

Abstract. Experiments were carried out to determine the origin of dialkyl disulphides found in the larval frass of Acrolepiopsis assectella Zell. which enable the specialist parasitoid Diadromus pulchellus Wsm. to find its host. These kairomones are not specific: they are also found in the frass of the generalist Cacoecimorpha pronubana Hb. fed a leek-based diet. They are emitted only after the frass emerges from the gut. Bacteria are present in the gut of larvae and in their frass. The addition of antibiotics to the larval diet prevents bacterial development and suppresses disulphide emission. When grown in the presence of sulphur amino acids, precursors of sulphur volatiles, some bacteria metabolize kairomones. The production of volatile kairomones, responsible for host– parasitoid relationships, depends on the presence of additional organisms, i.e. bacteria, and not on enzymes arising from the plant or the phytophage.