Pest Management Science (2020) 76, 1831-1840
Wei Zhang, Nemat O. Keyhani, Hao Zhang, Kaiyong Cai and Yuxian Xia (2020)
Inhibitor of apoptosis-1 gene as a potential target for pest control and its involvement in immune regulation during fungal infection
Pest Management Science 76 (5), 1831-1840
Abstract:
BACKGROUND
Environmentally friendly insect management technologies, including RNA interference (RNAi) and entomopathogenic fungi, have attracted increasing attention as options for pest control. Here, we sought to extend RNAi-directed targeting of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein 1 (IAP1) gene to the locust, and to examine its relationship to immune responses and susceptibility to Metarhizium acridum, a locust-specific fungal pathogen.
RESULTS
Expression of the locust LmIAP gene was induced in the hemolymph and fat body after M. acridum infection. RNAi-directed silencing of locust LmIAP1 resulted in increased caspase 3 activity, degeneration of the gut and dose-dependent mortality. Synergistic mortality was seen in RNAi-LmIAP/fungal co-infection experiments with median survival time (MST) values decreasing from ~ 5 days for RNAi and M. acridum treatments alone, to 2.6 days for co-treatments. Reduced hemocyte numbers and antimicrobial peptide levels were seen in co-treated locusts, with changes in gut opportunistic pathogenic bacteria seen between treatments. Enhanced fungal sporulation on co-treated insect cadavers was also compared with fungal infection alone.
CONCLUSIONS
Silencing of the locust LmIAP1 gene results in direct mortality and increases insect susceptibility to insect fungal pathogens, in part by decreasing immunity and altering the gut microbiome.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Nemat O. Keyhani, Yuxian Xia
Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
resistance/tolerance/defence of host
Pest and/or beneficial records:
Beneficial | Pest/Disease/Weed | Crop/Product | Country | Quarant.
|
---|---|---|---|---|
Locusta migratoria | ||||
Metarhizium acridum (entomopathogen) | Locusta migratoria |