摘要：
As an endosymbiont, Wolbachia exerts significant effects on the host, including on reproduction, immunity, and metabolism. However, the study of Wolbachia in Thysanopteran insects, such as flower thrips Frankliniella intonsa, remains limited. Here, we assembled a gap-free looped genome assembly of Wolbachia strain wFI in a length of 1,463,884 bp (GC content 33.80%), using Nanopore long reads and Illumina short reads. The annotation of wFI identified a total of 1838 protein-coding genes (including 85 pseudogenes), 3 ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs), 35 transfer RNAs (tRNAs), and 1 transfer-messenger RNA (tmRNA). Beyond this basic description, we identified mobile genetic elements, such as prophage and insertion sequences (ISs), which make up 17% of the entire wFI genome, as well as genes involved in riboflavin and biotin synthesis and metabolism. This research lays the foundation for understanding the nutritional mutualism between Wolbachia and flower thrips. It also serves as a valuable resource for future studies delving into the intricate interactions between Wolbachia and its host.
摘要：
Genetic engineering technology is an ideal method to improve insecticidal efficiency by combining the advantages of different pathogenic microorganisms. Thus, six ascovirus genes were introduced into the genomic DNA of Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) to possibly transfer the intrinsically valuable insecticidal properties from ascovirus to baculovirus. The viral budded virus (BV) production and viral DNA replication ability of AcMNPV-111 and AcMNPV-165 were significantly stronger than that of AcMNPV-Egfp (used as the wild-type virus in this study), whereas AcMNPV-33 had reduced ones. AcMNPV-111 and AcMNPV-165 also exhibited excellent insecticidal efficiency in the in vivo bioassays: AcMNPV-111 showed a 24.1% decrease in the LT(50) value and AcMNPV-165 exhibited a 56.3% decrease in the LD(50) value compared with AcMNPV-Egfp against the 3rd instar of Spodoptera exigua larvae, respectively. Furthermore, the size of the occlusion bodies (OBs) of AcMNPV-33, AcMNPV-111, and AcMNPV-165 were significantly increased compared to that of AcMNPV-Egfp. AcMNPV-111 and AcMNPV-165 had stable virulence against the 2nd to 4th instars tested larvae and higher OB yield than AcMNPV-Egfp in the 3rd and 4th instar larvae. Correlation and regression analyses indicated that it is better to use 5 OBs/larva virus to infect the 2nd instar larvae to produce AcMNPV-111 and 50 OBs/larva virus to infect the 3rd instar larvae to produce AcMNPV-165. The results of this study obtained recombinant viruses with enhanced virulence and exhibited a diversity of ascovirus gene function based on the baculovirus platform, which provided a novel strategy for the improvement of baculovirus as a biological insecticide.
期刊：
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY,2023年116(2):574-583 ISSN：0022-0493
通讯作者：
Xuguo Zhou<&wdkj&>Xianhong Zhang
作者机构：
[Lu, Junjiao; Ren, Meifeng; Dong, Jinming; Li, Daqi; Yang, Jing; Zhang, Xianhong] Shanxi Agr Univ, Coll Plant Protect, Taiyuan, Peoples R China.;[Zhou, Xuguo] Hunan Agr Univ, Coll Plant Protect, Changsha, Peoples R China.;[Niu, Yanbing] Shanxi Agr Univ, Coll Life Sci, Taigu, Peoples R China.;[Zhang, Yuying] Univ Kentucky, Dept Entomol, Lexington, KY USA.
通讯机构：
[Xuguo Zhou] D;[Xianhong Zhang] C;Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA <&wdkj&>College of Plant Protection, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taiyuan, China
摘要：
The black cutworm, Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel), a seasonal migrant and a prolific generalist, can feed on nearly all vegetables and grain crops, causing considerable economic impacts on a global scale. Given its cryptic nature, A. ipsilon management has been extremely challenging. Chitin synthase (CHS), a key enzyme involved in chitin biosynthetic pathway and crucially important for the growth and development of insects, is the molecular target of chitin synthesis inhibitors, a group of broad-spectrum insecticides that is compatible with Integrated Pest Management practices. In this study, we investigated the potential of targeting chitin synthases to control A. ipsilon. As a result, two chitin synthases, AiCHS1 and AiCHS2, were identified and cloned from A. ipsilon. The temporal-spatial distribution study showed that AiCHS1 was predominantly expressed at the pupal stage and most abundant among tissues of head capsule and integument, while AiCHS2 was mainly expressed at the sixth instar larval stage and tissues of foregut and midgut. RNAi-based functional study confirmed gene silencing caused significant reduction in the expression levels of the corresponding mRNA, as well as resulted in abnormal pupation and mortality, respectively. Furthermore, under the treatment of lufenuron, a chitin synthesis inhibitor, A. ipsilon responded with an elevated expression in AiCHS1 and AiCHS2, while larvae showed difficulty in shedding old cuticle, and a cumulative mortality of 69.24% at 48 h. In summary, chitin synthases are crucial for chitin biosynthesis in A. ipsilon and can be targeted for the control (e.g., RNAi-based biopesticides) of this devastating insect pest.
摘要：
Spodoptera frugiperda (S. frugiperda) is an invasive pest that threatens global crop production and food security and poses a serious threat to maize production worldwide. Metal-organic framework (MOF) nanocarriers have great potential for agricultural pest control applications. The present study successfully prepared the chemical cross-linking of iron-based metal-organic framework nanoparticles (MIL-101(Fe)-NH(2) NPs) with sodium lignosulfonate (SL) as a pH/laccase double stimuli-responsive pesticide release system. The average particle size of the prepared chlorfenapyr (CF)-loaded nanoparticles (CF@MIL-101-SL NPs) was 161.54 nm, and the loading efficiency was 44.52%. Bioactivity assays showed that CF@MIL-101-SL NPs increased the toxicity of CF to S. frugiperda and caused the rupture of the peritrophic membrane and enlargement of the midgut. Data from 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed that CF@MIL-101-SL treatment reduced the resistance of S. frugiperda to pesticides and pathogens and affected nutrient and energy availability by remodeling the intestinal microbiota of S. frugiperda. The dysregulated microbial community interacted with the broken peritrophic membrane, which exacerbated damage to the host. Nontargeted metabolomic results showed that ABC transporters may be a potential mechanism for the enhanced toxicity of CF@MIL-101-SL to S. frugiperda. In summary, the present study provides effective strategies for toxicological studies of nanopesticides against insects.
通讯机构：
[Wei Zhou] H;Hunan Provincial Engineering & Technology Research Center for Agricultural Big Data Analysis & Decision-Making, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China<&wdkj&>Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Biology and Control of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
摘要：
The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, is an invasive agricultural pest that is a serious threat to agricultural production and global food security. Chemical control is the most effective method for preventing outbreaks of S. frugiperda. However, insecticide resistance often develops as a result of prolonged pesticide use, and the molecular mechanisms involved in insecticide resistance remain unclear. Insect cytochrome P450 monooxygenases play an important role in the detoxification of insecticides and insecticide resistance in Lepidoptera. In our study, the LC50 of a novel insecticide (cyproflanilide) and a conventional insecticide (emamectin benzoate) for S. frugiperda second-instar larvae were 7.04 and 1.61 mg/L, respectively. Furthermore, CYP321A9 expression was upregulated in larvae exposed to these insecticides. Additionally, knockdown of CYP321A9 by feeding larvae with dsRNA for 72 h significantly increased the mortality of S. frugiperda exposed to emamectin benzoate and cyproflanilide by 23.33% and 7.78%, respectively. Our results indicate that CYP321A9 may play an important role in the detoxification of emamectin benzoate and cyproflanilide in S. frugiperda. Our findings provide a basis to better understand the mechanisms of insecticide resistance and contribute to the control of S. frugiperda.
作者机构：
[Long, Qingshan; Liu, Qingshu; Tang, Ying] Hunan Inst Microbiol, Hunan Prov Engn Res Ctr Agr Microbiol Applicat, Changsha 410009, Peoples R China.;[Zhou, Wen] Chinese Acad Agr Sci, Shanghai Vet Res Inst, Key Lab Vet Chem Drugs & Pharmaceut, Minist Agr & Rural Affairs, Shanghai 200241, Peoples R China.;[Zhou, Haibo; Bian, Xiaoying] Shandong Univ, State Key Lab Microbial Technol, Helmholtz Inst Biotechnol, Helmholtz Int Lab Antiinfect, Qingdao 266237, Peoples R China.;[Chen, Wu; Chen, W] Hunan Agr Univ, Coll Plant Protect, Changsha 410128, Peoples R China.
通讯机构：
[Liu, QS ; Chen, W ] H;[Bian, XY ] S;Hunan Inst Microbiol, Hunan Prov Engn Res Ctr Agr Microbiol Applicat, Changsha 410009, Peoples R China.;Shandong Univ, State Key Lab Microbial Technol, Helmholtz Inst Biotechnol, Helmholtz Int Lab Antiinfect, Qingdao 266237, Peoples R China.;Hunan Agr Univ, Coll Plant Protect, Changsha 410128, Peoples R China.
摘要：
Covering: 2005 to August, 2023Polyamine-containing natural products (NPs) have been isolated from a wide range of terrestrial and marine organisms and most of them exhibit remarkable and diverse activities, including antimicrobial, antiprotozoal, antiangiogenic, antitumor, antiviral, iron-chelating, anti-depressive, anti-inflammatory, insecticidal, antiobesity, and antioxidant properties. Their extraordinary activities and potential applications in human health and agriculture attract increasing numbers of studies on polyamine-containing NPs. In this review, we summarized the source, structure, classification, bioactivities and biosynthesis of polyamine-containing NPs, focusing on the biosynthetic mechanism of polyamine itself and representative polyamine alkaloids, polyamine-containing siderophores with catechol/hydroxamate/hydroxycarboxylate groups, nonribosomal peptide-(polyketide)-polyamine (NRP-(PK)-PA), and NRP-PK-long chain poly-fatty amine (lcPFAN) hybrid molecules. Polyamine-containing natural products have been isolated from a wide range of terrestrial and marine organisms. Most of them exhibit remarkable and diverse activities with potential applications in human health and agriculture.
摘要：
短短芽孢杆菌(Brevibacillus brevis)X23可产生非核糖体肽类抗生素伊短菌素, 已被广泛用于植物病害的生物防治。伊短菌素合成基因簇中, edeB基因参与调控伊短菌素的合成积累。本研究利用基因同源重组技术, 以edeB基因作为外源基因的重组片段, 构建了原核表达载体pET28a-edeB, 转化至大肠杆菌BL21(DE)中进行诱导表达; 通过转录组测序检测edeB基因在短短芽孢杆菌不同培养时间(12、18、24、30和36 h)的转录时相。结果表明: edeB基因全长为771 bp, 编码256个氨基酸。聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳(SDS-PAGE)显示, 在分子质量为30 kD处有一条特异条带, 与生物信息学预测的EdeB蛋白的大小一致, 且EdeB蛋白主要以包涵体的形式存在。转录时相分析结果表明, edeB基因在各个培养时间点均有表达, 表达模式为先升高后降低, 且在30 h时表达水平最高。这些结果为进一步研究edeB基因调控伊短菌素合成积累的分子机制奠定了基础, 为短短芽孢杆菌高产伊短菌素菌株的构建提供了理论依据。 Brevibacillus brevis X23 can produce non-ribosomal antibiotic edeines, which have been widely used in biological control of plant diseases. The edeB gene in the edeine biosynthetic gene cluster regulates the synthesis of edeines. In this study, the prokaryotic expression vector pET28a-edeB was constructed by homologous recombination technology with edeB gene as the recombinant fragment of exogenous gene, and was transformed into Escherichia coli BL21(DE) for induced expression. The transcription profile of edeB gene in different culture times (12, 18, 24, 30 and 36 h) of B. brevis was detected by transcriptome sequencing. The results showed that the edeB gene was 771 bp in length, encoding 256 amino acids. SDS-PAGE electrophoresis showed that a specific band with a molecular weight of 30 kD appeared, which is in consistent with the bioinformatics prediction results. EdeB protein mainly existed in the form of inclusion bodies. The results of transcription profile showed that edeB gene was expressed at all culture times, and the gene expression showed a pattern of increasing at first and then decreasing with a peak at 30 h. These results laid a foundation for further study on the molecular mechanism of edeB gene regulating the synthesis of edeines, and provided a theoretical basis for the construction of high-yield edeine strains of B. brevis.
摘要：
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe genotype-phenotype associations and novel insights into genetic characteristics in a trio-based cohort of inherited eye diseases (IEDs). METHODS: To determine the etiological role of de novo mutations (DNMs) and genetic profile in IEDs, we retrospectively reviewed a large cohort of proband-parent trios of Chinese origin. The patients underwent a detailed examination and was clinically diagnosed by an ophthalmologist. Panel-based targeted exome sequencing was performed on DNA extracted from blood samples, containing coding regions of 792 IED-causative genes and their flanking exons. All participants underwent genetic testing. RESULTS: All proband-parent trios were divided into 22 subgroups, the overall diagnostic yield was 48.67% (605/1243), ranging from 4% to 94.44% for each of the subgroups. A total of 108 IED-causative genes were identified, with the top 24 genes explaining 67% of the 605 genetically solved trios. The genetic etiology of 6.76% (84/1243) of the trio was attributed to disease-causative DNMs, and the top 3 subgroups with the highest incidence of DNM were aniridia (n = 40%), Marfan syndrome/ectopia lentis (n = 38.78%), and retinoblastoma (n = 37.04%). The top 10 genes have a diagnostic yield of DNM greater than 3.5% in their subgroups, including PAX6 (40.00%), FBN1 (38.78%), RB1 (37.04%), CRX (10.34%), CHM (9.09%), WFS1 (8.00%), RP1L1 (5.88%), RS1 (5.26%), PCDH15 (4.00%), and ABCA4 (3.51%). Additionally, the incidence of DNM in offspring showed a trend of correlation with paternal age at reproduction, but not statistically significant with paternal (P = 0.154) and maternal (P = 0.959) age at reproduction. CONCLUSIONS: Trios-based genetic analysis has high accuracy and validity. Our study helps to quantify the burden of the full spectrum IED caused by each gene, offers novel potential for elucidating etiology, and plays a crucial role in genetic counseling and patient management.
