Zhang Qiang, Dou Wei, Pan Deng, Chen Er-Hu, Niu Jin-Zhi, Smagghe Guy, Wang Jin-Jun
Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
Front Physiol. 2019 Mar 22;10:301. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00301. eCollection 2019.
Insect metamorphosis is a complex process involving drastic morphological and physiological changes. microRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of endogenous small non-coding RNAs that play key roles in regulating various biological processes, including metamorphosis, by post-transcriptional repression of mRNAs. The oriental fruit fly, , is one of the most destructive insect pests in many Asian countries and the Pacific Islands. The regulatory role of miRNAs in metamorphosis is unclear. To better understand the molecular regulatory mechanisms of miRNAs in pupariation, Illumina sequencing of the wandering stage (WS), the late WS and the white puparium stage of were performed. Two hundred forty-nine miRNAs, including 184 known miRNAs and 65 novel miRNAs, were obtained. Among these miRNAs, 19 miRNAs were differentially expressed in pupariation, and eight miRNAs showed relative high expression levels (>50 TPM), of which five differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) had target differentially expressed genes (DEGs) predicted by the expected miRNA-mRNA negative regulation pattern using the Illumina HiSeq data. Four sets of DEMs and their predicted target DEGs were confirmed by qPCR. Of the four miRNAs, two miRNAs were down-regulated: miR-981, which may target , and Bdo-novel-mir-55, which potentially regulates , and . The other two miRNAs were up-regulated: let-7a-3p, which possibly controls , and Bdo-novel-mir-24, which may regulate and . This study provides a useful resource to elucidate the regulatory role of miRNAs and understand the molecular mechanisms of metamorphosis.
昆虫变态是一个复杂的过程，涉及剧烈的形态和生理变化。微小RNA（miRNA）是一类内源性小非编码RNA，通过对mRNA的转录后抑制作用，在调节包括变态在内的各种生物过程中发挥关键作用。东方果实蝇是许多亚洲国家和太平洋岛屿上最具破坏性的害虫之一。miRNA在东方果实蝇变态中的调控作用尚不清楚。为了更好地理解miRNA在化蛹过程中的分子调控机制，对东方果实蝇的漫游期（WS）、晚期WS和白色蛹期进行了Illumina测序。共获得249个miRNA，其中包括184个已知miRNA和65个新miRNA。在这些miRNA中，有19个miRNA在化蛹过程中差异表达，8个miRNA表现出相对较高的表达水平（>50 TPM），其中5个差异表达miRNA（DEM）具有使用Illumina HiSeq数据通过预期的miRNA-mRNA负调控模式预测的靶标差异表达基因（DEG）。通过qPCR证实了四组DEM及其预测的靶标DEG。在这四个miRNA中，有两个miRNA下调：可能靶向的miR-981，以及可能调控和的Bdo-novel-mir-55。另外两个miRNA上调：可能控制的let-7a-3p，以及可能调控和的Bdo-novel-mir-24。本研究为阐明miRNA的调控作用和理解变态的分子机制提供了有用的资源。
