Knockdown of Vacuolar ATPase Subunit G Gene Affects Larval Survival and Impaired Pupation and Adult Emergence in .

The vATPase holoenzyme consists of two functional subcomplexes, the cytoplasmic (peripheral) V and the membrane-embedded V. Both V and V sectors contain eight subunits, with stoichiometry of ABCDEFGH in V and acc'c"def(Voa1p) in V respectively. However, the function of G subunit has not been characterized in any non-Drosophilid insect species. In the present paper, we uncovered that was actively transcribed from embryo to adult in a Coleopteran pest . Its mRNA levels peaked in larval hindgut and Malpighian tubules. RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated knockdown of significantly reduced larval feeding, affected chitin biosynthesis, destroyed midgut integrity, damaged midgut peritrophic membrane, and retarded larval growth. The function of Malpighian tubules was damaged, the contents of glucose, trehalose, lipid, total soluble amino acids and protein were lowered and the fat bodies were lessened in the RNAi larvae, compared with those in the PBS- and ds-fed beetles. In contrast, the amount of glycogen was dramatically increased in the depletion ladybirds. As a result, the development was arrested, pupation was inhibited and adult emergence was impaired in the hypomorphs. Our results demonstrated that G subunit plays a critical role during larval development in .