Huang Chao, Lü Jianhua, Bai Chunqi, Guo Yafei, Guo Chao, Song Jizhen, Xi Jiaqin
Henan Collaborative Innovation Center for Grain Storage Security, School of Food and Strategic Reserves, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou, China.
Laboratory of Grain Storage and Pest Control, Grain Storage and Logistics National Engineering Laboratory, Guangdong Institute for Cereal Science Research, Guangzhou, China.
J Insect Sci. 2025 May 9;25(3). doi: 10.1093/jisesa/ieaf035.
Ephestia elutella is a globally distributed storage pest, and its growth and development are regulated by juvenile hormones. To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the response of E. elutella larvae to the juvenile hormone analog s-methoprene, this study examined the effects of s-methoprene on the growth and development of E. elutella, explored the response of E. elutella to s-methoprene exposure by transcriptomic analysis, and confirmed its hub genes by RT-qPCR experiments. Larval mortality of E. elutella increased and adult emergence decreased with increasing exposure durations and doses of s-methoprene. After exposure at 5 × 10⁻⁵ mg/cm² of s-methoprene for 4 wk, a few of larvae pupated, but failed to emerge into adults, while at 50 × 10⁻⁵ mg/cm² for 4 wk, larvae were completely unable to pupate. Transcriptomic analysis identified 2,569 and 6,719 differentially expressed genes in the EE0 vs. EE5 and EE0 vs. EE50, respectively. Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis identified 5 modules, with the yellow module most relevant to EE5. The genes in the yellow module were significantly enriched in biological processes. The Cluster-6182.18691, Cluster-6182.8343, Cluster-6182.28346, and Cluster-6182.21392 were hub genes in the yellow module. s-Methoprene directly or indirectly inhibited the growth and development of E. elutella larvae by affecting critical biological processes, such as hormonal regulation, etc. RT-qPCR validation confirmed the reliability of the transcriptomic data. This study provides important foundational data and theoretical insights into the molecular mechanisms of E. elutella in response to s-methoprene.
地中海粉螟是一种分布于全球的仓储害虫，其生长发育受保幼激素调节。为探究地中海粉螟幼虫对保幼激素类似物烯虫酯的响应分子机制，本研究检测了烯虫酯对地中海粉螟生长发育的影响，通过转录组分析探索了地中海粉螟对烯虫酯暴露的响应，并通过RT-qPCR实验确认了其核心基因。随着烯虫酯暴露时间和剂量的增加，地中海粉螟幼虫死亡率升高，成虫羽化率降低。在5×10⁻⁵mg/cm²的烯虫酯暴露4周后，少数幼虫化蛹，但未能羽化为成虫，而在50×10⁻⁵mg/cm²暴露4周时，幼虫完全无法化蛹。转录组分析分别在EE0与EE5以及EE0与EE50中鉴定出2569个和6719个差异表达基因。加权基因共表达网络分析确定了5个模块，其中黄色模块与EE5最相关。黄色模块中的基因在生物学过程中显著富集。Cluster-6182.18691、Cluster-6182.8343、Cluster-6182.28346和Cluster-6182.21392是黄色模块中的核心基因。烯虫酯通过影响激素调节等关键生物学过程直接或间接抑制地中海粉螟幼虫的生长发育。RT-qPCR验证证实了转录组数据的可靠性。本研究为地中海粉螟对烯虫酯响应的分子机制提供了重要的基础数据和理论见解。
