RNA-Seq analysis reveals the gene expression changes of Bemisia tabaci in response to destruxin A treatment

ABSTRACT

Bemisia tabaci is an important agricultural pest that has been causing significant economic losses to crops across the globe. Destruxins are secondary metabolites of entomopathogenic fungi which can be used as a potential biopesticide against B. tabaci. However, little is known about the molecular mechanism involved in the regulation of the immune response of B. tabaci post-destruxin application. In this study, we explored the molecular responses of B. tabaci exposed to destruxin A (DA) using RNA-Seq. A total of 1702, 616, and 555 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in B. tabaci after 4, 8, and 12 h of DA treatment. In addition, 39 putative detoxification-related DEGs including 29 cytochrome P450s (P450s), 5 glutathione S-transferases (GSTs), and 5 carboxylesterases (CarEs) were also identified. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis indicated that the expression profiles of 19 random DEGs were consistent with the RNA-Seq results. These findings serve as valuable information for a better understanding of the interaction and molecular mechanisms involved in the defense response of B. tabaci against DA.

KEYWORDS:

• Bemisia tabaci
• destruxin
• RNA-Seq
• defense mechanism

Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to the handling editor and anonymous reviewers for their kind suggestions and comments.

Data availability statement

The data and material used during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Fund, China (2022A1515110253); Guangzhou Basic and Applied Basic Research Program, China (202102021290); Scientific Research Platforms and Projects in Universities in Guangdong, China (2022KCXTD050).