Molecular adaptations of Helicoverpa armigera midgut tissue under pyrethroid insecticide stress characterized by differential proteome analysis and enzyme activity assays

Cell wall channels of Rhodococcus species: identification and characterization of the cell wall channels of Rhodococcus corynebacteroides and Rhodococcus ruber

The cell wall of Rhodococcus corynebacteroides formerly known as Nocardia corynebacteroides contains cell wall channels that are responsible for the cell wall permeability of this bacterium. Based on partial sequencing of the polypeptide subunits and a BLAST search, we identified one polypeptide of R. corynebacteroides (PorARc) and two polypeptides (PorARr and PorBRr) from the closely related bacterium Rhodococcus ruber. The corresponding genes, porARc (606 bp), porARr (702 bp), and porBRr (540 bp) are constituents of the known genome of R. corynebacteroides DSM-20151 and R. ruber DSM-43338, respectively. porARr and porBRr of R. ruber are possibly forming a common operon coding for the polypeptide subunits of the cell wall channel. The genes coding for PorARc and for PorARr and PorBRr without signal peptide were separately expressed in the porin-deficient Escherichia coli BL21DE3Omp8 strain and the proteins were purified to homogeneity. All proteins were checked for channel formation in lipid bilayers. PorARc formed channels with characteristics that were very similar to those of a previous study. The proteins PorARr and PorBRr expressed in E. coli could alone create channels in lipid bilayer membranes, despite the possibility that the two corresponding genes form a porin operon and that both subunits possibly form the cell wall channels in vivo. Based on amino acid sequence comparison of a variety of proteins forming cell wall channels in bacteria of the suborder Corynebacterineae, it seems very likely that PorARc, PorARr, and PorBRr are members of a huge family of proteins (PF09203) that form MspA-like cell wall channels.

Knockdown or inhibition of arginine kinases enhances susceptibility of Tribolium castaneum to deltamethrin

Metabolism of insecticides is an energy-consuming process. As an important component of the intracellular energy buffering system, arginine kinase (AK) plays an important role in insect cellular energy homeostasis and environmental stress response, but the involvement of AKs in the response to chemical stressors (insecticides) remains largely unknown. In this study, using Tribolium castaneum as a model organism, we found that deltamethrin treatment significantly upregulated the expression of TcAK1 and TcAK2 and decreased the whole body ATP content. The knockdown of TcAK1 or TcAK2 significantly enhances the deltamethrin-induced ATP depletion and increase the susceptibility of T. castaneum to deltamethrin. In addition, pretreatment with two AK inhibitors, rutin and quercetin, significantly decreased the lifespan of beetles treated with deltamethrin. These results suggest that AKs might be involved in detoxification of insecticides by regulating cellular energy balance.

Proteomic analysis suggests that monoterpenes in lemongrass disrupt Ca2+ homeostasis in Haemaphysalis longicornis leading to mitochondrial depolarization and cytotoxicity

Complex mixtures of bioactive ingredients in plant essential oils present complex chemistries which involve different modes of action. An increasing body of scientific reports has recently focused on the acaricidal activities of plant essential oils attributed to their monoterpene components, but information about their underlying molecular mechanism of action is scarce. Here, after the chemical analysis of lemongrass oil, a proteomic analysis of the ovary, salivary gland, and midgut of Haemaphysalis longicornis exposed to Cymbopogon citratus (lemongrass) essential oil was performed via data-independent acquisition mass spectrometry (DIA-MS) technology to further elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved. Pathway analysis reveals the activation of metabolic pathways mediated by oxidoreductases and transferases. Furthermore, the upregulation of various calcium-associated proteins and the upregulation of cytochrome c1, cytochrome c oxidase polypeptide IV, and programmed cell death protein 6-like isoform X1 suggest a cytotoxic mode of action via the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial Ca²⁺ overload, mitochondrial uncoupling, and depolarization, and ATP depletion leading to either apoptotic or necrotic death. Morphological alterations observed after the RNAi of a major detoxification enzyme (glutathione S-transferase) merit further investigation. Hence, the cytotoxic mode of action exhibited by C. citratus oil could be vital for the development of eco-friendly acaricide.

Clostridium perfringens Beta2 toxin forms highly cation-selective channels in lipid bilayers

Clostridium perfringens is a potent producer of a variety of toxins. Well studied from these are five toxins (alpha, Beta (CPB), epsilon, iota and CPE) that are produced by seven toxinotype strains (A–G) of C. perfringens. Besides these toxins, C. perfringens produces also another toxin that causes necrotizing enterocolitis in piglets. This toxin termed consensus Beta2 toxin (cCPB2) has a molecular mass of 27,620 Da and shows only little homology to CPB and no one to the other toxins of C. perfringens. Its primary action on cells remained unknown to date. cCPB2 was heterogeneously expressed as fusion protein with GST in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity. Although cCPB2 does not exhibit the typical structure of beta-stranded pore-forming proteins and contains no indication for the presence of amphipathic alpha-helices we could demonstrate that cCPB2 is a pore-forming component with an extremely high activity in lipid bilayers. The channels have a single-channel conductance of about 700 pS in 1 M KCl and are highly cation-selective as judged from selectivity measurements in the presence of salt gradients. The high cation selectivity is caused by the presence of net negative charges in or near the channel that allowed an estimate of the channel size being about 1.4 nm wide. Our measurements suggest that the primary effect of cCPB2 is the formation of cation-selective channels followed by necrotic enteritis in humans and animals. We searched in databases for homologs of cCPB2 and constructed a cladogram representing the phylogenetic relationship to the next relatives of cCPB2.

Daphnia magna Gut-Specific Transcriptomic Responses to Feeding Inhibiting Chemicals and Food Limitation

Transcriptomic responses combined with apical adverse ecologically relevant outcomes have proven to be useful to unravel and anchor molecular mechanisms of action to adverse outcomes. This is the case for feeding inhibition responses in the model ecotoxicological species Daphnia magna. The aim of the present study was to assess the transcriptomic responses in guts dissected from D. magna individuals exposed to concentrations of selected compounds that inhibit feeding and compare them with the responses associated to 2 levels of food restriction (low food and starvation). Chemical treatments included cadmium, copper, fluoranthene, λ-cyhalothrin, and the cyanotoxin anatoxin-a. Although the initial hypothesis was that exposure to chemical feeding inhibitors should elicit similar molecular responses as food limitation, the corresponding gut transcriptomic responses differed significantly. In moderate food limitation conditions, D. magna individuals increased protein and carbohydrate catabolism, likely to be used as energetic sources, whereas under severe starving conditions most metabolism-related pathways appeared down-regulated. Treatment with chemical feeding inhibitors promoted cell turnover-related signaling pathways in the gut, probably to renew tissue damage caused by the reported oxidative stress effects of these compounds, and inhibited the transcription of gut digestive gene enzymes and energetic metabolic pathways. We conclude that chemical feeding inhibitors, rather than mimicking the physiological response to low- or no-food conditions, cause specific toxic effects, preventing Daphnia both from feeding and from adjusting its metabolism to the resulting low energy intake. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:2510-2520. © 2021 SETAC.

Ovarian morphological features and proteome reveal fecundity fitness disadvantages in β-cypermethrin-resistant strains of Blattella germanica (L.) (Blattodea: Blattellidae)

To evaluate whether the development of β-cypermethrin resistance in Blattella germanica (L.) (Blattaria: Blattellidae) affects the fecundity fitness of this insect and to determine the underlying mechanism, we compared fecundity differences between β-cypermethrin-resistant (R) and sensitive (S) strains of B. germanica, observed the physiological structural changes of ovaries from an visual perspective, and analyzed differences in the ovarian proteome using proteomic methods. The results showed that, compared with the S strain of B. germanica, the R strain of B. germanica had a significantly higher ootheca shedding rate, a significantly lower number of hatched and surviving nymphs, a significantly higher female proportion in the population and defective ovarian development. Ovarian proteomic analysis showed a total of 64 differentially expressed proteins in the R strain, including 18 upregulated proteins and 46 downregulated proteins. Twenty-four significantly differentially expressed proteins were further studied, and 14 were successfully identified, which were mainly classified into the following categories: immunity-related proteins, development-related proteins, structural proteins, energy metabolism-related proteins and proteins with unknown functions. The differential expression of these proteins reflects the overall changes in cell structure and metabolism associated with β-cypermethrin resistance and explains the possible molecular mechanism of fecundity fitness disadvantages. In summary, β-cypermethrin resistance can cause fecundity fitness disadvantages in B. germanica. The metabolic deviations needed to overcome the adverse effects of insecticides may result in an energy exchange that affects energy allocation and, ultimately, the basic needs of the insect. The fitness cost due to insecticide resistance is critical to the delay of the evolution of resistance.

Comparative Proteomics Analysis Between the Short-Term Stress and Long-Term Adaptation of the Blattella germanica (Blattodea: Blattellidae) in Response to Beta-Cypermethrin

A proteomic method combining two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and tandem mass spectrometry was used to compare the hemolymph expression profiles of a beta-cypermethrin-resistant Blattella germanica L. strain (R) and a susceptible strain (S) after 24 h of beta-cypermethrin induction. The results showed that there were 42 differentially expressed proteins after induction of the R strain: 4 proteins were upregulated and 38 proteins were downregulated. One hundred one hemolymph proteins were differentially expressed after induction of the S strain: 53 proteins were upregulated and 48 proteins were downregulated. The identified proteins were mainly classified into the following categories: energy metabolism proteins such as arginine kinase and triose phosphate isomerase, detoxification-related proteins such as glutathione S-transferases (GSTs), signal molecule-regulated proteins such as nitric oxide synthase (NOS), and other proteins such as kinetic-related proteins and gene expression-related proteins. Several proteins show significant differences in response to short-term stress and long-term adaptation, and differential expression of these proteins reflects an overall change in cellular structure and metabolism associated with resistance to pyrethroid insecticides. In summary, our research has improved the understanding of the molecular mechanisms of beta-cypermethrin resistance in German cockroaches, which will facilitate the development of rational methods to improve the management of this pest.

Metabolic Activity of Cytochrome P450s Towards Four Pyrethroids in Midgut Tissue From Locusta migratoria (Orthoptera: Acrididae)

Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s) play important roles in metabolizing various insecticides and often contribute to the development of insecticide resistance in insects and other arthropod species. The objective of this study was to compare the metabolism of four commonly used pyrethroids including deltamethrin, fluvalinate, fenvalerate, and permethrin in the midgut tissue of Locusta migratoria Linnaeus (Orthoptera: Acrididae) by using synergism bioassay and ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC)-mass spectrometer (MS) analyses. Our study showed that piperonyl butoxide (PBO, P450 enzyme inhibitor) can significantly synergize the toxicity of deltamethrin, fluvalinate, and fenvalerate with synergism ratios ranging from 1.30 to 1.70 folds. Preincubations of the midgut tissue with PBO followed by incubations with each of the four pyrethroids resulted in significantly higher amounts of unmetabolized deltamethrin and fluvalinate than those in the control (preincubation without PBO) as well as preincubations with other two detoxification enzyme inhibitors. These results indicate that P450s play important roles in metabolizing deltamethrin and fluvalinate in the midgut tissue. Our further study using deltamethrin as a representative pyrethroid and UPLC-MS techniques confirmed that the reduced amount of deltamethrin in the control (preincubation without PBO) was due to the metabolism of deltamethrin to yield hydroxydeltamethrin which is a major metabolite produced by P450-mediated aromatic hydroxylation of deltamethrim. These results provide new insights into differential metabolic activity of P450s towards different pyrethroids in the midgut tissue of L. migratoria.

Deltamethrin resistance in the salmon louse, Lepeophtheirus salmonis (Krøyer): Maternal inheritance and reduced apoptosis

Resistance towards deltamethrin (DMT) in the crustacean ectoparasite Lepeophtheirus salmonis (Caligidae) is a problem on fish farms lining the North Atlantic Ocean. Two Norwegian strains with different susceptibility towards DMT were crossed in the parental generation (P0), females from a sensitive strain were crossed with males from a resistant strain and vice versa. Individual susceptibility towards DMT was assessed in the second filial generation (F2). DMT resistance was only found in F2 descendants when the P0 females were from the resistant strain, pointing to maternal inheritance. Since maternal inheritance might be linked to the mitochondrial (mt) genome, the nucleotide sequences and the gene expressions of mt-genes were analysed. Twenty non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified in mt-transcripts from resistant F2 parasites, including SNPs in two cytochrome C oxidase subunits (COX1 and COX3) and two subunits of the NADH dehydrogenase complex (ND1 and ND5) previously linked to DMT resistance in the salmon louse. Differential expression analysis between the sensitive and resistant strain revealed strain effect in seven out of twelve mt-genes. The current study also show that DNA fragmentation (indicating apoptosis) was affected by DMT exposure in skeletal muscle tissue and that resistant parasites undergo less apoptosis than sensitive parasites.

Elevated carboxylesterase activity contributes to the lambda-cyhalothrin insensitivity in quercetin fed Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner)

Quercetin as one of the key plant secondary metabolite flavonol is ubiquitous in terrestrial plants. In this study, the decrease in sensitivity to lambda-cyhalothrin was observed in quercetin-fed Helicoverpa armigera larvae. In order to figure out the mechanisms underlying the decreased sensitivity of H. armigera larvae to lambda-cyhalothrin by quercetin induction, the changes in carboxylesterase activity and in-vitro hydrolytic metabolic capacity to lambda-cyhalothrin were examined. The LC50 value of quercetin-fed H. armigera larvae to lambda-cyhalothrin showed 2.41-fold higher than that of the control. S, S, S-Tributyl phosphorotrithioate (DEF) treatment showed a synergism effect on lambda-cyhalothrin toxicity to quercetin-fed H. armigera. Moreover, the activity of carboxylesterase was significantly higher in quercetin-fed H. armigera larvae after fed on quercetin for 48 h. The in-vitro hydrolytic metabolic capacity to lambda-cyhalothrin in quercetin-fed H. armigera larvae midgut was 289.82 nmol 3-PBA/mg protein/min, which is significant higher than that in the control group (149.60 nmol 3-PBA/mg protein/min). The elevated CarE enzyme activity and corresponding increased hydrolytic metabolic capacity to lambda-cyhalothrin in quercetin-fed H. armigera contributed to the enhanced tolerance to lambda-cyhalothrin.

Proteomic analysis in the Dufour's gland of Africanized Apis mellifera workers (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

The colony of eusocial bee Apis mellifera has a reproductive queen and sterile workers performing tasks such as brood care and foraging. Chemical communication plays a crucial role in the maintenance of sociability in bees with many compounds released by the exocrine glands. The Dufour’s gland is a non-paired gland associated with the sting apparatus with important functions in the communication between members of the colony, releasing volatile chemicals that influence workers roles and tasks. However, the protein content in this gland is not well studied. This study identified differentially expressed proteins in the Dufour’s glands of nurse and forager workers of A. mellifera through 2D-gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. A total of 131 spots showed different expression between nurse and forager bees, and 28 proteins were identified. The identified proteins were categorized into different functions groups including protein, carbohydrate, energy and lipid metabolisms, cytoskeleton-associated proteins, detoxification, homeostasis, cell communication, constitutive and allergen. This study provides new insights of the protein content in the Dufour’s gland contributing to a more complete understanding of the biological functions of this gland in honeybees.

Deltamethrin-Mediated Toxicity and Cytomorphological Changes in the Midgut and Nervous System of the Mayfly Callibaetis radiatus

Immature instars of mayflies are important constituents of the food web in aquatic ecosystems (especially in Neotropical regions) and they are among the most susceptible arthropods to pyrethroid insecticides. These insecticides have been recognized as important stressors of freshwater ecosystems, but their cellular effects in aquatic insects have been neglected. Here, we assessed the susceptibility to deltamethrin (a typical type II pyrethroid) as well as the deltamethrin-mediated cytomorphological changes in the central nervous system and midgut of the mayfly Callibaetis radiatus. While the deltamethrin LC50 for 24 h of exposure was of 0.60 (0.46-0.78) μg of a.i/L, the survival of C. radiatus was significantly reduced in deltamethrin concentrations ≥ 0.25 μg a.i/L at 96 h of exposure. Sub-lethal deltamethrin exposure severely affected the cytomorphology of C. radiatus midgut (e.g., muscle layer retraction, cytoplasm vacuolation, nucleus and striated border disorganization) and also induced slight cytomorphological changes in the brain (e.g., presence of pyknotic nuclei) and in the thoracic ganglia (e.g., vacuolation of neurons and presence of pyknotic nuclei) of these insects. However, DNA damage was absent in all of these organs, suggesting that the sublethal cellular stress induced by deltamethrin might disrupt physiological processes (e.g., metabolism or electrical signal transmission) rather than cause cell death (e.g., apoptosis) in C. radiatus. Thus, our findings indicated that deltamethrin actions at cellular levels represent a clear indication of sublethal effects on the C. radiatus survival abilities.

The Proteome Profiles of the Cerebellum of Juvenile, Adult and Aged Rats--An Ontogenetic Study

In this study, we searched for proteins that change their expression in the cerebellum (Ce) of rats during ontogenesis. This study focuses on the question of whether specific proteins exist which are differentially expressed with regard to postnatal stages of development. A better characterization of the microenvironment and its development may result from these study findings. A differential two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2DE) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) analysis of the samples revealed that the number of proteins of the functional classes differed depending on the developmental stages. Especially members of the functional classes of biosynthesis, regulatory proteins, chaperones and structural proteins show the highest differential expression within the analyzed stages of development. Therefore, members of these functional protein groups seem to be involved in the development and differentiation of the Ce within the analyzed development stages. In this study, changes in the expression of proteins in the Ce at different postnatal developmental stages (postnatal days (P) 7, 90, and 637) could be observed. At the same time, an identification of proteins which are involved in cell migration and differentiation was possible. Especially proteins involved in processes of the biosynthesis and regulation, the dynamic organization of the cytoskeleton as well as chaperones showed a high amount of differentially expressed proteins between the analyzed dates.

Isolation and Expression Analysis of CYP9A11 and Cytochrome P450 Reductase Gene in the Beet Armyworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (CYPs), as an enzyme superfamily, is widely distributed in organisms and plays a vital function in the metabolism of exogenous and endogenous compounds by interacting with its obligatory redox partner, CYP reductase (CPR). A novel CYP gene (CYP9A11) and CPR gene from the agricultural pest insect Spodoptera exigua were cloned and characterized. The complete cDNA sequences of SeCYP9A11 and SeCPR are 1,931 and 3,919 bp in length, respectively, and contain open reading frames of 1,593 and 2,070 nucleotides, respectively. Analysis of the putative protein sequences indicated that SeCYP9A11 contains a heme-binding domain and the unique characteristic sequence (SRFALCE) of the CYP9 family, in addition to a signal peptide and transmembrane segment at the N-terminal. Alignment analysis revealed that SeCYP9A11 shares the highest sequence similarity with CYP9A13 from Mamestra brassicae, which is 66.54%. The putative protein sequence of SeCPR has all of the classical CPR features, such as an N-terminal membrane anchor; three conserved domain flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), flavin mononucleotide (FMN), and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) domain; and characteristic binding motifs. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that SeCPR shares the highest identity with HaCPR, which is 95.21%. The SeCYP9A11 and SeCPR genes were detected in the midgut, fat body, and cuticle tissues, and throughout all of the developmental stages of S. exigua. The mRNA levels of SeCYP9A11 and SeCPR decreased remarkably after exposure to plant secondary metabolites quercetin and tannin. The results regarding SeCYP9A11 and SeCPR genes in the current study provide foundation for the further study of S. exigua P450 system.

Proteomics-based identification and analysis proteins associated with spirotetramat tolerance in Aphis gossypii Glover

Spirotetramat were now widely used for control insecticides resistant aphids since 2011 in China. In order to elucidate the possible resistance mechanism, a laboratory selected resistant strain (SR) of cotton aphid was established with a 578.93-fold and 14.91-fold resistance ratio to spirotetramat for adult aphids and nymph, respectively, as compared with the susceptible strain (SS). In this study, a comparative proteomic analysis between SR and SS strains were conducted aims to better understand the resistant cotton aphids' spirotetramat tolerance mechanism. Approximately 493 protein spots were detected in the two-dimension polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2-DE). The intensities of 35 protein spots significantly changed, showing differences more than 2-fold in the SR strain compared with that in the SS strain. Of these spots, 20 protein spots were more abundant in the SR strain and 15 protein spots were more abundant in the SS strain. Twenty six differently expressed proteins were identified and categorized into several functional groups including carbohydrate and energy metabolism, antioxidant system, protein folding, amino acid metabolism, secondary metabolism and cytoskeleton protein, etc. Among these proteins, the acetyl-coA carboxylase (ACC), heat shock protein 70, ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme, fatty acid synthase, UDP-glucose 6-dehydrogenase, etc. are speculated confer the spirotetramat resistance in cotton aphids.

Olive fly transcriptomics analysis implicates energy metabolism genes in spinosad resistance

Background

The olive fly, Bactrocera oleae, is the most devastating pest of cultivated olives. Its control has been traditionally based on insecticides, mainly organophosphates and pyrethroids. In recent years, the naturalyte spinosad is used against the olive fly. As with other insecticides, spinosad is subject to selection pressures that have led to resistance development. Mutations in the α6 subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) have been implicated in spinosad resistance in several species (e.g., Drosophila melanogaster) but excluded in others (e.g., Musca domestica). Yet, additional mechanisms involving enhanced metabolism of detoxification enzymes (such as P450 monooxygenases or mixed function oxidases) have also been reported. In order to clarify the spinosad resistance mechanisms in the olive fly, we searched for mutations in the α6-subunit of the nAChR and for up-regulated genes in the entire transcriptome of spinosad resistant olive flies.

Results

The olive fly α6-subunit of the nAChR was cloned from the laboratory sensitive strain and a spinosad selected resistant line. The differences reflected silent nucleotide substitutions or conserved amino acid changes. Additionally, whole transcriptome analysis was performed in the two strains in order to reveal any underlying resistance mechanisms. Comparison of over 13,000 genes showed that in spinosad resistant flies nine genes were significantly over-expressed, whereas ~40 were under-expressed. Further functional analyses of the nine over-expressed and eleven under-expressed loci were performed. Four of these loci (Yolk protein 2, ATP Synthase FO subunit 6, Low affinity cationic amino acid transporter 2 and Serine protease 6) showed consistently higher expression both in the spinosad resistant strain and in wild flies from a resistant California population. On the other side, two storage protein genes (HexL1 and Lsp1) and two heat-shock protein genes (Hsp70 and Hsp23) were unfailingly under-expressed in resistant flies.

Conclusion

The observed nucleotide differences in the nAChR-α6 subunit between the sensitive and spinosad resistant olive fly strains did not advocate for the involvement of receptor mutations in spinosad resistance. Instead, the transcriptome comparison between the two strains indicated that several immune system loci as well as elevated energy requirements of the resistant flies might be necessary to lever the detoxification process.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2164-15-714) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Differential expression of hemolymph proteins between susceptible and insecticide-resistant Blattella germanica (Blattodea: Blattellidae)

A proteomic approach combining two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and tandem mass spectrometry was used to compare hemolymph expression profiles of a beta-cypermethrin-resistant Blattella germanica L. strain and a beta-cypermethrin-susceptible strain. Twenty-eight hemolymph proteins were differentially expressed in the resistant cockroach strain; 19 proteins were upregulated and 9 proteins were downregulated compared with the susceptible strain. Protein identification indicated that expression of putative cuticular protein, nitric oxide synthase, triosephosphate isomerase, alpha-amylase, ABC transporter, and Per a 3 allergen was elevated, and expression of arginine kinase and glycosidase was reduced. The differential expression of these proteins reflects the overall change in cellular structure and metabolism related to the resistance of pyrethroid insecticides.