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Güney G, Cedden D, Hänniger S, Hegedus DD, Heckel DG, Toprak U. Peritrophins are involved in the defense against Bacillus thuringiensis and nucleopolyhedrovirus formulations in Spodoptera littoralis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 166:104073. [PMID: 38215915 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/14/2024]
Abstract
The peritrophic matrix (or peritrophic membrane, PM) is present in most insects where it acts as a barrier to mechanical insults and pathogens, as well as a facilitator of digestive processes. The PM is formed by the binding of structural PM proteins, referred to as peritrophins, to chitin fibrils and spans the entire midgut in lepidopterans. To investigate the role of peritrophins in a highly polyphagous lepidopteran pest, namely the cotton leafworm (Spodoptera littoralis), we generated Insect Intestinal Mucin (IIM-) and non-mucin Peritrophin (PER-) mutant strains via CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis. Both strains exhibited deformed PMs and retarded developmental rates. Bioassays conducted with Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) and nucleopolyhedrovirus (SpliNPV) formulations showed that both the IIM- and PER- mutant larvae were more susceptible to these bioinsecticides compared to the wild-type (WT) larvae with intact PM. Interestingly, the provision of chitin-binding agent Calcofluor (CF) in the diet lowered the toxicity of Bt formulations in both WT and IIM- larvae and the protective effect of CF was significantly lower in PER- larvae. This suggested that the interaction of CF with PER is responsible for Bt resistance mediated by CF. In contrast, the provision of CF caused increased susceptibility to SpliNPV in both mutants and WT larvae. The study showed the importance of peritrophins in the defense against pathogens in S. littoralis and revealed novel insights into CF-mediated resistance to Cry toxin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gözde Güney
- Agricultural Entomology, Department of Crop Sciences, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Department of Entomology, Jena, Germany; Ankara University, Molecular Entomology Lab., Dept. of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Doga Cedden
- Department of Evolutionary Developmental Genetics, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach Institute, GZMB, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Ankara University, Molecular Entomology Lab., Dept. of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Sabine Hänniger
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Department of Entomology, Jena, Germany
| | - Dwayne D Hegedus
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Saskatoon, SK, Canada; University of Saskatchewan, Department of Food and Bioproduct Sciences, College of Agriculture and Bioresources, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - David G Heckel
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Department of Entomology, Jena, Germany.
| | - Umut Toprak
- Ankara University, Molecular Entomology Lab., Dept. of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Ankara, Turkey.
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Ibrahim SP, Dias RO, Ferreira C, Silva CP, Terra WR. Histochemistry and transcriptomics of mucins and peritrophic membrane (PM) proteins along the midgut of a beetle with incomplete PM and their complementary function. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 162:104027. [PMID: 37832798 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2023.104027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
The midgut of Zabrotes subfasciatus (Coleoptera) and other insects may have regions lacking a peritrophic membrane (matrix, PM) and covered with a jelly-like material known as peritrophic gel. This work was undertaken to test the hypothesis that the peritrophic gel is a vertebrate-like mucus. By histochemistry we identified mucins along the whole midgut, which contrasts with the known occurrence of PM only at the posterior midgut. We also analyzed the expression of the genes coding for mucus-forming mucins (Mf-mucins), peritrophins, chitin synthases and chitin deacetylases along the midgut and carcass (insect without midgut) by RNA-seq. Mf-mucins were identified as proteins with high O-glycosylation and multiple tandem repeats of Pro/Thr/Ser residues. Peritrophins were separated into PM proteins, cuticular proteins analogous to peritrophins (CPAPs) and ubiquitous-chitin-binding domain-(CBD)-containing proteins (UCBPs). PM proteins have at least 3, CPAP one or 3, and UCBPs have a varied number of CBDs. PM proteins are more expressed at midgut, CPAP at the carcass, and UCBP at both. The results showed that most PM proteins are mainly expressed at the posterior midgut, together with midgut chitin synthase and chitin deacetylase, and in agreement with the presence of PM only at the posterior midgut by visual inspection. The excretion of most midgut chitinase is avoided, suggesting that the shortened PM is functional. Mf-mucins are expressed along the whole midgut, probably forming the extracellular mucus layer observed by histochemistry. Thus, the lack of PM at anterior and middle midgut causes the exposure of a mucus, which may correspond to the previously described peritrophic gel. The putative functional interplay of mucus and PM is discussed. The major role of mucus is proposed to be tissue protection and of PM to enhancing digestive efficiency by allowing enzyme recycling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samira P Ibrahim
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, C.P. 476, Florianópolis, 88040-900, Brazil
| | - Renata O Dias
- Departamento de Genética, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade, Federal de Goiás, Av. Esperança s/n, 74690-900, Goiânia, Brazil
| | - Clelia Ferreira
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São, Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes 748, 05508-000, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Carlos P Silva
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, C.P. 476, Florianópolis, 88040-900, Brazil; Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São, Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes 748, 05508-000, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Walter R Terra
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São, Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes 748, 05508-000, São Paulo, Brazil.
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