H-gene-mediated resistance to Hessian fly exhibits features of penetration resistance to fungi

Insect derived extra oral GH32 plays a role in susceptibility of wheat to Hessian fly

The Hessian fly is an obligate parasite of wheat causing significant economic damage, and triggers either a resistant or susceptible reaction. However, the molecular mechanisms of susceptibility leading to the establishment of the larvae are unknown. Larval survival on the plant requires the establishment of a steady source of readily available nutrition. Unlike other insect pests, the Hessian fly larvae have minute mandibles and cannot derive their nutrition by chewing tissue or sucking phloem sap. Here, we show that the virulent larvae produce the glycoside hydrolase MdesGH32 extra-orally, that localizes within the leaf tissue being fed upon. MdesGH32 has strong inulinase and invertase activity aiding in the breakdown of the plant cell wall inulin polymer into monomers and converting sucrose, the primary transport sugar in plants, to glucose and fructose, resulting in the formation of a nutrient-rich tissue. Our finding elucidates the molecular mechanism of nutrient sink formation and establishment of susceptibility.

Microbial Inoculants Differentially Influence Plant Growth and Biomass Allocation in Wheat Attacked by Gall-Inducing Hessian Fly (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae)

Beneficial root microbes may mitigate negative effects of crop pests by enhancing plant tolerance or resistance. We used a greenhouse experiment to investigate impacts of commercially available microbial root inoculants on growth and biomass allocation of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. [Cyperales: Poaceae]) and on survival and growth of the gall-inducing wheat pest Hessian fly, Mayetiola destructor (Say). A factorial design was used, with two near-isogenic wheat lines (one susceptible to Hessian fly, the other resistant), two levels of insect infestation (present, absent), and four inoculants containing: 1) Azospirillum brasilense  Tarrand et al. (Rhodospirillales: Azospirillaceae), a plant growth-promoting bacterium, 2) Rhizophagus intraradices (N.C. Schenck & G.S. Sm.) (Glomerales: Glomeraceae), an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus, 3) A. brasilense + R. intraradices, and 4) control, no inoculant. Larval feeding stunted susceptible wheat shoots and roots. Plants had heavier roots and allocated a greater proportion of biomass to roots when plants received the inoculant with R. intraradices, regardless of wheat genotype or insect infestation. Plants receiving the inoculant containing A. brasilense (alone or with R. intraradices) had comparable numbers of tillers between infested and noninsect-infested plants and, if plants were susceptible, a greater proportion of aboveground biomass was allocated to tillers. However, inoculants did not impact density or performance of Hessian fly immatures or metrics associated with adult fitness. Larvae survived and grew normally on susceptible plants and mortality was 100% on resistant plants irrespective of inoculants. This initial study suggests that by influencing plant biomass allocation, microbial inoculants may offset negative impacts of Hessian flies, with inoculant identity impacting whether tolerance is related to root or tiller growth.

Differential localization of Hessian fly candidate effectors in resistant and susceptible wheat plants

Hessian fly Mayetiola destructor is a notorious pest of wheat. Previous studies suggest that Hessian fly uses effector-based mechanisms to attack wheat plants during parasitism, but no direct evidence has been reported to support this postulation. Here, we produced recombinant proteins for five Family-1 candidate effectors and antibodies. Indirect immunostaining and western blots were carried out to examine the localization of Hessian fly Family-1 proteins in plant and insect tissues. Confocal images revealed that Family-1 putative effectors were exclusively produced in the basal region of larval salivary glands, which are directly linked to the mandibles' ducts for effector injection. The five Family-1 proteins were detected in infested host plants on western blots. Indirect immunostaining of sectioned host tissues around the feeding site revealed strikingly different localization patterns between resistant and susceptible plants. In susceptible plants, the Family-1 proteins penetrated from the feeding cell into deep tissues, indicative of movement between cells during nutritive cell formation. In contrast, the Hessian fly proteins were primarily limited to the initially attacked cells in resistant plants. The limitation of effectors' spread in resistant plants was likely due to wall strengthening and rapid hypersensitive cell death. Cell death was found in Nicotiana benthamiana in association with hypersensitive reaction triggered by the Family-1 effector SSGP-1A2. Our finding represents a significant progress in visualizing insect effectors in host tissues and mechanisms of plant resistance and susceptibility to gall midge pests.

BSA-Seq Discovery and Functional Analysis of Candidate Hessian Fly (Mayetiola destructor) Avirulence Genes

The Hessian fly (HF, Mayetiola destructor) is a plant-galling parasite of wheat (Triticum spp.). Seven percent of its genome is composed of highly diversified signal-peptide-encoding genes that are transcribed in HF larval salivary glands. These observations suggest that they encode effector proteins that are injected into wheat cells to suppress basal wheat immunity and redirect wheat development towards gall formation. Genetic mapping has determined that mutations in four of these genes are associated with HF larval survival (virulence) on plants carrying four different resistance (R) genes. Here, this line of investigation was pursued further using bulked-segregant analysis combined with whole genome resequencing (BSA-seq). Virulence to wheat R genes H6, Hdic, and H5 was examined. Mutations associated with H6 virulence had been mapped previously. Therefore, we used H6 to test the capacity of BSA-seq to map virulence using a field-derived HF population. This was the first time a non-structured HF population had been used to map HF virulence. Hdic virulence had not been mapped previously. Using a structured laboratory population, BSA-seq associated Hdic virulence with mutations in two candidate effector-encoding genes. Using a laboratory population, H5 virulence was previously positioned in a region spanning the centromere of HF autosome 2. BSA-seq resolved H5 virulence to a 1.3 Mb fragment on the same chromosome but failed to identify candidate mutations. Map-based candidate effectors were then delivered to Nicotiana plant cells via the type III secretion system of Burkholderia glumae bacteria. These experiments demonstrated that the genes associated with virulence to wheat R genes H6 and H13 are capable of suppressing plant immunity. Results are consistent with the hypothesis that effector proteins underlie the ability of HFs to survive on wheat.

Susceptibility of North Dakota Hessian Fly (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) to 31 H Genes Mediating Wheat Resistance

The agricultural landscape of North Dakota is changing. Corn and soybean are now commonplace, but once were rare. Spring sown wheat Triticum aestivum L. and durum wheat Triticum turgidum spp. durum continue to be dominant, but more winter-sown wheat is expected in the future. The presence of wheat in the landscape throughout much of the year will benefit populations of the Hessian fly, Mayetiola destructor (Say), which occurs throughout the state, sometimes in large numbers. Hessian fly is unusual among crop pests for which resources for plant resistance are well developed. On wheat genotypes expressing a single effective H resistance gene, 100% of larvae die before exhibiting any growth. Over 35 H genes in the public domain are available for crossing into elite cultivars. We explored the effectiveness of 31 Hessian fly resistance genes for a North Dakota Hessian fly population. Six genes-H4, H15, H21, H23, H26, and H29-caused 100% larval mortality. Seven others caused at least 80% mortality. Experimental data were used to address three additional questions. Do adult females avoid laying eggs on plants that will kill their offspring: Are neonate larvae able to detect resistance that will end up killing them? Do all 31 genes confer equal protection against larval-induced growth deficits? North Dakota wheat breeders have the necessary tools to create highly resistant wheat cultivars. So far, H genes have been deployed singly in cultivars. Advances in plant breeding will enable gene stacking, a more durable strategy over time.

Spectral characterization of wheat functional trait responses to Hessian fly: Mechanisms for trait-based resistance

Insect herbivores can manipulate host plants to inhibit defenses. Insects that induce plant galls are excellent examples of these interactions. The Hessian fly (HF, Mayetiola destructor) is a destructive pest of wheat (Triticum spp.) that occurs in nearly all wheat producing globally. Under compatible interactions (i.e., successful HF establishment), HF larvae alter host tissue physiology and morphology for their benefit, manifesting as the development of plant nutritive tissue that feeds the larva and ceases plant cell division and elongation. Under incompatible interactions (i.e., unsuccessful HF establishment), plants respond to larval feeding by killing the larva, permitting normal plant development. We used reflectance spectroscopy to characterize whole-plant functional trait responses during both compatible and incompatible interactions and related these findings with morphological and gene expression observations from earlier studies. Spectral models successfully characterized wheat foliar traits, with mean goodness of fit statistics of 0.84, 0.85, 0.94, and 0.69 and percent root mean square errors of 22, 10, 6, and 20%, respectively, for nitrogen and carbon concentrations, leaf mass per area, and total phenolic content. We found that larvae capable of generating compatible interactions successfully manipulated host plant chemical and morphological composition to create a more hospitable environment. Incompatible interactions resulted in lower host plant nutritional quality, thicker leaves, and higher phenolic levels. Spectral measurements successfully characterized wheat responses to compatible and incompatible interactions, providing an excellent example of the utility of Spectral phenotyping in quantifying responses of specific plant functional traits associated with insect resistance.

Development of SNP assays for hessian fly response genes, Hfr-1 and Hfr-2, for marker-assisted selection in wheat breeding

Background

The Hessian fly response genes, Hfr-1 and Hfr-2, have been reported to be significantly induced in a Hessian fly attack. Nothing is known about the allelic variants of these two genes in susceptible (S) and resistant (R) wheat cultivars.

Results

Basic local alignment search tool (BLAST) analysis of Hessian fly response genes have identified three alleles of Hessian fly response gene 1 (Hfr-1) on chromosome 4AL and 7DS, and 10 alleles of Hessian fly response gene 2 (Hfr-2) on chromosome 2BS, 2DL, 4BS, 4BL, 5AL and 5BL. Resequencing exons of Hfr-1 and Hfr-2 have identified a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the lectin domain of each gene that segregates some R sources from S cultivars. Two SNP assays have been developed. The SNP883_Hfr-1 assay characterizes a ‘G/A’ SNP in Hfr-1, which differentiates 14 Hessian fly R cultivars from S ones. The SNP1294_Hfr-2 assay differentiates 12 R cultivars from S ones. Each of the two SNPs identified in Hfr-1 and Hfr-2 is ‘G/A’ and resulted in an amino acid change from isoleucine to valine in the lectin domain of the proteins of the alleles in the R cultivars. In addition to the genotype profiles of Hfr-1 and Hfr-2, generated for a set of 249 wheat cultivars which included a set of 39 R cultivars, this study has genotyped the Hessian fly response gene, HfrDrd, and the H32 gene for the wheat germplasm. Resistant cultivars from different origins with one, two, three or four resistance (R) genes in various combinations/permutations have been identified.

Conclusion

This study has identified allelic differences in two Hessian fly response genes, Hfr-1 and Hfr-2, between S and R cultivars and developed one SNP assay for each of the genes. These two SNP assays for Hfr-1 and Hfr-2, together with the published assays for HfrDrd and the H32 gene, can be used for the selection and incorporation of one or more of these 4 R genes identified in the different R sources in wheat breeding programs.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12863-018-0659-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

A Novel, Economical Way to Assess Virulence in Field Populations of Hessian Fly (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) Utilizing Wheat Resistance Gene H13 as a Model

Mayetiola destructor (Say) is a serious pest of wheat, Triticum aestivum L., in North America, North Africa, and Central Asia. Singly deployed resistance genes in wheat cultivars have provided effective management of Hessian fly populations for >50 yr. Thirty-five H genes have been documented. Defense mediated by the H gene constitutes strong selection on the Hessian fly population, killing 100% of larvae. A mutation in a matching Hessian fly avirulence gene confers virulence to the H gene, leading to survival on the resistant plant. As the frequency of virulence rises in the population, the H gene loses its effectiveness for pest management. Knowing the frequency of virulence in the population is not only important for monitoring but also for decisions about which H gene should be deployed in regional wheat breeding programs. Here, we present a novel assay for detecting virulence in the field. Hessian fly males were collected in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina using sticky traps baited with Hessian fly sex pheromone. Utilizing two PCR reactions, diagnostic molecular markers for the six alleles controlling avirulence and virulence to H13 can be scored based on band size. Throughout the southeast, all three avirulence and three virulence alleles can be identified. In South Carolina, the PCR assay was sensitive enough to detect the spread of virulence into two counties previously documented as 100% susceptible to H13. The new assay also indicates that the previous methods overestimated virulence in the field owing to scoring of the plant instead of the insect.

Avirulence gene mapping in the Hessian fly (Mayetiola destructor) reveals a protein phosphatase 2C effector gene family

The genetic tractability of the Hessian fly (HF, Mayetiola destructor) provides an opportunity to investigate the mechanisms insects use to induce plant gall formation. Here we demonstrate that capacity using the newly sequenced HF genome by identifying the gene (vH24) that elicits effector-triggered immunity in wheat (Triticum spp.) seedlings carrying HF resistance gene H24. vH24 was mapped within a 230-kb genomic fragment near the telomere of HF chromosome X1. That fragment contains only 21 putative genes. The best candidate vH24 gene in this region encodes a protein containing a secretion signal and a type-2 serine/threonine protein phosphatase (PP2C) domain. This gene has an H24-virulence associated insertion in its promoter that appears to silence transcription of the gene in H24-virulent larvae. Candidate vH24 is a member of a small family of genes that encode secretion signals and PP2C domains. It belongs to the fraction of genes in the HF genome previously predicted to encode effector proteins. Because PP2C proteins are not normally secreted, our results suggest that these are PP2C effectors that HF larvae inject into wheat cells to redirect, or interfere, with wheat signal transduction pathways.

Insect-induced effects on plants and possible effectors used by galling and leaf-mining insects to manipulate their host-plant

Gall-inducing insects are iconic examples in the manipulation and reprogramming of plant development, inducing spectacular morphological and physiological changes of host-plant tissues within which the insect feeds and grows. Despite decades of research, effectors involved in gall induction and basic mechanisms of gall formation remain unknown. Recent research suggests that some aspects of the plant manipulation shown by gall-inducers may be shared with other insect herbivorous life histories. Here, we illustrate similarities and contrasts by reviewing current knowledge of metabolic and morphological effects induced on plants by gall-inducing and leaf-mining insects, and ask whether leaf-miners can also be considered to be plant reprogrammers. We review key plant functions targeted by various plant reprogrammers, including plant-manipulating insects and nematodes, and functionally characterize insect herbivore-derived effectors to provide a broader understanding of possible mechanisms used in host-plant manipulation. Consequences of plant reprogramming in terms of ecology, coevolution and diversification of plant-manipulating insects are also discussed.

Plant Photosynthetic Responses During Insect Effector-Triggered Plant Susceptibility and Immunity

Gall-inducing insects are known for altering source-sink relationships within plants. Changes in photosynthesis may contribute to this phenomenon. We investigated photosynthetic responses in wheat [Triticum aestivum L. (Poaceae: Triticeae)] seedlings attacked by the Hessian fly [Mayetiola destructor (Say) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae], which uses a salivary effector-based strategy to induce a gall nutritive tissue in susceptible plants. Resistant plants have surveillance systems mediated by products of Resistance (R) genes. Detection of a specific salivary effector triggers downstream responses that result in a resistance that kills neonate larvae. A 2 × 2 factorial design was used to study maximum leaf photosynthetic assimilation and stomatal conductance rates. The plant treatments were-resistant or susceptible wheat lines expressing or not expressing the H13 resistance gene. The insect treatments were-no attack (control) or attack by larvae killed by H13 gene-mediated resistance. Photosynthesis was measured for the second and third leaves of the seedling, the latter being the only leaf directly attacked by larvae. We predicted effector-based attack would trigger increases in photosynthetic rates in susceptible but not resistant plants. For susceptible plants, attack was associated with increases (relative to controls) in photosynthesis for the third but not the second leaf. For resistant plants, attack was associated with increases in photosynthesis for both the second and third leaves. Mechanisms underlying the increases appeared to differ. Resistant plants exhibited responses suggesting altered source-sink relationships. Susceptible plants exhibited responses suggesting a mechanism other than altered source-sink relationships, possibly changes in water relations that contributed to increased stomatal conductance.

Mechanisms and ecological consequences of plant defence induction and suppression in herbivore communities

BACKGROUND

Plants are hotbeds for parasites such as arthropod herbivores, which acquire nutrients and energy from their hosts in order to grow and reproduce. Hence plants are selected to evolve resistance, which in turn selects for herbivores that can cope with this resistance. To preserve their fitness when attacked by herbivores, plants can employ complex strategies that include reallocation of resources and the production of defensive metabolites and structures. Plant defences can be either prefabricated or be produced only upon attack. Those that are ready-made are referred to as constitutive defences. Some constitutive defences are operational at any time while others require activation. Defences produced only when herbivores are present are referred to as induced defences. These can be established via de novo biosynthesis of defensive substances or via modifications of prefabricated substances and consequently these are active only when needed. Inducibility of defence may serve to save energy and to prevent self-intoxication but also implies that there is a delay in these defences becoming operational. Induced defences can be characterized by alterations in plant morphology and molecular chemistry and are associated with a decrease in herbivore performance. These alterations are set in motion by signals generated by herbivores. Finally, a subset of induced metabolites are released into the air as volatiles and function as a beacon for foraging natural enemies searching for prey, and this is referred to as induced indirect defence.

SCOPE

The objective of this review is to evaluate (1) which strategies plants have evolved to cope with herbivores and (2) which traits herbivores have evolved that enable them to counter these defences. The primary focus is on the induction and suppression of plant defences and the review outlines how the palette of traits that determine induction/suppression of, and resistance/susceptibility of herbivores to, plant defences can give rise to exploitative competition and facilitation within ecological communities "inhabiting" a plant.

CONCLUSIONS

Herbivores have evolved diverse strategies, which are not mutually exclusive, to decrease the negative effects of plant defences in order to maximize the conversion of plant material into offspring. Numerous adaptations have been found in herbivores, enabling them to dismantle or bypass defensive barriers, to avoid tissues with relatively high levels of defensive chemicals or to metabolize these chemicals once ingested. In addition, some herbivores interfere with the onset or completion of induced plant defences, resulting in the plant's resistance being partly or fully suppressed. The ability to suppress induced plant defences appears to occur across plant parasites from different kingdoms, including herbivorous arthropods, and there is remarkable diversity in suppression mechanisms. Suppression may strongly affect the structure of the food web, because the ability to suppress the activation of defences of a communal host may facilitate competitors, whereas the ability of a herbivore to cope with activated plant defences will not. Further characterization of the mechanisms and traits that give rise to suppression of plant defences will enable us to determine their role in shaping direct and indirect interactions in food webs and the extent to which these determine the coexistence and persistence of species.

Pivoting from Arabidopsis to wheat to understand how agricultural plants integrate responses to biotic stress

In this review, we argue for a research initiative on wheat's responses to biotic stress. One goal is to begin a conversation between the disparate communities of plant pathology and entomology. Another is to understand how responses to a variety of agents of biotic stress are integrated in an important crop. We propose gene-for-gene interactions as the focus of the research initiative. On the parasite's side is an Avirulence (Avr) gene that encodes one of the many effector proteins the parasite applies to the plant to assist with colonization. On the plant's side is a Resistance (R) gene that mediates a surveillance system that detects the Avr protein directly or indirectly and triggers effector-triggered plant immunity. Even though arthropods are responsible for a significant proportion of plant biotic stress, they have not been integrated into important models of plant immunity that come from plant pathology. A roadblock has been the absence of molecular evidence for arthropod Avr effectors. Thirty years after this evidence was discovered in a plant pathogen, there is now evidence for arthropods with the cloning of the Hessian fly's vH13 Avr gene. After reviewing the two models of plant immunity, we discuss how arthropods could be incorporated. We end by showing features that make wheat an interesting system for plant immunity, including 479 resistance genes known from agriculture that target viruses, bacteria, fungi, nematodes, insects, and mites. It is not likely that humans will be subsisting on Arabidopsis in the year 2050. It is time to start understanding how agricultural plants integrate responses to biotic stress.

Avirulence effector discovery in a plant galling and plant parasitic arthropod, the Hessian fly (Mayetiola destructor)

Highly specialized obligate plant-parasites exist within several groups of arthropods (insects and mites). Many of these are important pests, but the molecular basis of their parasitism and its evolution are poorly understood. One hypothesis is that plant parasitic arthropods use effector proteins to defeat basal plant immunity and modulate plant growth. Because avirulence (Avr) gene discovery is a reliable method of effector identification, we tested this hypothesis using high-resolution molecular genetic mapping of an Avr gene (vH13) in the Hessian fly (HF, Mayetiola destructor), an important gall midge pest of wheat (Triticum spp.). Chromosome walking resolved the position of vH13, and revealed alleles that determine whether HF larvae are virulent (survive) or avirulent (die) on wheat seedlings carrying the wheat H13 resistance gene. Association mapping found three independent insertions in vH13 that appear to be responsible for H13-virulence in field populations. We observed vH13 transcription in H13-avirulent larvae and the salivary glands of H13-avirulent larvae, but not in H13-virulent larvae. RNA-interference-knockdown of vH13 transcripts allowed some H13-avirulent larvae to escape H13-directed resistance. vH13 is the first Avr gene identified in an arthropod. It encodes a small modular protein with no sequence similarities to other proteins in GenBank. These data clearly support the hypothesis that an effector-based strategy has evolved in multiple lineages of plant parasites, including arthropods.

Sex- and tissue-specific profiles of chemosensory gene expression in a herbivorous gall-inducing fly (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae)

BACKGROUND

The chemical senses of insects mediate behaviors that are closely linked to survival and reproduction. The order Diptera contains two model organisms, the vinegar fly Drosophila melanogaster and the mosquito Anopheles gambiae, whose chemosensory genes have been extensively studied. Representing a third dipteran lineage with an interesting phylogenetic position, and being ecologically distinct by feeding on plants, the Hessian fly (Mayetiola destructor Say, Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) genome sequence has recently become available. Among plant-feeding insects, the Hessian fly is unusual in 'reprogramming' the plant to create a superior food and in being the target of plant resistance genes, a feature shared by plant pathogens. Chemoreception is essential for reproductive success, including detection of sex pheromone and plant-produced chemicals by males and females, respectively.

RESULTS

We identified genes encoding 122 odorant receptors (OR), 28 gustatory receptors (GR), 39 ionotropic receptors (IR), 32 odorant binding proteins, and 7 sensory neuron membrane proteins in the Hessian fly genome. We then mapped Illumina-sequenced transcriptome reads to the genome to explore gene expression in male and female antennae and terminal abdominal segments. Our results reveal that a large number of chemosensory genes have up-regulated expression in the antennae, and the expression is in many cases sex-specific. Sex-specific expression is particularly evident among the Or genes, consistent with the sex-divergent olfactory-mediated behaviors of the adults. In addition, the large number of Ors in the genome but the reduced set of Grs and divergent Irs suggest that the short-lived adults rely more on long-range olfaction than on short-range gustation. We also report up-regulated expression of some genes from all chemosensory gene families in the terminal segments of the abdomen, which play important roles in reproduction.

CONCLUSIONS

We show that a large number of the chemosensory genes in the Hessian fly genome have sex- and tissue-specific expression profiles. Our findings provide the first insights into the molecular basis of chemoreception in plant-feeding flies, representing an important advance toward a more complete understanding of olfaction in Diptera and its links to ecological specialization.

Cytokinin-induced phenotypes in plant-insect interactions: learning from the bacterial world

Recently, a renewed interest in cytokinins (CKs) has allowed the characterization of these phytohormones as key regulatory molecules in plant biotic interactions. They have been proved to be instrumental in microbe- and insect-mediated plant phenotypes that can be either beneficial or detrimental for the host-plant. In parallel, insect endosymbiotic bacteria have emerged as key players in plant-insect interactions mediating directly or indirectly fundamental aspects of insect nutrition, such as insect feeding efficiency or the ability to manipulate plant physiology to overcome food nutritional imbalances. However, mechanisms that regulate CK production and the role played by insects and their endosymbionts remain largely unknown. Against this backdrop, studies on plant-associated bacteria have revealed fascinating and complex molecular mechanisms that lead to the production of bacterial CKs and the modulation of plant-borne CKs which ultimately result in profound metabolic and morphological plant modifications. This review highlights major strategies used by plant-associated bacteria that impact the CK homeostasis of their host-plant, to raise parallels with strategies used by phytophagous insects and to discuss the possible role played by endosymbiotic bacteria in these CK-mediated plant phenotypes. We hypothesize that insects employ a CK-mix production strategy that manipulates the phytohormonal balance of their host-plant and overtakes plant gene expression causing a metabolic and morphological habitat modification. In addition, insect endosymbiotic bacteria may prove to be instrumental in these manipulations through the production of bacterial CKs, including specific forms that challenge the CK-degrading capacity of the plant (thus ensuring persistent effects) and the CK-mediated plant defenses.

A genome-wide survey of small interfering RNA and microRNA pathway genes in a galling insect

Deployment of resistance (R) genes is the most effective control for Hessian fly, Mayetiola destructor (Say); however, deployment of R genes results in an increased frequency of pest genotypes that display virulence to them. RNA interference (RNAi) is a useful reverse genetics tool for studying such insect virulence pathways, but requires a systemic phenotype, which is not found in all species. In an effort to correlate our observed weak RNAi phenotype in M. destructor with a genetic basis, we have aggregated and compared RNAi related genes across M. destructor, three other insect species, and the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. We report here the annotation of the core genes in the small interfering RNA (siRNA) and microRNA (miRNA) pathways in M. destructor. While most of the miRNA pathway genes were highly conserved across the species studied, the siRNA pathway genes showed increased relative variability in comparison to the miRNA pathway. In particular, the Piwi/Argonaute/Zwille (PAZ) domain of Dicer-2 (DCR-2) had the least amount of sequence similarity of any domain among species surveyed, with a trend of increased conservation in those species with amenable systemic RNAi. A homolog of the systemic interference defective-1 (Sid-1) gene of C. elegans was also not annotated in the M. destructor genome. Indeed, it is of interest that a Sid-1 homolog has not been detected in any dipteran species to date. We hypothesize the sequence architecture of the PAZ domain in the M. destructor DCR-2 protein is related to reduced efficacy of this enzyme and this taken together with the lack of a Sid-1 homolog may account for the weak RNAi response observed to date in this species as well as other dipteran species.

Why oviposit there? Fitness consequences of a gall midge choosing the plant's youngest leaf

For animals that lay eggs, a longstanding question is, why do females choose particular oviposition sites? For insects that lay eggs on plants there are three hypotheses: maximizing suitable habitat for juveniles, maximizing female lifespan, and maximizing egg survival. We investigated the function of the oviposition-site choice behavior of a gall midge, the Hessian fly, Mayetiola destructor (Say). In spite of living less than a day and having hundreds of eggs, the ovipositing female is choosy about the placement of eggs. Choosiness makes sense. The tiny gall-making neonate larva has limited movement and strict requirements for colonization. We examined whether offspring benefit from the Hessian fly female's preference for the plant's youngest leaf. To do this we restricted the female's access to the first, second, or third leaf of a seedling (wheat Triticum aestivum L.) plant. Being placed on older leaves did not impact egg survival or larval survival during migration to attack sites at the base of the plant, but did have negative impacts on egg-to-adult survival (reduced by 48%) and reproductive potential (reduced by 30-45%). These negative impacts appear to come from larvae having to search harder to find the limited number of reactive plant cells that can be reprogrammed to form the gall nutritive tissue. We propose that the ability of larvae to find these reactive cells in spite of being placed on an older leaf is important because it creates leeway for female behavior to evolve in the face of other selection pressures, e.g., attack by egg parasitoids.

Rapid mobilization of membrane lipids in wheat leaf sheaths during incompatible interactions with Hessian fly

Hessian fly (HF) is a biotrophic insect that interacts with wheat on a gene-for-gene basis. We profiled changes in membrane lipids in two isogenic wheat lines: a susceptible line and its backcrossed offspring containing the resistance gene H13. Our results revealed a 32 to 45% reduction in total concentrations of 129 lipid species in resistant plants during incompatible interactions within 24 h after HF attack. A smaller and delayed response was observed in susceptible plants during compatible interactions. Microarray and real-time polymerase chain reaction analyses of 168 lipid-metabolism-related transcripts revealed that the abundance of many of these transcripts increased rapidly in resistant plants after HF attack but did not change in susceptible plants. In association with the rapid mobilization of membrane lipids, the concentrations of some fatty acids and 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid (OPDA) increased specifically in resistant plants. Exogenous application of OPDA increased mortality of HF larvae significantly. Collectively, our data, along with previously published results, indicate that the lipids were mobilized through lipolysis, producing free fatty acids, which were likely further converted into oxylipins and other defense molecules. Our results suggest that rapid mobilization of membrane lipids constitutes an important step for wheat to defend against HF attack.

Effects of antinutrient proteins on Hessian fly (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) larvae

One strategy to enhance the durability of Hessian fly resistance (R) genes in wheat is to combine them with transgenes for resistance. To identify potential transgenes for resistance a protocol for rapidly screening the proteins they encode for efficacy toward resistance is required. However, the Hessian fly is an obligate parasite of wheat and related grasses. Consequently, no protocol for in vitro delivery of antinutrient or toxic proteins to feeding larvae is available. We report here the development of a Hessian fly in plantatranslocation (HIT) feeding assay and the evaluation of eight lectins and the Bowman-Birk serine proteinase inhibitor for potential in transgenic resistance. Of the antinutrient proteins evaluated, Galanthus nivalis L. agglutinin (GNA), commonly termed snowdrop lectin, was the most efficacious. Ingestion of GNA caused a significant reduction in growth of Hessian fly larvae, disruption of midgut microvilli, and changes in transcript level of genes involved in carbohydrate metabolism, digestion, detoxification, and stress response. These effects of GNA are discussed from the perspective of larval Hessian fly physiology.

Gall midges (Hessian flies) as plant pathogens

Gall midges constitute an important group of plant-parasitic insects. The Hessian fly (HF; Mayetiola destructor), the most investigated gall midge, was the first insect hypothesized to have a gene-for-gene interaction with its host plant, wheat (Triticum spp.). Recent investigations support that hypothesis. The minute larval mandibles appear to act in a manner that is analogous to nematode stylets and the haustoria of filamentous plant pathogens. Putative effector proteins are encoded by hundreds of genes and expressed in the HF larval salivary gland. Cultivar-specific resistance (R) genes mediate a highly localized plant reaction that prevents the survival of avirulent HF larvae. Fine-scale mapping of HF avirulence (Avr) genes provides further evidence of effector-triggered immunity (ETI) against HF in wheat. Taken together, these discoveries suggest that the HF, and other gall midges, may be considered biotrophic, or hemibiotrophic, plant pathogens, and they demonstrate the potential that the wheat-HF interaction has in the study of insect-induced plant gall formation.

Induced epidermal permeability modulates resistance and susceptibility of wheat seedlings to herbivory by Hessian fly larvae

Salivary secretions of neonate Hessian fly larvae initiate a two-way exchange of molecules with their wheat host. Changes in properties of the leaf surface allow larval effectors to enter the plant where they trigger plant processes leading to resistance and delivery of defence molecules, or susceptibility and delivery of nutrients. To increase understanding of the host plant's response, the timing and characteristics of the induced epidermal permeability were investigated. Resistant plant permeability was transient and limited in area, persisting just long enough to deliver defence molecules before gene expression and permeability reverted to pre-infestation levels. The abundance of transcripts for GDSL-motif lipase/hydrolase, thought to contribute to cuticle reorganization and increased permeability, followed the same temporal profile as permeability in resistant plants. In contrast, susceptible plants continued to increase in permeability over time until the entire crown of the plant became a nutrient sink. Permeability increased with higher infestation levels in susceptible but not in resistant plants. The ramifications of induced plant permeability on Hessian fly populations are discussed.

No fitness cost for wheat's H gene-mediated resistance to Hessian fly (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae)

Resistance (R) genes have a proven record for protecting plants against biotic stress. A problem is parasite adaptation via Avirulence (Avr) mutations, which allows the parasite to colonize the R gene plant. Scientists hope to make R genes more durable by stacking them in a single cultivar. However, stacking assumes that R gene-mediated resistance has no fitness cost for the plant. We tested this assumption for wheat's resistance to Hessian fly, Mayetiola destructor (Say) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae). Our study included ten plant fitness measures and four wheat genotypes, one susceptible, and three expressing either the H6, H9, or H13 resistance gene. Because R gene-mediated resistance has two components, we measured two types of costs: the cost of the constitutively-expressed H gene, which functions in plant surveillance, and the cost of the downstream induced responses, which were triggered by Hessian fly larvae rather than a chemical elicitor. For the constitutively expressed Hgene, some measures indicated costs, but a greater number of measures indicated benefits of simply expressing the H gene. For the induced resistance, instead of costs, resistant plants showed benefits of being attacked. Resistant plants were more likely to survive attack than susceptible plants, and surviving resistant plants produced higher yield and quality. We discuss why resistance to the Hessian fly has little or no cost and propose that tolerance is important, with compensatory growth occurring after H gene-mediated resistance kills the larva. We end with a caution: Given that plants were given good growing conditions, fitness costs may be found under conditions of greater biotic or abiotic stress.

A reproductive fitness cost associated with Hessian fly (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) virulence to wheat's H gene-mediated resistance

We studied whether adaptation of the Hessian fly, Mayetiola destructor (Say) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), to plant resistance incurs fitness costs. In this gene-for-gene interaction, adaptation to a single H resistance gene occurs via loss of a single effector encoded by an Avirulence gene. By losing the effector, the adapted larva now survives on the H gene plant, presumably because it evades the plant's H gene-mediated surveillance system. The problem is the Hessian fly larva needs its effectors for colonization. Thus, for adapted individuals, there may be a cost for losing the effector, with this then creating a trade-off between surviving on H-resistant plants and growing on plants that lack H genes. In two different tests, we used wheat lacking H genes to compare the survival and growth of a nonadapted strain to two H-adapted strains. The two adapted strains differed in that one had been selected for adaptation to H9, whereas the other strain had been selected for adaptation to H13. Tests showed that two H-adapted strains were similar to the nonadapted strain in egg-to-adult survival but that they differed in producing adults with smaller wings. By using known relationships between wing length and reproductive potential, we found that losses in wing length underestimate losses in reproductive potential. For example, H9- and H13-adapted females had 9 and 3% wing losses, respectively, but they were estimated to have 32 and 12% losses in egg production. Fitness costs of adaptation will be investigated further via selection experiments comparing Avirulence allele frequencies for Hessian fly populations exposed or not exposed to H genes.

Serine proteases-like genes in the asian rice gall midge show differential expression in compatible and incompatible interactions with rice

The Asian rice gall midge, Orseolia oryzae (Wood-Mason), is a serious pest of rice. Investigations into the gall midge-rice interaction will unveil the underlying molecular mechanisms which, in turn, can be used as a tool to assist in developing suitable integrated pest management strategies. The insect gut is known to be involved in various physiological and biological processes including digestion, detoxification and interaction with the host. We have cloned and identified two genes, OoprotI and OoprotII, homologous to serine proteases with the conserved His⁸⁷, Asp¹³⁶ and Ser²⁴¹ residues. OoProtI shared 52.26% identity with mosquito-type trypsin from Hessian fly whereas OoProtII showed 52.49% identity to complement component activated C1s from the Hessian fly. Quantitative real time PCR analysis revealed that both the genes were significantly upregulated in larvae feeding on resistant cultivar than in those feeding on susceptible cultivar. These results provide an opportunity to understand the gut physiology of the insect under compatible or incompatible interactions with the host. Phylogenetic analysis grouped these genes in the clade containing proteases of phytophagous insects away from hematophagous insects.

Comparative analysis of genetic background in eight near-isogenic wheat lines with different H genes conferring resistance to Hessian fly

Near-isogenic lines (NILs) are useful for plant genetic and genomic studies. However, the strength of conclusions from such studies depends on the similarity of the NILs’ genetic backgrounds. In this study, we investigated the genetic similarity for a set of NILs developed in the 1990s to study gene-for-gene interactions between wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) and the Hessian fly ( Mayetiola destructor (Say)), an important pest of wheat. Each of the eight NILs carries a single H resistance gene and was created by successive backcrossing for two to six generations to susceptible T. aestivum ‘Newton’. We generated 256 target region amplification polymorphism (TRAP) markers and used them to calculate genetic similarity, expressed by the Nei and Li (NL) coefficient. Six of the NILs (H3, H5, H6, H9, H11, and H13) had the highly uniform genetic background of Newton, with NL coefficients from 0.97 to 0.99. However, genotypes with H10 or H12 were less similar to Newton, with NL coefficients of 0.86 and 0.93, respectively. Cluster analysis based on NL coefficients and pedigree analysis showed that the genetic similarity between each of the NILs and Newton was affected by both the number of backcrosses and the genetic similarity between Newton and the H gene donors. We thus generated an equation to predict the number of required backcrosses, given varying similarity of donor and recurrent parent. We also investigated whether the genetic residues of the donor parents that remained in the NILs were related to linkage drag. By using a complete set of ‘Chinese Spring’ nullisomic-tetrasomic lines, one third of the TRAP markers that showed polymorphism between the NILs and Newton were assigned to a specific chromosome. All of the assigned markers were located on chromosomes other than the chromosome carrying the H gene, suggesting that the genetic residues detected in this study were not due to linkage drag. Results will aid in the development and use of near-isogenic lines for studies of the functional genomics of wheat.