Host plant adaptability and proteomic differences of diverse Rhopalosiphum maidis (Fitch) lineages

Different Tea Germplasms Distinctly Influence the Adaptability of Toxoptera aurantii (Hemiptera: Aphididae)

Aphids are typical phloem-sucking insect pests. A good understanding regarding their feeding behavior and population dynamics are critical for evaluating host adaptation and screening of aphid-resistant resources. Herein, the adaptability of Toxoptera aurantii (Boyer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) to different hosts was evaluated via electropenetrography and an age-stage, two-sex life table on six tea germplasms: Zikui (ZK), Zhongcha108 (ZC108), Zhongcha111 (ZC111), Qianmei419 (QM419), Meitan5 (MT5), and Fudingdabaicha (FD). Our findings revealed that the feeding activities of T. aurantii differed considerably among the host plants. T. aurantii exhibited significantly more pathway activities on ZK and FD than on the other hosts. However, the duration of feeding of T. aurantii on ZK phloem considerably decreased compared with those of the other germplasms. Life parameters indicated that T. aurantii exhibited the highest intrinsic rate of increase (r), net reproductive rate (R0), and finite rate of increase (λ) on MT5, and the maximum values of total longevity and oviposition period were recorded on FD; these variables were reduced significantly on ZK. The results of our study demonstrate that T. aurantii can successfully survive on the six tea germplasms; however, ZK was less suitable for T. aurantii and should be considered as a potential source of resistance in breeding and Integrated Pest Management.

Shotgun Proteomics as a Powerful Tool for the Study of the Proteomes of Plants, Their Pathogens, and Plant-Pathogen Interactions

The interaction between plants and pathogenic microorganisms is a multifaceted process mediated by both plant- and pathogen-derived molecules, including proteins, metabolites, and lipids. Large-scale proteome analysis can quantify the dynamics of proteins, biological pathways, and posttranslational modifications (PTMs) involved in the plant-pathogen interaction. Mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics has become the preferred method for characterizing proteins at the proteome and sub-proteome (e.g., the phosphoproteome) levels. MS-based proteomics can reveal changes in the quantitative state of a proteome and provide a foundation for understanding the mechanisms involved in plant-pathogen interactions. This review is intended as a primer for biologists that may be unfamiliar with the diverse range of methodology for MS-based shotgun proteomics, with a focus on techniques that have been used to investigate plant-pathogen interactions. We provide a summary of the essential steps required for shotgun proteomic studies of plants, pathogens and plant-pathogen interactions, including methods for protein digestion, identification, separation, and quantification. Finally, we discuss how protein PTMs may directly participate in the interaction between a pathogen and its host plant.