Identification and Functional Analysis of Differentially Expressed Genes in Myzus persicae (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in Response to Trans-anethole

Abstract

Plant essential oils, with high bioactivity and biodegradability, provide promising alternatives to synthetic pesticides for pest control. Trans-anethole is the major component of essential oil from star anise, Illicium verum Hook. The compound has a strong contact toxicity against the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), which is a major insect pest of many vegetables and crops. However, little information is known about how M. persicae responds to trans-anethole at the molecular level. We conducted a comparative transcriptome analysis of M. persicae in response to a LD50 dose of trans-anethole. A total of 559 differentially expressed genes were detected in the treated individuals, with 318 genes up-regulated, and 241 genes down-regulated. Gene ontology (GO) analysis revealed that these genes were classified into different biological processes and pathways. We also found that genes encoding ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, DnaJ, and cuticle proteins were dramatically up-regulated in response to trans-anethole. To study the function of these genes, we performed RNA interference (RNAi) analysis. Knockdown of an ABC transporter gene (ABCG4) and a DnaJ gene (DnaJC1) resulted in a significantly increased mortality rate in M. persicae following trans-anethole exposure, indicating the involvement of these two genes in the toxicity response to trans-anethole. The findings provide new insights into the mechanisms of M. persicae in coping with plant essential oils.

Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Pyrido [1,2-α] Pyrimidinone Mesoionic Derivatives Bearing Propenylbenzene as the Vector Control Insecticide

“…9−11 Also, the nAChRs play a central role in fast excitatory synaptic transmission in the insect central nervous system 12 and have been an important neuronal target for the control of vector insects. 13,14 As a highly efficient pharmacophore, anethole has a broad range of biological activities against vector insects, including mosquitoes, 15−19 Rhipicephalus microplus, Rhipicephalus annulatus, and Dermacentor nitens, 20,21 Myzus persicae, 22,23 Musca domestica, 24 Bemisia tabaci, 25 and Periplaneta americana, 26 with neurotoxic actions of acetylcholinesterase, GABA receptors, and octopamine receptors. 27−29 lead candidate for the development of insect vector control agents.…”

“…In order to optimize the mesoionic lead compound, 2,2,2-trifluorethyl and (2-chlorothiazol-5-yl)­methyl group replace the n -propyl group at the 1-position of the mesoionic core based on bioisosteric replacement strategy (compounds 2 and 3 ) showing excellent insecticidal activity against many kinds of pests . Further optimization based on compound 3 led to the discovery of triflumezopyrim ( 4 ) and dicloromezotiaz ( 5 ) as a hemiptera and lepidoptera insecticide by the bioisosteric replacement strategy (Figure ), , which exert their insecticidal action by inhibiting nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). − Also, the nAChRs play a central role in fast excitatory synaptic transmission in the insect central nervous system and have been an important neuronal target for the control of vector insects. , As a highly efficient pharmacophore, anethole has a broad range of biological activities against vector insects, including mosquitoes, − Rhipicephalus microplus, Rhipicephalus annulatus, and Dermacentor nitens, , Myzus persicae, , Musca domestica, Bemisia tabaci, and Periplaneta americana, with neurotoxic actions of acetylcholinesterase, GABA receptors, and octopamine receptors. − It is a potential chemical probe and a lead candidate for the development of insect vector control agents …”

Fumigant activity and transcriptomic analysis of two plant essential oils against the tea green leafhopper, Empoasca onukii Matsuda

“…One mechanism of plant essential oils is thought to be inhibition of the oxidative system of insects, which causes generation of reactive oxygen species and induces oxidative stress ( Chen et al, 2021a ). Recent transcriptome research has demonstrated that insects upregulate the expression of their detoxifying enzyme genes in response to plant secondary compounds, maintaining their ability to function normally ( Sierra et al, 2021 ; Ding et al, 2022 ).…”