Overexpression of Three Heat Shock Proteins Protects Monochamus alternatus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) From Thermal Stress

Abstract

Ambient temperature is an important factor limiting the abundance and distribution of insects, and heat shock protein (Hsp) gene expression is sensitive to extremes of cold and heat. In order to explore the role of Hsps during thermal stress and development in Monochamus alternatus Hope (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), we cloned and characterized full-length Hsp genes, including MaHsp60, MaHsp70, and MaHsp90. M. alternatus were exposed to different temperatures (−15, −5, 5, 15, 25, 35, and 40℃) for 1 h and was allowed to recover at 25℃ for 1 h. Following the treatments, we investigated the expression of the Hsps by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. In third instar larvae, MaHsp60, MaHsp70, and MaHsp90 expression was upregulated in response to cold and heat, but the three Hsps were especially sensitive to heat, specifically at 35℃ and 40℃. After heating M. alternatus to 35℃, the expression of MaHsp60, MaHsp70, and MaHsp90 was higher than at 5℃ and 25℃ in nearly all developmental stages. MaHsp60, MaHsp70, and MaHsp90 expression was highest in later pupal, early adult, and early adult stages, respectively. These results suggest that compared with normal ambient temperatures, thermal stress could induce high expression of the three Hsps.

Environmental predictability drives adaptive within‐ and transgenerational plasticity of heat tolerance across life stages and climatic regions

“…This acclimation effect, commonly known as heat hardening, has been widely detected across several species for decades (Hoffmann et al., 2003; Kellermann & Sgrò, 2018; Sgrò et al., 2010), even in D. mojavensis (Krebs, 1999; Krebs & Bettencourt, 1999). Heat hardening is mainly caused by rapid expression of heat‐shock proteins (HSPs) and other molecular components that protect denatured proteins and tissues from damage caused by high thermal exposures (Bahrndorff et al., 2010; Cai et al., 2017; Dahlgaard et al., 1998; Diaz et al., 2015). These components are known to accumulate rapidly during mid‐range temperatures (e.g.…”

Comparative Transcriptome Analysis of the Heat Stress Response in Monochamus alternatus Hope (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)

“…Therefore, the particular survival mechanism under extremely high temperatures of M. alternatus is needed to be clarified. Although a tentative work of M. alternatus has ever revealed the upregulation of three MaHSPs at 35 and 40 • C (Cai et al, 2017), the comprehensive mechanisms of response to heat stress in M. alternatus remained to be further explored by transcriptome sequencing.…”

Induced expression of three heat shock proteins mediated by thermal stress in Heortia vitessoides (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)

“…In Monochamus alternatus (Cai et al . ), MaHsp60 and MaHsp90 were highly expressed in fat bodies at the larval stage, whereas MaHsp70 exhibited the highest mRNA levels in the abdomen at the adult stage. In Sitophilus zeamais (Tungjitwitayakul et al .…”

“…Based on their amino acid sequence, typical molecular mass, and function, HSPs are divided into several different families (Cai et al . ). Insects have four major HSP families: the small HSP family (with a molecular mass ranging from 15 to 40 kDa), the HSP60 family (with a molecular mass ranging from 58 to 65 kDa), the HSP70 family (with a molecular mass ranging from 68 to 75 kDa), and the HSP90 family (with a molecular mass ranging from 82 to 90 kDa) (Parsell & Lindquist ; Li et al .…”