Identification and expression analysis of aquaporins in the potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli

PLoS One. 2014 Oct 29;9(10):e111745. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0111745. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Aquaporin (AQPs) proteins transport water and uncharged low molecular-weight solutes across biological membranes. Six to 8 AQP genes have been identified in many insect species, but presently only three aquaporins have been characterized in phloem feeding insects. The objective of this study was to identify candidate AQPs in the potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli. Herein, we identified four candidate aquaporin cDNAs in B. cockerelli transcriptome. Phylogenetic analysis showed that candidate BcAQP2-like had high similarity to PRIP aquaporins; while candidates BcAQP4-like, BcAQP5-like and BcAQP9-like clustered within clade B. In particular, candidates BcAQP4-like and BcAQP5-like clustered with functionally validated insect aquaglyceroporin proteins. Expression analyses using RT-qPCR showed that all candidates were expressed in all life stages and tissues. Candidates BcAQP4-like and BcAQP5-like were highly expressed in bacteriocytes, while BcAQP9-like appeared to be expressed at high levels in whole body but not in the assayed tissues. This study is the first global attempt to identify putative aquaporins in a phloem feeding insect.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Aquaporins / chemistry
  • Aquaporins / genetics
  • Aquaporins / metabolism*
  • Base Sequence
  • Female
  • Hemiptera / genetics
  • Hemiptera / metabolism*
  • Insect Proteins / chemistry
  • Insect Proteins / genetics
  • Insect Proteins / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Organ Specificity
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism

Substances

  • Aquaporins
  • Insect Proteins
  • RNA, Messenger

Grants and funding

Funding for this work was provided by NIFA-AFRI grant 2012-67013-19431, Texas A&M University and Texas A&M Agrilife Research start-up funds. The open access publishing fees for this article have been covered by the Texas A&M University Online Access to Knowledge (OAK) Fund, supported by the University Libraries and the Office of the Vice President for Research. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.