Comparative transcriptome analysis reveals differences in gene expression in whitefly following individual or combined applications of Akanthomyces attenuatus (Zare & Gams) and matrine

Jianhui Wu; Tingfei Sun; Muhammad Hamid Bashir; Baoli Qiu; Xingmin Wang; Shaukat Ali

doi:10.1186/s12864-022-09048-9

Comparative transcriptome analysis reveals differences in gene expression in whitefly following individual or combined applications of Akanthomyces attenuatus (Zare & Gams) and matrine

BMC Genomics. 2022 Dec 6;23(1):808. doi: 10.1186/s12864-022-09048-9.

Authors

Jianhui Wu^#^{1

2}, Tingfei Sun^#^{1

2}, Muhammad Hamid Bashir³, Baoli Qiu⁴, Xingmin Wang^{5

6}, Shaukat Ali^{7

8}

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Innovation and Application, Engineering Research Centre of Biological Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
² Engineering Research Center of Biological Control, Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
³ Department of Entomology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
⁴ Chongqing Key Laboratory of Vector Insects, College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, China.
⁵ Key Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Innovation and Application, Engineering Research Centre of Biological Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China. wangxmcn@scau.edu.cn.
⁶ Engineering Research Center of Biological Control, Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China. wangxmcn@scau.edu.cn.
⁷ Key Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Innovation and Application, Engineering Research Centre of Biological Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China. aliscau@scau.edu.cn.
⁸ Engineering Research Center of Biological Control, Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China. aliscau@scau.edu.cn.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Background: Bemisia tabaci Gennadius (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is a serious pest of crops in different regions of the world. Our recent studies on the joint application of Akanthomyces attenuatus (a pathogenic insect fungus) and matrine (a botanical insecticide) against B. tabaci have shown promising results. Using RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq), we identified differentially expressed genes involved in whitefly responses to single or mixed applications of A. attenuatus and matrine.

Methods: In this study, we compared the transcriptome profiles of B. tabaci treated with individual and combined treatments of A. attenuatus and matrine to determine variations in gene expression among whiteflies in response to different treatments.

Results: Transcriptomic data analysis showed differential expression of 71, 1194, and 51 genes in response to A. attenuatus (BtA), matrine (BtM), and A. attenuatus + matrine (BtAM) treatment, respectively. A total of 65 common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between whiteflies treated with A. attenuatus (BtA) and matrine (BtM). A comparison of DEGs across the three treatments (BtA, BtM, and BtAM) revealed two common DEGs. The results also revealed that AMPK signaling, apoptosis, and drug metabolism pathways are likely involved in whitefly defense responses against A. attenuatus and matrine infection. Furthermore, a notable suppression of general metabolism and immune response genes was observed in whiteflies treated with A. attenuatus + matrine (BtAM) compared to whiteflies treated with individual A. attenuatus (BtA) or matrine (BtM) treatments.

Conclusion: Dynamic changes in the number of differentially expressed genes were observed in B. tabaci subjected to different treatments (BtA, BtM, and BtAM). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the molecular interactions between whitefly and individual or combined treatments of A. attenuatus and matrine. These results will further improve our knowledge of the infection mechanism and complex biochemical processes involved in the synergistic action of A. attenuatus and matrine against B. tabaci.

Keywords: Akanthomyces attenuatus; Bemisia tabaci; Immune response; Matrine; Synergistic action.

MeSH terms

Animals
Gene Expression
Gene Expression Profiling
Hemiptera* / genetics
Matrines

Substances

Matrines