Quercetin, a natural flavonoid induced by the spider mite Tetranychus urticae or alamethicin, is involved in the defense of lima bean against spider mites.

Background: Phaseolus lunatus, commonly known as the lima bean, is a leguminous crop cultivated in various regions worldwide. It is native to tropical America and is extensively grown in both tropical and temperate climates. Lima beans are highly nutritious and versatile, serving not only as a food and vegetable, but also as a source of green manure.

Potential global distributions of an important aphid pest, Rhopalosiphum padi: insights from ensemble models with multiple variables.

Species distribution modeling is extensively used for predicting potential distributions of invasive species. However, an ensemble modeling approach has been less frequently used particularly pest species. The bird cherry-oat aphid Rhopalosiphum padi L.

The olfactory recognition between leaf-cutter bee Megachile saussurei and alfalfa floral volatiles mediated by odorant binding protein 4 (MsauOBP4).

Megachile saussurei (Hymenoptera, Megachilidae) is a primary insect pollinator of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) in northwestern China. However, the mechanisms underlying the olfactory responses of M.

Evaluation of Skin Color Supervision Genes in Chickpea Seeds by Multiomics.

Seed samples of two types of chickpea (Cicer arietinum Linn.), including variety A (NRCGR-4452) and variety B (local varieties), with different seed colors, were collected every five days for a total of four times during the seed development period. Non-targeted metabolome and transcriptome sequencing were conducted to identify differentially expressed genes and metabolites associated with chickpea seed coat color.

Diversity and role of volatile terpene and terpenoid pheromones in insects.

Insect pheromones are critical chemical signals that regulate intraspecific behavior and play a key role in the dynamic monitoring and control of pest populations. Historically, research on insect pheromones has primarily focused on lipid-based compounds. However, terpenes and terpenoids, which are widely occurring classes of bioactive compounds, also play significant roles in insect pheromone blends.

Molecular identification and characterization of the superoxide dismutase (SOD) gene family in Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) and the role of TuSOD2 gene under short-term heat stress.

Superoxide dismutases (SODs) are key enzymes for scavenging insects' excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) and play a crucial role in resisting a variety of stresses. The deletion of SOD genes can alter the response of insects to abiotic stresses. In this study, four genes of the superoxide dismutase family in Tetranychus urticae were identified and analyzed, among which three copper/zinc SODs and a manganese SOD.

Female contact sex pheromone recognition in the German cockroach (Blattella germanica) is mediated by two male antennae-enriched sensory neuron membrane proteins.

Background: The German cockroach Blattella germanica is a notorious urban health pest that has developed resistance to multiple pesticides. Thus, novel non-lethal pest control agents are urgently needed. Olfaction interference via disruption of sex pheromone recognition-related genes offers a promising approach.

Crucial role of a takeout protein in white-backed planthopper Sogatella furcifera (Horváth) orientation towards its host rice plants.

The takeout (TO) gene family impacts diverse physiological and behavioral functions in insects, yet specific olfactory-associated roles for the family have yet to be fully elucidated. To provide insights into TO function in rice planthoppers, the genomes of three rice planthoppers (white-backed planthopper, brown planthopper and small brown planthopper) were searched for TO homologs and their degree of conservation assessed via chromosomal localization, exon-intron boundaries, phylogenetic relationships and protein domains/motifs. We performed a tissue-specific expression analysis of the 20 TO genes in the white-backed planthopper (WBPH, Sogatella furcifera) and found that SfTO17 is enriched in adult antennae.

The cuticular protein gene ApCP7 and ApCP62 are essential for reproduction in Acyrthosiphon pisum, affecting ecdysis and survival.

Cuticular proteins, in conjunction with chitin, compose the insect exoskeleton, and play a key role in the growth, development, and molting of insects. However, the specific functions of most cuticular protein genes in the growth, development, and reproductive processes of the pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) remain unclear. In this study, we have identified six cuticular protein genes in the pea aphid, namely ApCP7, ApCP10, ApCP19, ApCP19.

Antennal Transcriptome Evaluation and Analysis for Odorant-Binding Proteins, Chemosensory Proteins, and Suitable Reference Genes in the Leaf Beetle Pest Weise (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae).

Weise is one of the dominant pests feeding on spp., a pioneer plant used for windbreaking and sand fixation purposes, and poses a threat to local livestock and ecosystems. To clarify the key olfactory genes of and provide a theoretical basis for attractant and repellent development, the optimal reference genes under two different conditions (tissue and sex) were identified, and the bioinformatics and characterization of the tissue expression profiles of two categories of soluble olfactory proteins (OBPs and CSPs) were investigated.

The melanin pigment gene mediates body pigmentation and courtship behaviour in the German cockroach .

Genes involved in melanin production directly impact insect pigmentation and can affect diverse physiology and behaviours. The role these genes have on sex behaviour, however, is unclear. In the present study, the crucial melanin pigment gene was functionally characterised in an urban pest, the German cockroach, .

Nanoparticle-delivered RNAi-based pesticide target screening for the rice pest white-backed planthopper and risk assessment for a natural predator.

Vacuolar-type (H)-ATPase (vATPase) is a conserved multi-subunit eukaryotic enzyme composed of 14 subunits that form a functional complex consisting of an ATP-hydrolytic domain (V1) and a proton-translocation domain (V0). ATP hydrolysis and subsequent H translocation rely heavily on a fully assembled V1/V0 complex. Since vATPase is crucial for insect survival, it is a viable molecular target for pest control.

RNA Interference-Screening of Potentially Lethal Gene Targets in the White-Backed Planthopper via a Spray-Induced and Nanocarrier-Delivered Gene Silencing System.

RNA interference (RNAi) is a widespread post-transcriptional silencing mechanism that targets homologous mRNA sequences for specific degradation. An RNAi-based pest management strategy is target-specific and considered a sustainable biopesticide. However, the specific genes targeted and the efficiency of the delivery methods can vary widely across species.

Comparative genomics reveals evolutionary drivers of the dietary shift in Hemiptera.

Hemiptera insects exhibit a close relationship to plants and demonstrate a diverse range of dietary preferences, encompassing phytophagy as the predominant feeding habit while a minority engages in carnivorous or haematophagous behaviour. To counteract the challenges posed by phytophagous insects, plants have developed an array of toxic compounds, causing significant evolutionary selection pressure on these insects. In this study, we employed a comparative genomics approach to analyse the expansion and contraction of gene families specific to phytophagous insect lineages, along with their adaptive evolutionary traits, utilising representative species from the Hemiptera order.

n-octyl acrylate is a candidate sex pheromone component involved in courtship in parasitoid wasp Microplitis mediator.

Sex pheromones are considered to play critical roles in partner communication of most parasitic Hymenoptera. However, the identification of sex pheromone components remains limited to a few families of parasitoid wasps. In this study, we functionally characterized a candidate sex pheromone component in Microplitis mediator (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a solitary parasitoid of Noctuidae insects.

Efficient DIPA-CRISPR-mediated knockout of an eye pigment gene in the white-backed planthopper, Sogatella furcifera.

Although CRISPR/Cas9 has been widely used in insect gene editing, the need for the microinjection of preblastoderm embryos can preclude the technique being used in insect species with eggs that are small, have hard shells, and/or are difficult to collect and maintain outside of their normal environment. Such is the case with Sogatella furcifera, the white-backed planthopper (WBPH), a significant pest of Oryza sativa (rice) that oviposits inside rice stems. Egg extraction from the stem runs the risk of mechanical damage and hatching is heavily influenced by the micro-environment of the rice stem.

RNAi-mediated silencing of SlitPer disrupts sex pheromone communication behavior in Spodoptera litura.

Background: The 24-h circadian rhythm is considered crucial for insect sexual communication. However, its molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways, particularly the roles of the clock gene period (Per), remain largely unclear. The sex pheromone communication behavior of Spodoptera litura displays typical circadian rhythm characteristics.

Elucidating the Effect of Temperature Stress on the Protein Content, Total Antioxidant Capacity, and Antioxidant Enzyme Activities in (Acari: Tetranychidae).

Koch is a worldwide agricultural pest mite that feeds on more than 1100 kinds of crops. The mite has developed a high level of tolerance to high temperatures, but the physiological mechanism underlying the outstanding adaptability of this pest to high temperatures remains unclear. To clarify the physiological mechanisms of in response to short-term heat stress, four temperatures (36, 39, 42, and 45 °C) and three short-term heat durations (2, 4, and 6 h) were conducted to test the effects on protein content, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT), and the total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC).

Efficient nanoparticle-based CRISPR-Cas13d induced mRNA disruption of an eye pigmentation gene in the white-backed planthopper, Sogatella furcifera.

The discovery of the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) system has driven gene manipulation technology to a new era with applications reported in organisms that span the tree of life. The utility of CRISPR-mediated editing was further expanded to mRNA following identification of the RNA-targeting Cas13 family of smaller endonuclease proteins. Application of this family to insect research, however, has been more limited.

Chemosensory Protein 2 of Male Is Involved in the Perception of Sex Pheromones and Maize Volatiles.

In moths, the interactions between chemosensory proteins (CSPs) and sex pheromones have yet to be comprehensively investigated. Here, we examined the function of AlepCSP2 in male based on protein expression, molecular docking, site-directed mutagenesis, fluorescence competitive binding analyses, and RNA interference (RNAi) experiments. We found that AlepCSP2 showed strong binding affinity for two sex pheromones and five maize volatiles and that binding was optimal under neutral conditions.

Functional characterization of five developmental signaling network genes in the white-backed planthopper: Potential application for pest management.

Background: The white-backed planthopper (WBPH, Sogatella furcifera) is a major rice pest that exhibits condition dependent wing dimorphisms - a macropterous (long wing) form and a brachypterous (short wing) form. Although, the gene cascade that regulates wing development and dimorphic differentiation has been largely defined, the utility of these genes as targets for pest control has yet to be fully explored.

Results: Five genes typically associated with the developmental signaling network, armadillo (arm), apterous A (apA), scalloped (sd), dachs (d), and yorkie (yki) were identified from the WBPH genome and their roles in wing development assessed following RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated knockdown.

Two Antenna-Enriched Carboxylesterases Mediate Olfactory Responses and Degradation of Ester Volatiles in the German Cockroach .

Insects have evolved an extremely sensitive olfactory system that is essential for a series of physiological and behavioral activities. Some carboxylesterases (CCEs) comprise a major subfamily of odorant-degrading enzymes (ODEs) playing a crucial role in odorant signal inactivation to maintain the odorant receptor sensitivity. In this study, 93 CCEs were annotated in the genome of the German cockroach , a serious urban pest.