Differential expression of four vision‐related genes in the bird cherry‐oat aphid, Rhopalosiphum padi

Abstract

Aphids use their visual systems to detect information about the external environment, and visual genes are likely to have a role in host plant searching and environmental adaptation. Yet, there is little understanding of the presence and expression of visual opsin genes in aphids. In this study, we cloned and identified four vision‐related genes (LW‐OPN, UV‐OPN1, UV‐OPN2, and rhodopsin) from a cosmopolitan serious cereal pest, Rhopalosiphum padi (L.) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), and evaluated their expression patterns. Transcription of the four genes was detected at all developmental stages. The inducing conditions (short photoperiod and low temperature) significantly affected the expression of the UV‐OPN1 and rhodopsin genes. The highest levels of transcription of all genes were observed in males, and the lowest in oviparae. The expression levels in wingless virginoparae were markedly lower than those in gynoparae and winged virginoparae. The starvation treatments resulted in a decline in the survivorship of adults. The mortality rates increased with increasing duration of starvation. The four genes tended to be upregulated following starvation for 24 h, and their expression levels were considerably decreased after subsequent feeding. These results are of importance for further understanding the evolution and function of visual opsins in aphids.

miR-147b-modulated expression of vestigial regulates wing development in the bird cherry-oat aphid Rhopalosiphum padi

“…A P-value <0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. The presumptive wing-patterning network in Drosophila [17,18]. The aphid orthologs of these Drosophila genes were examined in this study.…”

Octopamine receptor genes are involved in the starvation response ofRhopalosiphum padi(Hemiptera: Aphididae)

“…Based on our previous work, starvation of R. padi for 24 h resulted in survival rates of 85.0% and the survivorship was 55.8% after starvation of the aphid for 48 h under the aforementioned rearing condition; however, the survival rates were very low (14.3% for 72 h and 1.1% for 96 h) when the starvation time was prolonged (Peng et al, 2017). In the subsequent and the current experiments, we select 24 and 48 h as checking points in the starvation test of R. padi (Peng et al, 2017; Peng et al, 2021).…”

“…Based on our previous work, starvation of R. padi for 24 h resulted in survival rates of 85.0% and the survivorship was 55.8% after starvation of the aphid for 48 h under the aforementioned rearing condition; however, the survival rates were very low (14.3% for 72 h and 1.1% for 96 h) when the starvation time was prolonged (Peng et al, 2017). In the subsequent and the current experiments, we select 24 and 48 h as checking points in the starvation test of R. padi (Peng et al, 2017; Peng et al, 2021). The adults from the clones described earlier were managed separately under either, 24 h starvation (S1), 24 h starvation and refeeding for 24 h (S1F1), 48 h starvation (S2), or 48 h starvation and 24 h refeeding (S2F1).…”

miR-147b-modulated expression of vestigial regulates wing development in the bird cherry-oat aphid Rhopalosiphum padimiR-147b-modulated expression of vestigial regulates wing development in the bird cherry-oat aphid Rhopalosiphum padi

“…The presumptive wing-patterning network in Drosophila [17,18]. The aphid orthologs of these Drosophila genes were examined in this study.…”