Immune-Related Genes of Megalurothrips usitatus (Bagrall) Against Beauveria brongniartii and Akanthomyces attenuatus Identified Using RNA Sequencing

Abstract

Megalurothrips usitatus (Bagrall) is an important pest of legumes worldwide, causing great economic loss every year. Beauveria brongniartii and Akanthomyces attenuatus have shown considerable pathogenicity against M. usitatus in our previous studies. The medial lethal concentration (LC50) and the sublethal lethal concentration (LC25) of B. brongniartii isolate SB010 against M. usitatus were 8.38 × 105 and 1.73 × 105 conidia mL−1, respectively, whereas those of A. attenuatus isolate SCAUDCL-53 against M. usitatus were 4.37 × 105 and 2.97 × 104 conidia mL−1, respectively. This study reports the transcriptome-based explanation of the stress responses of M. usitatus following the application of B. brongniartii and A. attenuatus. The analysis of the transcriptomic data revealed the expression of 254, 207, 195, and 234 immunity-related unigenes by M. usitatus in response to B. brongniartii LC50 (SB1), B. brongniartii LC25 (SB2), A. attenuatus LC50 (V1), and A. attenuatus LC25 (V2), respectively. The biological function and metabolic pathway analyses showed that these unigenes were mainly related to pattern recognition receptors, information transduction factors, and reaction factors, such as scavenger receptor, cytochrome b5, cuticle protein, lysozyme, and serine protease.

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

“…Their findings revealed that 654 and 1,681 genes were differentially expressed at 48 and 72 h post-infection, respectively, compared to the control. Chen et al [26] also observed a lower number of DEGs in Megalurothrips usitatus post-A. attenuatus infection when compared to infection with Beauveria brongniartii.…”

“…The qRT-PCR was conducted on a Bio-RAD iQ5 thermocycler with the following temperature settings: initial denaturation at 94 °C for 30 minutes, followed by 39 cycles of 94 °C for 5 seconds, 55 °C for 30 minutes, and 72 °C for 10 seconds, followed by a melt curve of 65-95 °C, incrementing 0.5 °C for 0.05 seconds. As described earlier, the 2 -ΔΔCt technique was used to calculate relative expression levels using β-actin as an internal control [21,25,26,69,70].…”

Functional Characterization of Double Mutations T929I/K1774N in the Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel of Megalurothrips usitatus (Bagnall) Related to Pyrethroid Resistance

“…Megalurothrips usitatus (Bagnall) is a major pest of leguminous crops (Fabales: Fabaceae), such as cowpea (Vigna unguiculata [Linnaeus] Walp. ), in southern China. − M. usitatus primarily relies on rasping–sucking mouthparts to penetrate plant tissues, actively absorb its contents during feeding, and reduce the photosynthetic capacity of host plants for deformities and scars of petals and fruits .…”

Defensive Resistance of Cowpea Vigna unguiculata Control Megalurothrips usitatus Mediated by Jasmonic Acid or Insect Damage

“…Chemical pesticides, such as spinetoram, acetamiprid, chlorfenapyr, and fluridine nitrile, are frequently applied to control this pest; however, this rapidly causes severe resistance and environmental pollution [ 3 ]. Moreover, chemical control is usually difficult because this pest is able to hide inside the flowers and pods of plants [ 4 ]. Therefore, developing alternative approaches to control this pest is an urgent matter.…”