Interaction of Ferulic Acid with Glutathione S-Transferase and Carboxylesterase Genes in the Brown Planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens

Abstract

Plant phenolics are crucial defense phytochemicals against herbivores and glutathione S-transferase (GST) and carboxylesterase (CarE) in herbivorous insects are well-known detoxification enzymes for such xenobiotics. To understand relationship between a plant phenolic and herbivore GST or CarE genes, we evaluated the relationship between a rice phenolic ferulic acid and resistance to brown planthopper (BPH, Nilaparvata lugens), and investigated the interaction of ferulic acid with GST or CarE genes in BPH. The results indicate that ferulic acid content in tested rice varieties was highly associated with resistance to BPH. Bioassays using artificial diets show that the phenolic acid toxicity to BPH was dose dependent and the LC and LC were 5.81 and 23.30 μg/ml at 72 hr, respectively. Activities of the enzymes BPH GST and CarE were increased at concentrations below the LC of ferulic acid. Moreover, low ferulic acid concentrations (< LC) upregulated the transcriptional levels of NlGSTD1 and NlGSTE1 of the GST family and NlCE of the CarE family. By using dsRNA-induced gene silencing (DIGS) of GST or CarE, it was shown that suppressed expression levels of NlGSTD1, NlGSTE1 and NlCE were 14.6%-21.2%, 27.8%-34.2%, and 10.5%-19.8%, respectively. Combination of NlGSTD1, NlGSTE1 or NlCE knockdown with ferulic acid increased nymph mortality by 92.9%, 119.9%, or 124.6%, respectively. These results suggest that depletion of detoxification genes in herbivorous insects by plant-mediated RNAi technology might be a new potential resource for improving rice resistance to BPH.

Comparative transcriptome analysis of the rice leaf folder (Cnaphalocrocis medinalis) to heat acclimation

“…We found that after treatment at 41°C for 1 h, expression of GSTs was significantly up-regulated in the heat-acclimated larvae, compared to the unacclimated larvae. Glutathione S-transferase (GST) is a family of detoxification enzymes in herbivorous insects [57]. The upregulation of oxidoreductase activity may effectively remove the accumulation of toxic substances induced by heat stress, and consequently improve the ability of larvae to tolerate the higher temerpature and slowly develop heat acclimation.…”

Molecular characterization and evolution of a chemosensory receptor gene family in three notorious rice planthoppers, Nilaparvata lugens, Sogatella furcifera and Laodelphax striatellus, based on genome and transcriptome analyses

“…Thus, we initially focused on studying the relationship of Orco with rice plants using RNAi in planthoppers combined with behavioral tests. RNAi is highly effective in rice planthoppers for functional study against insecticide‐resistance genes, trehalose, chitin biosynthesis pathway genes, vitellogenin receptors, sugar transporter genes and wing morph genes using synthetic double strand RNA (dsRNA). Because of the high identity level among the Orco genes in the three planthoppers, we were able to use only one pair of synthetic siRNAs to successfully and simultaneously inhibit >50% of the mRNA expression levels of the three Orco genes 48 h after injection.…”

The Multifunctional Roles of Polyphenols in Plant-Herbivore Interactions

“…For example, chlorogenic acids in chrysanthemum (Dendranthema grandiflora (Ramat.) effectively defend against thrips [34], pisatin (flavonoid) deters pea-aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris) in pea [35] (Table 1), and ferulic acid in rice impart resistance against brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens Stål) [36] to name a few. Increase in phenolic acids and flavonoids, especially quercetin has also been observed in white cabbage (Brassica oleraceae L. var.…”