The Stress Response of Aphids to the Accumulation of Heavy Metals Along Vicia faba L. Under Cadmium Treatment

Abstract

Due to the intensification of human activities, the ecosystems are being polluted by heavy metals. The pollution of heavy metals in agricultural systems has become a serious issue of global concern. This study detected the bioaccumulation of cadmium (Cd) in broad beans and aphids through continuous exposure to varying concentrations of Cd pollution (0, 3.125, 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50 mg/L) and subsequently examined its effects on aphid energy metabolism and reproductive ability. The results showed that Cd can be transmitted and accumulated between Vicia faba L. and aphids along the food chain, and the amount of accumulation was related to the Cd treatment concentration. Quantitative real-time PCR results showed that the expression levels of trehalase (TRE) and trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (TPS) in F1 were significantly upregulated, and those of vitellogenin (Vg) were varied across the five generations of aphids after Cd treatment, which were up-regulated, and others down-regulated. Compared with the control group, the glycogen content and two types of trehalase activities of the first-generation Cd-treatment aphids were decreased, while trehalose content increased; there was no significant change in the carbohydrate content and trehalase activity of the fourth and fifth generations of aphids. In addition, the reproduction of female aphids was inhibited. This research is helpful for studying the toxic effects of heavy metals on insects and the adaptation mechanisms of insects to extreme environments. It also provides a theoretical basis for further exploring the molecular mechanisms of Cd homeostasis in plants and insects under Cd stress.