Silencing the Myosin Regulatory Light Chain Gene <i>sqh</i> Reduces Cold Hardiness in <i>Ophraella communa</i> LeSage (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)
<i>Ambrosia artemisiifolia</i> is a noxious invasive alien weed, that is harmful to the environment and human health. <i>Ophraella communa</i> is a biocontrol agent for <i>A. artemisiifolia,</i> that was accidentally introduced to the Chinese mainland and has now...
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MDPI AG
2020-11-01
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| Series: | Insects |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/11/12/844 |
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| author | Zhenqi Tian Yan Zhang Chao Ma Hongsong Chen Jianying Guo Zhongshi Zhou |
| author_facet | Zhenqi Tian Yan Zhang Chao Ma Hongsong Chen Jianying Guo Zhongshi Zhou |
| author_sort | Zhenqi Tian |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Ambrosia artemisiifolia</i> is a noxious invasive alien weed, that is harmful to the environment and human health. <i>Ophraella communa</i> is a biocontrol agent for <i>A. artemisiifolia,</i> that was accidentally introduced to the Chinese mainland and has now spread throughout southern China. Recently, we found that upon artificial introduction, <i>O. communa</i> can survive in northern China as well. Therefore, it is necessary to study the cold hardiness of <i>O. communa</i>. Many genes have been identified to play a role in cold-tolerance regulation in insects, but the function of the gene encoding non-muscle myosin regulatory light chain (<i>MRLC-sqh</i>) remains unknown. To evaluate the role played by <i>MRLC-sqh</i> in the cold-tolerance response, we cloned and characterized <i>MRLC-sqh</i> from <i>O. communa</i>. Quantitative real-time PCR revealed that <i>MRLC-sqh</i> was expressed at high levels in the gut and pupae of <i>O. communa</i>. The expression of <i>MRLC-sqh</i> was shown to decrease after cold shock between 10 and 0 °C and ascend between 0 and −10 °C, but these did not show a positive association between <i>MRLC-sqh</i> expression and cold stress. Silencing of <i>MRLC-sqh</i> using ds<i>MRLC-sqh</i> increased the chill-coma recovery time of these beetles, suggesting that cold hardiness was reduced in its absence. These results suggest that the cold hardiness of <i>O. communa</i> may be partly regulated by <i>MRLC-sqh</i>. Our findings highlight the importance of motor proteins in mediating the cold response in insects. |
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| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T14:28:55Z |
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| series | Insects |
| spelling | doaj.art-29801247eea8400f88868fec436cabef2023-11-20T22:43:46ZengMDPI AGInsects2075-44502020-11-01111284410.3390/insects11120844Silencing the Myosin Regulatory Light Chain Gene <i>sqh</i> Reduces Cold Hardiness in <i>Ophraella communa</i> LeSage (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)Zhenqi Tian0Yan Zhang1Chao Ma2Hongsong Chen3Jianying Guo4Zhongshi Zhou5State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, ChinaState Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, ChinaState Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, ChinaState Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, ChinaState Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, ChinaState Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China<i>Ambrosia artemisiifolia</i> is a noxious invasive alien weed, that is harmful to the environment and human health. <i>Ophraella communa</i> is a biocontrol agent for <i>A. artemisiifolia,</i> that was accidentally introduced to the Chinese mainland and has now spread throughout southern China. Recently, we found that upon artificial introduction, <i>O. communa</i> can survive in northern China as well. Therefore, it is necessary to study the cold hardiness of <i>O. communa</i>. Many genes have been identified to play a role in cold-tolerance regulation in insects, but the function of the gene encoding non-muscle myosin regulatory light chain (<i>MRLC-sqh</i>) remains unknown. To evaluate the role played by <i>MRLC-sqh</i> in the cold-tolerance response, we cloned and characterized <i>MRLC-sqh</i> from <i>O. communa</i>. Quantitative real-time PCR revealed that <i>MRLC-sqh</i> was expressed at high levels in the gut and pupae of <i>O. communa</i>. The expression of <i>MRLC-sqh</i> was shown to decrease after cold shock between 10 and 0 °C and ascend between 0 and −10 °C, but these did not show a positive association between <i>MRLC-sqh</i> expression and cold stress. Silencing of <i>MRLC-sqh</i> using ds<i>MRLC-sqh</i> increased the chill-coma recovery time of these beetles, suggesting that cold hardiness was reduced in its absence. These results suggest that the cold hardiness of <i>O. communa</i> may be partly regulated by <i>MRLC-sqh</i>. Our findings highlight the importance of motor proteins in mediating the cold response in insects.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/11/12/844<i>MRLC-sqh</i>RNA interferencecold hardinesschill-coma recovery time<i>Ophraella communa</i> |
| spellingShingle | Zhenqi Tian Yan Zhang Chao Ma Hongsong Chen Jianying Guo Zhongshi Zhou Silencing the Myosin Regulatory Light Chain Gene <i>sqh</i> Reduces Cold Hardiness in <i>Ophraella communa</i> LeSage (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) Insects <i>MRLC-sqh</i> RNA interference cold hardiness chill-coma recovery time <i>Ophraella communa</i> |
| title | Silencing the Myosin Regulatory Light Chain Gene <i>sqh</i> Reduces Cold Hardiness in <i>Ophraella communa</i> LeSage (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) |
| title_full | Silencing the Myosin Regulatory Light Chain Gene <i>sqh</i> Reduces Cold Hardiness in <i>Ophraella communa</i> LeSage (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) |
| title_fullStr | Silencing the Myosin Regulatory Light Chain Gene <i>sqh</i> Reduces Cold Hardiness in <i>Ophraella communa</i> LeSage (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Silencing the Myosin Regulatory Light Chain Gene <i>sqh</i> Reduces Cold Hardiness in <i>Ophraella communa</i> LeSage (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) |
| title_short | Silencing the Myosin Regulatory Light Chain Gene <i>sqh</i> Reduces Cold Hardiness in <i>Ophraella communa</i> LeSage (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) |
| title_sort | silencing the myosin regulatory light chain gene i sqh i reduces cold hardiness in i ophraella communa i lesage coleoptera chrysomelidae |
| topic | <i>MRLC-sqh</i> RNA interference cold hardiness chill-coma recovery time <i>Ophraella communa</i> |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/11/12/844 |
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