Characterisation of GST genes from the Hyphantria cunea and their response to the oxidative stress caused by the infection of Hyphantria cunea nucleopolyhedrovirus (HcNPV).

The fall webworm, Hyphantria cunea (Drury) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is a major pest found in forests. In this study, the effects of Hyphantria cunea nucleopolyhedrovirus (HcNPV) infection on the transcription levels and activities of glutathione S -transferases (GSTs) in H. cunea were determined. In the present study, 18 GST family genes were identified from the H. cunea transcriptome dataset by using bioinformatic analyses. These GST genes were classified into cytosolic (15 genes) and microsomal (three genes) classes. The 15 cytosolic GST genes belonged to four different subclasses (epsilon, sigma and delta). The all GST genes, especially GSTe4 , showed high expression levels in egg and 1st~4th instar larval stage while their low expression levels in 5th~7th instar larvae using real-time quantitative PCR analysis. However, the expression levels of the 18 GST genes were varied after exposure to sublethal doses of HcNPV. The expression levels of most GSTs were downregulated and upregulated at low and high concentrations of HcNPV, respectively. The corresponding total GST activities also showed similar patterns. In H. cunea , changes in the expression levels and enzymatic activities of GSTs after exposure to HcNPV indicated that they may have important functions in the defense against HcNPV, and the stress, which may be reflected by the high GST enzymatic activities. The 18 GST family genes were firstly identified from H. cunea transcriptome dataset by bioinformatics analysis. The changes in H. cunea GSTs gene expression levels and enzymatic activity exposed to HcNPV contribute to understand HcNPV defense. Unlabelled Image • Eighteen GST family genes were identified from the H. cunea transcriptome dataset by using bioinformatic analyses. • The HcNPV causes variation of expression levels of GST genes along with total GST activities. • Changes in mRNA and activity of GSTs in H. cunea indicated important functions in the defense against HcNPV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]