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Transcriptome analyses suggest a novel hypothesis for whitefly adaptation to tobacco.
- Source :
-
Scientific reports [Sci Rep] 2017 Sep 21; Vol. 7 (1), pp. 12102. Date of Electronic Publication: 2017 Sep 21. - Publication Year :
- 2017
-
Abstract
- The adaptation of herbivorous insects to various host plants facilitates the spread and outbreak of many important invasive pests, however, the molecular mechanisms that underneath this process are poorly understood. In the past three decades, two species of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci complex, Middle East-Asia Minor 1 and Mediterranean, have invaded many countries. Their rapid and widespread invasions are partially due to their ability to infest a wide range of host plants. In this study, we determined the transcriptome and phenotypic changes of one Mediterranean whitefly population during its adaptation to tobacco, an unsuitable host plant. After several generations on tobacco, whiteflies showed increased survival and fecundity. High-throughput RNA sequencing showed that genes involved in muscle contraction and carbohydrate metabolism were significantly up-regulated after adaptation. Whiteflies reared on tobacco were further found to have increased body volume and muscle content and be trapped by tobacco trichomes in a lower frequency. On the other hand, gene expression in endosymbionts of whitefly did not change significantly after adaptation, which is consistent with the lack of cis-regulatory element on endosymbiont genomes. Over all, our data suggested that higher body volume and strengthened muscle might help whiteflies overcome physical barriers and survive on tobacco.
- Subjects :
- Animals
Body Weight genetics
Fertility genetics
Gene Ontology
Hemiptera physiology
High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing
Host-Parasite Interactions
Mediterranean Region
Muscle Proteins genetics
Nicotiana parasitology
Trichomes parasitology
Adaptation, Physiological genetics
Gene Expression Profiling
Hemiptera genetics
Insect Proteins genetics
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 2045-2322
- Volume :
- 7
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Scientific reports
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 28935950
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-12387-3