Gene expression profile of Bombyx mori hemocyte under the stress of destruxin A

PLoS One. 2014 May 6;9(5):e96170. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0096170. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Destruxin A (DA) is a cyclo-peptidic mycotoxin from the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae. To uncover potential genes associated with its molecular mechanisms, a digital gene expression (DGE) profiling analysis was used to compare differentially expressed genes in the hemocytes of silkworm larvae treated with DA. Ten DGE libraries were constructed, sequenced, and assembled, and the unigenes with least 2.0-fold difference were further analyzed. The numbers of up-regulated genes were 10, 20, 18, 74 and 8, as well as the numbers of down-regulated genes were 0, 1, 8, 13 and 3 at 1, 4, 8, 12 and 24 h post treatment, respectively. Totally, the expression of 132 genes were significantly changed, among them, 1, 3 and 12 genes were continually up-regulated at 4, 3 and 2 different time points, respectively, while 1 gene was either up or down-regulated continually at 2 different time points. Furthermore, 68 genes were assigned to one or multiple gene ontology (GO) terms and 89 genes were assigned to specific Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) Orthology. In-depth analysis identified that these genes putatively involved in insecticide resistance, cell apoptosis, and innate immune defense. Finally, twenty differentially expressed genes were randomly chosen and validated by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Our studies provide insights into the toxic effect of this microbial insecticide on silkworm's hemocytes, and are helpful to better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of DA as a biological insecticide.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bombyx
  • Depsipeptides / pharmacology*
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Genes, Insect*
  • Hemocytes / drug effects*
  • Hemocytes / metabolism
  • Insect Proteins / genetics*
  • Insect Proteins / metabolism
  • Insecticides / pharmacology*
  • Mycotoxins / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Depsipeptides
  • Insect Proteins
  • Insecticides
  • Mycotoxins
  • destruxin A

Grants and funding

This research is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31272057) and National High Technology Research and Development Program (‘863’ Program) of China (2012AA101505). The authors cordially thank Dr. Ye Mingqiang (Sericulture & Agri-food Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Science, Guangzhou 510640, China) for his kindly grant of silkworm. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.