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Characterization and functional assay of a fatty acyl‐CoA reductase gene in the scale insect, Ericerus pela Chavannes (Hemiptera: Coccoidae)
Author(s) -
Hu YanHong,
Chen XiaoMing,
Yang Pu,
Ding WeiFeng
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
archives of insect biochemistry and physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.576
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1520-6327
pISSN - 0739-4462
DOI - 10.1002/arch.21445
Subject(s) - biology , hemiptera , scale insect , insect , gene , enzyme , biochemistry , reductase , botany
Ericerus pela Chavannes (Hemiptera: Coccoidae) is an economically important scale insect because the second instar males secrete a harvestable wax‐like substance. In this study, we report the molecular cloning of a fatty acyl‐CoA reductase gene ( EpFAR ) of E. pela . We predicted a 520‐aa protein with the FAR family features from the deduced amino acid sequence. The EpFAR mRNA was expressed in five tested tissues, testis, alimentary canal, fat body, Malpighian tubules, and mostly in cuticle. The EpFAR protein was localized by immunofluorescence only in the wax glands and testis. EpFAR expression in High Five insect cells documented the recombinant EpFAR reduced 26‐0:(S) CoA and to its corresponding alcohol. The data illuminate the molecular mechanism for fatty alcohol biosynthesis in a beneficial insect, E. pela .