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Function of mevalonate pathway genes in the synthesis of frontalin in Chinese white pine beetle, Dendroctonus armandi (curculionidae: Scolytinae)
Author(s) -
Sun Yaya,
Fu Danyang,
Kang Xiaotong,
Liu Bin,
Ning Hang,
Chen Hui
Publication year - 2021
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.21828
Subject(s) - mevalonate pathway , biology , curculionidae , juvenile hormone , monoterpene , dendroctonus , phloem , atp synthase , farnesyl diphosphate synthase , biosynthesis , botany , biochemistry , gene , bark beetle , insect
The Chinese white pine beetle ( Dendroctonus armandi Tsai and Li) is a significant pest of pine forests in the Qinling and Bashan Mountains of China. Adult males commonly produce frontalin using precursors synthesized through the mevalonate pathway, which is regulated by juvenile hormone III (JHIII). In this study, the expression levels of mevalonate pathway genes were quantified after phloem feeding and topical application of the JHIII solution. The frontalin was quantified by gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry. Both the phloem feeding and JHIII treatments produced an evident upregulation in the male gut, mainly in 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methylglutaryl‐CoA synthase ( HMGS ) and 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methylglutaryl‐CoA reductase ( HMGR ). Moreover, HMGS , HMGR , isopentenyl diphosphate isomerase, and geranyl diphosphate synthase/farnesyl diphosphate synthase were upregulated in fed and JHIII‐stimulated males of D. armandi under both conditions (solitary and paired). The expression levels were higher in paired compared to solitary males. Males had higher expression levels compared with females. Correspondingly, the phloem‐feeding males produced more frontalin than JHIII‐treated males, and the production of frontalin was higher in paired males than in solitary males. The knockdown of mevalonate pathway genes using RNAi in vivo effectively reduced the messenger RNA level of these genes and inhibited the production of frontalin. Among them, the silencing of HMGR or HMGS genes reduced the synthesis of frontalin most significantly.