Fall Armyworm Gut Bacterial Diversity Associated with Different Developmental Stages, Environmental Habitats, and Diets.

The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is a major invasive pest that seriously threatens world agricultural production and food security. Microorganisms play a crucial role in the growth and development of insects. However, the diversity and dynamics of gut microbes with different developmental stages, environmental habitats, and diets in S. frugiperda remain unclear. In this study, we found the changes of the microbiome of S. frugiperda across their life stages, and the bacteria were dominated by Firmicutes and Proteobacteria. The community composition of the egg stage was quite different from other developmental stages, which had the highest community diversity and community richness, and was dominated by Proteobacteria. The bacterial community compositions of male and female adults were similar to those of early larvae stage (L1-L2), and operational taxonomic units (OTUs) with abundant content were Enterococcus and Enterobacteriaceae bacteria, including Enterobacteria, Klebsiella, Pantoea, and Escherichia. The third instar larvae (L3) mainly consist of Enterococcus. The late stage larvae (L4-L6) harbored high proportions of Enterococcus, Rhodococcus, and Ralstonia. There was no significant difference in gut microbial composition between field populations and laboratory populations in a short period of rearing time. However, after long-term laboratory feeding, the gut microbial diversity of S. frugiperda was significantly reduced. Enterococcus and Rhodococccus of S. frugiperda feeding on maize showed higher relative proportion, while the microbial community of S. frugiperda feeding on artificial diet was composed mainly of Enterococcus, with a total of 98% of the gut microbiota. The gene functions such as metabolism, cell growth and death, transport and catabolism, and environmental adaptation were more active in S. frugiperda feeding on corn than those feeding on artificial diet. In short, these results indicate that developmental stage, habitat, and diet can alter the gut bacteria of S. frugiperda, and suggest a vertical transmission route of bacteria in S. frugiperda. A comprehensive understanding of gut microbiome of S. frugiperda will help develop novel pest control strategies to manage this pest.

Multi-generational Effects of Different Resistant Wheat Varieties on Fitness of Sitobion avenae (Hemiptera: Aphididae).

Crop resistance plays a role in preventing aphid damage, benefiting food production industries, but its effects are limited due to aphid adaptation and phenotypic plasticity. Therefore, furthering understanding of aphid-crop interactions will improve our ability to protect crops from aphids. To determine how aphids adapt to resistant varieties of wheat, Triticum aestivum L. over time, we performed a laboratory experiment to assess the multi-generational effects of three wheat varieties, Batis, Ww2730, and Xiaoyan22, with different resistance levels on the fitness of Sitobion avenae (Fab.) (Hemiptera: Aphididae). The results showed that Ww2730 and Xiaoyan22 were more resistant than Batis to S. avenae, regardless of whether the aphids were newly introduced or had been acclimated before being introduced to the three wheat varieties. However, the effect of resistance on aphid life-history traits was time dependent. Aphid weigh gain increased and they development faster of the acclimated generation compared to the newly introduced generation on all three varieties. And the fecundity on the three varieties and net reproduction rates on Batis and Xiaoyan22 significantly decreased. Aphid fitness in terms of individual life-history parameters improved, whereas aphid fitness in terms of reproductive decreased, and a convergence effect, the difference gaps and standard errors of all life-history traits among the three acclimated populations had narrowed and were less than those in the three first-generation populations, was observed during the 3-mo experimental period. We suggested that S. avenae could rapidly respond to wheat resistance through life-history plasticity.

Exosomes Derived from Hydroquinone-transformed Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells Inhibited Recipient Cell Apoptosis by transferring miR-221.

OBJECTIVE: Although benzene is a confirmed environmental carcinogen, the mechanism of its carcinogenicity remains largely unclear. The suggested oncogene, miR-221, is elevated and plays important roles in various tumors, but its role in benzene-induced carcinogenesis remains unknown. METHODS: In the present study, we constructed hydroquinone (HQ, a representative metabolite of benzene with biological activity)-transformed malignant cell line (16HBE-t) and analyzed the level of miR-221 in it with qRT-PCR. Exosomes from 16HBE-t cells incubated with or without an miR-221 inhibitor were isolated by ultracentrifugation, characterized by transmission electron microscopy and laser scanning confocal microscope, and then transfected into 16HBE cells. The effects of exosomal miR-221 on apoptosis induced by HQ in recipient cells were determined using flow cytometry. RESULTS: The amount of miR-221 in 16HBE-t was significantly increased compared with controls. When recipient cells ingested exosomes derived from 16HBE-t, miR-221 was increased, and apoptosis induced by HQ was inhibited. Blocking miR-221 in 16HBE-t using an inhibitor did not significantly alter miR-221 or apoptosis in recipient cells. CONCLUSION: Exosomal miR-221 secreted by 16HBE-t inhibits apoptosis induced by HQ in normal recipient cells.

Previous Aphid Infestation Induces Different Expression Profiles of Genes Associated with Hormone-Dependent Responses in Near-Isogenic Winter Wheat Lines.

Hormone-dependent responses in host plants induced by herbivore infestation have species-specific effects. This study focused on determining the relative expression profiles of the genes associated with hormone-dependent pathways in two near-isogenic wheat lines when attacked by cereal aphids. Infestation with Rhopalosiphum padi Linnaeus (Hemiptera: Aphididae) and/or Sitobion avenae Fabricius (Hemiptera: Aphididae) significantly upregulated the expression of marker genes related to the salicylic acid (SA)- and jasmonic acid (JA)-dependent pathways in the tested lines. In the resistant line 35-E4, previous infestation with R. padi significantly increased the relative expression of plant pathogenesis-related protein 1 at all sampling times but did not have a significant effect on the expression of the phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) gene. In addition, the expression levels of the lipoxygenase (LOX) and allene oxide synthase (AOS) genes immediately increased after the aphid attack. In susceptible line 35-A20, infestation with either R. padi or S. avenae led to significantly increased expression levels of the AOS and PAL genes. Moreover, sequential aphid infestation induced higher expression of AOS compared with a single-species aphid infestation, whereas the expression of the PAL gene was antagonistically affected by sequential aphid infestation. Overall, these results showed that aphid infestation induced SA- and JA-dependent responses in host plants. However, the expression profiles of these genes in resistant and susceptible host lines were significantly different.

Resistance of Wheat Accessions to the English Grain Aphid Sitobion avenae.

The English grain aphid, Sitobion avenae, is a major pest species of wheat crops; however, certain varieties may have stronger resistance to infestation than others. Here, we investigated 3 classical resistance mechanisms (antixenosis, antibiosis, and tolerance) by 14 wheat varieties/lines to S. avenae under laboratory and field conditions. Under laboratory conditions, alatae given the choice between 2 wheat varieties, strongly discriminated against certain varieties. Specifically, the 'Amigo' variety had the lowest palatability to S. avenae alatae of all varieties. 'Tm' (Triticum monococcum), 'Astron,' 'Xanthus,' 'Ww2730,' and 'Batis' varieties also had lower palatability than other varieties. Thus, these accessions may use antibiosis as the resistant mechanism. In contrast, under field conditions, there were no significant differences in the number of alatae detected on the 14 wheat varieties. One synthetic line (98-10-30, a cross between of Triticum aestivum (var. Chris) and Triticum turgidum (var. durum) hybridization) had low aphid numbers but high yield loss, indicating that it has high antibiosis, but poor tolerance. In comparison, 'Amigo,' 'Xiaoyan22,' and some '186Tm' samples had high aphid numbers but low yield loss rates, indicating they have low antibiosis, but good tolerance. Aphid population size and wheat yield loss rates greatly varied in different fields and years for '98-10-35,' 'Xiaoyan22,' 'Tp,' 'Tam200,' 'PI high,' and other '186Tm' samples, which were hybrid offspring of T. aestivum and wheat related species. Thus, these germplasm should be considered for use in future studies. Overall, S. avenae is best adapted to 'Xinong1376,' because it was the most palatable variety, with the greatest yield loss rates of all 14 wheat varieties. However, individual varieties/lines influenced aphid populations differently in different years. Therefore, we strongly recommend a combination of laboratory and long-term field experiments in targeted planting regions to identify varieties/lines that consistently show high resistance to S. avenae infestation.

Effects of zinc on CarE activities and its gene transcript level in the English grain aphid, Sitobion avenae.

As a selective stress, heavy metals play an important role in inducing the adaptive adjustments of insects to changing environments. Carboxylesterase (CarE) is one kind of biomarker that could help us to explore the adaptation mechanism of aphids to heavy metal stress. In this study, CarE activity and gene expression level were investigated in English grain aphids, Sitobion avenae (F.) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), exposed to Zn2+ at concentrations of 0, 400, and 1600 mg/kg for 5, 15, 25, and 30 generations. The results showed that the CarE activity was significantly different between different Zn2+ concentrations and different generations. The CarE activity significantly decreased with increasing generations. In the higher generations, the CarE activity was strongly inhibited by the 1600 mg/kg of Zn2+. Realtime quantitative PCR revealed that the CarE gene expression pattern in S. avenae was up-regulated under the condition of 400 mg/kg and 1600 mg/kg of Zn2+, but a significant difference was not found after long-term exposure to high concentrations of Zn2+. It was concluded that CarE could be the sensitive biomarker for S. avenae response to the presence of Zn2+. In order to adapt to heavy metal Zn2+ stress, S. avenae had particular patterns of gene expression under long-term stress.

Comparison of the potential rate of population increase of brown and green color morphs of Sitobion avenae (Homoptera: Aphididae) on barley infected and uninfected with Barley yellow dwarf virus.

Life tables of brown and green color morphs of the English grain aphid, Sitobion avenae (Fabricius) reared on barley under laboratory conditions at 20 ± 1°C, 65% ± 5% relative humidity and a photoperiod of 16 : 8 h (L : D) were compared. The plants were either: (i) infected with the Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV); (ii) not infected with virus but previously infested with aphids; or (iii) healthy barley plants, which were not previously infested with aphids. Generally, both color morphs of S. avenae performed significantly better when fed on BYDV-infected plants than on plants that were virus free but had either not been or had been previously infested with aphids. Furthermore, when fed on BYDV-infected plants, green S. avenae developed significantly faster and had a significantly shorter reproductive period than the brown color morph. There were no significant differences in this respect between the two color morphs of S. avenae when they were reared on virus-free plants that either had been or not been previously infested with aphids. These results indicate that barley infected with BYDV is a more favorable host plant than uninfected barley for both the color morphs of S. avenae tested, particularly the green color morph.

The resistance and correlation analysis to three species of cereal aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on 10 wheat varieties or lines.

Winter wheat resistance is an efficient and environmentally friendly means to controlling aphids. By using principal component analysis and correlation analysis, we evaluated the resistance of 10 winter wheat varieties or lines from three countries to the following three aphid species: Sitobion avenae, Rhopalosiphum padi, and Schizaphis graminum. The data show that Batis was susceptible to Si. avenae and R. padi, but had adverse effect on the development of Sc. graminum; Astron was advantageous to WG and r(m) of Si. avenae and R. padi, but not to Sc. graminum; Amigo was resistant to Sc. graminum and R. padi, but susceptible to Si. avenae; 98-10-35 was resistant to Si. avenae and R. padi, but not to Sc. graminum; 98-10-30 was adverse to growth and fecundity of Si. avenae, but better for Sc. graminum and R. padi; Xiaoyan22 was susceptible to Sc. graminum, but not to R. padi; Ww2730 were resistant to Si. avenae, but susceptible to Sc. graminum; 186tm was susceptible to R. padi, but caused high mortality for Si. avenae and Sc. graminum. Correlation analysis suggests the wheat varieties or lines that were resistant to Si. avenae were always resistant to R. padi, but susceptible to Sc. graminum. However, the overall similarities in resistance classifications were not because of the same phenotypic characters of the wheat varieties or lines. We conclude that the wheat varieties or lines had specific different resistances to the three aphid species, and the resistant traits (antibiosis) can be defined at two or more hierarchical levels. There was even a stronger "trade-off" for the comparison of Si. avenae versus Sc. graminum and R. padi versus Sc. graminum.

The effects of enhanced ultraviolet-B radiation on the biology of green and brown morphs of Sitobion avenae (Hemiptera: Aphididae).

The effects of enhanced UV-B radiation on the biology of green and brown morphs of Sitobion avenae (F.) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) were tested under laboratory conditions. The two S. avenae morphs were exposed directly to different doses (0, 216, 432, and 864 kJ/m(2)) of artificial UV-B. Under low doses of UV-B (216 kJ/m(2)), the nymphal development period was significantly shorter, whereas mean relative growth, total fecundity, and gross reproductive rate were significantly higher for both aphid morphs compared with those morphs under control treatments (0 kJ/m(2)). Under high doses of UV-B (432 kJ/m(2) and/or 864 kJ/m(2)), the nymphal development period was significantly longer, whereas the reproductive period, postreproductive period, difference in weight, mean relative growth, and life table parameters were significantly reduced for both aphid morphs. Moreover, the nymphal development period was significantly shorter and the differences in weight, mean relative growth, total fecundity, and life table parameters were significantly higher for the brown morph under high doses of UV-B compared with the green morph. The results showed that enhanced UV-B affects the performance of the green and brown S. avenae morphs from positively to negatively. The brown morph exhibited stronger adaptability than the green morph at high doses of UV-B.

Life table evaluation of survival and reproduction of the aphid, Sitobion avenae, exposed to cadmium.

The effects of cadmium (Cd) on the development, fecundity, and reproduction of the grain aphid, Sitobion avenae Fabricius (Hemiptera: Aphididae) were estimated by constructing a life table of S. avenae exposed to Cd. The concentrations of Cd in the soil were as follows: 0, 10, 20, 40, 80, and 160 mg/kg. The correlation analysis of the Cd concentration in soil and wheat revealed that the amount in the wheat increased with the increase of Cd concentrations in soil. The results indicated that, the latter part of the reproduction period was significantly affected by Cd, according to the curve of the total survival rate (l(x)). The net reproductive rate (R(0)), innate capacity of increase (r), and finite rate of increase (λ) of S. avenae all decreased under the stress of Cd, and were lowest at a Cd concentration of 20 mg/kg. Cd also negatively affected fecundity and m(x) (the number of offspring produced by an individual female). At 20 mg/kg, the decline of them was most obvious. In conclusion, survival and reproduction of S. avenae were inhibited under the treatment of the heavy metal Cd. Sitobion avenae was more sensitive to Cd at concentration of 20 mg/kg compared to the other concentrations. This concentration can be used to examine the mechanisms behind population genetics and biological mutation of S. avenae when exposed to heavy metal.

[Effects of UV-radiation on biological characteristics of different body-color biotypes of Sitobion avenae (Fab.)].

UV-radiation exerts strong selection stress on the evolution of aphid populations, and thus, leads to their genetic differentiation. However, the effects of UV-radiation on different body-color biotypes of aphids are still ambiguous. In this study, new-born nymphae of red and green biotypes of Sitobion avenae were placed on two wheat varieties (Xiaoyan-22 and Astron), bred in an artificial bioclimatic chamber under strict controlled conditions (at 15 degrees C, 20 degrees C, and 25 degrees C, and treated with 30 W lamp of UV-B for 30 min per day for 5 days), and their development duration, mass, and mean relative growth rate were measured. The results showed that at lower temperature, UV-radiation delayed the growth of green biotype aphid on Xiaoyan-22 and Astron significantly; while at higher temperature, UV-radiation significantly delayed the growth of red biotype aphid on Xiaoyan-22, but had lesser effects on the growth of the two biotypes on Astron, illustrating that different biotypes of aphids had different responses to UV-radiation, and the responses were correlated to temperature and wheat varieties.