Chitin synthase 1 gene and its two alternative splicing variants from two sap-sucking insects, Nilaparvata lugens and Laodelphax striatellus (Hemiptera: Delphacidae)

Chitin synthase (CHS) is an enzyme that is required for chitin formation in insect cuticles and other tissues. In this study, CHS genes from two destructive rice insect pests, the brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens and the small brown planthopper Laodelphax striatellus, were cloned. Phylogenetic a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Insect biochemistry and molecular biology 2012-09, Vol.42 (9), p.637-646
Main Authors: Wang, Ying, Fan, Hai-Wei, Huang, Hai-Jian, Xue, Jian, Wu, Wen-Juan, Bao, Yan-Yuan, Xu, Hai-Jun, Zhu, Zeng-Rong, Cheng, Jia-An, Zhang, Chuan-Xi
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acyrthosiphon pisum
Alternative Splicing
Animals
chitin
chitin synthase
Chitin Synthase - genetics
Chitin Synthase - metabolism
Chitin synthase 1
double-stranded RNA
Exons
genes
Genome, Insect
Hemiptera
Hemiptera - enzymology
Hemiptera - genetics
Hemiptera - growth & development
insect pests
Insect Proteins - genetics
Insect Proteins - metabolism
Lacking CHS2
Laodelphax striatellus
molting
mortality
Nilaparvata lugens
nymphs
Phenotype
Phylogeny
rice
RNA Interference
RNAi
Sequence Analysis, DNA
Transcript variants
Transcriptome
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Summary:Chitin synthase (CHS) is an enzyme that is required for chitin formation in insect cuticles and other tissues. In this study, CHS genes from two destructive rice insect pests, the brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens and the small brown planthopper Laodelphax striatellus, were cloned. Phylogenetic analysis showed that these genes belonged to class CHS1 of the CHS gene family. Most insects possess two CHS genes (CHS1 and CHS2); however, genome and transcriptome searches showed that N. lugens possibly possess only CHS1 in both databases. Two transcript variants (CHS1a and CHS1b) resulting from exclusively alternative splicing (exon 19a or 19b in N. lugens) were identified for each of the two rice planthopper CHS1s. Gene structure comparison using the genomes that are currently sequenced showed that the CHS1 genes in all insects except Acyrthosiphon pisum have two transcript variants. Transcription of NlCHS1a reached its highest level just after molting, whereas NlCHS1b reached its highest expression level 1–2 days before molting. Injection of the N. lugens nymphs with double-strand RNA (dsRNA) of CHS1, CHS1a and CHS1b reduced the corresponding variant transcript levels and exhibited subsequent phenotypes. Silencing of CHS1 and CHS1a resulted in elongated distal wing pads and the “wasp-waisted” or crimpled cuticle phenotypes and eventually died, whereas the phenotypes caused by injection of NlCHS1b dsRNA seem not so obvious although slightly increased mortality was observed. Our results suggest that N. lugens likely lacks CHS2 and CHS1 may be efficient target gene for RNAi-based N. lugens control.
ISSN:0965-1748
1879-0240
DOI:10.1016/j.ibmb.2012.04.009