Effect of short neuropeptide F signaling on larval feeding in Mythimna separata

RNA interference ofsNPF and its receptors inhibited food intake of larvae and further affected feeding-related developmental growth, which provided a potential target for pest control ofMythimna separata. AbstractMythimna separata is a notorious phytophagous pest which poses serious threats to cereal crops owing to the gluttony of the larvae. Because short neuropeptide F (sNPF) and its receptor sNPFR are involved in a diversity of physiological functions, especially in functions related to feeding in insects, it is a molecular target for pest control. Herein, ansNPF and 2sNPFRs were identified and cloned fromM. separata. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that the sNPF and its receptors had a highly conserved RLRFamide C-terminus and 7 transmembrane domains, respectively. ThesNPF and its receptor genes were distributed across larval periods and tissues, but 2 receptors had distinct expression patterns. The starvation-induced assay elucidated thatsNPF andsNPFR expression levels were downregulated under food deprivation and recovered with subsequent re-feeding. RNA interference knockdown ofsNPF,sNPFR1, andsNPFR2 by injection of double-stranded RNA into larvae not only suppressed food consumption and increased body size and weight, but also led to decrease of glycogen and total lipid contents, and increase of trehalose compared with double-stranded green fluorescent protein injection. Furthermore, molecular docking was performed on the interaction mode between sNPFR protein and it...
Source: Insect Science - Category: Biology Authors: Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research