Structure and expression of sulfatase and sulfatase modifying factor genes in the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella

AbstractThe diamondback moth,Plutella xylostella (L.), uses sulfatases (SULF) to counteract the glucosinolate –myrosinase defensive system that cruciferous plants have evolved to deter insect feeding. Sulfatase activity is regulated by post‐translational modification of a cysteine residue by sulfatase modifying factor 1 (SUMF1). We identified 12 SULF genes (PxylSulfs) and two SUMF1 genes (PxylSumf1s) in theP. xylostella genome. Phylogenetic analysis of SULFs and SUMFs fromP. xylostella,Bombyx mori,Manduca sexta,Heliconius melpomene,Danaus plexippus,Drosophila melanogaster,Tetranychus urticae andHomo sapiens showed that the SULFs were clustered into five groups, and the SUMFs could be divided into two groups. Profiling of the expression ofPxylSulfs andPxylSumfs by RNA ‐seq and by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction showed that two glucosinolate sulfatase genes (GSS),PxylSulf2 andPxylSulf3, were primarily expressed in the midgut of 3rd ‐ and 4th‐instar larvae. Moreover, expression of sulfatasesPxylSulf2,PxylSulf3 andPxylSulf4 were correlated with expression of the sulfatases modifying factorPxylSumf1a. The findings from this study provide new insights into the structure and expression ofSUMF1 andPxylSulf genes that are considered to be key factors for the evolutionary success ofP. xylostella as a specialist herbivore of cruciferous plants.

Source: Insect Science - November 22, 2018 Category: Biology Authors: Xiao ‐Li Ma, Wei‐Yi He, Wei Chen, Xue‐Jiao Xu, Wei‐Ping Qi, Ming‐Min Zou, Yan‐Chun You, Simon W. Baxter, Ping Wang, Min‐Sheng You Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research