The vitellogenin receptor gene contributes to mating and host-searching behaviors in parasitoid wasps

Yifeng Sheng; Jiani Chen; Hanyu Jiang; Yueqi Lu; Zhi Dong; Lan Pang; Junwei Zhang; Ying Wang; Xuexin Chen; Jianhua Huang

iScience (Apr 2023)

The vitellogenin receptor gene contributes to mating and host-searching behaviors in parasitoid wasps

Yifeng Sheng,
Jiani Chen,
Hanyu Jiang,
Yueqi Lu,
Zhi Dong,
Lan Pang,
Junwei Zhang,
Ying Wang,
Xuexin Chen,
Jianhua Huang

Affiliations

Yifeng Sheng: Institute of Insect Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Jiani Chen: Institute of Insect Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Resources, Institute of Crop Science, Plant Precision Breeding Academy, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Hanyu Jiang: Institute of Insect Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Yueqi Lu: Institute of Insect Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Zhi Dong: Institute of Insect Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Lan Pang: Institute of Insect Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Resources, Institute of Crop Science, Plant Precision Breeding Academy, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Junwei Zhang: Institute of Insect Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Ying Wang: Institute of Insect Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Xuexin Chen: Institute of Insect Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; State Key Lab of Rice Biology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Jianhua Huang: Institute of Insect Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Corresponding author

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 26, no. 4
p. 106298

Abstract

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Summary: Vitellogenin receptor (VgR) is essential to vitellogenin uptaking and dominates ovary maturation in insects. However, the function of VgR in parasitoid wasps is largely unknown. Here, we applied the Drosophila parasitoid Leptopilina boulardi as a study model to investigate the function of VgR in parasitoids. Despite the conserved sequence characteristics with other insect VgRs, we found L. boulardi VgR (LbVgR) gene was highly expressed in head but lower in ovary. In addition, we found that LbVgR had no effects on ovary development, but participated in host-searching behavior of female L. boulardi and mating behavior of male L. boulardi. Comparative transcriptome analysis further revealed LbVgR might play crucial roles in regulating the expression of some important chemoreception genes to adjust the parasitoid behaviors. These results will broaden our knowledge of the function of VgR in insects, and contribute to develop advanced pest management strategies using parasitoids as biocontrol agents.

Published in iScience

ISSN: 2589-0042 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Science
Website: http://www.cell.com/iscience/home

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