Screening the function of genes encoding neuropeptides and their receptors in Nilaparvata lugens

Abstract

Neuropeptides are crucial for life activities and environmental fitness of insects, which are potential targets for pest control. The brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens) is an important pest on rice in Asia. Thus, functional screening analysis of genes encoding neuropeptides and their receptors in N. lugens were conducted. The cDNA sequences of 41 neuropeptides (containing one alternative splicing transcript) and 44 receptors were verified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Four neuropeptide genes (NlCCAP, NlETH, NlOKA and NlPK) and two receptor genes (NlA36 and NlA46) were identified to cause high mortality through RNA interference (RNAi), showing potential in pest control. These genes knockdown resulted in the relative survival rate of adult less than 0.2 when injected with double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) at the third instar, and had the potential to be target genes for pest control. The results of RNAi also demonstrated that neuropeptides, such as crustacean cardioactive peptide (CCAP), ecdysis triggering hormone (ETH) and bursicon were conserved in physiological function, while other neuropeptides (eg. prothoracicotropic hormone, eclosion hormone) which related to ecdysis in other insects were undefined in physiological function in N. lugens. Our study provides a basis for further exploration of neuropeptides’ physiological function in N. lugens.

Keywords

• <italic>Nilaparvata lugens</italic>
• neuropeptide
• RNA interference
• ecdysis