BdPiwi is essential for gametogenesis and post-embryonic development in the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis.

IF 4.2 1区农林科学 Q1 AGRONOMY

Pest Management Science Pub Date : 2026-10-12 DOI:10.1002/ps.71378

Junhong Fu, Jinsheng Wang, Shishi Ling, Yile Pan, Lanqi Jia, Yehui Sheng, Awawing A Andongma, Shuai Zhan, Li Xu, Yaohui Wang

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background: The PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway is a conserved transposon silencing mechanism essential for genomic integrity and gametogenesis. While Piwi proteins are known to play essential roles in insect germline development, their functional characteristics remain largely unexplored in agricultural pests. Here, we investigated BdPiwi in Bactrocera dorsalis, a highly invasive pest whose exceptional reproductive capacity underpins its global pest status.

Results: Phylogenetic analysis revealed that BdPiwi is evolutionarily conserved among insects and contains the canonical PAZ and PIWI domains. Spatiotemporal profiling showed ubiquitous expression across developmental stages, with predominant enrichment in adult ovaries. Based on CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutagenesis, we found that BdPiwi loss caused severe gonadal arrest and complete sterility in both sexes-females lacked detectable oocytes and males produced no mature sperm. Transcriptomic analysis uncovered widespread transcriptional upregulation, extensive transposon derepression, and dysregulated immunometabolic genes likely contributing to oogenic failure. Additionally, mutants exhibited prolonged larval duration and abnormal eclosion.

Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that BdPiwi is a pleiotropic regulator governing gonadogenesis, fertility, and metamorphic transition in B. dorsalis. This study expands the functional repertoire of Piwi genes in insect pests and provides a promising molecular target for genetic-based management of this devastating invasive species. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

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BdPiwi是东方小实蝇配子发生和胚胎后发育所必需的。

背景：piwi相互作用RNA （piRNA）通路是一种保守的转座子沉默机制，对基因组完整性和配子发生至关重要。虽然已知Piwi蛋白在昆虫种系发育中起重要作用，但其在农业害虫中的功能特征仍未得到充分研究。在这里，我们研究了BdPiwi在背小实蝇中的分布，背小实蝇是一种高度入侵害虫，其卓越的繁殖能力奠定了其全球害虫的地位。结果：系统发育分析表明，BdPiwi在昆虫中具有进化保守性，包含典型的PAZ和PIWI结构域。该基因在不同发育阶段普遍表达，主要富集于成年卵巢。基于CRISPR/ cas9介导的突变，我们发现BdPiwi缺失会导致两性严重的性腺停滞和完全不育——雌性缺乏可检测到的卵母细胞，雄性不产生成熟精子。转录组学分析揭示了广泛的转录上调、广泛的转座子抑制和免疫代谢基因失调可能导致生殖失败。此外，突变体表现出幼虫期延长和异常羽化。结论：这些发现表明BdPiwi是一个多效调节因子，调控着背芽孢杆菌的性腺生成、生育和变态转变。该研究扩展了Piwi基因在害虫中的功能库，为这种破坏性入侵物种的遗传管理提供了一个有希望的分子靶点。©2026化学工业协会。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Pest Management Science 农林科学-昆虫学

CiteScore

7.90

自引率

9.80%

发文量

553

审稿时长

4.8 months

期刊介绍： Pest Management Science is the international journal of research and development in crop protection and pest control. Since its launch in 1970, the journal has become the premier forum for papers on the discovery, application, and impact on the environment of products and strategies designed for pest management. Published for SCI by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.