Archives of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology最新文献

{"title":"Integrated Transcriptomic and Physiological Analyses Reveal Disruption of Digestive Homeostasis Induced by Protease Inhibitors in Anticarsia gemmatalis Caterpillars","authors":"Neilier Rodrigues da Silva Júnior,&nbsp;Eulálio Gutemberg Dias dos Santos,&nbsp;Daniel Guimarães Silva Paulo,&nbsp;Yaremis Meriño-Cabrera,&nbsp;Ian de Paula Alves Pinto,&nbsp;Maria Julia Summy,&nbsp;Ian Lucas Batista Santos,&nbsp;Milena Godoi Lima,&nbsp;Maria Clara Neves Gomes Rodrigues,&nbsp;Rafael Junior de Andrade,&nbsp;José Eduardo Serrão,&nbsp;Elizabeth Pacheco Batista Fontes,&nbsp;Humberto Josué Oliveira Ramos,&nbsp;Maria Goreti de Almeida Oliveira","doi":"10.1002/arch.70223","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/arch.70223","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Protease inhibitors (PIs) are promising bioactive compounds for sustainable pest management because they interfere with the digestive processes of herbivorous insects. However, the physiological mechanisms underlying insect adaptation to natural and synthetic PIs remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated the midgut responses of <i>Anticarsia gemmatalis</i> Hübner (Lepidoptera: Erebidae) to the soybean Kunitz trypsin inhibitor (SKTI) and the synthetic tripeptide GORE-2 using integrated transcriptomic, biochemical, and histological approaches, complemented by an exploratory metatranscriptomic analysis of putative gut-associated microbial transcripts. RNA-seq analysis identified 2542 unique differentially expressed genes (FDR-adjusted <i>p</i> &lt; 0.05, |log2FC | ≥ 1), including extensive modulation of digestive proteases and redox-related pathways. SKTI induced a compensatory response characterized by the up-regulation of serine proteases, antioxidant enzymes, and detoxification-associated pathways. In contrast, GORE-2 promoted broader repression of digestive proteases, including chymotrypsin- and trypsin-related transcripts and matrix metalloproteinases, together with a distinct antioxidant response. Biochemical assays demonstrated increased CAT, GST, POX, and SOD activities under both treatments. Compared with SKTI, GORE-2 induced lower POX, GST, and SOD activities, whereas CAT activity did not differ significantly between the two treatments. Histological analyses demonstrated notable epithelial disruption, vacuolization, and disorganization of the striated border in the larval midgut, with lesion scores being significantly elevated following GORE-2 exposure. Exploratory analysis of putative gut-associated microbial transcripts recovered from whole-midgut RNA-seq revealed taxonomically diverse microbial signals associated with carbon metabolism, proteolysis, and detoxification. However, no treatment-associated differential expression was detected among the putative bacterial transcripts. These findings indicate that GORE-2 induced broader disruption of digestive and protective midgut functions than SKTI, with weaker antioxidant enzyme induction and more pronounced histological injury, consistent with reduced physiological compensation in <i>A. gemmatalis</i> larvae. These results underscore the potential of synthetic peptide-based protease inhibitors to interfere with adaptive digestive processes in pest insects of agricultural importance.</p>","PeriodicalId":8281,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology","volume":"123 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/arch.70223","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149099779","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Trypsinogen Pro-Region as a Molecular Scaffold for the Design of Competitive Peptide Inhibitors of Trypsin-Like Proteases","authors":"Geisiane Aparecida Mariano,&nbsp;João Vitor Aguilar de Oliveira,&nbsp;Rafael Júnior de Andrade,&nbsp;Daniel Guimarães Silva Paulo,&nbsp;Yaremis Beatriz Meriño Cabrera,&nbsp;Eulálio Gutemberg Dias dos Santos,&nbsp;Ian Lucas Batista Santos,&nbsp;Milena Godoi Lima,&nbsp;Maria Julia Summy,&nbsp;Otávio José Bernardes Brustolini,&nbsp;Neilier Rodrigues da Silva Júnior,&nbsp;Humberto Josué Oliveira Ramos,&nbsp;Maria Goreti de Almeida Oliveira","doi":"10.1002/arch.70224","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/arch.70224","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Soybean (<i>Glycine max</i> L. Merrill) productivity is severely impacted by the velvetbean caterpillar <i>Anticarsia gemmatalis</i> Hübner, 1818 (Lepidoptera: Erebidae), a major defoliating pest in soybean-producing regions. Current management strategies rely heavily on chemical insecticides, which are associated with environmental risks and the development of resistance. Protease inhibitors have emerged as a promising alternative, as protein digestion in lepidopteran larvae is primarily mediated by trypsin-like serine proteases. In this context, the rational design of short inhibitory peptides represents a potential strategy for developing selective and environmentally safer pest control agents. This study introduces the regulatory pro-region of trypsinogen as a previously underexplored scaffold for the rational design of competitive peptide inhibitors targeting digestive trypsin-like enzymes in agricultural insect pests. Fifteen peptides derived from the trypsinogen pro-region were initially <i>screened in silico</i> against <i>A. gemmatalis</i> trypsin-like enzymes. Molecular docking analyses revealed favorable binding energies and interactions with residues located in the catalytic region. Among the candidates, the peptide Pep12 (designated GORE3) was selected for further optimization by substituting amino acids at the P1 position, yielding the analogs GORE4 and GORE5. Enzyme inhibition assays with bovine trypsin and partially purified <i>A. gemmatalis</i> trypsin-like enzymes demonstrated that all peptides are competitive inhibitors. The inhibition constants (Ki) obtained for <i>A. gemmatalis</i> enzymes were 1.80 mM for GORE3, 1.63 mM for GORE4, and 0.78 mM for GORE5, with GORE5 exhibiting the lowest Ki among the evaluated peptides, although its inhibitory affinity remained within the millimolar range. Collectively, these findings underscore the potential of trypsinogen-derived peptides as promising scaffolds for developing peptide-based inhibitors targeting insect digestive proteases.</p>","PeriodicalId":8281,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology","volume":"123 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/arch.70224","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149099780","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nucleoplasmin-Like Protein, Expression Differences During the Caste Polyphenism Processes in Apis mellifera","authors":"Simona Sagona,&nbsp;Chiara D'Onofrio,&nbsp;Elena Tafi,&nbsp;Maria Gabriella Giuffrida,&nbsp;Francesca Coppola,&nbsp;Giulia Lazzarini,&nbsp;Andrea Pirone,&nbsp;Vincenzo Miragliotta,&nbsp;Antonio Felicioli","doi":"10.1002/arch.70221","DOIUrl":"10.1002/arch.70221","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>In honey bees, queen–worker differentiation is regulated by diet and begins after the first 3 days post-hatching. Several molecules and processes appear to be involved in caste polyphenism, including juvenile hormone, royalactin, and DNA methylation. A protease (PS4) was recently detected in worker larvae at 72 h post-hatching and shown to be inhibited by royal jelly, suggesting a potential role in this process. This study investigated the expression and tissue localization of nucleoplasmin during caste polyphenism in <i>Apis mellifera</i> larvae. A protein spot corresponding to a previously described caste-specific proteolytic activity was separated by 2DE and identified by mass spectrometry as a nucleoplasmin-like protein. Based on this result, a polyclonal antibody was raised against a conserved nucleoplasmin peptide and subsequently used for immunoproteomic and immunohistochemical analyses in worker- and queen-destined larvae. At this instar, Western blot analysis using a polyclonal anti–nucleoplasmin-like protein antibody revealed bands between 43–88 kDa and 74–104 kDa in worker- and queen-destined larvae, respectively, which may correspond to different polymeric conformations of the nucleoplasmin-like protein. Differences in the molecular mass of nucleoplasmin-like protein spots between worker and queen larvae suggest caste-specific roles during differentiation. Immunohistochemistry showed a ubiquitous nuclear distribution of the protein in undifferentiated larvae. Worker-fate larvae diverge from this pattern as early as Day 4, whereas queen-fate larvae retain a distribution like that of undifferentiated larvae, possibly representing the baseline developmental condition. Further studies examining temporal changes in nucleoplasmin-like protein expression between the third and fourth larval instars and during post-larval stages are desirable.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8281,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology","volume":"123 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149036421","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"First Record of Cinara tujafilina (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in Myanmar Based on Morphological and Molecular Evidence","authors":"Minho Lee,&nbsp;Mariusz Kanturski,&nbsp;Seunghwan Lee","doi":"10.1002/arch.70217","DOIUrl":"10.1002/arch.70217","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The cypress pine aphid, <i>Cinara</i> (<i>Cupressobium</i>) <i>tujafilina</i> (Del Guercio, 1909), is a widely distributed aphid associated with Cupressaceae and known for forming dense colonies that promote sooty mold development and reduce host vigour. Here, we report the first confirmed occurrence of this species in Myanmar. Specimens collected from <i>Platycladus orientalis</i> were identified using morphological characters and mitochondrial COI sequences. Genetic analyses revealed low intraspecific divergence and a clear barcode gap relative to closely related species, supporting accurate species identification. Haplotype network analysis showed that all Myanmar specimens belonged to a widespread haplotype shared with specimens from several other countries, with no private haplotypes detected. This study provides the first confirmed record of <i>C. tujafilina</i> in Myanmar and provides baseline information for future surveys of its distribution and host associations in the country.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8281,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology","volume":"123 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149036343","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Heavy Metal Tolerance in Lymantria dispar Larvae: Essential Roles of ABC Transporters in Resisting Heavy Metal Toxicity","authors":"Heyang Sun,&nbsp;Ying Wang,&nbsp;Yubin He,&nbsp;Chuang Xu,&nbsp;Shanchun Yan,&nbsp;Dun Jiang","doi":"10.1002/arch.70222","DOIUrl":"10.1002/arch.70222","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Heavy metals are transported and accumulated along the food chain, exposing phytophagous insects to high risks of contamination. This study investigated the mechanisms underlying Pb and Cd tolerance in <i>Lymantria dispar</i> by focusing on the ABC transporter family. Multiple ABC genes in the larval midgut were significantly upregulated under Pb and Cd stress, respectively. Among them, <i>LdABC7</i> showed the most prominent positive response to Pb stress, and <i>LdABC12</i> to Cd stress. Following silencing of <i>LdABC7</i> or <i>LdABC12</i>, larval growth inhibition under heavy metal stress was significantly exacerbated and the expression of apoptosis-related genes was markedly up-regulated. Genes associated with the mitochondrial pathway shifted further toward pro-apoptosis after silencing of either <i>LdABC7</i> or <i>LdABC12</i>. At the cellular level, both LdABC7 and LdABC12 proteins were localized to the cell membrane. <i>Sf9</i> cells overexpressing these genes exhibited significantly increased cell viability, reduced apoptosis rates, restored mitochondrial membrane potential, reduced opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP), and decreased levels of reactive oxygen species and calcium ions under heavy metal stress. Taken together, <i>LdABC7</i> and <i>LdABC12</i> serve as key detoxification components in <i>L. dispar</i> larvae in response to Pb and Cd stress, respectively, with the ability to maintain mitochondrial homeostasis and inhibit apoptosis.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8281,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology","volume":"123 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149036351","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Curcumin Induces Autophagy Associated G1 Cell Cycle Arrest in Spodoptera frugiperda Sf9 Cells","authors":"Veeran Sethuraman,&nbsp;Shu Benshui,&nbsp;Jaganathan Ramakrishnan,&nbsp;Guohua Zhong","doi":"10.1002/arch.70220","DOIUrl":"10.1002/arch.70220","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Curcumin, a plant-polyphenolic compound, has been reported to induce autophagy and autophagic cell death in insect cells but its impact on cell cycle regulation is not well understood. In this study, we investigated the short-term effects of curcumin on the cell proliferation, cell cycle progression and autophagy-associated cellular responses in the Sf9 insect cells of <i>Spodoptera frugiperda</i>. Short-term treatment of Sf9 cells with low-dose curcumin (5–15 µg/mL) resulted in a continuous decrease in cell proliferation in a dose and time dependent manner. Flow cytometric analysis showed a significant increase in the number of cells in the G 1 phase, indicating G 1 cell cycle arrest. This was also supported by nuclear morphology analysis using DAPI staining. Importantly, the growth inhibition caused by curcumin was not associated with apoptotic features or DNA fragmentation. Treatment with curcumin evoked a time-dependent increase in intracellular reactive oxygen species without significant mitochondrial membrane depolarization, indicating a controlled stress response instead of mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis. Scanning electron microscopy revealed significant surface morphological remodeling including cell shrinkage and membrane irregularities consistent with structural reorganization associated with autophagy. Molecular docking analysis using conserved insect cell cycle regulatory proteins supported a potential interaction of curcumin with G₁ phase cyclin-dependent kinases. Taken together, the findings demonstrate that curcumin induces autophagy-linked G₁ cell cycle arrest in Sf9 cells, extending previous observations of curcumin-induced autophagy and nucleophagy. This study highlights autophagy-mediated cell cycle regulation as a key mechanism underlying curcumin-induced growth suppression in insect cells and provides insight into the cellular actions of botanical bioactive compounds relevant to insect physiology.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8281,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology","volume":"123 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149036396","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Biology, Ecology, and Pathogenesis of Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato: Implications for Tick-Borne Disease and Prevention","authors":"Han Wang,&nbsp;Yahong Qiang,&nbsp;Lin Jin,&nbsp;Zhijun Yu","doi":"10.1002/arch.70219","DOIUrl":"10.1002/arch.70219","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p><i>Borrelia burgdorferi</i> is a highly evolved extracellular pathogen that employs diverse strategies to persist within a complex enzootic cycle. As the causative agent of Lyme disease (LD), it has been the focus of extensive research into host–pathogen interactions, particularly its mechanisms of survival in reservoir hosts and transmission dynamics, significantly advancing the field of tick-borne diseases. This review summarized the discovery and development of <i>B. burgdorferi</i>, and contributed towards a holistic view on the transmission dynamics and pathogenic mechanisms, with emphasis on the complement evasion mechanisms of <i>B. burgdorferi</i>, which informed the current prevention efforts. Looking forward, the application of single-cell high-throughput sequencing is expected to elucidate novel molecular mechanisms underlying the transmission, and artificial intelligence technology holds promise for developing global tick-borne disease databases and public communication platforms to support future prevention strategies. Overall, this review provides an integrated framework that bridges molecular pathogenesis, ecological dynamics, and technological innovation to inform both fundamental research and public health responses to LD.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8281,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology","volume":"123 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149007669","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Life Cycle and Mass Occurrence of Paracolopha morrisoni (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in South Korea","authors":"Minho Lee,&nbsp;Hojin Kim,&nbsp;Jaeseok Oh,&nbsp;Mariusz Kanturski,&nbsp;Sun Keun Lee,&nbsp;Seunghwan Lee","doi":"10.1002/arch.70216","DOIUrl":"10.1002/arch.70216","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p><i>Paracolopha morrisoni</i> (Baker, 1919) (Aphididae: Eriosomatinae) is a gall-forming aphid that alternates between <i>Zelkova serrata</i> (Thunb.) Makino (Ulmaceae) and bamboo hosts in East Asia. Here, we provide field-based documentation of its seasonal biology and host alternation in South Korea, supported by DNA barcoding. Subterranean colonies on the roots of <i>Pseudosasa japonica</i> (Siebold &amp; Zucc. ex Steud.) Makino ex Nakai (Poaceae), together with observations of migratory alates and larviposition, confirmed this bamboo as a secondary host. <i>Phyllostachys heterocycla</i> (Carrière) Matsum. (Poaceae) was identified as a potential secondary host based on settlement and larviposition by migratory alates, although subterranean colony establishment remains unconfirmed. We also documented the predatory mite <i>Anystis baccarum</i> (Linnaeus, 1758) (Anystidae) in association with <i>P. morrisoni</i> and a conspicuous mass occurrence of returning alates in a recreational environment during late autumn. These observations expand current knowledge of the field biology of <i>P. morrisoni</i> and provide ecological information useful for recognizing its seasonal stages and host associations in South Korea.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8281,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology","volume":"123 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149007687","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tissue Context Shapes N-Glycan Processing and Site-Specific Microheterogeneity in Adult Drosophila melanogaster Compared With S2 Cells","authors":"Dongdong Liu,&nbsp;Guy Smagghe","doi":"10.1002/arch.70218","DOIUrl":"10.1002/arch.70218","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>N-glycosylation is an important regulator of insect development, tissue organization, neural function, and other physiological processes, yet the extent to which cultured insect cells reproduce organismal glycosylation remains poorly understood. Here, we characterized the whole-body N-glycoproteome of adult <i>Drosophila melanogaster</i> and compared it with our previously generated site-specific glycoproteome of <i>Drosophila</i> S2 cells. Intact glycopeptide analysis by LC-MS/MS identified 2144 glycopeptides representing 526 glycoproteins, 875 N-glycosylation sites, and 38 glycan compositions in adult flies. Both adult flies and S2 cells retained a broadly conserved glycan repertoire dominated by oligomannose-type structures. However, this global similarity concealed substantial differences at the protein, site, and glycan levels. Only 34.6% of glycoproteins and 32.7% of glycosylation sites were shared between the two systems. Adult flies showed markedly higher representation of difucosylated glycans (12.0% <i>vs.</i> 0.006% in S2 cells), including glycan structures associated with neural glycoproteins, and exhibited lower overall site-specific microheterogeneity. At individual conserved sites, glycan processing could differ strikingly between systems, demonstrating that glycosylation is strongly influenced by organismal and cellular context. These findings establish a whole-body adult <i>Drosophila</i> N-glycoproteomic reference and show that S2 cells reproduce the core insect glycosylation program but only partially represent the protein- and site-specific organization of glycosylation in the intact insect. The dataset provides a resource for investigating glycan-dependent insect physiology and offers a useful benchmark for evaluating insect cell systems used in glycoprotein biotechnology.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8281,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology","volume":"123 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148975597","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Delivery, Persistence, and Functional Response of dsRNA in Acyrthosiphon pisum: Progress and Remaining Barriers","authors":"Lisa Merkel,&nbsp;Mohammad Vatanparast,&nbsp;Torsten Will,&nbsp;Silvio Erler,&nbsp;Khalid Amari","doi":"10.1002/arch.70210","DOIUrl":"10.1002/arch.70210","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Aphids are major agricultural pests due to their rapid reproduction, insecticide resistance, and role as vectors of plant pathogens. RNA interference (RNAi) has emerged as a promising strategy for species-specific pest control. However, RNAi in aphids remains inconsistent, limited by dsRNA instability, inefficient uptake, and variable gene silencing. Here, we investigate key biological barriers limiting RNAi efficiency by evaluating the delivery, stability, and efficacy of double-stranded (ds)RNA in the pea aphid <i>Acyrthosiphon pisum</i>. Feeding bioassays using food dyes and Cy3-labeled dsRNA demonstrated ingestion and persistence of fluorescent signals within the aphid midgut for up to 120 h, confirming that the feeding system effectively delivers dsRNA to the insects. Ex vivo degradation assays revealed rapid dsRNA breakdown by aphid nucleases, with complete degradation within 2 h. Formulations improved stability: chitosan-protected dsRNA resisted aphid nuclease activity, and layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanosheets induced elevated expression of RNAi-associated genes. Functional assays targeting the <i>vacuolar H</i>^<i>+</i><i>-ATPase 26 kDa-like</i> gene (<i>apvhal26</i>) produced variable knockdown but consistently induced the expression of RNAi-associated genes (<i>ago2, dicer1</i>), suggesting activation of the RNAi pathway or recognition of exogenous dsRNA despite inconsistent gene silencing. Our results demonstrate that several key barriers to RNAi in aphids can be partially mitigated through improved delivery and nanoparticle formulations. However, rapid nuclease-mediated degradation and inconsistent target gene silencing remain major obstacles to reliable RNAi efficacy. This study highlights both the potential and limitations of RNAi for aphid control and emphasizes the need for optimized formulations, target gene selection, and delivery methods to advance RNAi as a sustainable biopesticide strategy.</p>","PeriodicalId":8281,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology","volume":"123 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13575441/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148966543","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}