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Mikania micrantha is a highly invasive vine, and its ability to sexually reproduce is a major obstacle to its eradication. The long-distance dissemination of M. micrantha depends on the distribution of seeds; therefore, inhibiting M. micrantha flowering and seed production is an effective control strategy. The number of blooms of M. micrantha differs at different altitudes (200, 900, and 1300 m). In this study, we used a combination of metabolomics and transcriptomics methods to study the patterns of metabolite accumulation in the flower buds of M. micrantha. Using LC-MS/MS, 658 metabolites were found in the flower buds of M. micrantha at three different altitudes (200, 900, and 1300 m). Flavonoids and phenolic acids were found to be the main differential metabolites, and their concentrations were lower at 900 m than at 200 m and 1300 m, with the concentrations of benzoic acid, ferulic acid, and caffeic acid being the lowest. The biosynthesis pathways for flavonoids and phenolic compounds were significantly enriched for differentially expressed genes (DEGs), according to the results of transcriptome analysis. The production of flavonoid and phenolic acids was strongly linked with the expressions of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), caffeoyl-CoA O-methyltransferase (COMT), and 4-coumarate-CoA ligase (4CL), according to the results of the combined transcriptome and metabolome analysis. These genes' roles in the regulation of distinct phenolic acids and flavonoids during M. micrantha bud differentiation are still unknown. This study adds to our understanding of how phenolic acids and flavonoids are regulated in M. micrantha flower buds at various altitudes and identifies regulatory networks that may be involved in this phenomenon, offering a new approach for the prevention and management of M. micrantha. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bark beetle, as a trunk borer, has caused a large number of tree deaths and seriously damaged the mountain forest ecosystem. Bark beetles oxidize the secondary metabolites of plants, degrade them, and excrete them from the body or convert them into components needed by the body. This process is completed by the cooperation of CYPs, GSTs, and CCEs and occurs in different tissues of the insects, including the gut (i.e., the part where beetle pheromone is produced and accumulated) and antennae (i.e., the olfactory organ used to sense defensive monoterpenes and other plant-related compounds and pheromones in the air). In this study, we identified and characterized three gene superfamilies of CYPs, GSTs, and CCEs involved in the detoxification of endobiotics (e.g., hormones and steroids) and xenobiotics (e.g., insecticides, sex pheromones, and plant allelochemicals) through a combination approach of bioinformatics, phylogenetics, and expression profiles. Transcriptome analyses led to the identification of 113 transcripts encoding 51 P450s, 33 GSTs, and 29 CCEs from Tomicus yunnanensis Kirkendall and Faccoli, 2008 (Coleoptera, Scolytinae). The P450s of T. yunnanensis were phylogenetically classified into four clades, representing the majority of the genes in the CYP3 clan. The CCEs from T. yunnanensis were separately grouped into five clades, and the GST superfamily was assigned to five clades. Expression profiles revealed that the detoxification genes were broadly expressed in various tissues as an implication of functional diversities. Our current study has complemented the resources for the detoxification genes in the family Coleoptera and allows for functional experiments to identify candidate molecular targets involved in degrading plants' secondary metabolites, providing a theoretical basis for insect resistance in mixed forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The odorant binding proteins (OBPs) interact with host chemical compounds to elicit olfactory responses. Transcriptome analysis of six different tissues of male and female Cacia cretifera thibetana was performed to unravel the interaction of OBPs with host compounds. In both sexes, differentially expressed genes were associated with the KEGG pathways such as cutin, suberine and wax biosynthesis, glycerophospholipid metabolism, choline metabolism in cancer, and the chemokine signaling pathway. The expression of 11 out of 31 OBPs were confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR and seven were found to be specifically expressed in antennae. CcreOBP6 and CcreOBP10 showed strong affinity for terpineol and trans-2-hexenal exhibiting their potential role as an attractant or repellent to control C. cretifera thibetana. This study characterized the transcriptome of Cacia cretifera thibetana and explored odorant binding proteins (OBPs) and their interaction with host-specific compounds. A total of 36 samples from six different organs including antennae, head, thorax, abdomen, wings, and legs (12 groups with 3 replicates per group) from both male and female insects were collected for RNA extraction. Transcriptomic analysis revealed a total of 89,897 transcripts as unigenes, with an average length of 1036 bp. Between male and female groups, 31,095 transcripts were identified as differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The KEGG pathway analysis revealed 26 DEGs associated with cutin, suberine, and wax biosynthesis and 70, 48, and 62 were linked to glycerophospholipid metabolism, choline metabolism in cancer, and chemokine signaling pathways, respectively. A total of 31 OBP genes were identified. Among them, the relative expression of 11 OBP genes (OBP6, 10, 12, 14, 17, 20, 22, 26, 28, 30, and 31) was confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR in different tissues. Seven OBP genes including CcreOBP6 and CcreOBP10 revealed antennae-specific expression. Further, we selected two OBPs (CcreOBP6 and CcreOBP10) for functional analysis to evaluate their binding affinity with 20 host odorant compounds. The CcreOBP6 and CcreOBP10 exhibited strong binding affinities with terpineol and trans-2-hexenal revealing their potential as an attractant or repellent for controlling C. cretifera thibetana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]