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Odoriferous Defensive stink gland transcriptome to identify novel genes necessary for quinone synthesis in the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum.
- Source :
-
PLoS genetics [PLoS Genet] 2013; Vol. 9 (7), pp. e1003596. Date of Electronic Publication: 2013 Jul 11. - Publication Year :
- 2013
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Abstract
- Chemical defense is one of the most important traits, which endow insects the ability to conquer a most diverse set of ecological environments. Chemical secretions are used for defense against anything from vertebrate or invertebrate predators to prokaryotic or eukaryotic parasites or food competitors. Tenebrionid beetles are especially prolific in this category, producing several varieties of substituted benzoquinone compounds. In order to get a better understanding of the genetic and molecular basis of defensive secretions, we performed RNA sequencing in a newly emerging insect model, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). To detect genes that are highly and specifically expressed in the odoriferous gland tissues that secret defensive chemical compounds, we compared them to a control tissue, the anterior abdomen. 511 genes were identified in different subtraction groups. Of these, 77 genes were functionally analyzed by RNA interference (RNAi) to recognize induced gland alterations morphologically or changes in gland volatiles by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. 29 genes (38%) presented strong visible phenotypes, while 67 genes (87%) showed alterations of at least one gland content. Three of these genes showing quinone-less (ql) phenotypes - Tcas-ql VTGl; Tcas-ql ARSB; Tcas-ql MRP - were isolated, molecularly characterized, their expression identified in both types of the secretory glandular cells, and their function determined by quantification of all main components after RNAi. In addition, microbe inhibition assays revealed that a quinone-free status is unable to impede bacterial or fungal growth. Phylogenetic analyses of these three genes indicate that they have evolved independently and specifically for chemical defense in beetles.<br />Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
- Subjects :
- Animals
Benzoquinones metabolism
Coleoptera metabolism
Coleoptera physiology
Gene Expression Profiling
High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing
Insect Proteins genetics
Phylogeny
RNA Interference
Scent Glands metabolism
Benzoquinones chemistry
Coleoptera chemistry
Insect Proteins metabolism
Scent Glands chemistry
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1553-7404
- Volume :
- 9
- Issue :
- 7
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- PLoS genetics
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 23874211
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1003596