Abstract
Red palm weevil (RPW), Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier, is a tremendously destructive insect pest of palm trees worldwide. Although some biological agents have been used to fight against RPW larvae, the control efficiency is still dissatisfactory. This study aimed to determine the role of a peptidoglycan recognition protein (PGRP), RfPGRP-S3, in RPW immunity. RfPGRP-S3 is a secreted protein with a DF (Asp85-Phe86) motif, implying that it can discriminate Gram-positive bacteria. The abundance of RfPGRP-S3 transcripts in the hemolymph was significantly higher than that in other tissues. The expression of RfPGRP-S3 can be markedly induced by challenge with Staphylococcus aureus and Beauveria bassiana. After RfPGRP-S3 was silenced, the ability of individuals to clear the pathogenic bacteria in the body cavity and gut was significantly compromised. Furthermore, silencing RfPGRP-S3 dramatically impaired the survival rate of RPW larvae upon challenge with S. aureus. RT‒qPCR revealed that the expression levels of RfDefensin in the fat body and gut were decreased by RfPGRP-S3 silencing. Taken together, these results demonstrated that RfPGRP-S3 acts as a circulating receptor to promote the expression of the antimicrobial peptide gene upon the discrimination of pathogenic microbes.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
