Abstract
The effective dose of irradiation to control pest mites in quarantine has been studied extensively, but the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of the irradiation on mites are largely unknown. In this study, exposure to 400 Gy of γ rays had significant (p < 0.05) effects on the adult survival, fecundity and egg viability of Panonychus citri. The irradiation caused the degradation of the DNA of P. citri adults and damaged the plasma membrane system of the egg, which led to condensed nucleoli and gathered yolk. Additionally, the transcriptomes and gene expression profiles between irradiated and non-irradiated mites were compared, and three digital gene expression libraries were assembled and analyzed. The differentially expressed genes were putatively involved in apoptosis, cell death and the cell cycle. Finally, the expression profiles of some related genes were studied using quantitative real-time PCR. Our study provides valuable information on the changes in the transcriptome of irradiated P. citri, which will facilitate a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms that cause the sterility induced by irradiation.
Highlights
The citrus red mite, Panonychus citri (Acari: Tetranychidae), is a cosmopolitan agricultural pest with over 80 host plants, including hosts such as citrus, almond and rose [1,2,3]
Our results indicate that apoptosis is involved in the radiation-induced negative regulation of generation, which leads to infertility in P. citri
We investigated the possibility of using irradiation as a quarantine treatment for P. citri; because of parthenogenesis in P. citri females, a suitable dose of radiation without effects on the citrus fruit was measured by F1 sterility
Summary
The citrus red mite, Panonychus citri (Acari: Tetranychidae), is a cosmopolitan agricultural pest with over 80 host plants, including hosts such as citrus, almond and rose [1,2,3]. As a serious allergen, P. citri contributes to the development of rhinitis and/or asthma in citrus farmers [4]. As an alternative means of control, irradiation was used as a quarantine treatment to control the mites. The dose required for lychee to be cleaned of mites is 350 Gray [5]. Our previous study demonstrated that low doses of irradiation increased the level of oxidative stress in P. citri [6]. Little is known about the effects of high doses of irradiation on molecular and physiological function in P. citri
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