Abstract
Simple SummaryWe know that neuropeptides and G protein-coupled receptors regulate the physiology and behavior of animals and that the pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) is a serious agricultural pest and model insect. In this study, we investigated the short neuropeptide F and its receptor in pea aphid. Feeding analysis showed that the probing time and total phloem duration significantly decreased in response to sNPF and predicted sNPFR gene silencing in RNAi assays. The silencing of sNPF significantly reduced the aphid’s reproduction but not survival. Our findings will help in the design of control strategies by using the molecular biological approach.Insect short neuropeptide F (sNPF), an ortholog of prolactin-releasing peptide of invertebrates, regulates diverse biological processes, including feeding, olfaction, locomotion, and sleep homeostasis in insects. However, its function is still unclear in an important model insect and agricultural pest, the pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum). Here, we investigated short neuropeptide F (ApsNPF) and its receptor (ApsNPFR) in A. pisum. The sNPF gene contains three exons and two long introns. In addition, the genome contains a single sNPF receptor with seven transmembrane domains. Stage- and tissue-specific transcript profiling by qRT-PCR revealed that ApsNPF and ApsNPFR were mainly expressed in the central nervous system. The receptor was also detected in antennae, midgut, and integument. The highest expression levels were found in first instar nymphs compared to other developmental stages. Besides, the starvation-induced pattern indicated that the sNPF network depends on the nutritional state of the insect. An electrical penetration graph showed that probing time and phloem duration of A. pisum on broad bean plants decreased in response to dssNPF and dssNPFR in RNAi assays. sNPF silencing reduced the number of nymphs per female but not aphid survival. We believe that our results advance in-depth knowledge of the sNPF/sNPFR signaling cascade and its place in regulating feeding behavior in insects. In turn, it may contribute to the potential design of new strategies to control aphids, with a focus on the sNPF system.
Highlights
Neuropeptides regulate a wide array of behavior and physiological processes in arthropods, including feeding, molting, courtship, social interaction, and development.They play their role by binding as ligands with cognate G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), which initiates the signaling process [1,2]
We investigated whether the fed and starvation stress states of aphids correlate with the transcript expression of ApsNPF and ApsNPFR
Our results showed that sNPFR was detected in the central nervous system (CNS), antennae, and midgut, which indicates that short neuropeptide F (sNPF) signaling exhibits a starvation-induced property but can play a role as a neural modulator in A. pisum in response to starvation, to Drosophila [52]
Summary
Neuropeptides regulate a wide array of behavior and physiological processes in arthropods, including feeding, molting, courtship, social interaction, and development. They play their role by binding as ligands with cognate G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), which initiates the signaling process [1,2]. The result was the isolation of a novel neuropeptide in Leptinotarsa decemlineata [4]. These peptides were identified by the use of NPF antibodies, called NPF-related peptides. They were composed of a short chain of 8-12 amino acids compared to NPF (36-42 amino acids), so they were renamed short neuropeptide F (sNPF) [5]. The cognate receptor for short neuropeptide F (sNPF) was first documented in Drosophila melanogaster
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