Fatty acyl-CoA reductase influences wax biosynthesis in the cotton mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley.

ABSTRACT: Mealybugs are highly aggressive to a diversity of plants. The waxy layer covering the outermost part of the integument is an important protective defense of these pests. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying wax biosynthesis in mealybugs remain largely unknown. Here, we analyzed multi-omics data on wax biosynthesis by the cotton mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley, and found that a fatty acyl-CoA reductase (PsFAR) gene, which was highly expressed in the fat bodies of female mealybugs, contributed to wax biosynthesis by regulating the production of the dominant chemical components of wax, cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs). RNA interference (RNAi) against PsFAR by dsRNA microinjection and allowing mealybugs to feed on transgenic tobacco expressing target dsRNA resulted in a reduction

SUBMITTER: Tong H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9582030 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature