Project description:Aestivation is a dormant state that allows animals to withstand hot and dry summer conditions and requires complex gene regulation. Nevertheless, the mechanisms involved in the regulation of genes necessary for aestivation remain unclear. MicroRNA (miRNA) are known to fine-tune gene expression at the post-transcriptional level and are important for various biological processes. In this study, we investigated the role of the miRNA pathway in the regulation of the obligatory aestivation stage in the cabbage stem flea beetle, a major pest of oilseed rape. Small RNA sequencing showed that ∼25% of miRNAs were differentially abundant during aestivation. The inhibition of the miRNA pathway deregulated 116 proteins in aestivation, which were mainly associated with metabolism and catabolism, including peroxisome activity. Most proteins regulated by miRNA exhibited lower transcript levels during aestivation. RNA degradome sequencing confirmed the miRNA-mediated exonucleolytic decay of several transcripts. Furthermore, inhibiting the miRNA pathway resulted in altered body composition, compromised metabolic suppression, and lower resilience to high temperature during aestivation. Also, beetles could not suppress their feeding activity during the transition into aestivation. Our findings highlight the critical role of miRNA in regulating aestivation in the cabbage stem flea beetle, with important implications for climate change.
Project description:We report the transcriptional response to Colorado potato beetle herbivory in leaves of the highly beetle resistant Solanum chacoense diploid line USDA8380-1 (80-) and a susceptible F2 individual (EE501F2_093) derived from a cross between 80-1 and a beetle susceptible line S. chacoense M6. Sampling tissue in a time course during adult Colorado potato beetle feeding provides novel insight to the transcriptomic defense response to this important pest.
Project description:The striped flea beetle (SFB), Phyllotreta striolata, is a globally devastating cruciferous pest. A key challenge to its control lies in its complex life cycle—with egg, larval, and pupal stages confined to soil, while adults infest aerial plant parts—coupled with distinct antennal differences between males and females that underpin sex-specific ecological traits. Transcriptomic profiling across developmental stages offers a powerful approach to decode the genetic basis of these stage- and sex-related traits and inform targeted pest management. Here, we present the first comprehensive transcriptomic atlas of P. striolata, encompassing four key life stages (egg, larva, pupa, adult) with separate male and female adult. RNA sequencing of 15 samples (biological triplicates per group) generated 334.5 million raw reads. Dataset reliability was robust, as validated by correlation analysis, principal component analysis, and qRT-PCR. Differential expression analysis and functional enrichment further confirmed the dataset’s utility in dissecting stage-specific developmental programs and sex-biased molecular signatures. These data provide valuable insights into the biology and developmental dynamics of P. striolata and lay a solid foundation for functional genetic studies, thereby facilitating the identification of target genes and the development of effective, sustainable control strategies against this pest.