Comparative transcriptome and RNA interference reveal CYP6DC1 and CYP380C47 related to lambda-cyhalothrin resistance in Rhopalosiphum padi

The bird-cherry-oat aphid, Rhopalosiphum padi, is a serious agricultural pest of Triticeae crops, and pyrethroids are the most widely used chemical pesticides for the control of the aphid. Our previous studies found that some R. padi field populations have developed resistance against pyrethroids; an M918L target-site mutation of the voltage gated sodium channel was present in the pyrethroid resistant individuals, while the high-level resistance to lambda-cyhalothrin revealed the presence of other mechanisms in the pest. Here, we conducted genome-wide transcriptional analysis for the lambda-cyhalothrin susceptible (SS) and resistant (LC-RR) strains of R. padi. Results indicated that 2457 genes were differently expressed between the SS and LC-RR strains. In the LC-RR, a total of 1265 and 1192 genes were up- and down-regulated, respectively. KEGG analysis implicated enrichment of P450 involved in insecticide metabolic pathways in the resistant transcriptome. qRT-PCR results confirmed that two P450 genes (CYP6DC1 and CYP380C47) were significantly overexpressed in the LC-RR individuals. Furthermore, RNA interference (RNAi) of CYP6DC1 or CYP380C47 significantly increased mortality of R. padi exposure to lambda-cyhalothrin. These results suggest that the overexpression of CYP6DC1 and CYP380C47 contributed to the lambda-cyhalothrin resistance in the pest. This study provides knowledge for further analyzing the molecular mechanism of resistance to pyrethroids in R. padi.

Automated summary

This study conducted genome-wide transcriptional analysis on the lambda-cyhalothrin susceptible (SS) and resistant (LC-RR) strains of the bird-cherry-oat aphid, Rhopalosiphum padi. The results showed that the overexpression of two P450 genes (CYP6DC1 and CYP380C47) contributed to the lambda-cyhalothrin resistance in the pest. This study provides knowledge for further analyzing the molecular mechanism of resistance to pyrethroids in R. padi.