Effects of zinc on CarE activities and its gene transcript level in the English grain aphid, Sitobion avenae.
As a selective stress, heavy metals play an important role in inducing the adaptive adjustments of insects to changing environments. Carboxylesterase (CarE) is one kind of biomarker that could help us to explore the adaptation mechanism of aphids to heavy metal stress. In this study, CarE activity and gene expression level were investigated in English grain aphids, Sitobion avenae (F.) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), exposed to Zn2+ at concentrations of 0, 400, and 1600 mg/kg for 5, 15, 25, and 30 generations. The results showed that the CarE activity was significantly different between different Zn2+ concentrations and different generations. The CarE activity significantly decreased with increasing generations. In the higher generations, the CarE activity was strongly inhibited by the 1600 mg/kg of Zn2+. Realtime quantitative PCR revealed that the CarE gene expression pattern in S. avenae was up-regulated under the condition of 400 mg/kg and 1600 mg/kg of Zn2+, but a significant difference was not found after long-term exposure to high concentrations of Zn2+. It was concluded that CarE could be the sensitive biomarker for S. avenae response to the presence of Zn2+. In order to adapt to heavy metal Zn2+ stress, S. avenae had particular patterns of gene expression under long-term stress.
State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China gaohuanhuan368@126.com.
Huan-Huan
HH
Gao
State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China zhaohy@nwsuaf.edu.cn.
Hui-Yan
HY
Zhao
State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China casc007@163.com.
Jie
J
Yang
State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China zhangliemail@yahoo.cn.
Li
L
Zhang
State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China baixiaohui@nwsuaf.edu.cn.
Xiao-Hui
XH
Bai
State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China huzuqing@nwsuaf.edu.cn.
Zu-Qing
ZQ
Hu
State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China huxiangshun@163.com.
Xiang-Shun
XS
Hu
D000818:Animals; D001042:Aphids / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D043182:Carboxylesterase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D014908:Triticum / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D015032:Zinc / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*
D019476:Insect Proteins; D043182:Carboxylesterase; D015032:Zinc
activity; biomarker; expression