title: Genome-wide transcriptomic and proteomic analyses of bollworm-infested developing cotton bolls revealed the genes and pathways involved in the insect pest defence mechanism.
abstract: Cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera, is a major insect pest that feeds on cotton bolls causing extensive damage leading to crop and productivity loss. In spite of such a major impact, cotton plant response to bollworm infection is yet to be witnessed. In this context, we have studied the genome-wide response of cotton bolls infested with bollworm using transcriptomic and proteomic approaches. Further, we have validated this data using semi-quantitative real-time PCR. Comparative analyses have revealed that 39% of the transcriptome and 35% of the proteome were differentially regulated during bollworm infestation. Around 36% of significantly regulated transcripts and 45% of differentially expressed proteins were found to be involved in signalling followed by redox regulation. Further analysis showed that defence-related stress hormones and their lipid precursors, transcription factors, signalling molecules, etc. were stimulated, whereas the growth-related counterparts were suppressed during bollworm infestation. Around 26% of the significantly up-regulated proteins were defence molecules, while >50% of the significantly down-regulated were related to photosynthesis and growth. Interestingly, the biosynthesis genes for synergistically regulated jasmonate, ethylene and suppressors of the antagonistic factor salicylate were found to be up-regulated, suggesting a choice among stress-responsive phytohormone regulation. Manual curation of the enzymes and TFs highlighted the components of retrograde signalling pathways. Our data suggest that a selective regulatory mechanism directs the reallocation of metabolic resources favouring defence over growth under bollworm infestation and these insights could be exploited to develop bollworm-resistant cotton varieties.
authors.affiliation: International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Saravanan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: National Research Centre on Plant Biotechnology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Mogilicherla
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kanakachari
authors.affiliation: National Research Centre on Plant Biotechnology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Dhandapani
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gurusamy
authors.affiliation: International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Krishan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: National Research Centre on Plant Biotechnology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Prabhakaran
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Narayanasamy
authors.affiliation: National Research Centre on Plant Biotechnology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Padmalatha
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kethireddy Venkata
authors.affiliation: National Research Centre on Plant Biotechnology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Amolkumar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Solanke
authors.affiliation: University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, India.
authors.forename: Savita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gamanagatti
authors.affiliation: University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, India.
authors.forename: Vamadevaiah
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hiremath
authors.affiliation: University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, India.
authors.forename: Ishwarappa S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Katageri
authors.affiliation: International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Sadhu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Leelavathi
authors.affiliation: National Research Centre on Plant Biotechnology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Polumetla Ananda
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Vanga Siva
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Reddy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks; D017343:Genes, Plant; D018745:Genome, Plant; D055106:Genome-Wide Association Study; D003368:Gossypium / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D053858:Metabolic Networks and Pathways; D009036:Moths / Q000502:physiology*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D057865:Plant Immunity / Q000235:genetics*; D040901:Proteomics; D015398:Signal Transduction; D059467:Transcriptome
chemical_list: D010937:Plant Growth Regulators; D002118:Calcium
keywords: Gossypium hirsutum; Helicoverpa armigera; biotic stress response; defence mechanism; proteome; transcriptome