title: Functional analysis of a chitinase gene during the larval-nymph transition in Panonychus citri by RNA interference.
abstract: Chitinases are hydrolytic enzymes that are required for chitin degradation and reconstruction in arthropods. In this study, we report a cDNA sequence encoding a putative chitinase (PcCht1) from the citrus red mite, Panonychus citri. The PcCht1 (564 aa) possessed a signal peptide, a conserver domain, and a chitin-binding domain. Structural and phylogenetic analyses found that PcCht1 had high sequence similarity to chitinases in Tetranychus urticae. Real-time quantitative PCR analyses showed that the transcript levels of PcCht1 peaked periodically in larval and nymph stages. Moreover, significant increase of PcCht1 transcript level in the larvae was observed upon the exposure of diflubenzuron. In contrast, exposures of the larvae to diflubenzuron resulted in the decreased chitin content. Furthermore, through a feeding-based RNA interference approach, we were able to reduce the PcCht1 transcript level by 59.7 % in the larvae, and consequently the treated larvae showed a very low molting rate compared with the control. Our results expanded the understanding of the important role of PcCht1 in the growth and development of P. citri.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China.
authors.forename: Wen-Kai
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Min
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China.
authors.forename: Tian-Bo
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China.
authors.forename: Jin-Zhi
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China.
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China.
authors.forename: Chong-Yu
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China.
authors.forename: Ying-Cai
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dou
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China. jjwang7008@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Jin-Jun
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D060829:Arthropod Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D001483:Base Sequence; D002688:Chitinases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D007814:Larva / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D008675:Metamorphosis, Biological; D009758:Nymph / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D010802:Phylogeny; D034622:RNA Interference; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D040102:Tetranychidae / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development*
chemical_list: D060829:Arthropod Proteins; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D002688:Chitinases
keywords: Chitinase; Citrus red mite; Diflubenzuron; Panonychus citri; RNA interference