Molecular characterization of fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) resistant to Vip3Aa20 protein expressed in corn

• Ano de defesa: 2017
• Autor(a) principal: Fatoretto, Júlio César
• Tipo de documento: Tese
• Tipo de acesso: Acesso aberto
• Idioma: eng
• Instituição de defesa: Biblioteca Digitais de Teses e Dissertações da USP
• Palavras-chave em Português: Spodoptera frugiperda; ABC transportador; ABC transporter; Fall armyworm; Insect resistance management; ligação proteina-receptor; Manejo de resistência de insetos; Protein-receptor binding; RNA-seq; Transcriptoma; Transcriptome; Vip3A
• Link de acesso: http://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/11/11151/tde-24082017-185006/

Transgenic plants containing genes from Bacillus thuringiensis have been used as an alternative to chemical insecticides for insect pest control. The vegetative insecticidal proteins (Vip) secreted during the vegetative growth phase of bacteria are considered a second generation of insecticidal proteins since they do not share any structural or sequence homology with previously used crystal proteins (Cry) as well as having a wide insecticidal spectrum. One of the target pests for this protein is the fall armyworm (FAW) (Spodoptera frugiperda), the most important corn pest in South America. Previously it has been controlled by insecticides and maize expressing Cry proteins, but has rapidly evolved resistance to many control practices and remains a top concern for sustainable biotechnology control efforts. Thus, resistance characterization involving mode of action and genetics of resistance can help with Insect Resistance Management strategies, and improve the durability of control. In this dissertation, using two selected FAW population resistant to Vip3Aa20 Bt protein (Vip-R1and Vip-R2) we generated comparative proteomic and transcriptomic data among resistant and susceptible colonies. In the chapter 2, we bring FAW biology/ecology and Brazilian agriculture landscape data to support the high adaptive potential of this pest to genetically modified maize expressing Bt Cry proteins in Brazil. Proteomics studies in the chapter 3 revealed that neither Vip-R1 nor Vip-R2 showed difference between resistant and susceptible colonies either for Vip3Aa20 activation through proteolysis assay nor protein binding to the receptor. Transcriptomic sequencing and RNA-seq analysis in the chapter 4 showed strong evidence of ABC transporter genes associated with resistance as well as genes related to G-protein signaling pathway as downregulated. These results will be discussed in context of providing best management practices for managing FAW resistance to Vip, and extending the durability of Vip technology.