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A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Plant Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 April 2025 | Viewed by 14520

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Prof. Dr. Yonggen Lou

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Guest Editor

Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Interests: insect–plant interactions; herbivore-induced plant defense; defense-related signaling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Xiaoling Sun

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Key Laboratory of Biology, Genetics and Breeding of Special Economic Animals and Plants, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Tea Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310008, China
Interests: tea tree; herbivores; tea tree resistance; tea tree breeding; tea tree protection
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Dear Colleagues,

To protect themselves from herbivorous insects, plants have developed sophisticated defense mechanisms. When attacked by herbivorous insects, plants promptly and specifically perceive damage- and insect-associated molecular patterns via pattern recognition receptor complexes and then activate multiple signaling pathways, such as pathways mediated by mitogen-activated protein kinase cascades, jasmonic acid, salicylic acid, abscisic acid and ethylene. These activated pathways enhance the expression of defensive gens and the production of defensive compounds, and finally increase the direct and indirect resistance of plants to insects. On the other hand, adapted herbivorous insects could not only detoxify or tolerate plant toxins via specific detoxification systems but also secrete effectors into plants to suppress defensive responses in plants or enhance plant susceptibility as well. Deciphering the mechanisms underlying insect–plant interactions is very important for sustainable management of insect pests. This Special Issue welcomes original research and review articles that present recent advances in the field, with a focus on the molecular mechanisms related to plant defensive response, insect elicitors and effectors, and insect detoxification. We expect to publish 18 to 20 research articles and review articles in this Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. Yonggen Lou
Prof. Dr. Xiaoling Sun
Guest Editors

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Keywords

plant defense responses
elicitors
effectors
defense-related signaling
insect–plant interactions
tritrophic interactions
detoxification
defensive compounds
defensive genes

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Published Papers (10 papers)

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10 pages, 1890 KiB

Open AccessBrief Report

Perfect Complementarity Mechanism for Aphid Control: Oligonucleotide Insecticide Macsan-11 Selectively Causes High Mortality Rate for Macrosiphoniella sanborni Gillette

by Yelizaveta V. Puzanova, Ilya A. Novikov, Anastasiya I. Bilyk, Alexander K. Sharmagiy, Yuri V. Plugatar and Volodymyr V. Oberemok

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(14), 11690; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241411690 - 20 Jul 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1353

Abstract

Macrosiphoniella sanborni is a widespread pest of Chrysanthemum morifolium that causes significant damage to world floriculture. Chemical insecticides and biological methods of control have a number of disadvantages that can be improved by using oligonucleotide insecticides. In this article, we present, for the first time, the results of using oligonucleotide insecticides, for which the target sequence is an internal transcribed spacer (ITS) in a polycistronic rRNA transcript. The mortality of wingless aphid individuals after a Macsan-11 treatment was recorded at a level of 67.15 ± 3.32% 7 days after a single treatment with a solution at a concentration of 100 ng/μL and 97.38 ± 2.49% 7 days after a double treatment with a solution of the same concentration and a daily interval. The contact use of the control oligonucleotide (ACTG)₂ACT-11. as well as the oligonucleotide insecticides Macsan-11(3′) and Macsan-11(5′) was not accompanied by insect mortality. Given the high variability in the internal transcribed spacer, which has proven to be a promising target for the action of oligonucleotide insecticides, it is possible to create selective preparations. This study showed the prospects of ribosomal insect pest genes as targets for the action of olinscides, and also demonstrated the high specificity of such insecticidal agents. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Plants and Insects Interactions)

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16 pages, 2020 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Plant Virus Tomato Spotted Wilt Orthotospovirus Benefits Its Vector Frankliniella occidentalis by Decreasing Plant Toxic Alkaloids in Host Plant Datura stramonium

by Zhijun Zhang, Jiahui Zhang, Xiaowei Li, Jinming Zhang, Yunsheng Wang and Yaobin Lu

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(19), 14493; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241914493 - 24 Sep 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1849

Abstract

The transmission of insect-borne viruses involves sophisticated interactions between viruses, host plants, and vectors. Chemical compounds play an important role in these interactions. Several studies reported that the plant virus tomato spotted wilt orthotospovirus (TSWV) increases host plant quality for its vector and benefits the vector thrips Frankliniella occidentalis. However, few studies have investigated the chemical ecology of thrips vectors, TSWV, and host plants. Here, we demonstrated that in TSWV-infected host plant Datura stramonium, (1) F. occidentalis were more attracted to feeding on TSWV-infected D. stramonium; (2) atropine and scopolamine, the main tropane alkaloids in D. stramonium, which are toxic to animals, were down-regulated by TSWV infection of the plant; and (3) F. occidentalis had better biological performance (prolonged adult longevity and increased fecundity, resulting in accelerated population growth) on TSWV-infected D. stramonium than on TSWV non-infected plants. These findings provide in-depth information about the physiological mechanisms responsible for the virus’s benefits to its vector by virus infection of plant regulating alkaloid accumulation in the plant. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Plants and Insects Interactions)

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15 pages, 4703 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Knocking Out OsRLK7-1 Impairs Rice Growth and Development but Enhances Its Resistance to Planthoppers

by Shanjie Han, Zhifan Shen, Qing Gao, Nuo Jin and Yonggen Lou

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(19), 14569; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241914569 - 26 Sep 2023

Viewed by 1298

Abstract

Leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinases (LRR-RLKs) are an important subfamily of receptor-like kinases (RLKs) in plants that play key roles in sensing different biotic and abiotic stress. However, the role of LRR-RLKs in herbivore-induced plant defense remains largely elusive. Here, we found that the expression of a rice gene, OsRLK7-1, was induced by mechanical wounding, but was slightly suppressed by the infestation of gravid females of brown planthopper (BPH, Nilaparvata lugens) or white-backed planthopper (WBPH, Sogatella furcifera). Through targeted disruption of OsRLK7-1 (resulting in the ko-rlk lines), we observed an augmentation in transcript levels of BPH-induced OsMPK3, OsWRKY30, OsWRKY33, and OsWRKY45, alongside heightened levels of planthopper-induced jasmonic acid, JA-isoleucine, and abscisic acid in plant tissues. These dynamic changes further facilitated the biosynthesis of multiple phenolamides within the rice plants, culminating in an enhanced resistance to planthopper infestations under both lab and field conditions. In addition, knocking out OsRLK7-1 impaired plant growth and reproduction. These results suggest that OsRLK7-1 plays an important role in regulating rice growth, development, and rice-planthopper interactions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Plants and Insects Interactions)

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17 pages, 6429 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Four-Chlorophenoxyacetic Acid Treatment Induces the Defense Resistance of Rice to White-Backed Planthopper Sogatella furcifera

by Wanwan Wang, Haiyun Rui, Lei Yu, Nuo Jin, Wan Liu, Chen Guo, Yumeng Cheng and Yonggen Lou

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(21), 15722; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms242115722 - 29 Oct 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1594

Abstract

Chemical elicitors can increase plant defense against herbivorous insects and pathogens. The use of synthetic chemical elicitors is likely to be an alternative to traditional pesticides for crop pest control. However, only a few synthetic chemicals are reported to protect plants by regulating signaling pathways, increasing the levels of defense metabolites and interfering with insect feeding. Here, we found that the exogenous application of a phenoxycarboxylic compound, 4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (4-CPA), can induce chemical defenses to protect rice plants from white-backed planthoppers (WBPH, Sogatella furcifera). Four-CPA was rapidly taken up by plant roots and degraded to 4-chlorophenol (4-CP). Four-CPA treatment modulated the activity of peroxidase (POD) and directly induced the deposition of lignin-like polymers using hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) as the electron acceptor. The polymers, which are thought to prevent the planthopper’s stylet from reaching the phloem, were broken down by WBPH nymphs. Meanwhile, 4-CPA increased the levels of flavonoids and phenolamines (PAs). The increased flavonoids and PAs, together with the degradation product of the polymers, avoided nymphal feeding and prolonged the nymphal period for 1 day. These results indicate that 4-CPA has the potential to be used as a chemical elicitor to protect rice from planthoppers. Moreover, these findings also open a pathway for molecule structure design of phenoxycarboxylic compounds as chemical elicitors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Plants and Insects Interactions)

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17 pages, 1240 KiB

Open AccessReview

Recent Advances in the Genetic and Biochemical Mechanisms of Rice Resistance to Brown Planthoppers (Nilaparvata lugens Stål)

by Shaojie Shi, Huiying Wang, Wenjun Zha, Yan Wu, Kai Liu, Deze Xu, Guangcun He, Lei Zhou and Aiqing You

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(23), 16959; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms242316959 - 30 Nov 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2285

Abstract

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is the staple food of more than half of Earth’s population. Brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens Stål, BPH) is a host-specific pest of rice responsible for inducing major losses in rice production. Utilizing host resistance to control N. lugens is considered to be the most cost-effective method. Therefore, the exploration of resistance genes and resistance mechanisms has become the focus of breeders’ attention. During the long-term co-evolution process, rice has evolved multiple mechanisms to defend against BPH infection, and BPHs have evolved various mechanisms to overcome the defenses of rice plants. More than 49 BPH-resistance genes/QTLs have been reported to date, and the responses of rice to BPH feeding activity involve various processes, including MAPK activation, plant hormone production, Ca²⁺ flux, etc. Several secretory proteins of BPHs have been identified and are involved in activating or suppressing a series of defense responses in rice. Here, we review some recent advances in our understanding of rice–BPH interactions. We also discuss research progress in controlling methods of brown planthoppers, including cultural management, trap cropping, and biological control. These studies contribute to the establishment of green integrated management systems for brown planthoppers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Plants and Insects Interactions)

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14 pages, 1132 KiB

Open AccessReview

Recent Progress Regarding Jasmonates in Tea Plants: Biosynthesis, Signaling, and Function in Stress Responses

by Xin Zhang, Yongchen Yu, Jin Zhang, Xiaona Qian, Xiwang Li and Xiaoling Sun

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(2), 1079; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25021079 - 16 Jan 2024

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1703

Abstract

Tea plants have to adapt to frequently challenging environments due to their sessile lifestyle and perennial evergreen nature. Jasmonates regulate not only tea plants’ responses to biotic stresses, including herbivore attack and pathogen infection, but also tolerance to abiotic stresses, such as extreme weather conditions and osmotic stress. In this review, we summarize recent progress about jasmonaic acid (JA) biosynthesis and signaling pathways, as well as the underlying mechanisms mediated by jasmontes in tea plants in responses to biotic stresses and abiotic stresses. This review provides a reference for future research on the JA signaling pathway in terms of its regulation against various stresses of tea plants. Due to the lack of a genetic transformation system, the JA pathway of tea plants is still in the preliminary stages. It is necessary to perform further efforts to identify new components involved in the JA regulatory pathway through the combination of genetic and biochemical methods. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Plants and Insects Interactions)

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16 pages, 13600 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Duplications and Losses of the Detoxification Enzyme Glycosyltransferase 1 Are Related to Insect Adaptations to Plant Feeding

by Jinyu Wu, Wanjiang Tang, Zhengyang Li, Amrita Chakraborty, Cao Zhou, Fei Li and Shulin He

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(11), 6080; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25116080 - 31 May 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 849

Abstract

Insects have developed sophisticated detoxification systems to protect them from plant secondary metabolites while feeding on plants to obtain necessary nutrients. As an important enzyme in the system, glycosyltransferase 1 (GT1) conjugates toxic compounds to mitigate their harm to insects. However, the evolutionary link between GT1s and insect plant feeding remains elusive. In this study, we explored the evolution of GT1s across different insect orders and feeding niches using publicly available insect genomes. GT1 is widely present in insect species; however, its gene number differs among insect orders. Notably, plant-sap-feeding species have the highest GT1 gene numbers, whereas blood-feeding species display the lowest. GT1s appear to be associated with insect adaptations to different plant substrates in different orders, while the shift to non-plant feeding is related to several losses of GT1s. Most large gene numbers are likely the consequence of tandem duplications showing variations in collinearity among insect orders. These results reveal the potential relationships between the evolution of GT1s and insect adaptation to plant feeding, facilitating our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying insect–plant interactions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Plants and Insects Interactions)

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34 pages, 6120 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Genome-Wide Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Analyses Unveiling the Defence Mechanisms of Populus tremula against Sucking and Chewing Insect Herbivores

by Filip Pastierovič, Kanakachari Mogilicherla, Jaromír Hradecký, Alina Kalyniukova, Ondřej Dvořák, Amit Roy and Ivana Tomášková

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(11), 6124; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25116124 - 1 Jun 2024

Viewed by 1339

Abstract

Plants and insects coevolved as an evolutionarily successful and enduring association. The molecular arms race led to evolutionary novelties regarding unique mechanisms of defence and detoxification in plants and insects. While insects adopt mechanisms to conquer host defence, trees develop well-orchestrated and species-specific defence strategies against insect herbivory. However, current knowledge on the molecular underpinnings of fine-tuned tree defence responses against different herbivore insects is still restricted. In the current study, using a multi-omics approach, we unveiled the defence response of Populus tremula against aphids (Chaitophorus populialbae) and spongy moths (Lymantria dispar) herbivory. Comparative differential gene expression (DGE) analyses revealed that around 272 and 1203 transcripts were differentially regulated in P. tremula after moth and aphid herbivory compared to uninfested controls. Interestingly, 5716 transcripts were differentially regulated in P. tremula between aphids and moth infestation. Further investigation showed that defence-related stress hormones and their lipid precursors, transcription factors, and signalling molecules were over-expressed, whereas the growth-related counterparts were suppressed in P. tremula after aphid and moth herbivory. Metabolomics analysis documented that around 37% of all significantly abundant metabolites were associated with biochemical pathways related to tree growth and defence. However, the metabolic profiles of aphid and moth-fed trees were quite distinct, indicating species-specific response optimization. After identifying the suitable reference genes in P. tremula, the omics data were further validated using RT-qPCR. Nevertheless, our findings documented species-specific fine-tuning of the defence response of P. tremula, showing conservation on resource allocation for defence overgrowth under aphid and moth herbivory. Such findings can be exploited to enhance our current understanding of molecular orchestration of tree responses against herbivory and aid in developing insect pest resistance P. tremula varieties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Plants and Insects Interactions)

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19 pages, 8529 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Interactions at the Oviposition Scar: Molecular and Metabolic Insights into Elaeagnus angustifolia’s Resistance Response to Anoplophora glabripennis

by Chengcheng Li, Jiahe Pei, Lixiang Wang, Yi Tian, Lili Ren and Youqing Luo

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(17), 9504; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25179504 - 31 Aug 2024

Viewed by 770

Abstract

The Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia), which functions as a “dead-end trap tree” for the Asian long-horned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis) in mixed plantations, can successfully attract Asian long-horned beetles for oviposition and subsequently kill the eggs by gum. This study aimed to investigate gum secretion differences by comparing molecular and metabolic features across three conditions—an oviposition scar, a mechanical scar, and a healthy branch—using high-performance liquid chromatography and high-throughput RNA sequencing methods. Our findings indicated that the gum mass secreted by an oviposition scar was 1.65 times greater than that secreted by a mechanical scar. Significant differences in gene expression and metabolism were observed among the three comparison groups. A Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes annotation and enrichment analysis showed that an oviposition scar significantly affected starch and sucrose metabolism, leading to the discovery of 52 differentially expressed genes and 7 differentially accumulated metabolites. A network interaction analysis of differentially expressed metabolites and genes showed that EaSUS1, EaYfcE1, and EaPGM1 regulate sucrose, uridine diphosphate glucose, α-D-glucose-1P, and D-glucose-6P. Although the polysaccharide content in the OSs was 2.22 times higher than that in the MSs, the sucrose content was lower. The results indicated that the Asian long-horned beetle causes Russian olive sucrose degradation and D-glucose-6P formation. Therefore, we hypothesized that damage caused by the Asian long-horned beetle could enhance tree gum secretions through hydrolyzed sucrose and stimulate the Russian olive’s specific immune response. Our study focused on the first pair of a dead-end trap tree and an invasive borer pest in forestry, potentially offering valuable insights into the ecological self-regulation of Asian long-horned beetle outbreaks. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Plants and Insects Interactions)

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22 pages, 5843 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Saliva of Therioaphis trifolii (Drepanosiphidae) Activates the SA Plant Hormone Pathway, Inhibits the JA Plant Hormone Pathway, and Improves Aphid Survival Rate

by Kaihui Zhu, Neng Zhang, Daogang Zhang, Ni Cai, Rong Liu, Hui Dong, Zehua Zhang and Xiongbing Tu

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(23), 12488; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms252312488 - 21 Nov 2024

Viewed by 238

Abstract

The spotted alfalfa aphid (Therioaphis trifolii) is a kind of destructive pest of cultivated alfalfa (Medicago sativa) that results in significant financial losses for the livestock sector. To understand how T. trifolii navigates the biochemical defenses of its host, we investigated the effects of susceptible and resistant aphid strains on two alfalfa cultivars. T. trifolii was reared for over 50 generations on two cultivars—WL343, which is susceptible to T. trifolii, and Zhongmu No. 1, which is resistant—resulting in the development of a resistant aphid strain (R-aphid) and a susceptible aphid strain (S-aphid). The results showed that the survival rate of R-aphids was significantly higher than that of S-aphids (p = 0.039) on the resistant cultivar Zhongmu No. 1, while there was no significant difference in survival rates between the two aphid strains on WL343 (p = 0.139). This suggests that S- and R-aphids differ in their ability to modulate plant defense mechanisms, influencing their survival rates. The application of saliva from R-aphids reared on Zhongmu No. 1 (R-saliva) reduced the repellency and toxicity of treated plants, improving aphid survival. Furthermore, R-aphid infestation and R-saliva application activated the salicylic acid (SA) signaling pathway while suppressing the jasmonic acid (JA) pathway, enhancing the host plant’s suitability for aphid colonization. We propose that R-aphids may use their saliva to activate the SA pathway, which in turn inhibits JA synthesis, weakening the plant’s defenses. These findings provide valuable insights into how T. trifolii interacts with host plant defense systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Plants and Insects Interactions)

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The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

Dear Colleagues,

Prof. Dr. Yonggen Lou
Prof. Dr. Xiaoling Sun
Guest Editors

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