Neuropeptides and peptide hormones identified in codling moth, Cydia pomonella (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

Authors: Garczynski, Stephen; HENDRICKSON, CHRISTOPHER - Washington State University; HARPER, ARTEMUS - Washington State University; Unruh, Thomas; DHINGRA, AMIT - Washington State University; AHN, SEUNG-JOON - Oregon State University; Choi, Man-Yeon

Submitted to: Archives of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/21/2019
Publication Date: 7/4/2019
Citation: Garczynski, S.F., Hendrickson, C., Harper, A., Unruh, T.R., Dhingra, A., Ahn, S., Choi, M.Y. 2019. Neuropeptides and peptide hormones identified in codling moth, Cydia pomonella (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Archives of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology. 101(4):e21587. https://doi.org/10.1002/arch.21587.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/arch.21587

Interpretive Summary: The codling moth, Cydia pomonella (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), is one of the most important pests of apple and pear in the world. This moth is very difficult to manage, especially if the population has been allowed to build up in orchard fields. Inclusion of sex pheromones for mating disruption into insect pest management (IPM) strategies has reduced reliance on chemical insecticides to control codling moth. Natural volatile compounds including the pear ester, and plant-derived kairomones have been applied for monitoring codling moth populations. However, the current IPM tools are still not enough to reduce moth damage in the field. Recently, advanced insect genomics and proteomics allow to develop a new IPM methods. In the codling moth thus far, the molecular genetics and physiology of this insect remain poorly characterized. Scientists from USDA-ARS in Yakima, WA and Corvallis, OR, Washington State University, and Oregon State University, identified over 50 genes and 120 proteins from this moth using molecular biology techniques. Also, characterized the neuropeptides and peptide hormones with these of other lepidopteran moths. This study reports a broad diversity of putative neuropeptides and peptide hormones of codling moth and highlights those that have major differences or are new to Lepidoptera. This study represents a large body of information that will facilitate future codling moth research to detect these putative peptides, and to determine the biological functions. Because regulatory peptide signaling pathways are good targets for pest control, characterization of the codling moth system can allow for the design of peptide mimic or disruptive agents for use on this and other sibling crop pests.

Technical Abstract: The codling moth, Cydia pomonella, is a worldwide pest of pome fruits. Control of this insect is mainly achieved with multiple applications of insecticides and pheromone-based mating disruption. Regulatory peptides including neuropeptides control most physiological functions in insects and their signaling systems represent new targets for development of pest control agents. By data mining sequenced genomes, neuropeptides and peptide hormones complement of several insect species have been identified. The only neuropeptides identified from the codling moth to date are the allatostatin A family. To identify other neuropeptides and peptide hormones from codling moth, we analyzed a head transcriptome and identified 50 transcripts predicted to code for 120 putative processed neuropeptides and peptide hormones. Transcripts were cloned to verify sequences obtained from the transcriptome. As expected, the allatostatin A-family encoding transcript predicted 9 peptides, 7 of these peptides are identical to those previously isolated from codling moth. One of notable sequence differences from the codling neuropeptides revealed the codling moth diapause hormone (DH) is significantly divergent, and not contains WFGPRL sequence of the C-terminal end which has been always conserved in PBAN/DH genes of lepidopteran species to date. In the codling moth, however, the sequence was found in the capa gene. We also identified codling moth orthologs of new or recently discovered insect neuropeptides including two CCHamides, allatostatin CC, RYamides and natalisins. The information provided in this study will benefit future codling moth investigations using peptidoproteomic studies to verify peptide presence and RNAi knockdown studies to determine peptide functions.