Biology subjects

Huang, H.-J.

Publications and source records attributed to Huang, H.-J..

6 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Sex-determination cascade orchestrates male-male pheromone synthesis in the bean bug

Volatile pheromones are vital for insect intraspecific communication, yet the genetic basis of homosexual recognition remains elusive. In the bean bug Riptortus pedestris, we show that two previously identified aggregation pheromone components, (E)-2-hexenyl-(Z)-3-hexenoate (E2HZ3H) and (E)-2-hexenyl-(E)-2-hexenoate (E2HE2H), serve as key chemosensory cues for male-male recognition during mate selection. Their biosynthesis is governed by the sex-determination cascade Rpfmd-Rpdsx. The male-specific isoform Rpdsx_M promotes pheromone production in males and induces ectopic synthesis in females upon knockdown of the feminizing switch gene Rpfmd. Knockdown of Rpdsx_M in males abolishes both compounds, prompting wild-type males to court them as if they were females. Metathoracic gland cells act as the production hub. Behaviourally, E2HZ3H or E2HE2H disrupt mating when applied to females: males avoid such females. E2HZ3H reduces female mobility in the presence of the male-derived primary aggregation pheromone tetradecyl isobutyrate (14:iBu), whereas E2HE2H shows no obvious such effect. These differential effects ensure mating accuracy. The discovery of volatile pheromones functioning in male-male recognition and of their synthesis being governed by the sex-determination cascade updates our understanding of mating accuracy in insect chemical communication.

animal behavior and cognition↗

bioRxiv2025

Herbivorous insects independently evolved salivary effectors to regulate plant immunity by destabilizing the malectin-LRR RLP NtRLP4

Plants utilize on receptor-like proteins and receptor-like kinases (RLPs/RLKs) to perceive and respond to a wide variety of invading pathogens and insect herbivores. While the strategies employed by microbial pathogens to suppress plant immunity have been well characterized, it remains unclear how herbivorous insects counteract receptor-mediated defenses. Here, we show that salivary effectors evolve independently in whiteflies and planthoppers to dampen RLP4-mediated plant immunity. RLP4, as a leucine-rich repeat RLP (LRR-RLP), confers plant resistance against herbivorous insects by forming the RLP4/SOBIR1 complexes. In the whitefly Bemisia tabaci, BtRDP, the Aleyrodidae-specific salivary sheath protein, interacts with RLP4 from multiple plant species and promotes its ubiquitin-dependent degradation. Overexpression of NtRLP4 in transgenic plants exerts a detrimental effect on B. tabaci by exploiting the crosstalk between the salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) pathways. Conversely, overexpression of BtRDP or silencing of NtRLP4 effectively alleviates such negative effects. In planthopper Nilaparvata lugens, the Delphacidae-restricted salivary protein NlSP104 also targets and promotes the degradation of OsRLP4 from rice plants. These findings reveal convergent evolution of salivary proteins in insects, and underscore the complex interactions between plants and herbivorous insects.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2023

Diversity and adaptability of RNA viruses in rice planthopper, Laodelphax striatellus

Although a large number of insect-specific viruses (ISVs) have recently been discovered from hematophagous insect, studies on ISV diversity and their association with phytophagous insect hosts were still insufficient. A systematic RNA virome investigation was performed for an important plant virus vector, small brown planthopper (SBPH), Laodelphax striatellus. A total number of 22 RNA viruses (including 17 novel viruses) belonging to various families were successfully identified and characterized. Subsequent analysis indicated that the overall RNA virus transcripts per million (TPM) in SBPH was relatively consistent throughout various different developmental stages of the insects, although the titers of individual viruses differ among different insect tissues, suggesting a delicate balance between ISVs and insect hosts. Moreover, analysis of virus-derived small interfering RNA (siRNA) demonstrated that siRNA mediated antiviral immune response of SBPH was activated in response to the replication of the discovered RNA viruses. Additionally, evaluation for potential cross-species ability of SBPH-ISVs showed that certain SBPH ISVs could successfully infect and replicate in another two rice planthoppers, the brown planthopper and the white-backed planthopper, through microinjection. In conclusion, the RNA virome and their adaptability in SBPH revealed in this study will contribute to a better understanding of the intimate relationship between ISVs and the host insects.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2023

Rapid intracellular acidification is a novel plant defense response countered by the brown planthopper

The brown planthopper (BPH) is the most destructive insect pest in rice. Through a stylet, BPH secrets a plethora of salivary proteins into rice phloem cells as a crucial step of infestation. However, how various salivary proteins function in rice cells to promote insect infestation is poorly understood. Among them, one of the salivary proteins is predicted to be a carbonic anhydrase (NlCA). The survival rate of the NlCA-RNA interference (RNAi) BPH insects was extremely low on rice, indicating a vital role of this salivary protein in BPH infestation. We generated NICA transgenic rice plants and found that NlCA expressed in rice plants could restore the ability of NlCA-RNAi BPH to survive on rice. Next, we produced rice plants expressing the ratiometric pH sensor pHusion and found that NlCA-RNAi BPH induced rapid intracellular acidification of rice cells during feeding. Further analysis revealed that both NlCA-RNAi BPH feeding and artificial of lowering intracellular pH activated plant defense responses, and that NICA-mediated intracellular pH stabilization is linked to diminished defense responses, including reduced callose deposition at the phloem sieve plates and suppressed defense gene expression. Given the importance of pH homeostasis across the kingdoms of life, discovery of NICA-mediated intracellular pH modulation uncovered a new dimension in the interaction between plants and piecing/sucking insect pests. The crucial role of NICA for BPH infestation of rice suggests that NICA is a promising target for chemical or trans-kingdom RNAi-based inactivation for BPH control strategies in plants. HighlightsO_LIRapid intracellular acidification is a novel plant defense response. C_LIO_LIBrown planthopper delivers into rice tissues a major virulence protein, carbonic anhydrase (NlCA), critical for survival. C_LIO_LINlCA counters intracellular acidification to suppress plant defense. C_LIO_LIResults implicate existence of pH-responsive regulators of defense responses in the rice-brown planthopper interaction. C_LI In briefThe brown planthopper (BPH) is the most devasting insect pest in rice. Jiang et al. discovered that BPH secretes a salivary carbonic anhydrase (NICA) to regulate the intracellular pH of the rice cell to facilitate its feeding and survival on rice plants and that NICA-counters host intracellular pH acidification to diminished defense responses. These findings uncovered that intracellular pH homeostasis is a previously uncharacterized battleground in plant-insect interactions, but also open a door to future discovery of pH-responsive intracellular regulators of defense responses, which could add a new research dimension in the study of plant-biotic interactions.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2021

Laboratory mice with a wild microbiota generate strong allergic immune responses

Allergic disorders are caused by a combination of hereditary and environmental factors. The hygiene hypothesis postulates that early life microbial exposures impede the development of subsequent allergic disease. However, unambiguous evidence that microbes reduce the development of allergic disorders is still lacking. Recently developed wildling mice contain a rich and diverse commensal and encounter a repertoire of microbes typical of the wild, with pathogenic potential. Here, we probed the hygiene hypothesis by comparing the development of allergic inflammation in wildlings to that of genetically identical mice lacking diverse microbial exposure. We find that wildlings develop stronger allergic inflammation in response to house dust mites with allergic T cell responses driven not only by cognate peptide antigens, but also by innate cytokines. In all, the results suggest that high microbial content and diversity potentiates, rather than restricts, allergic immune responses. One sentence summaryStrong allergic inflammation in the face of rich and diverse microbial exposures

immunology↗

bioRxiv2021

Chromosome-level genome assembly of the horned-gall aphid, Schlechtendalia chinensis (Hemiptera: Aphididae: Erisomatinae)

The horned gall aphid Schlechtendalia chinensis, is an economically important insect that induces galls valuable for medicinal and chemical industries. S. chinensis manipulates its host plant to form well-organized horned galls during feeding. So far, more than twenty aphid genomes have been reported; however, all of those are derived from free-living aphids. Here we generated a high-quality genome assembly of S. chinensis, representing the first genome sequence of a galling aphid. The final genome assembly was 280.43 Mb, with 97% of the assembled sequences anchored into thirteen chromosomes. S. chinensis presents the smallest aphid genome size among available aphid genomes to date. The contig and scaffold N50 values were 3.39 Mb and 20.58 Mb, respectively. The assembly included 96.4% of conserved arthropod and 97.8% of conserved Hemiptera single-copy orthologous genes based on BUSCO analysis. A total of 13,437 protein-coding genes were predicted. Phylogenomic analysis showed that S. chinensis formed a single clade between the Eriosoma lanigerum clade and the Aphidini+Macrosiphini aphid clades. In addition, salivary proteins were found to be differentially expressed when S. chinensis underwent host alternation, indicating their potential roles in gall formation and plant defense suppression. A total of 36 cytochrome P450 genes were identified in S. chinensis, considerably fewer compared to other aphids, probably due to its small host plant range. The high-quality S. chinensis genome assembly and annotation provide an essential genetic background for future studies to reveal the mechanism of gall formation and to explore the interaction between aphids and their host plants.

genomics↗