Please wait a minute...
Journal of Integrative Agriculture  2012, Vol. 11 Issue (2): 303-311    DOI: 10.1016/S1671-2927(00)8547
SECTION 3: MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF Bemisia tabaci Advanced Online Publication | Current Issue | Archive | Adv Search |
p38 MAPK is a Component of the Signal Transduction Pathway Triggering Cold Stress Response in the MED Cryptic Species of Bemisia tabaci
 LI Fang-fang, XIA Jun, LI Jun-min, LIU Shu-sheng , WANG Xiao-wei
1.Key Laboratory of Agricultural Entomology, Ministry of Agriculture/Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310029,P.R.China
Download:  PDF in ScienceDirect  
Export:  BibTeX | EndNote (RIS)      
摘要  Cold stress responses help insects to survive under low temperatures that would be lethal otherwise. This phenomenon might contribute to the invasion of some Bemisia tabaci cryptic species from subtropical areas to temperate regions. However, the molecular mechanisms regulating cold stress responses in whitefly are yet unclear. Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) which including p38, ERK, and JNK, are well known for their roles in regulating metabolic responses to cold stress in many insects. In this study, we explored the possible roles of the MAPKs in response to low temperature stresses in the Mediterranean cryptic species (the Q-biotype) of the B. tabaci species complex. First, we cloned the p38 and ERK genes from the whitefly cDNA library. Next, we analyzed the activation of MAPKs during cold stress in the Mediterranean cryptic species by immuno-blotting. After cold stress, the level of phospho-p38 increased but no significant change was observed in the phosphorylation of ERK and JNK, thus suggesting that the p38 might be responsible for the defense response to low temperature stress. Furthermore, we demonstrated that: i) 3 min chilling at 0°C was sufficient for the activation of p38 MAPK pathway in this whitefly; and ii) the amount of phosphorylated p38 increased significantly in the first 20 min of chilling, reversed by 60 min, and then returned to the original level by 120 min. Taken together, our results suggest that the p38 pathway is important during response to low temperature stress in the Mediterranean cryptic species of the B. tabaci species complex.

Abstract  Cold stress responses help insects to survive under low temperatures that would be lethal otherwise. This phenomenon might contribute to the invasion of some Bemisia tabaci cryptic species from subtropical areas to temperate regions. However, the molecular mechanisms regulating cold stress responses in whitefly are yet unclear. Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) which including p38, ERK, and JNK, are well known for their roles in regulating metabolic responses to cold stress in many insects. In this study, we explored the possible roles of the MAPKs in response to low temperature stresses in the Mediterranean cryptic species (the Q-biotype) of the B. tabaci species complex. First, we cloned the p38 and ERK genes from the whitefly cDNA library. Next, we analyzed the activation of MAPKs during cold stress in the Mediterranean cryptic species by immuno-blotting. After cold stress, the level of phospho-p38 increased but no significant change was observed in the phosphorylation of ERK and JNK, thus suggesting that the p38 might be responsible for the defense response to low temperature stress. Furthermore, we demonstrated that: i) 3 min chilling at 0°C was sufficient for the activation of p38 MAPK pathway in this whitefly; and ii) the amount of phosphorylated p38 increased significantly in the first 20 min of chilling, reversed by 60 min, and then returned to the original level by 120 min. Taken together, our results suggest that the p38 pathway is important during response to low temperature stress in the Mediterranean cryptic species of the B. tabaci species complex.
Keywords:  Bemisia tabaci      cold stress      MAPK      p38      phosphorylation      signal transduction  
Received: 01 March 2011   Accepted:
Fund: 

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30730061) and the National Basic Research Program of China (2009CB119203).

Corresponding Authors:  Correspondence WANG Xiao-wei, Tel: +86-571-86971390, Fax: +86-571-86049815, E-mail: xwwang@zju.edu.cn     E-mail:  xwwang@zju.edu.cn

Cite this article: 

LI Fang-fang, XIA Jun, LI Jun-min, LIU Shu-sheng , WANG Xiao-wei. 2012. p38 MAPK is a Component of the Signal Transduction Pathway Triggering Cold Stress Response in the MED Cryptic Species of Bemisia tabaci. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 11(2): 303-311.

[1]De Barro P J, Driver F. 1997. Use of RAPD PCR to distinguish the B biotype from other biotypes of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae). Australian Journal of Entomology, 36, 149-152.

[2]De Barro P J, Liu S S, Boykin L M, Dinsdale B. 2011. Bemisia tabaci: A statement of species status. Annual Review of Entomology, 56, 1-19.

[3]Byrne D N, Bellows T S. 1991. Whitefly biology. Annual Review of Entomology, 36, 431-457.

[4]Chu D, Zhang Y J, Brown J K, Cong B, Xu B Y, Wu Q J, Zhu G R. 2006. The introduction of the exotic Q biotype of Bemisia tabaci from the Mediterranean region into China on ornamental crops. Florida Entomologist, 89, 168-174.

[5]Dalton R. 2006. The Christmas invasion. Nature, 443, 898- 900.

[6]Dinsdale A, Cook L, Riginos C, Buckley Y, De Barro P J. 2010. Refined global analysis of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Aleyrodoidea) mitochondrial CO1 to identify species level genetic boundaries. Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 103, 196-208.

[7]Fujiwara Y, Shiomi K. 2006. Distinct effects of different temperatures on diapause termination, yolk morphology and MAPK phosphorylation in the silkworm, Bombyx mori. Journal of Insect Physiology, 52, 1194-1201.

[8]Fujiwara Y, Shindome C, Takeda M, Shiomi K. 2006. The roles of ERK and p38 MAPK signaling cascades on embryonic diapause initiation and termination of the silkworm, Bombyx mori. Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 36, 47-53.

[9]Fujiwara Y, Denlinger D L. 2007. p38 MAPK is a likely component of the signal transduction pathway triggering rapid cold hardening in the flesh fly Sarcophaga crassipalpis. The Journal of Experimental Biology, 210, 3295-3300.

[10]Greenway S C, Storey K B. 2000. Activation of mitogenactivated protein kinases during natural freezing and thawing in the wood frog. Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, 209, 29-37.

[11]Guo X J, Rao Q, ZHANG F, Luo C, Zhang H Y, Gao X W. 2012. Diversity and genetic differentiation of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci species complex in China based on mtDNA CO1 and cDNA-AFLP analysis. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 11, 206-214.

[12]Horowitz A R, Kontsedalov S, Khasdan V, Ishaaya I. 2005. Biotypes B and Q of Bemisia tabaci and their relevance to neonicotinoid and pyriproxyfen resistance. Archives of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology, 58, 216-225.

[13]Hu J, De Barro P, Zhao H, Wang J, Nardi F, Liu S S. 2011. An extensive field survey combined with a phylogenetic analysis reveals rapid and widespread invasion of two alien whiteflies in China. PLoS ONE, 6, e16061.

[14]Iwata K, Shindome C, Kobayashi Y, Takeda M, Yamashita O, Shiomi K, Fujiwara Y. 2005. Temperature-dependent activation of ERK/MAPK in yolk cells and its role in embryonic diapause termination in the silkworm Bombyx mori. Journal of Insect Physiology, 51, 1306-1312.

[15]Jiu M, Zhou X P, Tong L, Xu J, Yang X, Wan F H, Liu S S. 2007. Vector-virus mutualism accelerates population increase of an invasive whitefly. PLoS ONE, 2, e182.

[16]Johnson G L, Lapadat R. 2002. Mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways mediated by ERK, JNK, and p38 protein kinases. Science, 298, 1911-1912.

[17]Kelty J, Ancevski A. 2010. Rapid cold hardening in Drosophila requires MAPK signaling. The Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, 24, 1055.

[18]Kidokoro K, Iwata K, Takeda M, Fujiwara Y. 2006. Involvement of ERK/MAPK in regulation of diapause intensity in the false melon beetle, Atrachya menetriesi. Journal of Insect Physiology, 52, 1189-1193.

[19]Lee R E, Chen C, Denlinger D L. 1987. A rapid coldhardening process in insects. Science, 238, 1415-1417.

[20]Li J M, Su Y L, Gao X L, He J, Liu S S, Wang X W. 2011. Molecular characterization and oxidative stress response of an intracellular Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci. Archives of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology, 77, 118-133.

[21]Liu S S, Colvin J, De Barro P J. 2012. Species concepts as applied to the whitefly Bemisia tabaci systematics: how many species are there? Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 11, 176-186.

[22]Liu S S, De Barro P J, Xu J, Luan J B, Zang L S, Ruan Y M, Wan F H. 2007. Asymmetric mating interactions drive widespread invasion and displacement in a whitefly. Science, 318, 1769-1772.

[23]Luan J B, Li J M, Varela N, Wang Y L, Li F F, Bao Y Y, Zhang C X, Liu S S, Wang X W. 2011. Global analysis of the transcriptional response of whitefly to Tomato yellow leaf curl China virus reveals their relationship of coevolved adaptations. Journal of Virology, 85, 3330-3340.

[24]Lu Z C, Wan F H. 2008. Differential gene expression in whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) B-biotype females and males under heatshock condition. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology (Part D: Genomics Proteomics), 3, 257-262.

[25]Luo C, Yao Y, Wang R, Yan F, Hu D, Zhang Z. 2002. The use of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (mtCOI) gene sequences for the identification of biotypes of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) in China. Acta Entomologica Sinica, 45, 759-763.

[26]Michaud M R, Denlinger D L. 2007. Shifts in the carbohydrate, polyol, and amino acid pools during rapid cold-hardening and diapause-associated coldhardening in flesh flies (Sarcophaga crassipalpis): a metabolomic comparison. Journal of Comparative Physiology (B), 177, 753-763.

[27]Ono K, Han J. 2000. The p38 signal transduction pathway: activation and function. Cell Signal, 12, 1-13.

[28]Qin W, Neal S J, Ribertson R M, Westwood J T, Walker V K. 2005. Cold hardening and transcriptional change in Drosophila melanogaster. Insect Molecular Biology, 14, 607-613.

[29]Saitou N, Nei M. 1987. The neighbor-joining method: a new method for reconstructing phylogenetic trees. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 4, 406-425.

[30]Sun D B, Xu J, Luan J B, Liu S S. 2011. Reproductive incompatibility between the B and Q biotypes of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci: genetic and behavioural evidence. Bulletin of Entomological Research, 101, 211-220.

[31]Varma A, Malathi V G. 2003. Emerging geminivirus problems: A serious threat to crop production. Annals of Applied Biology, 142, 142-164.

[32]Wang H H. 2005. Molecular cloning and bacterial expression of heat shock proteins and their relationship with stress tolerance in Bemisia tabaci (B biotype). Ph D thesis, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing. (in Chinese)

[33]Wang H H, Lei Z R, Li X, Oetting R D. 2011. Rapid cold hardening and expression of heat shock protein genes in the B-biotype Bemisia tabaci. Environmental Entomology, 40, 132-139.

[34]Wang P, Ruan Y M, Liu S S. 2010. Crossing experiments and behavioral observations reveal reproductive incompatibility among three putative species of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci. Insect Science, 17, 508-516.

[35]Wang P, Sun D B, Qiu B L, Liu S S. 2011. The presence of six cryptic species of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci complex in China as revealed by crossing experiments. Insect Science, 18, 67-77.

[36]Wang X W, Luan J B, Li J M, Bao Y Y, Zhang C X, Liu S S. 2010. De novo characterization of a whitefly transcriptome and analysis of its gene expression during development. BMC Genomics, 11, 400.
[1] ZHANG Yu-zheng, XU Chen, LU Wen-li, WANG Xiao-zhe, WANG Ning, MENG Xiang-guang, FANG Yu-hui, TAN Qiu-ping, CHEN Xiu-de, FU Xi-ling, LI Ling.

PpMAPK6 regulates peach bud endodormancy release through interactions with PpDAM6 [J]. >Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 2023, 22(1): 139-148.

[2] SI He-long, ZHANG Kang, LI Bai, YUAN Xue-mei, ZANG Jin-ping, CAO Hong-zhe, XING Ji-hong, DONG Jin-gao. BcSDR1 is involved in regulation of glucose transport and cAMP and MAPK signaling pathways in Botrytis cinerea[J]. >Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 2022, 21(9): 2628-2640.
[3] LI Chao-hui, FAN Zhi-li, HUANG Xin-yi, WANG Qin-hu, JIANG Cong, XU Jin-rong, JIN Qiao-jun. Mutations in FgPrp6 suppressive to the Fgprp4 mutant in Fusarium graminearum[J]. >Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 2022, 21(5): 1375-1388.
[4] HAN Rui-cai, XU Zhi-rong, LI Chen-yan, Adnan Rasheed, PAN Xiao-hua, SHI Qing-hua, WU Zi-ming. The removal of nitrate reductase phosphorylation enhances tolerance to ammonium nitrogen deficiency in rice[J]. >Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 2022, 21(3): 631-643.
[5] ZHANG Xu-huan, LIU Hao, MA Xu-hui, ZHOU Gu-yi, RUAN Hong-qiang, CUI Hong-wei, PANG Jun-ling, SIFFAT Ullah Khan, ZONG Na, WANG Ren-zhong, LENG Peng-fei, ZHAO Jun. Genome-wide association study and metabolic pathway prediction of barrenness in maize as a response to high planting density[J]. >Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 2022, 21(12): 3514-3523.
[6] HAN Rui-cai, LI Chen-yan, Adnan Rasheed, PAN Xiao-hua, SHI Qing-hua, WU Zi-ming. Reducing phosphorylation of nitrate reductase improves nitrate assimilation in rice[J]. >Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 2022, 21(1): 15-25.
[7] REN Chi, HOU Cheng-li, ZHANG De-quan, LI Xin, XIAO Xiong, BAI Yu-qiang. ATP regulates the phosphorylation and degradation of myofibrillar proteins in ground ovine muscle[J]. >Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 2021, 20(1): 311-318.
[8] LIU Kai, CHEN Zhan, SU Qin, YUE Lei, CHEN Wei-wen, ZHANG Wen-qing. Comparative analysis of the ecological fitness and transcriptome between two genotypes of the brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens[J]. >Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 2020, 19(6): 1501-1511.
[9] JI Shun-xia, SHEN Xiao-na, LIANG Lin, WANG Xiao-di, LIU Wan-xue, WAN Fang-hao, Lü Zhi-chuang. Molecular characteristics and temperature tolerance function of the transient receptor potential in the native Bemisia tabaci AsiaII3 cryptic species[J]. >Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 2020, 19(11): 2746-2757.
[10] WEI Ke-ke, LI Jie, DING Tian-bo, LIU Tong-xian, CHU Dong . Transmission characteristics of Tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV) by Bemisia tabaci MED and its effects on host preference of vector whitefly[J]. >Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 2019, 18(9): 2107-2114.
[11] RAO Gang-shun, Umair Ashraf, KONG Lei-lei, MO Zhao-wen, XIAO Li-zhong, ZHONG Ke-you, Fahd Rasul, TANG Xiang-ru.
Low soil temperature and drought stress conditions at flowering stage affect physiology and pollen traits of rice
[J]. >Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 2019, 18(8): 1859-1870.
[12] WANG Ying, LI Xin, LI Zheng, DU Man-ting, ZHU Jie, ZHANG She-qi, ZHANG De-quan. Phosphorylation of sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar proteins in three ovine muscles during postmortem ageing[J]. >Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 2019, 18(7): 1643-1651.
[13] QIU You-wen, FENG Zhe, FU Ming-ming, YUAN Xiao-han, LUO Chao-chao, YU Yan-bo, FENG Yanzhong, WEI Qi, LI Feng-lan. GsMAPK4, a positive regulator of soybean tolerance to salinity stress[J]. >Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 2019, 18(2): 372-380.
[14] YAN Lei, Tariq Shah, CHENG Yong, Lü Yan, ZHANG Xue-kun, ZOU Xi-ling. Physiological and molecular responses to cold stress in rapeseed (Brassica napus L.)[J]. >Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 2019, 18(12): 2742-2752.
[15] WANG Ran, WANG Jin-da, CHE Wu-nan, SUN Yan, LI Wen-xiang, LUO Chen .
Characterization of field-evolved resistance to cyantraniliprole in Bemisia tabaci MED from China
[J]. >Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 2019, 18(11): 2571-2578.
No Suggested Reading articles found!