AUTHOR=Cui Xuepei , Wang Chen , Wang Xinxin , Li Guilin , Liu Zhenguo , Wang Hongfang , Guo Xingqi , Xu Baohua 

TITLE=Molecular Mechanism of the UDP-Glucuronosyltransferase 2B20-like Gene (AccUGT2B20-like) in Pesticide Resistance of Apis cerana cerana

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Genetics

VOLUME=Volume 11 - 2020

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/genetics/articles/10.3389/fgene.2020.592595

DOI=10.3389/fgene.2020.592595

ISSN=1664-8021

ABSTRACT=<p>UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs), being multifunctional detoxification enzymes, play a major role in the process of resistance to various pesticides in insects. However, the mechanism underlying the molecular regulation of pesticide resistance remains unclear, especially in <italic>Apis cerana cerana</italic>. In this study, all of the UGTs in <italic>Apis cerana cerana</italic> (AccUGT) have been identified through the multiple alignment and phylogenetic analysis. Expression of AccUGT genes under different pesticides, and antioxidant genes after silencing of <italic>AccUGT2B20-like</italic>, were detected by qRT-PCR. The resistance of overexpressed <italic>AccUGT2B20-like</italic> to oxidative stress was investigated by an <italic>Escherichia coli</italic> overexpression system. Also, antioxidant-related enzyme activity was detected after silencing of the <italic>AccUGT2B20-like</italic> gene. Expression pattern analysis showed that almost all UGT genes were upregulated under different pesticide treatments. This result indicated that AccUGTs participate in the detoxification process of pesticides. <italic>AccUGT2B20-like</italic> was the major gene because it was more highly induced than the others. Overexpression of <italic>AccUGT2B20-like</italic> in <italic>E. coli</italic> could effectively improve oxidative stress resistance. Specifically, silencing the <italic>AccUGT2B20-like</italic> gene increased oxidative stress by repressing the expression of oxidation-related genes, decreasing antioxidant-related enzyme activity, and increasing malondialdehyde concentration. Taken together, our results indicate that AccUGTs are involved in pesticide resistance, among which, <italic>AccUGT2B20-like</italic> contributes to the detoxification of pesticides by eliminating oxidative stress in <italic>Apis cerana cerana</italic>. This study explains the molecular basis for the resistance of bees to pesticides and provides an important safeguard for maintaining ecological balance.</p>