AUTHOR=Shen Yan , Chen Yuan-Zhi , Lou Yi-Han , Zhang Chuan-Xi TITLE=Vitellogenin and Vitellogenin-Like Genes in the Brown Planthopper JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physiology VOLUME=Volume 10 - 2019 YEAR=2019 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2019.01181 DOI=10.3389/fphys.2019.01181 ISSN=1664-042X ABSTRACT=Vitellogenin (Vg) is precursor of vitellin. Here, we identiļ¬ed a Vg (NlVg) and two Vg-likes (NlVg-like1 and NlVg-like2) from the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens. Phylogenetic analyses showed that NlVg-like1 and NlVg-like2 are not clustered within the conventional insect Vgs involved in vitellogenesis. Temporo-spatial expression analysis showed that NlVg and NlVg-like2 transcript levels increased significantly 24 h after emergence and mainly expressed in female adults. However, NlVg-like1 was expressed during all stages and both genders. Tissue-specific analysis showed that all three genes were most highly expressed in the fat body. The injection of double-stranded RNA targeting NlVg showed that NlVg is essential not only for oocyte development, but also nymph development. Knockdown of NlVg-like1 in female adults resulted 18% of offspring embryos failing to hatch and dying before leaving the eggshell, suggesting that it plays an important role in late embryogenesis. About 65% of eggs laid by females treated with double-stranded RNA targeting NlVg-like2 could not hatch, indicating its role in nutrition absorption for oocyte or embryonic development. Our results illustrate the structural and functional differences of the Vg and Vg-like genes and provide potential targets for insect pest management based on RNA interference.