AUTHOR=Li Guilin , Zhang Shuxin , Wang Hongfang , Liang Li , Liu Zhenguo , Wang Ying , Xu Baohua , Zhao Hang 

TITLE=Differential Expression Characterisation of the Heat Shock Proteins DnaJB6, DnaJshv, DnaJB13, and DnaJB14 in Apis cerana cerana Under Various Stress Conditions

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution

VOLUME=10

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/ecology-and-evolution/articles/10.3389/fevo.2022.873791

DOI=10.3389/fevo.2022.873791

ISSN=2296-701X

ABSTRACT=<p>As key pollinators, bees are frequently exposed to multiple environmental stresses and have developed crucial mechanisms by which they adapt to these stressors. However, the molecular bases mediated at the gene level remain to be discovered. Here, we found four heat shock protein DnaJB subfamily genes, <italic>DnaJB6</italic>, <italic>DnaJshv</italic>, <italic>DnaJB13</italic>, and <italic>DnaJB14</italic>, from <italic>Apis cerana cerana</italic>, that all have J domains in their protein sequences. The expression levels of <italic>DnaJB6</italic> and <italic>DnaJshv</italic> were upregulated by different degrees of heat stress, and the transcript level of <italic>DnaJB14</italic> was gradually upregulated as the degree of heat stress increased, while the mRNA level of <italic>DnaJB13</italic> was downregulated at multiple time points during heat stress treatment. The mRNA levels of all four <italic>DnaJBs</italic> were upregulated by cold and UV stress. In addition, the expression levels of <italic>DnaJB6</italic>, <italic>DnaJshv</italic> and <italic>DnaJB13</italic> were reduced under abamectin, imidacloprid, cypermethrin, bifenthrin, spirodiclofen, and methomyl stresses. The transcript level of <italic>DnaJB14</italic> was decreased by imidacloprid, cypermethrin, spirodiclofen, and methomyl exposure but increased by abamectin and bifenthrin exposure. These results indicate that the demand of <italic>A. cerana cerana</italic> for these four <italic>DnaJBs</italic> differs under various stress conditions. To further explore the role of <italic>DnaJBs</italic> in the stress response, we successfully silenced <italic>DnaJshv</italic> and <italic>DnaJB14</italic>. The content of protein carbonyl was increased, while the content of VC, the enzymatic activities of CAT, GST, and SOD, the mRNA levels of many antioxidant-related genes, and the total antioxidant capacity were reduced after knockdown of <italic>DnaJshv</italic> and <italic>DnaJB14</italic> in <italic>A. cerana cerana</italic>. These results indicate that silencing <italic>DnaJshv</italic> and <italic>DnaJB14</italic> increases oxidative damage and decreases the antioxidant ability of <italic>A. cerana cerana</italic>. Taken together, our results demonstrate that <italic>DnaJB6</italic>, <italic>DnaJshv</italic>, <italic>DnaJB13</italic>, and <italic>DnaJB14</italic> are differentially expressed under stress conditions and play crucial roles in response to various stressors, possibly through the antioxidant signalling pathway. These findings will be conducive to understanding the molecular basis of bee responses to environmental stresses and are beneficial for improving bee protection.</p>