AUTHOR=Chen Hao-Hao , Liu Yi-Lai , Liu Xin-Yang , Zhang Jin-Li , Xu Hai-Jun 

TITLE=Functional Analysis of Nuclear Factor Y in the Wing-Dimorphic Brown Planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Hemiptera: Delphacidae)

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Genetics

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/genetics/articles/10.3389/fgene.2020.585320

DOI=10.3389/fgene.2020.585320

ISSN=1664-8021

ABSTRACT=<p>Nuclear factor Y (NF-Y) is a heterotrimeric transcription factor with the ability to bind to a CCAAT box in nearly all eukaryotes. However, the function of NF-Y in the life-history traits of insects is unclear. Here, we identified three NF-Y subunits, <italic>Nl</italic>NF-YA, <italic>Nl</italic>NF-YB, and <italic>Nl</italic>NF-YC, in the wing-dimorphic brown planthopper (BPH), <italic>Nilaparvata lugens</italic>. Spatio-temporal analysis indicated that <italic>NlNF-YA</italic>, <italic>NlNF-YB</italic>, and <italic>NlNF-YC</italic> distributed extensively in various body parts of fourth-instar nymphs, and were highly expressed at the egg stage. RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated silencing showed that knockdown of <italic>NlNF-YA</italic>, <italic>NlNF-YB</italic>, or <italic>NlNF-YC</italic> in third-instar nymphs significantly extended the fifth-instar duration, and decreased nymph-adult molting rate. The addition of 20-hydroxyecdysone could specifically rescue the defect in adult molting caused by <italic>NlNF-YA</italic><sup>RNAi</sup>, indicating that <italic>Nl</italic>NF-Y might modulate the ecdysone signaling pathway in the BPH. In addition, <italic>NlNF-YA</italic><sup>RNAi</sup>, <italic>NlNF-YB</italic><sup>RNAi</sup>, or <italic>NlNF-YC</italic><sup>RNAi</sup> led to small and moderately malformed forewings and hindwings, and impaired the normal assembly of indirect flight muscles. Adult BPHs treated with <italic>NlNF-YA</italic><sup>RNAi</sup>, <italic>NlNF-YB</italic><sup>RNAi</sup>, or <italic>NlNF-YC</italic><sup>RNAi</sup> produced fewer eggs, and eggs laid by these BPHs had arrested embryogenesis. These findings deepen our understanding of NF-Y function in hemipteran insects.</p>