20‐hydroxyecdysone transcriptionally regulates humoral immunity in the fat body of Helicoverpa armigera

摘要: 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) increases its titre level during the wandering stage and influences innate immunity in many holometabolous insects. However, function of 20E as an immune-activator or -suppressor needs to be determined. Here, transcriptome peptidoglycan-challenged fat body cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera, was analysed using Illumina sequencing technology. Overall, 32 073 unigenes were assembled with a mean length 643 nucleotides. Gene expression dynamics individuals investigated by digital gene system. Pattern recognition receptors [such peptidoglycan protein B (PGRP B), PGRP S2 precursor, C-type lectin 5, hemolin β-1,3-glucan 2a] antimicrobial peptides (namely attacin, gloverin, gloverin precursor, gloverin-like, cecropin 2, D, D-like i-type lysozyme) significantly increased their mRNA levels stage. treatment induced these genes. Antibacterial activities also enhanced after injections. Bacillus subtilis B, D lebocin-like These results demonstrate that acts enhancing humoral H. armigera.