A heat shock protein protects against oxidative stress induced by lambda-cyhalothrin in the green peach aphid Myzus persicae.

Lambda-cyhalothrin (LCT) is a pyrethroid insecticide widely used to control insect pests. Insect exposure to LCT may cause abnormal accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and result in oxidative damage. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) may help protect against oxidative stress. However, little is known about the role of HSPs in response to LCT in the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae. This insect is an important agricultural pest causing severe yield losses in crops. In this study, we characterized a cDNA sequence (MpHsp70) encoding a member of the HSP70 family in M. persicae. MpHsp70 encoded a 623 amino acid protein putatively localized in the cytosol. The highest expression level of MpHsp70 occurred in fourth-instar nymphs. Treatment of M. persicae with LCT resulted in oxidative stress and significantly increased H2O2 and malondialdehyde levels. This led to an elevated transcription level of MpHsp70. Injection of H2O2 into M. persicae also upregulated the MpHsp70 expression level, suggesting that MpHsp70 is responsive to ROS, particularly H2O2, induced by LCT. Recombinant MpHSP70 protein was expressed in Escherichia coli. E. coli cells overexpressing MpHSP70 exhibited significant tolerance to H2O2 and the ROS generators, cumene hydroperoxide and paraquat. This indicated that MpHSP70 protects against oxidative stress. Furthermore, knockdown of MpHsp70 by RNA interference resulted in increased susceptibility in apterous adults of M. persicae to LCT. These findings indicate that MpHsp70 plays an important role in defense against LCT-induced oxidative stress and insecticide susceptibility in M. persicae.