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Infected insect gut reveals differentially expressed proteins for cellular redox, metal resistance and secretion system in Yersinia enterocolitica-Helicoverpa armigera pathogenic model

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Abstract

Objective

Mouse infection models are frequently used to study the host–pathogen interaction studies. However, due to several constraints, there is an urgent need for a simple, rapid, easy to handle, inexpensive, and ethically acceptable in vivo model system for studying the virulence of enteropathogens. Thus, the present study was performed to develop the larvae of Helicoverpa armigera as a rapid-inexpensive in vivo model system to evaluate the effect of Yersinia enterocolitica strain 8081 on its midgut via a label-free proteomic approach.

Results

Helicoverpa armigera larvae fed with Yersinia enterocolitica strain 8081 manifested significant reduction in body weight and damage in midgut. On performing label-free proteomic study, secretory systems, putative hemolysin, and two-component system emerged as the main pathogenic proteins. Further, proteome comparison between control and Yersinia added diet-fed (YADF) insects revealed altered cytoskeletal proteins in response to increased melanization (via a prophenoloxidase cascade) and free radical generation. In concurrence, FTIR-spectroscopy, and histopathological and biochemical analysis confirmed gut damage in YADF insects. Finally, the proteome data suggests that the mechanism of infection and the host response in Y. enterocolitica-H. armigera system mimics Yersinia-mammalian gut interactions.

Conclusions

All data from current study collectively suggest that H. armigera larva can be considered as a potential in vivo model system for studying the enteropathogenic infection by Y. enterocolitica strain 8081.

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Data availability

The raw data supporting the conclusions of this manuscript will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation, to any qualified researcher. The mass spectrometry proteomics data have been deposited to the ProteomeXchange consortium via the proteomics identification database (PRIDE; https://www.ebi.ac.uk/pride/) partner repository with the dataset identifier PXD021304.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Prof. Deepak Pental, Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants (CGMCP), University of Delhi South Campus, New Delhi, India for the insect trial facility. The authors would also like to acknowledge the anonymous reviewers for the meticulous editing.

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Krishna Kant Sharma.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Ethical approval

H. armigera has not been notified under any act or laws and rules thereof of the Government of India as an endangered or threatened species restricting or regulating its collection and observation. Therefore, no permits were required.

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Ahlawat, S., Singh, A.K., Shankar, A. et al. Infected insect gut reveals differentially expressed proteins for cellular redox, metal resistance and secretion system in Yersinia enterocolitica-Helicoverpa armigera pathogenic model. Biotechnol Lett 43, 1845–1867 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-021-03157-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-021-03157-3

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