Developmental characterization and environmental stress responses of Y-box binding protein 1 gene (AccYB-1) from Apis cerana cerana

• Published in: Gene Vol. 674; pp. 37 - 48
• Main Authors: Li, Guilin, Wang, Lijun, Wang, Ying, Li, Han, Liu, Zhenguo, Wang, Hongfang, Xu, Baohua, Guo, Xingqi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 20.10.2018
• Subjects: Apis cerana cerana; Environmental stresses; Growth and development; RNA interference; Y-box binding protein 1; RNA interference; YB-1; Grx; H2O2; AccYB-1; A1; GFP; Pb; UTR; Pd; CdxA; CSD; NCBI; Environmental stresses; BR-C; Pi; HSF; Trx; A30; A. cerana cerana; dsRNA; Pp; UV; Growth and development; RNAi; Hsp; A15; L1; Apis cerana cerana; Pw; GST; L7; Y-box binding protein 1
• DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2018.06.071
• ISSN: 0378-1119

Y-box binding protein 1 (YB-1) is a member of the cold shock domain protein superfamily and is involved in development, environmental stresses and DNA oxidative damage in many organisms. However, the precise functions of YB-1 are still not well understood in various insects, including bees. In the current study, we identified a YB-1 gene in Apis cerana cerana (AccYB-1). The predicted cis-acting elements in the promoter sequence of AccYB-1 indicated its possible roles in development and stress responses. AccYB-1 expression was higher in one-day-old larvae and dark-eyed pupae than in other development stages. Tissue-specific expression analysis showed that the mRNA level of AccYB-1 was higher in the thorax and midgut than in other tissues. The results from real-time PCR showed that AccYB-1 was induced by many environmental stresses. Silencing AccYB-1 downregulated the transcriptional level of some growth- and development-related genes and antioxidant genes and decreased the enzyme activities of several antioxidant-related enzymes, further indicating a possible function of AccYB-1 in growth, development and stress responses. Taken together, our findings suggest that AccYB-1 may play an indispensable role in growth and development and environmental stress responses in Apis cerana cerana. To our knowledge, this is the first paper to explore the role of YB-1 in bees. •Identification and bioinformatics analysis of YB-1 from Apis cerana cerana.•AccYB-1 can express in many development stages and tissues in Apis cerana cerana.•The mRNA levels of AccYB-1 were induced under various environmental stresses.•RNAi AccYB-1 reduced development-related genes and antioxidant genes mRNA levels.•RNAi AccYB-1 decreased the enzyme activities of several antioxidant-related enzymes.