@article{chen_deguenon_lawrie_roe_2023, title={Biomolecular Minerals and Volcanic Glass Bio-Mimics to Control Adult Sand Flies, the Vector of Human Leishmania Protozoan Parasites}, volume={13}, ISSN={["2218-273X"]}, url={https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/13/8/1235}, DOI={10.3390/biom13081235}, abstractNote={Sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) serve as vectors for transmitting protozoan parasites, Leishmania spp., that cause the disease called leishmaniasis. The main approach to controlling sand flies is the use of chemical insecticides. The discovery of alternative methods for their control is needed because of potential health risks of chemical insecticides and development of sand fly resistance to these pesticides. The biomineral produced by diatoms (diatomaceous earth, DE; Celite) and a volcanic glass bio-mimic (Imergard) have been shown by our group to be efficacious against mosquitoes, filth flies, and ticks but never studied for the control of sand flies. In a modified World Health Organization cone test, 50% of adult Phlebotomus papatasi sand flies at 29 ± 1 °C, 55 ± 5% RH, and 12:12 LD, when exposed to Imergard and Celite, were dead in 13.08 and 7.57 h, respectively. Proof of concept was established for the use of these biominerals for sand fly and leishmaniasis disease control. Using a light source as an attractant to the minerals had no significant effect on the LT50, the time to 50% mortality. The LT50 at a higher relative humidity of 70 ± 5% increased to 20.91 and 20.56 h for Imergard and Celite, respectively, suggesting their mode of action was dehydration. Scanning electron microscopy of dead sand flies showed high coating levels of Celite only on the sides of the thorax and on the tarsi, suggesting an alternative mode of action for mechanical insecticides.}, number={8}, journal={BIOMOLECULES}, author={Chen, Kaiying and Deguenon, Jean Marcel and Lawrie, Roger D. and Roe, R. Michael}, year={2023}, month={Aug} }
 @article{lawrie_mitchell_deguenon_ponnusamy_reisig_pozo-valdivia_kurtz_roe_2022, title={Characterization of Long Non-Coding RNAs in the Bollworm, Helicoverpa zea, and Their Possible Role in Cry1Ac-Resistance}, volume={13}, ISSN={["2075-4450"]}, url={https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/13/1/12}, DOI={10.3390/insects13010012}, abstractNote={Multiple insect pest species have developed field resistance to Bt-transgenic crops. There has been a significant amount of research on protein-coding genes that contribute to resistance, such as the up-regulation of protease activity or altered receptors. However, our understanding of the role of non-protein-coding mechanisms in Bt-resistance is minimal, as is also the case for resistance to chemical pesticides. To address this problem relative to Bt, RNA-seq was used to examine statistically significant, differential gene expression between a Cry1Ac-resistant (~100-fold resistant) and Cry1Ac-susceptible strain of Helicoverpa zea, a prevalent caterpillar pest in the USA. Significant differential expression of putative long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) was found in the Cry1Ac-resistant strain (58 up- and 24 down-regulated gene transcripts with an additional 10 found only in resistant and four only in susceptible caterpillars). These lncRNAs were examined as potential pseudogenes and for their genomic proximity to coding genes, both of which can be indicative of regulatory relationships between a lncRNA and coding gene expression. A possible pseudogenic lncRNA was found with similarities to a cadherin. In addition, putative lncRNAs were found significantly proximal to a serine protease, ABC transporter, and CYP coding genes, potentially involved in the mechanism of Bt and/or chemical insecticide resistance. Characterization of non-coding genetic mechanisms in Helicoverpa zea will improve the understanding of the genomic evolution of insect resistance, improve the identification of specific regulators of coding genes in general (some of which could be important in resistance), and is the first step for potentially targeting these regulators for pest control and resistance management (using molecular approaches, such as RNAi and others).}, number={1}, journal={INSECTS}, author={Lawrie, Roger D. and Mitchell, Robert D. and Deguenon, Jean Marcel and Ponnusamy, Loganathan and Reisig, Dominic and Pozo-Valdivia, Alejandro Del and Kurtz, Ryan W. and Roe, Richard Michael}, year={2022}, month={Jan} }
 @article{deguenon_dhammi_ponnusamy_travanty_cave_lawrie_mott_reisig_kurtz_roe_2021, title={Bacterial Microbiota of Field-Collected Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) from Transgenic Bt and Non-Bt Cotton}, volume={9}, ISSN={["2076-2607"]}, url={https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/9/4/878}, DOI={10.3390/microorganisms9040878}, abstractNote={The bollworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is an important agricultural pest in U.S. cotton and is managed using transgenic hybrids that produce insecticidal proteins from the bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). The reduced efficacy against H. zea caterpillars of Bt plants expressing Cry toxins is increasing in the field. In a first step towards understanding Bt cotton–bollworm–microbiota interactions, we investigated the internal bacterial microbiota of second–third stadium H. zea collected in the field from non-Bt versus Bt (WideStrike) cotton in close proximity (in North Carolina, USA). The bacterial populations were analyzed using culture-dependent and -independent molecular approaches. We found that WideStrike samples had a higher bacterial density and diversity per larva than insects collected from non-Bt cotton over two field seasons: 8.42 ± 0.23 and 5.36 ± 0.75 (log10 colony forming units per insect) for WideStrike compared to 6.82 ± 0.20 and 4.30 ± 0.56 for non-Bt cotton for seasons 1 and 2, respectively. Fifteen phyla, 103 families, and 229 genera were identified after performing Illumina sequencing of the 16S rRNA. At the family level, Enterobacteriaceae and Enterococcaceae were the most abundant taxa. The Enterococcaceae family was comprised mostly of Enterococcus species (E. casseliflavus and another Enterococcus sp.). Members of the Enterococcus genus can acidify their environment and can potentially reduce the alkaline activation of some Bt toxins. These findings argue for more research to better understand the role of cotton–bollworm–bacteria interactions and the impact on Bt toxin caterpillar susceptibility.}, number={4}, journal={MICROORGANISMS}, publisher={MDPI AG}, author={Deguenon, Jean M. and Dhammi, Anirudh and Ponnusamy, Loganathan and Travanty, Nicholas V and Cave, Grayson and Lawrie, Roger and Mott, Dan and Reisig, Dominic and Kurtz, Ryan and Roe, R. Michael}, year={2021}, month={Apr} }
 @article{lawrie_mitchell_dhammi_wallace_hodgson_roe_2020, title={Role of long non-coding RNA in DEET- and fipronil-mediated alteration of transcripts associated with Phase I and Phase II xenobiotic metabolism in human primary hepatocytes}, volume={167}, ISSN={["1095-9939"]}, DOI={10.1016/j.pestbp.2020.104607}, abstractNote={Human exposure to environmental chemicals both individually and in combination occurs frequently world-wide most often with unknown consequences. Use of molecular approaches to aide in the assessment of risk involved in chemical exposure is a growing field in toxicology. In this study, we examined the impact of two environmental chemicals used in and around homes, the insect repellent DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide) and the phenylpyrazole insecticide fipronil (fluocyanobenpyrazole) on transcript levels of enzymes potentially involved in xenobiotic metabolism and on long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Primary human hepatocytes were treated with these two chemicals both individually and in combination. Using RNA-Seq, we found that 10 major enzyme categories involved in phase 1 and phase 2 xenobiotic metabolism were significantly (α = 0.05) up- and down-regulated (i.e., 100 μM DEET–19 transcripts, 89% up and 11% down; 10 μM fipronil–52 transcripts, 53% up and 47% down; and 100 μM DEET +10 μM fipronil–69 transcripts, 43% up and 57% down). The altered genes were then mapped to the human genome and their proximity (within 1,000,000 bp) to lncRNAs examined. Unique proximities were discovered between altered lncRNA and altered P450s (CYP) and other enzymes (DEET, 2 CYP; Fipronil, 6 CYP and 15 other; and DEET + fipronil, 7 CYP and 21 other). Many of the altered P450 transcripts were in multiple clusters in the genome with proximal altered lncRNAs, suggesting a regulator function for the lncRNA. At the gene level there was high percent identity for lncRNAs near P450 clusters, but this relationship was not found at the transcript level. The role of these altered lncRNAs associated with xenobiotic induction, human diseases and chemical mixtures is discussed.}, journal={PESTICIDE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY}, author={Lawrie, Roger D. and Mitchell, Robert D., III and Dhammi, Anirudh and Wallace, Andrew and Hodgson, Ernest and Roe, R. Michael}, year={2020}, month={Jul} }