@article{rajarapu_ben-mahmoud_benoit_ullman_whitfield_rotenberg_2022, title={Sex-biased proteomic response to tomato spotted wilt virus infection of the salivary glands of Frankliniella occidentalis, the western flower thrips}, volume={149}, ISSN={["1879-0240"]}, DOI={10.1016/j.ibmb.2022.103843}, abstractNote={Successful transmission of tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) by Frankliniella occidentalis requires robust infection of the salivary glands (SGs) and virus delivery to plants during salivation. Feeding behavior and transmission efficiency are sexually-dimorphic traits of this thrips vector species. Proteins secreted from male and female SG tissues, and the effect of TSWV infection on the thrips SG proteome are unknown. To begin to discern thrips factors that facilitate virus infection of SGs and transmission by F. occidentalis, we used gel- and label-free quantitative and qualitative proteomics to address two hypotheses: (i) TSWV infection modifies the composition and/or abundance of SG-expressed proteins in adults; and (ii) TSWV has a differential effect on the male and female SG proteome and secreted saliva. Our study revealed a sex-biased SG proteome for F. occidentalis, and TSWV infection modulated the SG proteome in a sex-dependent manner as evident by the number, differential abundance, identities and generalized roles of the proteins. Male SGs exhibited a larger proteomic response to the virus than female SGs. Intracellular processes modulated by TSWV in males indicated perturbation of SG cytoskeletal networks and cell-cell interactions, i.e., basement membrane (BM) and extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, and subcellular processes consistent with a metabolic slow-down under infection. Several differentially-abundant proteins in infected male SGs play critical roles in viral life cycles of other host-virus pathosystems. In females, TSWV modulated processes consistent with tissue integrity and active translational and transcriptional regulation. A core set of proteins known for their roles in plant cell-wall degradation and protein metabolism were identified in saliva of both sexes, regardless of virus infection status. Saliva proteins secreted by TSWV-infected adults indicated energy generation, consumption and protein turnover, with an enrichment of cytoskeletal/BM/ECM proteins and tricarboxylic acid cycle proteins in male and female saliva, respectively. The nonstructural TSWV protein NSs - a multifunctional viral effector protein reported to target plant defenses against TSWV and thrips - was identified in female saliva. This study represents the first description of the SG proteome and secretome of a thysanopteran and provides many candidate proteins to further unravel the complex interplay between the virus, insect vector, and plant host.}, journal={INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY}, author={Rajarapu, Swapna Priya and Ben-Mahmoud, Sulley and Benoit, Joshua B. and Ullman, Diane E. and Whitfield, Anna E. and Rotenberg, Dorith}, year={2022}, month={Oct} }
 @misc{mittapelly_rajarapu_2020, title={Applications of Proteomic Tools to Study Insect Vector-Plant Virus Interactions}, volume={10}, ISSN={["2075-1729"]}, DOI={10.3390/life10080143}, abstractNote={Proteins are crucial players of biological interactions within and between the organisms and thus it is important to understand the role of proteins in successful partnerships, such as insect vectors and their plant viruses. Proteomic approaches have identified several proteins at the interface of virus acquisition and transmission by their insect vectors which could be potential molecular targets for sustainable pest and viral disease management strategies. Here we review the proteomic techniques used to study the interactions of insect vector and plant virus. Our review will focus on the techniques available to identify the infection, global changes at the proteome level in insect vectors, and protein-protein interactions of insect vectors and plant viruses. Furthermore, we also review the integration of other techniques with proteomics and the available bioinformatic tools to analyze the proteomic data.}, number={8}, journal={LIFE-BASEL}, author={Mittapelly, Priyanka and Rajarapu, Swapna Priya}, year={2020}, month={Aug} }
 @article{rotenberg_baumann_ben-mahmoud_christiaens_dermauw_ioannidis_jacobs_vargas jentzsch_oliver_poelchau_et al._2020, title={Genome-enabled insights into the biology of thrips as crop pests}, volume={18}, ISSN={["1741-7007"]}, DOI={10.1186/s12915-020-00862-9}, abstractNote={Abstract Background The western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), is a globally invasive pest and plant virus vector on a wide array of food, fiber, and ornamental crops. The underlying genetic mechanisms of the processes governing thrips pest and vector biology, feeding behaviors, ecology, and insecticide resistance are largely unknown. To address this gap, we present the F. occidentalis draft genome assembly and official gene set. Results We report on the first genome sequence for any member of the insect order Thysanoptera. Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Ortholog (BUSCO) assessments of the genome assembly (size = 415.8 Mb, scaffold N50 = 948.9 kb) revealed a relatively complete and well-annotated assembly in comparison to other insect genomes. The genome is unusually GC-rich (50%) compared to other insect genomes to date. The official gene set (OGS v1.0) contains 16,859 genes, of which ~ 10% were manually verified and corrected by our consortium. We focused on manual annotation, phylogenetic, and expression evidence analyses for gene sets centered on primary themes in the life histories and activities of plant-colonizing insects. Highlights include the following: (1) divergent clades and large expansions in genes associated with environmental sensing (chemosensory receptors) and detoxification (CYP4, CYP6, and CCE enzymes) of substances encountered in agricultural environments; (2) a comprehensive set of salivary gland genes supported by enriched expression; (3) apparent absence of members of the IMD innate immune defense pathway; and (4) developmental- and sex-specific expression analyses of genes associated with progression from larvae to adulthood through neometaboly, a distinct form of maturation differing from either incomplete or complete metamorphosis in the Insecta. Conclusions Analysis of the F. occidentalis genome offers insights into the polyphagous behavior of this insect pest that finds, colonizes, and survives on a widely diverse array of plants. The genomic resources presented here enable a more complete analysis of insect evolution and biology, providing a missing taxon for contemporary insect genomics-based analyses. Our study also offers a genomic benchmark for molecular and evolutionary investigations of other Thysanoptera species.}, number={1}, journal={BMC BIOLOGY}, author={Rotenberg, Dorith and Baumann, Aaron A. and Ben-Mahmoud, Sulley and Christiaens, Olivier and Dermauw, Wannes and Ioannidis, Panagiotis and Jacobs, Chris G. C. and Vargas Jentzsch, Iris M. and Oliver, Jonathan E. and Poelchau, Monica F. and et al.}, year={2020}, month={Oct} }
 @article{rotenberg_baumann_ben-mahmoud_christiaens_dermauw_ioannidis_jacobs_jentzsch_oliver_poelchau_et al._2020, title={Genome-enabled insights into the biology of thrips as crop pests (vol 18, 142, 2020)}, volume={18}, ISSN={["1741-7007"]}, DOI={10.1186/s12915-020-00915-z}, abstractNote={An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.}, number={1}, journal={BMC BIOLOGY}, author={Rotenberg, Dorith and Baumann, Aaron A. and Ben-Mahmoud, Sulley and Christiaens, Olivier and Dermauw, Wannes and Ioannidis, Panagiotis and Jacobs, Chris G. C. and Jentzsch, Iris M. Vargas and Oliver, Jonathan E. and Poelchau, Monica F. and et al.}, year={2020}, month={Nov} }
 @article{rajarapu_bansal_mittapelly_michel_2020, title={Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Functional Diversity in Salivary Glands of Plant Virus Vector, Graminella nigrifrons}, volume={11}, ISSN={["2073-4425"]}, DOI={10.3390/genes11111289}, abstractNote={Insect salivary glands play an important role for host feeding, specifically by secreting salivary proteins for digestion and potentially modulating host defenses. Compared to other hemipterans, the significance of salivary glands is less studied in the black-faced leafhopper, Graminella nigrifrons, a crop pest that vectors several agronomically important plant viruses. To identify functionally important genes in the salivary glands of the black-faced leafhopper, we compared transcriptomes between adult salivary glands (SG) and the remaining carcasses. We identified 14,297 salivary gland-enriched transcripts and 195 predicted secretory peptides (i.e., with a signal peptide and extracellular localization characteristics). Overall, the SG transcriptome included functions such as ‘oxidoreduction’, ‘membrane transport’, and ‘ATP-binding’, which might be important for the fundamental physiology of this tissue. We further evaluated transcripts with potential contributions in host feeding using RT-qPCR. Two SG-enriched transcripts (log2 fold change > 5), GnP19 and GnE63 (a putative calcium binding protein), were significantly upregulated in maize-fed adults relative to starved adults, validating their importance in feeding. The SG-enriched transcripts of the black-faced leafhopper could play a potential role for interacting with maize and could be targets of interest for further functional studies and improve pest control and disease transmission.}, number={11}, journal={GENES}, author={Rajarapu, Swapna Priya and Bansal, Raman and Mittapelly, Priyanka and Michel, Andrew}, year={2020}, month={Nov} }