Transcriptome profiling analysis reveals the role of Elongases in development and reproduction of Tribolium castaneum

Elongases (ELO) is a large class of enzymes involved in the development and reproduction of insects. Although some ELOs have been isolated and characterized in a small number of insects, little is known about the specific function of ELOs in insects, especially in the regulatory mechanism of ELOs. In this study, the function and regulation of TcELO were investigated in Tribolium castaneum. Spatiotemporal expression profiling indicated that TcELO expressed in all development stages, and high expressed in the head, epidermis, and ovary of T. castaneum. By comparing the transcriptome profiles of RNAi-treated larvae (dsTcELO) and control larvae of T. canstaneum using RNA sequencing, 320 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified from the ds-ELO-treated group. Compared with the control group, five genes including cytc2, sfxn3 and H2A.V were significantly up-regulated in the dsTcELO group, suggesting that TcELO may be involved in the apoptosis of insect biological cells to control the growth and development system of insects. However, NAT was significantly down-regulated, indicating that it cooperates with TcELO to control the reproductive process of insects. Knockdown of TcELO also significantly up-regulated related genes in environmental adaptation pathways, such as COXIV, COXc6, and ATPs, which suggested that these genes may regulate TcELO to involve in epidermal function of insects and thier adaptability to the environment. These results provide new insights into the regulatory mechanism of TcELO involved in insect physiology, and can provide theoretical support for the control of agricultural pests.