Glutathione-S-transferase plays a regulatory role in the oxidative stress response of Megalurothrips usitatus under environmental stress conditions

The escalating environmental pollution, coupled with the degradation of the ozone layer, has led to an increase in ultraviolet radiation (UV) at the Earth’s surface. There is also a growing accumulation of pesticide residues in the environment. These stressors are exerting a profound impact on insect populations. When insects are subjected to adverse environmental stressors, their antioxidant enzymes can quickly respond with appropriate feedback adjustments, facilitating their adaptation to environmental changes. Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs), integral members of a multifunctional supergene family in insects, are pivotal in countering environmental stress and detoxifying chemical agents. Through transcriptomic screening and RT-qPCR, this investigation identified MuGSTS1 as a gene whose expression is significantly altered under UV stress. The application of RNAi confirmed the gene’s function in managing oxidative stress induced by UV and lambda-cyhalothrin. The research demonstrated that Megalurothrips usitatus, the M. usitatus caterpillar, adapts to these stressors by modulating the activity of antioxidant enzymes, thereby exhibiting a robust adaptability to UV light and lambda-cyhalothrin exposure. Experimental silencing of MuGSTS1 has been shown to impair the M. usitatus’s oxidative stress management, resulting in accelerated cellular apoptosis and an increased susceptibility to lambda-cyhalothrin, with sensitivity being augmented by a factor of 2.89. These findings provide a theoretical framework for understanding the adaptive mechanisms of insects to environmental stress.