Table_6_Integrative Analysis of lncRNA-mRNA Co-expression Provides Novel Insights Into the Regulation of Developmental Transitions in Female Varroa destructor.XLSX

Varroa destructor is a major pathogenic driver of the Western honeybee colony losses globally. Understanding the developmental regulation of V. destructor is critical to develop effective control measures. Development is a complex biological process regulated by numerous genes and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs); however, the underlying regulation of lncRNAs in the development of V. destructor remains unknown. In this study, we analyzed the RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) data derived from the four stages of female V. destructor in the reproductive phase (i.e., egg, protonymph, deutonymph, and adult). The identified differentially expressed mRNAs and lncRNAs exhibited a stage-specific pattern during developmental transitions. Further functional enrichment established that fat digestion and absorption, ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, and ubiquitin-proteasome pathway play key roles in the maturation of female V. destructor. Moreover, the lncRNAs and mRNAs of some pivotal genes were significantly upregulated at the deutonymph stage, such as cuticle protein 65/6.4/63/38 and mucin 5AC, suggesting that deutonymph is the key stage of metamorphosis development and pathogen resistance acquisition for female V. destructor. Our study provides novel insights into a foundational understanding of V. destructor biology.

狄斯瓦螨（Varroa destructor）是全球范围内引发西方蜜蜂蜂群大规模损失的主要致病驱动因素。阐明狄斯瓦螨的发育调控机制，对于开发高效防控手段具有关键意义。发育是受众多基因与长链非编码RNA（lncRNAs）共同调控的复杂生物学过程，但目前学界对lncRNAs在狄斯瓦螨发育过程中的调控机制仍知之甚少。本研究针对生殖期雌性狄斯瓦螨的四个发育阶段（即卵、前若虫、后若虫及成虫）的RNA测序（RNA-Seq）数据展开分析。鉴定得到的差异表达mRNA与lncRNAs在发育过渡进程中呈现出显著的阶段特异性表达模式。进一步的功能富集分析证实，脂肪消化与吸收、ATP结合盒（ABC）转运蛋白、丝裂原活化蛋白激酶（MAPK）信号通路以及泛素-蛋白酶体通路，在雌性狄斯瓦螨的成熟过程中发挥核心调控作用。此外，部分关键基因的lncRNAs与mRNA在其后若虫阶段显著上调，包括表皮蛋白65/6.4/63/38以及黏蛋白5AC，这表明后若虫是雌性狄斯瓦螨变态发育与获得病原体抗性的关键阶段。本研究为深入解析狄斯瓦螨的生物学特性提供了全新的理论视角。