Performance of Arma chinensis reared on an artificial diet formulated using transcriptomic methods

Authors: ZOU, D. Y. - Tianjin Institute Of Plant Protection; Coudron, Thomas; ZHANG, L. S. - Chinese Academy Of Agricultural Sciences; GU, X.S. - Tianjin Institute Of Plant Protection; XU, W.H. - Tianjin Institute Of Plant Protection; WU, H. H. - Tianjin Agricultural University

Submitted to: Bulletin of Entomological Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/14/2018
Publication Date: 2/21/2018
Citation: Zou, D., Coudron, T.A., Zhang, L., Gu, X., Xu, W., Wu, H. 2018. Performance of Arma chinensis reared on an artificial diet formulated using transcriptomic methods. Bulletin of Entomological Research. 109:24-33. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007485318000111.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007485318000111

Interpretive Summary: Arma chinensis is a beneficial insect that preys on numerous agricultural and forest pests. Consequently, there is a commercial market for this predatory insect but producing the predator by feeding it natural prey is too expensive and requires specialized facilities. An artificial diet was developed which simplified the rearing methods but did not result in normal development. A new formulation was produced based on changes in gene expression caused by the diet. The new formulation improved several developmental parameters and also demonstrated the potential for using gene expression information to help direct diet formulations. Researchers and industry will benefit from this new method of diet formulation.

Technical Abstract: An artificial diet formulated for continuous rearing of the predator Arma chinensis was inferior to natural prey when evaluated using life history parameters. A transcriptome analysis identified differentially expressed genes in diet-fed and prey-fed A. chinensis that were suggestive of molecular mechanisms underlying the nutritive impact of the artificial diet. Changes in the diet formulation were made based on the transcriptome analysis and tested using life history parameters. The quantity of pig liver, chicken egg, tuna fish, biotin, nicotinamide, vitamin B6, thiamine, riboflavin, vitamin C, L-glutamine and sucrose were reduced, and wheat germ oil, calcium panthothenate and folic acid were increased. Eecuadorian shrimp was added as a partial substitute for tuna fish. Several parameters improved over 6 generations, including increased egg viability, decreased egg and adult cannibalism. Additionally, several parameters declined, including longer developmental times for 2nd - 5th instars, and decreased nymphal weights, The improvements in life history parameters support the use of transcriptome analyses to help direct formulation improvements. However, the decline in some parameters suggest that additional information, e.g., proteomic data, may be useful as well to maximize diet formulations.