The miR-166a-3p in exosome-like nanoparticles from Stellera chamaejasme induce insecticidal effects in fall armyworm by disrupting the gut barrier and microbiota

Abstract

Plant-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (ELNs) are a class of extracellular vesicles that have been shown to exert cross-species regulatory effects. This provides a new strategy for discovering novel insecticidal components in plants. In our study, the Stellera chamaejasme-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (Sc-ELNs) were first isolated and characterized. The insecticidal activity assays showed that the Sc-ELNs and miRNAs in it both exhibit inhibitory activity against fall armyworm (FAW) in vivo. It is worth noting that miR-166a-3p agomir can affect the food digestive absorption function of FAW by inducing apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells and reducing the abundance of gut bacteria associated with polysaccharide utilization. Concurrently, multiple tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle-related pathways in bacteria were inhibited by miR-166a-3p agomir. Overall, this study demonstrates that Sc-ELNs and miR-166a-3p in it possess potential insecticidal effect, which provided a new pesticidal perspective for S. chamaejasme.