1st Place: D3035: Verson’s gland gene expression analysis in the fall armyworm implicates its function in molting and antimicrobial response during metamorphosis

Verson’s glands are segmentally paired giant dermal glands attached to the epidermis of typical lepidopteran larva. They are believed to secrete molting fluid during each molt. Morphological, histochemical, developmental, and protein analysis studies have so far been done to identify physiological functions of Verson’s glands. However, the exact function of Verson’s glands remains unclear. In our previous study, a strain of transgenic fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda expressing green fluorescence protein (GFP) and Systemic RNA interference defective protein 1 (SID-1) from Caenorhabditis elegans was established to increase the RNA interference (RNAi) efficiency. Unexpectedly, we found that GFP fluorescence was significantly higher in Verson’s glands than in other tissues. This made Verson’s gland visible under fluorescence. We took advantage of this unexpected phenomenon to explore the functions of Verson’s glands. RNA-seq analysis revealed that Verson’s glands express genes coding for molting fluid proteins, cuticular proteins, and antimicrobial peptides. Our study suggests that Verson’s gland may contribute to new cuticle formation and immune response during molting.