A transcriptomic approach reveals the molecular basis of pre-pupal diapause of Red Banded Mango Caterpillar, Deanolis sublimbalis

The Red Banded Mango Caterpillar (RBMC), Deanolis sublimbalis Snellen (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), a devastating monophagous pest of mango (Mangifera indica L.), enters a pre-pupal diapause in the absence of host fruits synchronizing its life cycle with seasonal fruiting across southeast Asia and Oceania. Considering its unique nature, a detailed de novo transcriptome analysis was carried out on different physiological stages of RBMC pupae to understand the mechanisms underlying diapause. A total of 102 differentially expressed unigenes were identified with altered expression patterns (55 upregulated and 47 downregulated) and consequently mapped to various pathways associated with diapause. Three major pathways, i.e. proteasome, Epstein–Barr virus infection and lipoic acid metabolism were significantly (P < 0.01) enriched during the diapause phase in D. sublimbalis. From the three pathways, 16 differentially expressed genes (15 up-regulated and 1 down-regulated) were identified to play a vital role in diapause management. To our knowledge, no earlier studies have identified diapause-related genes in D. sublimbalis. The information gained from the present study can be exploited to develop control strategies involving molecular tools.