Proteomics-based identification and analysis proteins associated with spirotetramat tolerance in Aphis gossypii Glover

•High level resistance to spirotetramat was developed in laboratory-selected stain of Aphis gossypii.•A comparative proteomic analysis between resistance and susceptible strains was conducted.•The expressions of 35 proteins significantly changed in resistant and susceptible aphids.•The ACC, HSP70, fatty acid synthase, etc. may account for spirotetramat resistance. Spirotetramat were now widely used for control insecticides resistant aphids since 2011 in China. In order to elucidate the possible resistance mechanism, a laboratory selected resistant strain (SR) of cotton aphid was established with a 578.93-fold and 14.91-fold resistance ratio to spirotetramat for adult aphids and nymph, respectively, as compared with the susceptible strain (SS). In this study, a comparative proteomic analysis between SR and SS strains were conducted aims to better understand the resistant cotton aphids' spirotetramat tolerance mechanism. Approximately 493 protein spots were detected in the two-dimension polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2-DE). The intensities of 35 protein spots significantly changed, showing differences more than 2-fold in the SR strain compared with that in the SS strain. Of these spots, 20 protein spots were more abundant in the SR strain and 15 protein spots were more abundant in the SS strain. Twenty six differently expressed proteins were identified and categorized into several functional groups including carbohydrate and energy metabolism, antioxidant system, protein folding, amino acid metabolism, secondary metabolism and cytoskeleton protein, etc. Among these proteins, the acetyl-coA carboxylase (ACC), heat shock protein 70, ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme, fatty acid synthase, UDP-glucose 6-dehydrogenase, etc. are speculated confer the spirotetramat resistance in cotton aphids.