Functional Analysis of SlGSTE12 in Pyrethroid and Organophosphate Resistance in Spodoptera litura

Glutathione S-transferase genes in the epsilon group were reported to function in insecticide resistance. SlGSTE12 was validated to be overexpressed in pyrethroid- and organophosphate-resistant populations of Spodoptera litura compared to a susceptible population. A functional study of heterologously expressed SlGSTE12 showed that K m and V max for 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) conjugating activity were 0.70 ± 0.18 mmol L–1 and 90.6 ± 9.4 nmol mg–1 min–1, respectively. β-Cypermethrin and cyhalothrin showed much weaker inhibition of SlGSTE12 activity to CDNB conjugation than fenvalerate, chlorpyrifos, and phoxim. Ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography analysis showed that SlGSTE12 had significant metabolism activity to fenvalerate and phoxim both in vitro and in Escherichia coli, especially to chlorpyrifos, and slight metabolism activity toward cyhalothrin only in vitro. Silencing of SlGSTE12 by RNAi increased the mortality to fenvalerate, cyhalothrin, and chlorpyrifos significantly. SlGSTE12 also had a significant antioxidant ability against cumene hydroperoxide. Our study suggested that SlGSTE12 could metabolize phoxim, fenvalerate, cyhalothrin, and especially chlorpyrifos. SlGSTE12 might also participate in pyrethroid and organophosphate resistance by antioxidant activity.