Identification and transcriptional response of ATP-binding cassette transporters to beta-cypermethrin in the poultry red mite, Dermanyssus gallinae

Dermanyssus gallinae, a worldwide pest in birds, has developed varying degrees of resistance to insecticides. The ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters are essential for the removal of xenobiotics from arthropods. However, our knowledge about ABC transporter proteins in D. gallinae is limited. Forty ABC transporters were identified in the transcriptome and genome of D. gallinae. The resistant population displayed an augmented metabolic rate for beta-cypermethrin compared to the susceptible group, with a remarkable increase in the content of ABC transporters. Verapamil was found able to increase the toxicity of beta-cypermethrin in the resistant population. Results from qRT-PCR analysis showed that eleven ABC transcripts were more highly expressed in the resistant population than the susceptible group at all stages of development, and beta-cypermethrin was observed to be able to induce the expression of DgABCA5, DgABCB4, DgABCD3, DgABCE1 and DgABCG5 in D. gallinae. RNAi-mediated knockdown of the five genes was observed to increase the susceptibility of resistant mites to beta-cypermethrin. These results suggest that ABC transporters, DgABCA5, DgABCB4, DgABCD3, DgABCE1 and DgABCG5 genes, may be related to beta-cypermethrin resistance in D. gallinae. This research will serve as a foundation for further studies on mechanism of insecticide resistance, which could be beneficial for controlling D. gallinae. [Display omitted] •Identification and characterization of the ABC transporters from the genome database and transcriptomic of PRM.•Resistant population was able to metabolize beta-cypermethrin at a much faster rate than the susceptible population in PRM.•The contents of ABC transporters were enhanced in the resistant population than in the susceptible population of PRM.•Knockdown of ABCA5, ABCB4, ABCD3, ABCE1 and ABCG5 increased the mortality to beta-cypermethrin.