PXD059809-1

PXD059809 is an original dataset announced via ProteomeXchange.

Title	Saliva and silk proteins in spider mites: dual roles in feeding and silk fiber coating
Description	Spider mites are leaf cell-sucking herbivores that spin nanoscale silk fibers released from their second mouthpart appendages. Previous studies computationally predicted 17 silk protein genes by whole genome sequencing in the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, while two novel candidates, Fibroin-1 and Fibroin-2, were detected in the silk proteome. In addition, Fibroin-1, sFibroin-1 (high sequence similarity to Fibroin-1), and Fibroin-2 proteins were also detected in the saliva proteome. We investigated whether these three proteins function as silk, saliva, or both. The mRNA for Fibroin-1, sFibroin-1, and Fibroin-2 were all expressed in the salivary glands. Micro-CT scanning confirmed no direct connection between salivary glands and silk glands, i.e., saliva and silk meet each other during simultaneous secretion and spinning. Silk proteomics performed in the present study detected proteins encoded by 8 of the 17 originally predicted genes, as well as Fibroin-1, sFibroin-1, and Fibroin-2 proteins. In addition, cryo-SEM imaging visualized a bead-on-a-string pattern formed by a fluid on the silk fiber, as well as a fluid patch that remains at the piercing site on the leaf surface after mite feeding. Furthermore, RNAi-mediated silencing of Fibroin-1 and sFibroin-1 reduced the feeding duration of mites, resulting in low survival and fecundity. Fibroin-2 RNAi reduced the thickness of single filaments of silk fibers. These results suggest that Fibroin-1, sFibroin-1, and Fibroin-2 proteins are secreted from the salivary glands and then adhere to silk fibers. Fibroin-1 and sFibroin-1 proteins support mites establishing a stable piercing site by adhering the tip of the mouthparts to the leaf surface to suck leaf cell contents with their stylets, while Fibroin-2 coats silk fibers. Eight originally predicted genes are still candidates for silk protein genes. This study revealed the two roles of saliva in leaf cell-sucking herbivorous mites, which include stabilizing mouthparts during feeding and coating silk fibers, providing them with adhesive properties.
HostingRepository	jPOST
AnnounceDate	2025-08-27
AnnouncementXML	Submission_2025-08-26_08:00:04.639.xml
DigitalObjectIdentifier
ReviewLevel	Non peer-reviewed dataset
DatasetOrigin	Original dataset
RepositorySupport	Unsupported dataset by repository
PrimarySubmitter	Yuka Arai
SpeciesList	scientific name: cellular organisms; NCBI TaxID: 131567;
ModificationList	S-carboxamidomethyl-L-cysteine; L-methionine sulfoxide; residues isobaric at 113.084064 Da; N6-acetyl-L-lysine; Met-loss; Met-loss+Acetyl
Instrument	instrument

Revision	Datetime	Status	ChangeLog Entry
0	2025-01-14 23:30:57	ID requested
⏵ 1	2025-08-26 08:00:05	announced

Dataset with its publication pending

submitter keyword: acari, spider mites, silk, fibroin, RNAi

Takeshi Suzuki
lab head
Yuka Arai
contact affiliation	Tokyo university of agriculture and technology
dataset submitter

jPOST dataset URI

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