PDIA6 is a member of the protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) family, shows disulfide isomerase activity and oxidoreductase activity, and can act as a molecular chaperone. Its biological functions include modulating apoptosis, regulating the proliferation and invasion of cancer cells, supporting thrombosis and modulating insulin secretion. However, the roles of PDIA6 in Apis cerana cerana are poorly understood. Herein, we obtained the PDIA6 gene from A. cerana cerana (AccPDIA6). We investigated the expression patterns of AccPDIA6 in response to oxidative stress induced by H2O2, UV, HgCl2, extreme temperatures (4 °C, 42 °C) and pesticides (thiamethoxam and hexythiazox) and found that AccPDIA6 was upregulated by these treatments. Western blot analysis indicated that AccPDIA6 was also upregulated by oxidative stress at the protein level. In addition, a survival test demonstrated that the survival rate of E. coli cells expressing AccPDIA6 increased under oxidative stress, suggesting a possible antioxidant function of AccPDIA6. In addition, we tested the transcripts of other antioxidant genes and found that some of them were downregulated in AccPDIA6 knockdown samples. It was also discovered that the antioxidant enzymatic activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) decreased in AccPDIA6-silenced bees. Moreover, the survival rate of AccPDIA6 knockdown bees decreased under oxidative stress, implying that AccPDIA6 may function in the oxidative stress response by enhancing the viability of honeybees. Taken together, these results indicated that AccPDIA6 may play an essential role in counteracting oxidative stress.
Keywords: Apis cerana cerana; Oxidative stress; PDIA6; RNA interference (RNAi); Site-directed mutagenesis; Survival function.
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