Brummer-dependent lipid mobilization regulates starvation resistance in Nilaparvata lugens

Energy homeostasis is an essential characteristic of all organisms, requiring fluctuation in energy accumulation, mobilization, and exchange with the external environment. In insects, energy mobilization is under control of the lipase brummer (bmm), which regulates nutritional status by hydrolyzing the ester bonds in triacylglycerol (TAG). In the present study, we investigated the role of bmm in the lipid mobilization and starvation resistance in the brown planthopper (BPH; Nilaparvata lugens), which is economically one of the most important rice pests in Asia. A severe decrease in TAG and glyceride contents was observed in the starved BPHs, while there was a partial rescue after refeeding. The starvation condition caused a significant increase in the expression levels of Nlbmm, and supplement of food after starvation dramatically reduced the Nlbmm expression. Sucrose rescue after starvation significantly suppressed the expression of Nlbmm, while caused an accumulation of TAG and glyceride. Knockdown of Nlbmm by double-stranded RNA treatment extended the lifespan to starvation, whereas it increased the level of TAG and glyceride in the BPHs. The decreased lipolysis rate by dsNlbmm-treated BPHs eventually resulted in increase of starvation resistance. These data demonstrated that the regulation of energy homeostasis by Nlbmm affects starvation resistance, probably through lipid mobilization control in N. lugens.