Transcriptomic Plasticity in the Small Hive Beetle (Aethina tumida) Under Heat Stress

Global warming is increasing in severity, affecting insects across various biological species. This study investigated the heat resistance ability of the small hive beetle (Aethina tumida) by studying gene expression under heat stress and showed that A. tumida exhibits strong heat resistance and transcriptomic plasticity under heat stress. RNA-seq analysis identified 547, 1127, and 866 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) at 38 °C, 42 °C, and 46 °C, respectively, compared to 25 °C. Among them, 16, 25, and 5 heat shock protein (HSP) genes were differentially expressed under the three heat stress conditions. Specifically, one HSP70 gene (Loc109602670) was consistently upregulated across all temperatures. Furthermore, the lysosome-related pathway was the top enriched pathway under heat treatments, with key genes such as lysosomal aspartic protease-like, cathepsin L1-like, and lipase 3-like significantly upregulated. Overall, these findings suggest that A. tumida exhibits transcriptomic plasticity under sublethal heat stress, and key HSP genes with genes from lysosome pathways are likely to contribute to heat resistance. This study provides novel insights into the molecular basis of thermotolerance in A. tumida, contributing to our understanding of how this invasive pest adapts to high-temperature environments.