Transcriptomics of feeding and reproductive stages of the South American cactus moth

The cactus moth, Cactoblastis cactorum, native to southern South America, has extended its range throughout Florida, north to coastal South Carolina and west to Texas in the United States and the Caribbean region, posing a threat to native Opuntia and also affecting the production of prickly pear-associated industries in both its native and non-native ranges. Past efforts to control the cactus moth have not been effective. However, promising biological control agents are currently under evaluation. Moreover, as genomic and transcriptomic data become available, emerging techniques, such as gene editing, offer promising avenues for developing alternative control strategies. In this study, we present novel transcriptomic data of adult male and female moths and larvae using RNA-Seq to gain new insights into the genetic repertoire of this cactus pest along its life cycle. The final assembly revealed 14,202 genes, of which 2,199 and 2,008 transcripts were differentially expressed between males and females, and between larvae and adults, respectively. Overall, functional analyses pointed to an enrichment of serine-type peptidase inhibitors, odorant-binding proteins, and glycoside hydrolases between life cycle stages (larvae vs. adults) and sex-specific biological functions. Our study provides the first report of differential gene expression across developmental stages, generating new and valuable genetic resources to guide future molecular and physiological research as well as pest management strategies in the cactus moth.