Tissue-specific expression of glutathione S-transferases induced by 2-tridecanone or quercetin in cotton bollworms, Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner)

The tissue-specific expression of glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) in the cotton bollworm and the expression level induced by 2-tridecanone and quercetin were examined using the methods of biochemistry and the quantitative PCR. The relative expression level of GST mRNA was unanimous with the GSTs activity conjugaging with 1-chloro-2, 4-dimitro-benzene (CDNB) in fat bodies, midguts, heads and integuments of cotton bollworms. The GSTs activity in fat bodies was the highest, then midguts, heads and integuments in turn, which was in consistent with the relative expression level of GST mRNA. The specific activity of GSTs and the relative expression level of GST mRNA could be significantly induced by 2-tridecanone and quercetin, and after the induction the order of the GSTs activity and the relative expression level of GST mRNA in the above four tissues in cotton bollworms was not different from the control. The induction of GSTs by 2-tridecanone was stronger than by quercetin in all four tissues, which was in accordance with the relative expression level of GST mRNA. It suggested that the increase of GSTs activity induced by plant allelochemicals was associated with the elevated expression of GST mRNA in cotton bollworms.