Behind the scenes of Popillia japonica integrated pest management: differentially expressed gene analysis following different control treatments

These findings can be variously interpreted as a response of the insect to minimize the effects of the treatment at the molecular level (e.g. Ca²⁺ increase), as a direct attempt of the insect to combat the agent (e.g. antimicrobial peptides), or as part of a more complex interplay between the insect and the biological control agent (e.g. modulation of the immune system). In general terms, the response to the insecticidal nets and, partly, to B. thuringiensis, appears to arise from a direct interaction of the insecticide molecule, or toxin, with their targets at the molecular level. On the other hand, multiple gene pathways are modulated in the response to M. robertsii, suggesting a more diversified mode of action that impacts a broader spectrum of biological mechanisms, in line with the notion that the fungus actually grows and reproduces inside the insect host.