Genome-Wide Analysis of the Carboxyl/Choline Esterase (CCE) Gene Family and Functional Validation of AgBe10 in Abamectin Detoxification in the Soybean Aphid, Aphis glycines

Abstract The carboxyl/choline esterase (CCE) superfamily plays critical roles in insect xenobiotic detoxification, yet its involvement in Aphis glycines tolerance to abamectin remains poorly understood. In this study, 26 AgCCE genes were identified genome-wide and classified into six phylogenetic clades. Transcriptomic and RT-qPCR profiling showed that AgBe10 was most strongly induced under sublethal abamectin exposure. Functional validation using RNA interference revealed that silencing AgBe10, but not AgAce1, AgBe8, AgNeu3, or AgUn1, significantly increased aphid mortality under sublethal abamectin treatments. Molecular docking simulations based on the predicted amino acid sequence of AgBe10 indicated stable binding to abamectin, while high-performance liquid chromatography assays confirmed that recombinant AgBe10 mediates the in vitro metabolic depletion of abamectin. These findings elucidate the molecular and biochemical roles of AgBe10 in abamectin detoxification, providing insights into the molecular and biochemical mechanisms of early metabolic adaptation, thereby supporting sustainable pest management strategies.