Proteomic profile of aphids exposed to wheat with different contents of benzoxazinoids

Benzoxazinoids are key defence chemicals in cereals that are known to affect several aspects of aphid biology. However, little is known about how they affect aphid physiology. In this study, we report changes in the whole-body proteomic profiles of a DIMBOA-susceptible genotype of the grain aphid Sitobion avenae (F.) after being exposed to wheat cultivars containing contrasting levels of DIMBOA. The proteome was analysed after 14 (short term) and 28 days (long term) of rearing on these cultivars. Seventy-two proteins were differentially regulated among the treatments, and 49 were identified. Exposure to high-DIMBOA plants resulted in a higher number of proteins regulated long term. DIMBOA exposure in S. avenae initially generated greater cellular activities, mostly involving cytoskeleton function and possibly related to detoxification. This function appeared to be unimportant at long term and was eventually replaced by effects on metabolism function and homeostasis. Taken together, the result shows that aphids’ responses to the secondary plant compounds, such as DIMBOA, exhibit a temporal dynamic in the proteome, possibly helping aphids to overcome the effect of these toxic compounds.