New insights into the main components of the venom of Torymus sinensis by a transcriptomic and proteomic approach

Venomics, the study of the entire pool of peptides and proteins of one specific venom, has acquired increasing importance as source of new bioactive molecules relevant in several fields, including agriculture, since they could constitute a weapon in the biological fight against parasitic crop species. In nature these harmful insects are kept under control by parasitoids. Torymus sinensis, the parasitoid of the chestnut gallogenic Cinipid Dryocosmus kuriphilus is the only effective means of Cinipid biological control. The knowledge of venom protein composition is extremely useful to identify new molecules that can be used as bioinsecticides in integrated pest management. We identified T. sinensis main venom components through a transcriptomic and proteomic approach. Transcriptomic data (high-throughput nucleic acid sequencing) provided an overall picture of the putative proteins in the venom gland and information on molecular functions, biological processes and putative cellular compartments. The proteomic analysis was carried out on venom components fractionated by SDS-PAGE and analyzed by mass spectrometry. Combination of proteomic and transcriptomic data allowed us to identify 185 putative proteins of T. sinensis venom. The characterization of these molecules will be essential to understand the role of venom in induction and regulation of the pathological syndrome in parasitized hosts.