Bacterial endosymbiont suppresses detoxification through folate-mediated DNA methylation in Nilaparvata lugens.

Arsenophonus nilaparvatae endosymbiont increases Nilaparvata lugens insecticide susceptibility by promoting folate-mediated DNA methylation, reducing detoxification enzyme activity.

• Why it matters: Understanding how symbiont-derived metabolites influence host detoxification can reveal new strategies for pest control and address insecticide resistance issues.
• What they did: The study examined the metabolic interactions between A. nilaparvatae and N. lugens, focusing on folate biosynthesis, DNA methylation, and gene expression, using metabolomics, bisulfite sequencing, and molecular assays.
• The result: Folate supplementation and symbiont infection elevate DNA methylation at detox gene promoters, decreasing their expression and insecticide resistance, which can be partially reversed by inhibiting methylation, highlighting folate metabolism as a target for pest management.