@article{Zhang2026, 
author = {Zelong Zhang and Xiaojing Wang and Xinye Xu and Tangbin Hu and Chuanxi Zhang and Haijian Huang},
title = {Salivary protein NlSP6935 that restricted to rice planthoppers is critical for insect survival and host defense regulation},
year = {2026},
journal = {Journal of Integrative Agriculture (JIA)},
volume = {25},
number = {9},
pages = {3762-3774},
keywords = {salivary protein, pest management, defense regulation, insect–plant interaction},
url = {https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.1016/j.jia.2026.02.013},
doi = {10.1016/j.jia.2026.02.013},
abstract = {Saliva plays a crucial role in mediating plant–insect interactions, yet the functional diversity of salivary proteins remains poorly understood. Here, we identify NlSP6935, a salivary gland-specific protein conserved among rice planthoppers but absent in bamboo-feeding relatives. Silencing NlSP6935 causes severe lethality, feeding impairment, and infertility in Nilaparvata lugens, independent of host plant resistance. Transient expression assays reveal that NlSP6935 suppresses H2O2 accumulation in plants, while overexpression in rice downregulates terpenoid biosynthesis and enhances host attractiveness. However, transgenic NlSP6935 plants only weakly rescue RNAi-induced lethality, demonstrating its dual role in insect physiology and plant defense suppression. Our findings reveal a novel effector essential for both planthopper survival and host adaptation, providing new insights into pest control strategies.}
}