The miR‐31b targets arylsulfatase B to regulate the ovarian development of Bactrocera dorsalis

Abstract BACKGROUND Reproduction is the basis of insect population growth and evolution, and encompasses ovarian development, reproductive behavior, and fecundity. Bactrocera dorsalis is a globally significant agricultural pest that is subject to quarantine, with mated females that can lay over 3000 eggs. The post‐transcriptional regulation of ovarian development remains unclear. Here, miR‐31b is shown to be involved in regulating Bactrocera dorsalis ovarian development. RESULTS CRISPR/Cas9 was used to generate miR‐31b loss‐of‐function mutations in Bactrocera dorsalis . The removal of miR‐31b resulted in severely impaired ovarian development in adults, with phenotypes that included dramatically reduced egg production and hatching rates. The relationship between miR‐31b and its target gene arylsulfatase B ( ARSB ) was subsequently identified using the methods of bioinformatics, transcriptomic sequencing, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), RNA pull‐down and dual‐luciferase reporter assay. Finally, miR‐31b was confirmed to bind the target gene arylsulfatase B to affect metabolism and thereby further hindered ovarian development of Bactrocera dorsalis . CONCLUSION Overall, these results provide new insights into molecular mechanisms at the post‐transcriptional level in regulating ovarian development and insect reproduction, consequently providing potential targets to control arthropod pests through the reproductive strategy. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.