Zn²⁺-dependent histone deacetylases (HDACs) are enzymes that regulate gene expression by removing acetyl groups from histone proteins. These enzymes are essential in all living systems, playing key roles in cancer treatment and as potential pesticide targets. Previous phylogenetic analyses of HDAC in certain species have been published. However, their classification and evolutionary origins across biological kingdoms remain unclear, which limits our understanding of them. In this study, we collected the HDAC sequences from 1451 organisms and performed analyses. The HDACs are found to diverge into three classes and seven subclasses under divergent selection pressure. Most subclasses show species specificity, indicating that HDACs have evolved with high plasticity and diversification to adapt to different environmental conditions in different species. In contrast, HDAC1 and HDAC3, belonging to the oldest class, are conserved and crucial in major kingdoms of life, especially HDAC1. These findings lay the groundwork for the future application of HDACs.

Odorant binding proteins (OBPs) play a critical role in insect survival by facilitating the detection of environmental odors. This study identified and characterized OcomOBP11 in the leaf beetle Ophraella communa Lesage. Sequence and phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that OcomOBP11 belongs to the Minus-C OBP family. Tissue-specific expression analysis revealed that OcomOBP11 showed the highest relative expression in the testis. Functional assays demonstrated that OcomOBP11 has strong binding affinity to 24 of the 26 volatiles from Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., a primary host plant. Molecular docking showed that OcomOBP11 formed hydrophobic interactions with β-caryophyllene, α-pinene, camphene, octanal, and nonanal and hydrogen bonds with octanal and nonanal. RNAi-mediated knockdown of OcomOBP11 significantly reduced the electrophysiological (EAG) response and behavioral preference of O. communa for these ligands. These findings suggest that OcomOBP11 plays an important role in host plant localization, thus providing guidance for future biological invasion control strategies.

External environment shapes the cold adaptation of Ophraella communa, a specialist natural enemy of the invasive common ragweed, and further affects its biological control efficacy. Our study aims to clarify the cold tolerance correlation between ragweed and leaf beetle and explore whether host cold acclimation can enhance the beetle’s low-temperature adaptability. We measured cold-resistant substances, supercooling point (SCP), and chill-coma recovery time (CCRT) of four geographic populations, and conducted indoor low-temperature acclimation of ragweed at 13 °C, 17 °C, 21 °C for 3–9 d, then fed leaf beetle with treated leaves. Results showed that cold-resistant substances in both species varied with latitude and were highly heritable. Cold acclimation can elevate sugars, trehalose, glycerol, and proline in ragweed; the cold tolerance of beetles feeding on these plants was significantly improved. We conclude that cold-resistant substances in ragweed can be trophically transferred to leaf beetle to enhance its cold hardiness, providing a new strategy to improve biocontrol in high-latitude regions.

4-Hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD, EC 1.13.11.27) is a key target for herbicide development, especially in the management of herbicide-resistant weeds. However, many existing HPPD inhibitors suffer from poor crop selectivity, limiting their widespread application. To address this problem, a series of novel 2,4-dichlorobenzene-3-morpholine derivatives were designed and synthesized. Greenhouse activity tests demonstrated that a large class of molecules obviously inhibited dwarfing in the tested weeds. Notably, compound B₂ exhibited superior herbicidal activity against broadleaf weeds, such as Abutilon theophrasti, Zinnia elegans, and Portulaca oleracea, at 9.375 g ai/ha, which is superior to that of the widely used herbicide mesotrione. Moreover, compared with mesotrione, compound B₂ showed no obvious injury on the growth of peanuts at 150 g ai/ha and was safer for peanuts, even at the higher dosage of 600 g ai/ha. These results suggest that B₂ is a promising new candidate herbicide for use in peanut fields. Molecular simulations of the representative molecule further revealed a binding mode that fit into the active site of HPPD, similar to most known HPPD inhibitors. Met338 in P. oleracea HPPD plays a crucial role in the binding of compound B₂, whereas Ile453 and Ile455 in peanut HPPD may contribute to reduced inhibition in peanuts. Additionally, the entry pathways of compounds, along with their polarity and lipophilicity, could increase their selectivity for different plant species. This study provides valuable insights for the future development of highly selective HPPD inhibitors.