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Dryad

Data from: Molecular adaptations and sex-biased regulatory pathways in multi-year diapause of the cabbage beetle Colaphellus bowringi: A duration-resolved transcriptomic analysis

Abstract

The cabbage beetle Colaphellus bowringi, a major pest of cruciferous crops, exhibits an exceptional capacity for prolonged adult diapause—extending up to several years. To elucidate the molecular underpinnings of this extended dormancy and its sex-specific regulatory patterns, we performed a time-resolved, sex-stratified transcriptomic analysis. Adult males and females were sampled after 0.5, 1, and 2 years of diapause and subjected to high-throughput RNA sequencing. De novo assembly yielded a high-quality reference transcriptome comprising 66,379 unigenes. Comparative transcriptomic profiling revealed a conserved adaptive strategy during prolonged diapause: coordinated suppression of energy-intensive metabolic processes coupled with enhanced activation of cellular protection pathways—including antioxidant defense, xenobiotic detoxification, and protein homeostasis mechanisms. Striking sexual dimorphism was observed: females maintained greater transcriptional stability across diapause durations, with preferential preservation of reproductive competence and longevity-associated functions; in contrast, males displayed more pronounced transcriptional plasticity, particularly in signaling cascades and physiological homeostasis networks. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis identified sustained activation of glutathione metabolism, autophagy, and lysosomal degradation pathways throughout diapause; notably, extended diapause (2 years) was specifically associated with significant enrichment of immune response and lipid metabolism pathways. Temporal dynamics in gene expression underscore that diapause is not a static quiescent state but a highly regulated, multi-stage process involving stage-specific transcriptional reconfiguration. This study establishes the first multi-temporal, sex-resolved transcriptomic resource for C. bowringi and advances mechanistic understanding of long-term insect diapause—thereby informing the development of targeted, environmentally sustainable pest management strategies.