Targeting the E1 ubiquitin-activating enzyme Uba1 impairs male fertility in Bactrocera dorsalis

Background: Bactrocera dorsalis is a major agricultural pest whose larvae cause significant economic losses by damaging fruits and vegetables. Targeting male fertility is a promising strategy to suppress pest populations. Ubiquitin-activating enzyme 1 (Uba1), a key component in the ubiquitination process, is essential for diverse cellular processes. However, its role in reproduction has been rarely studied in agricultationural pests. In this study, we reported the role of Uba1 in regulating male reproduction in B. dorsalis.

Results: We found that the Uba1 gene is highly expressed in the testes and shows relatively stable expression throughout testis development. RNA interference-mediated knockdown of Uba1 significantly impaired male reproductive capacity, characterized by reduced testis size, decreased sperm count, and a lower offspring hatching rate. Further mechanistic analysis revealed that Uba1 knockdown resulted in transcriptional downregulation of cell cycle-related genes, including Cyclin B, cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4), and Separase. Notably, Separase, a gene encoding chromosome-separating enzyme, was essential for sperm production and may serve as a key downstream mediator of Uba1-regulated reproductive function. Moreover, sequence analysis revealed that the Uba1 active site is evolutionarily conserved and Uba1 activity inhibitor treatment phenocopied the effects of gene knockdown, which further confirmed its critical role in male reproduction.

Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that Uba1 functions in male reproduction in Bactrocera dorsalis by modulating the cell cycle pathway. Disruption of Uba1 activity represents a feasible strategy to reduce male fertility, serving as a promising molecular target for the development of broad-spectrum, fertility-based pest management strategies. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

Bactrocera dorsalis; Uba1; male fertility; sperm; testis development.