Plant-induced transcriptional plasticity diverges between generalist and specialist herbivores

Most herbivores are specialized on particular host plants but some are generalists that can exploit distinct hosts. Generalists may have evolved adaptive transcriptional plasticity to cope with the defenses of the different hosts. However, the fundamental differences in plant-induced transcriptional plasticity between generalists and specialists remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated transcriptional plasticity of the generalist aphid Myzus persicae and two specialist aphids, Brevicoryne brassicae and Rhopalosiphum padi, by transferring them between Brassica napus (a host for B. brassicae but not for R. padi) and Zea mays (a host for R. padi but not for B. brassicae), both suitable hosts for M. persicae. Generalist and specialist aphids exhibited transcriptional plasticity coordinately in response to different plant species, but their gene expression patterns often diverged. Generalists suppressed plant-defense salicylic acid (SA) signaling in the host plants, while specialist aphids provoked it in nonhost plants. SA signaling had limited effects on gene expression in the generalist aphids, but significantly shaped transcriptional responses of the specialists. These findings underscore the fundamental differences in plant-induced transcriptional plasticity between generalists and specialists and highlight the critical role of plasticity directionality in insect adaptation. Significance statementMost insects specialize in feeding on just a few specific plants, but some generalists can thrive on many plant species. This study compares the gene expression of green peach aphid Myzus persicae, a generalist, with two specialist aphids in response to different types of plants. Generalists showed adaptive plasticity in their gene responses, while specialists often exhibited opposite gene expression changes. Interestingly, generalists appeared to suppress plant defense signals like salicylic acid, while specialists tended to trigger them. These findings highlight how gene expression plasticity enables generalists to adapt and survive, providing new insights into the evolution of insect-plant interactions.