Molecular mechanism by which Apis cerana cerana MKK6 (AccMKK6)-mediated MAPK cascades regulate the oxidative stress response

Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases (MKKs) are important components of the MAPK signaling pathways, which play a key role in responding to stress and inflammatory stimuli. Here, a new MKK gene, AccMKK6, was identified and functionally analyzed in Apis cerana cerana. Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) and Western blot analysis demonstrated that the AccMKK6 expression level was up-regulated by several environmental stresses. Moreover, the knockdown of AccMKK6 by RNA interference technology altered the expression levels of some antioxidant genes. In addition, the knockdown of AccMKK6 resulted in increased malonyldialdehyde (MDA) concentration and decreased antioxidant-related enzymes activity in honeybees. To explore the MAPK signaling pathways involved in AccMKK6, we identified the transcription factor kayak in A. cerana cerana. We analyzed the interactions of AccMKK6, Accp38b, and Acckayak using the yeast two-hybrid system. AccMKK6 and Acckayak showed similar expression profiles after several stress treatments. In addition, the expression level of Acckayak was significantly increased when AccMKK6 was silenced. Therefore, we speculate that AccMKK6 may be involved in the MAPK cascades, which play a crucial role in counteracting oxidative stress caused by external stimuli.