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Yan Y, Liu DQ, Li C, Yang WJ, Xu KK. Disruption of microRNA pathway core genes inhibits molting and reproduction of the cigarette beetle, Lasioderma serricorne. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2024. [PMID: 38738474 DOI: 10.1002/ps.8158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND MicroRNA (miRNA) pathway genes have been widely reported to participate in several physiological events in insect lifecycles. The cigarette beetle Lasioderma serricorne is an economically important storage pest worldwide. However, the functions of miRNA pathway genes in L. serricorne remain to be clarified. Herein, we investigated the function of molting and reproduction of the miRNA pathway in L. serricorne. RESULTS LsDicer-1, LsArgonaute-1, LsLoquacious and LsExportin-5 were universally expressed in adults, whereas LsPasha and LsDrosha were mainly expressed in the pupae. The genes presented different patterns in various tissues. Silencing of LsDicer-1, LsArgonaute-1, LsDrosha and LsExportin-5 resulted in a high proportion of wing deformities and molting defects. Silencing of LsDicer-1, LsArgonaute-1, LsPasha and LsLoquacious affected the development of the ovary and the maturation of oocytes, resulting in a significant decrease in fecundity. Further investigation revealed that the decreases in LsDicer-1 and LsArgonaute-1 expression destroyed follicular epithelia and delayed vitellogenesis and oocyte development. In addition, the expression levels of several miRNAs (let-7, let-7-5p, miR-8-3p, miR-8-5p, miR-9c-5p, miR-71, miR-252-5p, miR-277-3p, miR-263b and Novel-miR-50) were decreased significantly after knockdown of these miRNA pathway core genes, indicating that they played important roles in regulating miRNA-mediated gene expression. CONCLUSION The results indicate that miRNA pathway genes play important roles in the molting, ovarian development and female fecundity of L. serricorne, and thus are potentially suitable target genes for developing an RNAi strategy against a major pest of stored products. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Yan
- Key Laboratory of Surveillance and Management of Invasive Alien Species in Guizhou Education Department, College of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Guiyang University, Guiyang, China
| | - De-Qian Liu
- Key Laboratory of Surveillance and Management of Invasive Alien Species in Guizhou Education Department, College of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Guiyang University, Guiyang, China
| | - Can Li
- Key Laboratory of Surveillance and Management of Invasive Alien Species in Guizhou Education Department, College of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Guiyang University, Guiyang, China
| | - Wen-Jia Yang
- Key Laboratory of Surveillance and Management of Invasive Alien Species in Guizhou Education Department, College of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Guiyang University, Guiyang, China
| | - Kang-Kang Xu
- Key Laboratory of Surveillance and Management of Invasive Alien Species in Guizhou Education Department, College of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Guiyang University, Guiyang, China
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2
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Niu J, Chen R, Wang JJ. RNA interference in insects: the link between antiviral defense and pest control. INSECT SCIENCE 2024; 31:2-12. [PMID: 37162315 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
RNA interference (RNAi) is a form of gene silencing triggered by double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) that operates in all eukaryotic cells. RNAi has been widely investigated in insects to determine the underlying molecular mechanism, to investigate its role in systemic antiviral defense, and to develop strategies for pest control. When insect cells are infected by viruses, viral dsRNA signatures trigger a local RNAi response to block viral replication and generate virus-derived DNA that confers systemic immunity. RNAi-based insect pest control involves the application of exogenous dsRNA targeting genes essential for insect development or survival, but the efficacy of this approach has limited potency in many pests through a combination of rapid dsRNA degradation, inefficient dsRNA uptake/processing, and ineffective RNAi machinery. This could be addressed by dsRNA screening and evaluation, focusing on dsRNA design and off-target management, as well as dsRNA production and delivery. This review summarizes recent progress to determine the role of RNAi in antiviral defense and as a pest control strategy in insects, addressing gaps between our fundamental understanding of the RNAi mechanism and the exploitation of RNAi-based pest control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinzhi Niu
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biosafety and Green Production of Upper Yangtze River (Ministry of Education), Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Ruoyu Chen
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biosafety and Green Production of Upper Yangtze River (Ministry of Education), Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jin-Jun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biosafety and Green Production of Upper Yangtze River (Ministry of Education), Southwest University, Chongqing, China
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3
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Osborne CJ, Cohnstaedt LW, Silver KS. Outlook on RNAi-Based Strategies for Controlling Culicoides Biting Midges. Pathogens 2023; 12:1251. [PMID: 37887767 PMCID: PMC10610143 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12101251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Culicoides are small biting midges with the capacity to transmit important livestock pathogens around much of the world, and their impacts on animal welfare are likely to expand. Hemorrhagic diseases resulting from Culicoides-vectored viruses, for example, can lead to millions of dollars in economic damages for producers. Chemical insecticides can reduce Culicoides abundance but may not suppress population numbers enough to prevent pathogen transmission. These insecticides can also cause negative effects on non-target organisms and ecosystems. RNA interference (RNAi) is a cellular regulatory mechanism that degrades mRNA and suppresses gene expression. Studies have examined the utility of this mechanism for insect pest control, and with it, have described the hurdles towards producing, optimizing, and applying these RNAi-based products. These methods hold promise for being highly specific and environmentally benign when compared to chemical insecticides and are more transient than engineering transgenic insects. Given the lack of available control options for Culicoides, RNAi-based products could be an option to treat large areas with minimal environmental impact. In this study, we describe the state of current Culicoides control methods, successes and hurdles towards using RNAi for pest control, and the necessary research required to bring an RNAi-based control method to fruition for Culicoides midges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cameron J. Osborne
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA;
| | - Lee W. Cohnstaedt
- Foreign Arthropod-Borne Animal Diseases Research Unit, National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility, Agricultural Research Service, United Stated Department of Agriculture, Manhattan, KS 66502, USA
| | - Kristopher S. Silver
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA;
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Wang N, Chen M, Zhou Y, Zhou WW, Zhu ZR. The microRNA pathway core genes are indispensable for development and reproduction in the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 32:528-543. [PMID: 37162032 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small single-stranded non-coding RNAs involved in a variety of cellular events by regulating gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. Several core genes in miRNA biogenesis have been reported to participate in a wide range of physiological events, in some insect species. However, the functional significance of miRNA pathway core genes in Nilaparvata lugens remains unknown. In the present study, we conducted a systematic characterisation of five core genes involved in miRNA biogenesis. We first performed spatiotemporal expression analysis and found that miRNA core genes exhibited similar expression patterns, with high expression levels in eggs and relatively high transcriptional levels in the ovaries and fat bodies of females. RNA interference experiments showed that injecting third-instar nymphs with dsRNAs targeting the miRNA core genes, NlAgo1, NlDicer1, and NlDrosha resulted in high mortality rates and various degrees of body melanism, moulting defects, and wing deformities. Further investigations revealed that the suppression of miRNA core genes severely impaired ovarian development and oocyte maturation, resulting in significantly reduced fecundity and disruption of intercellular spaces between follicle cells. Moreover, the expression profiles of miR-34-5p, miR-275-3p, miR-317-3p, miR-14, Let-7-1, and miR-2a-3p were significantly altered in response to the knockdown of miRNA core genes mixture, suggesting that they play essential roles in regulating miRNA-mediated gene expression. Therefore, our results provide a solid theoretical basis for the miRNA pathway in N. lugens and suggest that the NlAgo1, NlDicer1, and NlDrosha-dependent miRNA core genes are essential for the development and reproduction of this agricultural pest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ni Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects Pests, Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Hainan Institute, Zhejiang University, Sanya, China
| | - Min Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects Pests, Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ying Zhou
- Hainan Institute, Zhejiang University, Sanya, China
| | - Wen-Wu Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects Pests, Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Hainan Institute, Zhejiang University, Sanya, China
| | - Zeng-Rong Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects Pests, Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Hainan Institute, Zhejiang University, Sanya, China
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Vaidya S, Mohod A, Eedara AC, Andugulapati SB, Pabbaraja S. Synthesis and Characterization of a New Cationic Lipid: Efficient siRNA Delivery and Anticancer Activity of Survivin-siRNA Lipoplexes for the Treatment of Lung and Breast Cancers. ChemMedChem 2023; 18:e202300097. [PMID: 37306531 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202300097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Survivin has been shown to be widely expressed in most tumor cells, including lung and breast cancers. Due to limited siRNA delivery, it is more challenging to target survivin using knockdown-based techniques. Designing and developing new, bifunctional chemical molecules with both selective anti-proliferative activity and effective siRNA transfection capabilities by targeting a particular gene is important to treat aggressive tumors like triple-negative breast tumors (TNBC). The cationic lipids deliver small interfering RNA (siRNA) and also display inherent anti-cancer activities; therefore, cationic lipid therapies have become very popular for treating malignant cancers. In the current study, we attempted to synthesize a series of acid-containing cationic lipids, anthranilic acid-containing mef lipids, and indoleacetic acid-containing etodo lipids etc. Further, we elucidated their bi-functional activity for their anticancer activity and survivin siRNA-mediated anti-cancer activity. Our results showed that lipoplexes with siRNA-Etodo: Dotap (ED) and siRNA-Mef: Dotap (MD) exhibited homogeneous particle size and positive zeta potential. Further, biological investigations resulted in enhanced survivin siRNA delivery with high stability, improved transfection efficiency, and anti-cancer activity. Additionally, our findings showed that survivin siRNA lipoplexes (ED and MD) in A549 cells and 4T1 cells exhibited stronger survivin knockdown, enhanced apoptosis, and G1 or G2/M phase arrest in both cell types. In vivo results revealed that treatment with survivin complexed lipoplexes significantly reduced tumor growth and tumor weight compared to control. Thus, our novel quaternary amine-based liposome formulations are predicted to open up new possibilities in the development of a simple and widely utilized platform for siRNA delivery and anti-cancer activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandeep Vaidya
- Department of Organic Synthesis and Process Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT), Hyderabad, 500007, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Annie Mohod
- Department of Applied Biology, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT), Hyderabad, 500007, India
| | - Abhisheik Chowdary Eedara
- Department of Applied Biology, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT), Hyderabad, 500007, India
| | - Sai Balaji Andugulapati
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
- Department of Applied Biology, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT), Hyderabad, 500007, India
| | - Srihari Pabbaraja
- Department of Organic Synthesis and Process Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT), Hyderabad, 500007, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
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6
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Gao L, Wang Y, Abbas M, Zhang T, Ma E, Merzendorfer H, Zhu KY, Zhang J. Both LmDicer-1 and two LmDicer-2s participate in siRNA-mediated RNAi pathway and contribute to high gene silencing efficiency in Locusta migratoria. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 151:103865. [PMID: 36336194 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2022.103865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Dicers belong to a class of large RNase III multidomain ribonucleases and are central components of the RNA interference (RNAi) pathways. In insects, Dicer-2 has been known to cleave long double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) in small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated-RNAi pathway. However, Dicer-1 is responsible for cleaving precursor microRNAs (pre28 miRNAs) in miRNA-mediated RNAi pathway. In this study, we identified one LmDicer-1 and two LmDicer-2 (LmDicer-2a and LmDicer-2b) genes in Locusta migratoria. The RNAi of RNAi assay showed that knockdown of each of the Dicer genes reduced RNAi efficiency against a target gene (Lmβ-Tubulin), suggesting that all these genes participated in the siRNA-mediated RNAi pathway. Sequence analyses of the siRNAs generated from dsLmβ-Tubulin after silencing each LmDicer gene showed no significant difference in the pattern of siRNAs mapped to dsLmβ-Tubulin. This result indicated that all the three LmDicers are capable of generating siRNAs from the dsRNA. We then generated recombinant proteins consisting of different domains using Escherichia coli expression system and incubated each recombinant protein with dsLmβ-Tubulin. We found that the recombinant Dicer proteins successfully cleaved dsLmβ-Tubulin. However, LmDicer-2a-R lacking dsRBD domain lost activity, suggesting that dsRBD domain is critical for Dicer function. Furthermore, overexpression of these proteins in Drosophila S2 cells improved RNAi efficiency. Our siRNA affinity chromatography and LC-MS/MS analysis identified LmDicer-2a, LmDicer-2b, LmR2D2, LmAgo2a, LmAgo1, LmStaufen and LmTARBP2 as constituents of RNA-induced silencing complex. Taken together, these data show that both LmDicer-1 and two LmDicer-2s all participate in siRNA-mediated RNAi pathway and likely contribute to high RNAi efficiency in L. migratoria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Gao
- Institute of Applied Biology, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030006, China; College of Life Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Yanli Wang
- Institute of Applied Biology, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030006, China
| | - Mureed Abbas
- Institute of Applied Biology, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030006, China
| | - Tingting Zhang
- Institute of Applied Biology, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030006, China
| | - Enbo Ma
- Institute of Applied Biology, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030006, China
| | | | - Kun Yan Zhu
- Department of Entomology, 123 Waters Hall, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA.
| | - Jianzhen Zhang
- Institute of Applied Biology, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030006, China.
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7
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Hoang T, Foquet B, Rana S, Little DW, Woller DA, Sword GA, Song H. Development of RNAi Methods for the Mormon Cricket, Anabrus simplex (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae). INSECTS 2022; 13:739. [PMID: 36005364 PMCID: PMC9409436 DOI: 10.3390/insects13080739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 08/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Mormon crickets are a major rangeland pest in the western United States and are currently managed by targeted applications of non-specific chemical insecticides, which can potentially have negative effects on the environment. In this study, we took the first steps toward developing RNAi methods for Mormon crickets as a potential alternative to traditional broad-spectrum insecticides. To design an effective RNAi-based insecticide, we first generated a de novo transcriptome for the Mormon cricket and developed dsRNAs that could silence the expression of seven housekeeping genes. We then characterized the RNAi efficiencies and time-course of knockdown using these dsRNAs, and assessed their ability to induce mortality. We have demonstrated that it is possible to elicit RNAi responses in the Mormon cricket by injection, but knockdown efficiencies and the time course of RNAi response varied according to target genes and tissue types. We also show that one of the reasons for the poor knockdown efficiencies could be the presence of dsRNA-degrading enzymes in the hemolymph. RNAi silencing is possible in Mormon cricket, but more work needs to be done before it can be effectively used as a population management method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toan Hoang
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Bert Foquet
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790, USA
| | - Seema Rana
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Drew W. Little
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, USA
| | - Derek A. Woller
- USDA-APHIS-PPQ-Science & Technology-Insect Management and Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory (Phoenix Station), Phoenix, AZ 85040, USA
| | - Gregory A. Sword
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Hojun Song
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
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8
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Jamil M, Ahmad S, Ran Y, Ma S, Cao F, Lin X, Yan R. Argonaute1 and Gawky Are Required for the Development and Reproduction of Melon fly, Zeugodacus cucurbitae. Front Genet 2022; 13:880000. [PMID: 35812742 PMCID: PMC9260231 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.880000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Argonaute family genes encode a highly conserved group of proteins that have been associated with RNA silencing in both animals and plants. This study investigates the importance of microRNA biogenesis key regulators Argonaute1 (Ago1) and Gawky genes in the post-embryonic and ovarian development of the melon fly, Zeugodacus cucurbitae. The expression levels of these genes were mapped in all developmental stages and different adult tissues. Their roles in development were investigated using RNA interference (RNAi) via two different dsRNA delivery techniques. Embryo microinjection and oral feeding of third instar larvae successfully knocked down and greatly reduced the expression level of the target genes. Additionally, ex vivo essays revealed the stability of dsRNA in food was sufficient for gene silencing, although its integrity was affected in midgut. A wide range of phenotypes were observed on pupation, segmentation, pigmentation, and ovarian development. RNAi-mediated silencing of Gawky caused high mortality and loss of body segmentation, while Ago1 knockdown affected ovarian development and pigmentation. Developmental abnormalities and ovarian malformations caused by silencing these genes suggest that these genes are crucial for viability and reproductive capacity of Z. cucurbitae, and may be used as potential target genes in pest management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Momana Jamil
- School of Life Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Shakil Ahmad
- School of Plant Protection, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Yingqiao Ran
- School of Plant Protection, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Siya Ma
- School of Life Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Fengqin Cao
- Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control of Tropical Plant Diseases and Pests, Ministry of Education, School of Plant Protection, Hainan University, Haikou, China
- Hainan Yazhou Bay Seed Lab, Sanya, China
| | - Xianwu Lin
- Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control of Tropical Plant Diseases and Pests, Ministry of Education, School of Plant Protection, Hainan University, Haikou, China
- *Correspondence: Xianwu Lin, ; Rihui Yan,
| | - Rihui Yan
- Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control of Tropical Plant Diseases and Pests, Ministry of Education, School of Plant Protection, Hainan University, Haikou, China
- Hainan Yazhou Bay Seed Lab, Sanya, China
- *Correspondence: Xianwu Lin, ; Rihui Yan,
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Fan Y, Abbas M, Liu X, Wang Y, Song H, Li T, Ma E, Zhu KY, Zhang J. Increased RNAi Efficiency by dsEGFP-Induced Up-Regulation of Two Core RNAi Pathway Genes (OfDicer2 and OfAgo2) in the Asian Corn Borer (Ostrinia furnacalis). INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13030274. [PMID: 35323572 PMCID: PMC8948962 DOI: 10.3390/insects13030274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/07/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary RNA interference (RNAi) has shown great potentials as a novel technology for insect pest management. However, numerous studies have shown that the efficiency of RNAi varies substantially among different insect species. For example, as a major insect pest of corn, the Asian corn borer (Ostrinia furnacalis) showed very low RNAi efficiency. Therefore, it is necessary to develop new strategies for enhancing RNAi efficiency in insects with low RNAi efficiency. In this study, six core RNAi pathway genes were identified and characterized from O. furnacalis transcriptome database. After dsEGFP was injected into O. furnacalis, the expression of the core RNAi pathway genes (OfDicer2 and OfAgo2) was significantly up-regulated in response to the exposure of dsEGFP. As a result, the RNAi efficiency against the target genes in certain tissues of O. furnacalis was significantly improved. These results suggest that RNAi efficiency can be improved by inducing the expression of key RNAi pathway genes in O. furnacalis. Abstract RNA interference (RNAi) is a sequence-specific gene silencing mechanism that holds great promise for effective management of agricultural pests. Previous studies have shown that the efficacy of RNAi varies among different insect species, which limits its wide spread application in the field of crop protection. In this study, we identified and characterized six core RNAi pathway genes including OfDicer1, OfDicer2, OfR2D2, OfAgo1, OfAgo2, and OfAgo3 from the transcriptomic database of the Asian corn borer (Ostrinia furnacalis). Domain analysis showed that the six deduced proteins contained the necessary functional domains. Insect developmental stage- and tissue-specific expression analysis showed that five genes were expressed in all the stages and tissues examined except OfAgo3, which showed low expression in larvae, and high expression in pupae and adults and in the midgut. RT-qPCR was performed to examine the response of these six genes to exogenous double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). Interestingly, the transcript levels of OfDicer2 and OfAgo2 were significantly enhanced after the injection of dsEGFP at different time points and tissues investigated. Consequently, the RNAi efficiency in targeting the insect endogenous genes can be greatly enhanced in the hemolymph or midgut. Taken together, our investigations suggest that RNAi efficiency can be enhanced by pre-injection of dsRNA to induce the RNAi core machinery genes, which could be a useful strategy to improving RNAi efficiency for studying gene functions under laboratory conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunhe Fan
- Institute of Applied Biology, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China; (Y.F.); (M.A.); (X.L.); (Y.W.); (T.L.); (E.M.)
- College of Life Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
| | - Mureed Abbas
- Institute of Applied Biology, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China; (Y.F.); (M.A.); (X.L.); (Y.W.); (T.L.); (E.M.)
- Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, The Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
| | - Xiaojian Liu
- Institute of Applied Biology, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China; (Y.F.); (M.A.); (X.L.); (Y.W.); (T.L.); (E.M.)
| | - Yanli Wang
- Institute of Applied Biology, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China; (Y.F.); (M.A.); (X.L.); (Y.W.); (T.L.); (E.M.)
| | - Huifang Song
- Faculty of Biological Science and Technology, Changzhi University, Changzhi 046000, China;
| | - Tao Li
- Institute of Applied Biology, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China; (Y.F.); (M.A.); (X.L.); (Y.W.); (T.L.); (E.M.)
| | - Enbo Ma
- Institute of Applied Biology, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China; (Y.F.); (M.A.); (X.L.); (Y.W.); (T.L.); (E.M.)
| | - Kun Yan Zhu
- Department of Entomology, 123 Waters Hall, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
- Correspondence: (K.Y.Z.); (J.Z.)
| | - Jianzhen Zhang
- Institute of Applied Biology, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China; (Y.F.); (M.A.); (X.L.); (Y.W.); (T.L.); (E.M.)
- Correspondence: (K.Y.Z.); (J.Z.)
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Differential Expression and Bioinformatics Analysis of tRF/tiRNA in Endometriosis Patients. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 2022:9911472. [PMID: 35281615 PMCID: PMC8913131 DOI: 10.1155/2022/9911472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Background. Endometriosis (EMs) is a benign chronic condition that tends to recur in women of childbearing age, with an incidence of approximately 10%. It is a multifactorial disease for which the pathogenesis is currently unclear. This study is aimed at investigating the expression and clinical significance of tRNA-derived small RNA (tsRNA), a novel noncoding small RNA with potential regulatory functions, in endometriosis. Methods. The tRF/tiRNA expression profiles in endometrial tissues from three pairs of endometriosis patients and controls were detected by tRF&tiRNA PCR microarray technology and then verified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The target genes and target sites of TRF396, tiRNA-5030-GlnTTG-3, TRF308, and TRF320 were predicted by miRanda, and the network diagram of their interaction with miRNA was drawn. The impact of tRNA-derived fragments on the pathogenesis of endometriosis was analyzed using the Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). Results. Two upregulated and 19 downregulated tRNA-derived fragments were identified. The qRT-PCR results of 2 upregulated and 2 downregulated RNA-derived fragments were consistent with the RNA Seq data. The OR2B4 gene related to TRF396, the DGAT1 gene related to tiRNA-5030-GlnTTG-3, the KLF16 gene of TRF308, and the RNF213 gene of TRF320 had significant correlations. Gene Ontology and pathway analysis showed that the target genes of TRF396 and tiRNA-5030-GlnTTG-3 were mainly involved in the intrinsic components of the membrane and the overall composition of the membrane in cell components; molecular functions mainly involve olfactory conduction and G protein-coupled receptor activity. In the biological process, it was mainly involved in the detection of sensory stimuli. The target genes of TRF308 and TRF320 were mainly involved in the intracellular part; molecular functions are mainly related to DNA binding transcription factor activity and protein binding and mainly related to biological regulation of biological processes. Pathway analysis showed that the RAP1 signaling pathway and the AXON GUIDANCE signaling pathway may participate in the progression of endometriosis. Conclusion. The differential expression of tRF/tiRNA in endometriosis may be related to the pathogenesis of endometriosis. Furthermore, tRF/tiRNA may be a biomarker for the diagnosis and treatment of EMs in the future.
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Li M, Li S, Li Y, Li X, Yang G, Li M, Xie Y, Su W, Wu J, Jia L, Li S, Ma W, Li H, Guo N, Yu P. Cationic liposomes co-deliver chemotherapeutics and siRNA for the treatment of breast cancer. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 233:114198. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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Choudhary C, Meghwanshi KK, Shukla N, Shukla JN. Innate and adaptive resistance to RNAi: a major challenge and hurdle to the development of double stranded RNA-based pesticides. 3 Biotech 2021; 11:498. [PMID: 34881161 PMCID: PMC8595431 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-021-03049-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/31/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA interference (RNAi) is a post-transcriptional gene silencing process where short interfering RNAs degrade targeted mRNA. Exploration of gene function through reverse genetics is the major achievement of RNAi discovery. Besides, RNAi can be used as a potential strategy for the control of insect pests. This has led to the idea of developing RNAi-based pesticides. Differential RNAi efficiency in the different insect orders is the biggest biological obstacle in developing RNAi-based pesticides. dsRNA stability, the sensitivity of core RNAi machinery, uptake of dsRNA and amplification and spreading of the RNAi signal are the key factors responsible for RNAi efficiency in insects. This review discusses the physiological and adaptive factors responsible for reduced RNAi in insects that pose a major challenge in developing dsRNA- based pesticides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chhavi Choudhary
- Department of Biotechnology, Central University of Rajasthan, NH-8, Bandarsindri, Distt. Ajmer, Kishangarh, Rajasthan 305817 India
| | - Keshav Kumar Meghwanshi
- Department of Biotechnology, Central University of Rajasthan, NH-8, Bandarsindri, Distt. Ajmer, Kishangarh, Rajasthan 305817 India
| | - Nidhi Shukla
- Birla Institute of Scientific Research, Statue Circle, Prithviraj Rd, C-Scheme, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302001 India
| | - Jayendra Nath Shukla
- Department of Biotechnology, Central University of Rajasthan, NH-8, Bandarsindri, Distt. Ajmer, Kishangarh, Rajasthan 305817 India
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