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Wang Y, Guo Y, Guo S, Qi L, Li B, Jiang L, Xu C, An M, Wu Y. RNA interference-based exogenous double-stranded RNAs confer resistance to Rhizoctonia solani AG-3 on Nicotiana tabacum. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2024; 80:2170-2178. [PMID: 38284497 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rhizoctonia solani Kühn is a pathogenic fungus causing tobacco target spot disease, and leads to great losses worldwide. At present, resistant varieties and effective control strategy on tobacco target spot disease are very limited. Host-induced gene silencing (HIGS) as well as the exogenous dsRNA can be used to suppress disease progression, and reveal the function of crucial genes involved in the growth and pathogenesis of the fungus. RESULTS The silencing of endoPGs or RPMK1 in host plants by TRV-based HIGS resulted in a significant reduction in disease development in Nicotiana benthamiana. In vitro analysis validated that red fluorescence signals were consistently observed in the hyphae treated with Cy3-fluorescein-labeled dsRNA at 12, 24, 48 and 72 h postinoculation (hpi). Additionally, application of dsRNA-endoPGs, dsRNA-RPMK1 and dsRNA-PGMK (fusion of partial endoPGs and RPMK1 sequences) effectively inhibited the hyphal growth of R. solani YC-9 in vitro and suppressed disease progression in the leaves, and quantitative real-time PCR confirmed that the application of dsRNAs significantly reduced the expression levels of endoPGs and RPMK1. CONCLUSION These results provide theoretical basis and new direction for RNAi approaches on the prevention and control of disease caused by R. solani. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Wang
- Liaoning Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yi Guo
- Liaoning Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - Shiping Guo
- Sichuan Province Tobacco Company, Chengdu, China
| | - Lin Qi
- Sichuan Province Tobacco Company, Chengdu, China
| | - Bin Li
- Sichuan Province Tobacco Company, Chengdu, China
| | - Lianqiang Jiang
- Liangshanzhou Branch of Sichuan Province Tobacco Company, Xichang, China
| | - Chuantao Xu
- Luzhou Branch of Sichuan Province Tobacco Company, Luzhou, China
| | - Mengnan An
- Liaoning Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yuanhua Wu
- Liaoning Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
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2
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Wu J, Jones N, Hohenwarter L, Zhao F, Chan V, Tan Z, Carlaw T, Morin T, Li J, Kaur T, Andrew LJ, Ross CJD, Hedtrich S, Li SD. Systemic delivery of proteins using novel peptides via the sublingual route. J Control Release 2024; 368:290-302. [PMID: 38423473 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2024.02.042] [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: 12/30/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Therapeutic proteins often require needle-based injections, which compromise medication adherence especially for those with chronic diseases. Sublingual administration provides a simple and non-invasive alternative. Herein, two novel peptides (lipid-conjugated protamine and a protamine dimer) were synthesized to enable sublingual delivery of proteins through simple physical mixing with the payloads. It was found that the novel peptides promoted intracellular delivery of proteins via increased pore formation on the cell surface. Results from in vitro models of cell spheroids and human sublingual tissue substitute indicated that the novel peptides enhanced protein penetration through multiple cell layers compared to protamine. The novel peptides were mixed with insulin or semaglutide and sublingually delivered to mice for blood glucose (BG) control. The effects of these sublingual formulations were comparable to the subcutaneous preparations and superior to protamine. In addition to peptide drugs, the novel peptides were shown to enable sublingual absorption of larger proteins with molecular weights from 22 to 150 kDa in mice, including human recombinant growth hormone (rhGH), bovine serum albumin (BSA) and Immunoglobulin G (IgG). The novel peptides given sublingually did not induce any measurable toxicities in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiamin Wu
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Natalie Jones
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Lukas Hohenwarter
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Feng Zhao
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Vanessa Chan
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Zheng Tan
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Tiffany Carlaw
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Tessa Morin
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Jing Li
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Tejinder Kaur
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Lucas J Andrew
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z1, Canada
| | - Colin J D Ross
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Sarah Hedtrich
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Shyh-Dar Li
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada..
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Li Y, Wu S, Xu Y, Li Y, Liu Y, Wang J. Transcriptomic Identification and Characterization of Trehalose-6-Phosphate Synthase in Fat Body of the Oriental Fruit Fly, Bactrocera dorsalis. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2024; 72:5725-5733. [PMID: 38452362 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c06197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
The destructive agricultural pest oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae), has been causing huge damage to the fruits and vegetable industry. Although many pertinent studies have been conducted on B. dorsalis, the functions of fat body still remain largely unknown. To this end, the comparative transcriptome analysis between fat body and carcass was performed in an attempt to provide insights into functions of fat body of B. dorsalis in the present study. A total of 1431 upregulated and 2511 downregulated unigenes were discovered in the fat body vs carcass comparison, respectively. The enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEG) revealed that most of the enriched pathways were related to metabolism. The reliability of DEG analysis was validated by qRT-PCR measurements of 12 genes in starch and sucrose metabolism pathway, including the trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (BdTPS) which was highly expressed in eggs, 5 d-old adults, and fat body. The RNAi of BdTPS significantly affected trehalose and chitin metabolism, larval growth, and larva-pupa metamorphosis. Collectively, the findings in this study enriched our understanding of fat body functions in metabolism and demonstrated the indispensable roles of BdTPS in trehalose-related physiological pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Li
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biosafety and Green Production of Upper Yangtze River (Ministry of Education), Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
- College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Shunjiao Wu
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biosafety and Green Production of Upper Yangtze River (Ministry of Education), Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
- College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Yonghong Xu
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biosafety and Green Production of Upper Yangtze River (Ministry of Education), Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
- College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Yaying Li
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biosafety and Green Production of Upper Yangtze River (Ministry of Education), Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
- College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Yinghong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biosafety and Green Production of Upper Yangtze River (Ministry of Education), Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
- College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Jia Wang
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biosafety and Green Production of Upper Yangtze River (Ministry of Education), Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
- College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
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4
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Koo J, Zhu GH, Palli SR. CRISPR-Cas9 mediated dsRNase knockout improves RNAi efficiency in the fall armyworm. PESTICIDE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 200:105839. [PMID: 38582601 DOI: 10.1016/j.pestbp.2024.105839] [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: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
Lepidopteran insects are refractory to RNA interference (RNAi) response, especially to orally delivered double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). High nuclease activity in the midgut lumen is proposed as one of the major reasons for RNAi insensitivity. We identified three dsRNase genes highly expressed in the midgut of fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda. The genomic region harboring those three dsRNase genes was deleted using the CRISPR-Cas9-mediated genome editing method. A homozygous line with deletion of three dsRNase genes was produced. dsRNA degradation by midgut lumen contents of mutant larvae was lower than in wild-type larvae. Feeding dsRNA targeting the inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) gene increased knockdown of the target gene and mortality in mutants compared to wild-type larvae. These results suggest that dsRNases in the midgut contribute to RNAi inefficiency in FAW. Formulations that protect dsRNA from dsRNase degradation may improve RNAi efficiency in FAW and other lepidopteran insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinmo Koo
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546, USA
| | - Guan-Heng Zhu
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546, USA
| | - Subba Reddy Palli
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546, USA.
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Arjunan N, Thiruvengadam V, Sushil SN. Nanoparticle-mediated dsRNA delivery for precision insect pest control: a comprehensive review. Mol Biol Rep 2024; 51:355. [PMID: 38400844 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-023-09187-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
Nanoparticle-based delivery systems have emerged as powerful tools in the field of pest management, offering precise and effective means of delivering double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), a potent agent for pest control through RNA interference (RNAi). This comprehensive review aims to evaluate and compare various types of nanoparticles for their suitability in dsRNA delivery for pest management applications. The review begins by examining the unique properties and advantages of different nanoparticle materials, including clay, chitosan, liposomes, carbon, gold and silica. Each material's ability to protect dsRNA from degradation and its potential for targeted delivery to pests are assessed. Furthermore, this review delves into the surface modification strategies employed to enhance dsRNA delivery efficiency. Functionalization with oligonucleotides, lipids, polymers, proteins and peptides is discussed in detail, highlighting their role in improving stability, cellular uptake, and specificity of dsRNA delivery.This review also provides valuable guidance on choosing the most suitable nanoparticle-based system for delivering dsRNA effectively and sustainably in pest management. Moreover, it identifies existing knowledge gaps and proposes potential research directions aimed at enhancing pest control strategies through the utilization of nanoparticles and dsRNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nareshkumar Arjunan
- Division of Molecular Entomology, Department of Zoology, School of Life Sciences, Periyar University, Salem, 636011, India.
| | - Venkatesan Thiruvengadam
- Division of Genomic Resources, ICAR-National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources, H.A. Farm Post, Hebbal, P.B. No. 2491, Bangalore, 560024, India.
| | - S N Sushil
- Division of Genomic Resources, ICAR-National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources, H.A. Farm Post, Hebbal, P.B. No. 2491, Bangalore, 560024, India
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6
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Zhu Y, Kong L, Wang X, Xu J, Qian X, Yang Y, Xu Z, Zhu KY. Rolling circle transcription: A new system to produce RNA microspheres for improving RNAi efficiency in an agriculturally important lepidopteran pest (Mythimna separate). PESTICIDE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 197:105680. [PMID: 38072537 DOI: 10.1016/j.pestbp.2023.105680] [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: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
We applied a new RNA interference (RNAi) system using rolling circle transcription (RCT) technology to generate RNA microspheres (RMS) for targeting two key chitin synthetic pathway genes [chitin synthase A (CHSA), chitin synthase B (CHSB)] in the larvae of the oriental armyworm (Mythimna separate), a RNAi-unsusceptible agriculturally important lepidopteran pest. Feeding the third-instar larvae with the RMS-CHSA- or RMS-CHSB-treated corn leaf discs suppressed the expression of CHSA by 81.7% or CHSB by 88.1%, respectively, at 72 h. The silencing of CHSA consequently affected the larval development, including the reduced body weight (54.0%) and length (41.3%), as evaluated on the 7th day, and caused significant larval mortalities (51.1%) as evaluated on the 14th day. Similar results were obtained with the larvae fed RMS-CHSB. We also compared RNAi efficiencies among different strategies: 1) two multi-target RMS [i.e., RMS-(CHSA + CHSB), RMS-CHSA + RMS-CHSB], and 2) multi-target RMS and single-target RMS (i.e., either RMS-CHSA or RMS-CHSB) and found no significant differences in RNAi efficiency. By using Cy3-labeled RMS, we confirmed that RMS can be rapidly internalized into Sf9 cells (<6 h). The rapid cellular uptake of RMS accompanied with significant RNAi efficiency through larval feeding suggests that the RCT-based RNAi system can be readily applied to study the gene functions and further developed as bio-pesticides for insect pest management. Additionally, our new RNAi system takes the advantage of the microRNA (miRNA)-mediated RNAi pathway using miRNA duplexes generated in vivo from the RMS by the target insect. The system can be used for RNAi in a wide range of insect species, including lepidopteran insects which often exhibit extremely low RNAi efficiency using other RNAi approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yutong Zhu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Linghao Kong
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Xinqian Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Jiazheng Xu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Xuhong Qian
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Yangyang Yang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China.
| | - Zhiping Xu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China.
| | - Kun Yan Zhu
- Department of Entomology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506-4004, USA
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Palli SR. RNAi turns 25:contributions and challenges in insect science. FRONTIERS IN INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 3:1209478. [PMID: 38469536 PMCID: PMC10926446 DOI: 10.3389/finsc.2023.1209478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Since its discovery in 1998, RNA interference (RNAi), a Nobel prize-winning technology, made significant contributions to advances in biology because of its ability to mediate the knockdown of specific target genes. RNAi applications in medicine and agriculture have been explored with mixed success. The past 25 years of research on RNAi resulted in advances in our understanding of the mechanisms of its action, target specificity, and differential efficiency among animals and plants. RNAi played a major role in advances in insect biology. Did RNAi technology fully meet insect pest and disease vector management expectations? This review will discuss recent advances in the mechanisms of RNAi and its contributions to insect science. The remaining challenges, including delivery to the target site, differential efficiency, potential resistance development and possible solutions for the widespread use of this technology in insect management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subba Reddy Palli
- Department of Entomology, Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
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Sandal S, Singh S, Bansal G, Kaur R, Mogilicherla K, Pandher S, Roy A, Kaur G, Rathore P, Kalia A. Nanoparticle-Shielded dsRNA Delivery for Enhancing RNAi Efficiency in Cotton Spotted Bollworm Earias vittella (Lepidoptera: Nolidae). Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24119161. [PMID: 37298113 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The spotted bollworm Earias vittella (Lepidoptera: Nolidae) is a polyphagous pest with enormous economic significance, primarily affecting cotton and okra. However, the lack of gene sequence information on this pest has a significant constraint on molecular investigations and the formulation of superior pest management strategies. An RNA-seq-based transcriptome study was conducted to alleviate such limitations, and de novo assembly was performed to obtain transcript sequences of this pest. Reference gene identification across E. vittella developmental stages and RNAi treatments were conducted using its sequence information, which resulted in identifying transcription elongation factor (TEF), V-type proton ATPase (V-ATPase), and Glyceraldehyde -3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) as the most suitable reference genes for normalization in RT-qPCR-based gene expression studies. The present study also identified important developmental, RNAi pathway, and RNAi target genes and performed life-stage developmental expression analysis using RT-qPCR to select the optimal targets for RNAi. We found that naked dsRNA degradation in the E. vittella hemolymph is the primary reason for poor RNAi. A total of six genes including Juvenile hormone methyl transferase (JHAMT), Chitin synthase (CHS), Aminopeptidase (AMN), Cadherin (CAD), Alpha-amylase (AMY), and V-type proton ATPase (V-ATPase) were selected and knocked down significantly with three different nanoparticles encapsulated dsRNA conjugates, i.e., Chitosan-dsRNA, carbon quantum dots-dsRNA (CQD-dsRNA), and Lipofectamine-dsRNA conjugate. These results demonstrate that feeding nanoparticle-shielded dsRNA silences target genes and suggests that nanoparticle-based RNAi can efficiently manage this pest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelja Sandal
- Regional Research Station, Punjab Agricultural University, Faridkot 151203, Punjab, India
- Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Research, Punjabi University, Patiala 140072, Punjab, India
| | - Satnam Singh
- Regional Research Station, Punjab Agricultural University, Faridkot 151203, Punjab, India
| | - Gulshan Bansal
- Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Research, Punjabi University, Patiala 140072, Punjab, India
| | - Ramandeep Kaur
- Regional Research Station, Punjab Agricultural University, Faridkot 151203, Punjab, India
| | - Kanakachari Mogilicherla
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 21 Praha, Czech Republic
| | - Suneet Pandher
- Regional Research Station, Punjab Agricultural University, Faridkot 151203, Punjab, India
| | - Amit Roy
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 21 Praha, Czech Republic
| | - Gurmeet Kaur
- Regional Research Station, Punjab Agricultural University, Faridkot 151203, Punjab, India
| | - Pankaj Rathore
- Regional Research Station, Punjab Agricultural University, Faridkot 151203, Punjab, India
| | - Anu Kalia
- Electron Microscopy and Nanoscience Laboratory, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana 141004, Punjab, India
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9
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Koo J, Chen X, Palli SR. Gene expression in Verson's glands of the fall armyworm suggests their role in molting and immunity. FRONTIERS IN INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 3:1124278. [PMID: 38469461 PMCID: PMC10926397 DOI: 10.3389/finsc.2023.1124278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Verson's glands are segmental pairs of dermal glands attached to the epidermis in lepidopteran larvae. They produce macromolecules during intermolt period and empty them during each molt. Morphological, histochemical, developmental, and protein analysis studies have been conducted to determine the functions of Verson's glands. However, the exact role of Verson's glands remains unclear. In our previous study, a strain of transgenic fall armyworm, Spdoptera frugiperda expressing green fluorescence protein (GFP) and Systemic RNA interference defective protein 1 (SID1) from Caenorhabditis elegans was established to improve RNA interference (RNAi) efficiency. Unexpectedly, we found that GFP fluorescence was significantly brighter in Verson's glands than in other tissues. Also, RNAi efficiency improved more in Verson's glands than in other tissues. We took advantage of improved RNAi efficiency to explore the function of Verson's glands. RNA-seq analysis revealed that genes highly expressed in Verson's glands code for cuticular proteins, molting fluid proteins, hemolymph proteins, and antimicrobial peptides. Injection of dsRNA targeting essential genes, inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP), Actin, and vacuolar-type ATPase (VATPase) interfered with Verson's glands growth. These results revealed that Verson's glands may contribute to hemolymph, cuticle, molting fluid, and immune response during molting. This study also provide useful tools for future research in identifying the physiological role of Verson's glands in lepidopteran insects.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Subba Reddy Palli
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
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Koo J, Palli SR. dsRNase1 contribution to dsRNA degradation activity in the Sf9 cells conditioned medium. FRONTIERS IN INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 3:1118775. [PMID: 38469530 PMCID: PMC10926405 DOI: 10.3389/finsc.2023.1118775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
RNA interference (RNAi) is inefficient in lepidopteran insects, including Spodoptera frugiperda. RNase activity in the lumen and hemocoel is known to contribute to low RNAi efficiency in these insects. Conditioned medium from Sf9 cells developed from ovaries of S. frugiperda shows high dsRNA degradation activity. But the enzymes responsible for this activity have not been identified. The nuclease genes that are highly expressed in Sf9 cells, REase, RNaseT2, and dsRNase1, were identified. Knockdown of dsRNase1 in Sf9 cells resulted in a reduction of dsRNA degradation activity in the Sf9 cells conditioned medium. Knockdown of dsRNase1 also increased RNAi efficiency in Sf9 cells. The results from these studies identified a major player in dsRNA degradation activity in the Sf9 cells conditioned medium. We also describe an efficient system that can be used to identify other genes responsible for dsRNA degradation and RNAi efficiency in Sf9 cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Subba Reddy Palli
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
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Lucena-Leandro VS, Abreu EFA, Vidal LA, Torres CR, Junqueira CICVF, Dantas J, Albuquerque ÉVS. Current Scenario of Exogenously Induced RNAi for Lepidopteran Agricultural Pest Control: From dsRNA Design to Topical Application. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232415836. [PMID: 36555476 PMCID: PMC9785151 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232415836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive insects cost the global economy around USD 70 billion per year. Moreover, increasing agricultural insect pests raise concerns about global food security constraining and infestation rising after climate changes. Current agricultural pest management largely relies on plant breeding-with or without transgenes-and chemical pesticides. Both approaches face serious technological obsolescence in the field due to plant resistance breakdown or development of insecticide resistance. The need for new modes of action (MoA) for managing crop health is growing each year, driven by market demands to reduce economic losses and by consumer demand for phytosanitary measures. The disabling of pest genes through sequence-specific expression silencing is a promising tool in the development of environmentally-friendly and safe biopesticides. The specificity conferred by long dsRNA-base solutions helps minimize effects on off-target genes in the insect pest genome and the target gene in non-target organisms (NTOs). In this review, we summarize the status of gene silencing by RNA interference (RNAi) for agricultural control. More specifically, we focus on the engineering, development and application of gene silencing to control Lepidoptera through non-transforming dsRNA technologies. Despite some delivery and stability drawbacks of topical applications, we reviewed works showing convincing proof-of-concept results that point to innovative solutions. Considerations about the regulation of the ongoing research on dsRNA-based pesticides to produce commercialized products for exogenous application are discussed. Academic and industry initiatives have revealed a worthy effort to control Lepidoptera pests with this new mode of action, which provides more sustainable and reliable technologies for field management. New data on the genomics of this taxon may contribute to a future customized target gene portfolio. As a case study, we illustrate how dsRNA and associated methodologies could be applied to control an important lepidopteran coffee pest.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Leonardo A. Vidal
- Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia, Brasília 70770-917, DF, Brazil
- Department of Cellular Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Universidade de Brasília—UnB, Brasília 70910-9002, DF, Brazil
| | - Caroline R. Torres
- Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia, Brasília 70770-917, DF, Brazil
- Department of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Universidade de Brasília—UnB, Brasília 70910-9002, DF, Brazil
| | - Camila I. C. V. F. Junqueira
- Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia, Brasília 70770-917, DF, Brazil
- Department of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Universidade de Brasília—UnB, Brasília 70910-9002, DF, Brazil
| | - Juliana Dantas
- Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia, Brasília 70770-917, DF, Brazil
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Liu XY, Wang SS, Zhong F, Zhou M, Jiang XY, Cheng YS, Dan YH, Hu G, Li C, Tang B, Wu Y. Chitinase (CHI) of Spodoptera frugiperda affects molting development by regulating the metabolism of chitin and trehalose. Front Physiol 2022; 13:1034926. [PMID: 36262255 PMCID: PMC9574123 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.1034926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Chitin is the main component of insect exoskeleton and midgut peritrophic membrane. Insect molting is the result of the balance and coordination of chitin synthesis and degradation in chitin metabolism under the action of hormones. In this study, a 678 bp dsRNA fragment was designed and synthesized according to the known CHI (Chitinase) sequence of Spodoptera frugiperda. It was injected into the larvae to observe the molting and development of S. frugiperda. At the same time, the activities of trehalase and chitinase, the contents of trehalose, chitin and other substances were detected, and the expression of related genes in the chitin synthesis pathway was determined. The results showed that CHI gene was highly expressed at the end of each instar, prepupa and pupal stage before molting; At 12 and 24 h after dsRNA injection of CHI gene of S. frugiperda, the expression of CHI gene decreased significantly, and the chitinase activity decreased significantly from 12 to 48 h. The expression of chitin synthase (CHSB) gene decreased significantly, and the chitin content increased significantly. Some larvae could not molt normally and complete development, leading to certain mortality. Secondly, after RNAi of CHI gene, the content of glucose and glycogen increased first and then decreased, while the content of trehalose decreased significantly or showed a downward trend. The activities of the two types of trehalase and the expression levels of trehalase genes decreased first and then increased, especially the trehalase activities increased significantly at 48 h after dsCHI injection. And trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (TPS), glutamine: fructose-6-phosphate amidotransferase (GFAT), UDP-N-acetylglucosamine pyrophosphorylases (UAP), hexokinase (HK), glucose-6-phosphate isomerase (G6PI) and phosphoacetylglucosamine mutase (PAGM) all decreased significantly at 24 h, and then increased or significantly increased at 48 h. These results indicated that when the expression of chitinase gene of S. frugiperda was inhibited, it affected the degradation of chitin in the old epidermis and the formation of new epidermis, and the content of chitin increased, which led to the failure of larvae to molt normally. Moreover, the chitin synthesis pathway and trehalose metabolism were also regulated. The relevant results provide a theoretical basis for screening target genes and developing green insecticides to control pests by using the chitin metabolism pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang-Yu Liu
- Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Rare Animal and Economic Insect of the Mountainous Region, Department of Biology and Engineering of Environment, Guiyang University, Guiyang, China
| | - Sha-Sha Wang
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Fan Zhong
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Min Zhou
- Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Rare Animal and Economic Insect of the Mountainous Region, Department of Biology and Engineering of Environment, Guiyang University, Guiyang, China
| | - Xin-Yi Jiang
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yi-Sha Cheng
- Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Rare Animal and Economic Insect of the Mountainous Region, Department of Biology and Engineering of Environment, Guiyang University, Guiyang, China
| | - Yi-Hao Dan
- Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Rare Animal and Economic Insect of the Mountainous Region, Department of Biology and Engineering of Environment, Guiyang University, Guiyang, China
| | - Gao Hu
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Can Li
- Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Rare Animal and Economic Insect of the Mountainous Region, Department of Biology and Engineering of Environment, Guiyang University, Guiyang, China
| | - Bin Tang
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yan Wu
- Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Rare Animal and Economic Insect of the Mountainous Region, Department of Biology and Engineering of Environment, Guiyang University, Guiyang, China
- *Correspondence: Yan Wu,
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Kebede M, Fite T. RNA interference (RNAi) applications to the management of fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae): Its current trends and future prospects. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:944774. [PMID: 36158573 PMCID: PMC9490220 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.944774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is among the invasive insect pests that damages maize and sorghum, the high-priority crops in newly colonized agro-ecologies, including African contexts. Owing to the increasing infestation of the pest and the limitations of current conventional methods for its management, there is a call for discovering advanced pest management approaches. RNA interference (RNAi) is an emerging molecular tool showing flexible potential for the management of S. frugiperda. We conducted a search of the recent application of RNAi literature using Google Scholar and Mendeley to find advanced papers on S. frugiperda management using RNAi molecular tools that led to growth inhibition, developmental aberrations, reduced fecundity, and mortality, mainly by disruption of normal biological processes of the pest. Although efforts have been made to accelerate the utility of RNAi, many factors limit the efficiency of RNAi to achieve successful control over S. frugiperda. Owing to RNAi’s potential bioactivity and economic and ecological acceptability, continued research efforts should focus on improving its broad applicability, including field conditions. Screening and identification of key target genes should be a priority task to achieve effective and sustainable management of this insect via RNAi. In addition, a clear understanding of the present status of RNAi utilization in S. frugiperda management is of paramount importance to improve its efficiency. Therefore, in this review, we highlight the biology of S. frugiperda and the RNAi mechanism as a foundation for the molecular management of the pest. Then, we discuss the current knowledge of the RNAi approach in S. frugiperda management and the factors affecting the efficiency of RNAi application. Finally, the prospects for RNAi-based insect pest management are highlighted for future research to achieve effective management of S. frugiperda.
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