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Teng F, Guo F, Feng J, Lu Y, Qi Y. Distribution analysis of TRH in Bactrocera dorsalis using a CRISPR/Cas9-mediated reporter knock-in strain. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 33:283-292. [PMID: 38411032 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12901] [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: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Although the study of many genes and their protein products is limited by the availability of high-quality antibodies, this problem could be solved by fusing a tag/reporter to an endogenous gene using a gene-editing approach. The type II bacterial CRISPR/Cas system has been demonstrated to be an efficient gene-targeting technology for many insects, including the oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis. However, knocking in, an important editing method of the CRISPR/Cas9 system, has lagged in its application in insects. Here, we describe a highly efficient homology-directed genome editing system for B. dorsalis that incorporates coinjection of embryos with Cas9 protein, guide RNA and a short single-stranded oligodeoxynucleotide donor. This one-step procedure generates flies carrying V5 tag (42 bp) in the BdorTRH gene. In insects, as in other invertebrates and in vertebrates, the neuronal tryptophan hydroxylase (TRH) gene encodes the rate-limiting enzyme for serotonin biosynthesis in the central nervous system. Using V5 monoclonal antibody, the distribution of TRH in B. dorsalis at different developmental stages was uncovered. Our results will facilitate the generation of insects carrying precise DNA inserts in endogenous genes and will lay foundation for the investigation of the neural mechanisms underlying the serotonin-mediated behaviour of B. dorsalis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feiyue Teng
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fengyi Guo
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jimei Feng
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yongyue Lu
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yixiang Qi
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
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2
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Teng FY, Feng JM, Ma FC, Wang ZX, Lu YY, Qi YX. Characterization of an agmatine N-acetyltransferase from Bactrocera dorsalis that modulates ovary development. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 170:104130. [PMID: 38734116 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2023] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
Agmatine N-acetyltransferase (AgmNAT), which catalyzes the formation of N-acetylagmatine from acetyl-CoA and agmatine, is a member of the GCN5-related N-acetyltransferase family. So far, knowledge of the physiological roles of AgmNAT in insects is limited. Here, we identified one gene encoding protein homologous to that of Drosophila AgmNAT using sequence information from an activity-verified Drosophila AgmNAT in a BLAST search of the Bactrocera dorsalis genome. We expressed and purified B. dorsalis AgmNAT in Escherichia coli and used the purified enzyme to define the substrate specificity for acyl-CoA and amine substrates. Our application of the screening strategy to BdorAgmNAT led to the identification of agmatine as the best amine substrate for this enzyme, with the highest kcat/Km value. We successfully obtained a BdorAgmNAT knockout strain based on a wild-type strain (WT) using the CRISPR/Cas9 technique. The ovary development of the BdorAgmNAT knockout mutants was delayed for 10 days compared with the WT specimens. Moreover, mutants had a much smaller mature ovary size and laid far fewer eggs than WT. Loss of function of BdorAgmNAT caused by RNAi with mature WT females did not affect their fecundity. These findings indicate that BdorAgmNAT is critical for oogenesis. Our data provide the first evidence for AgmNAT in regulating ovary development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei-Yue Teng
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ji-Mei Feng
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fu-Cai Ma
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhuo-Xin Wang
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yong-Yue Lu
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yi-Xiang Qi
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
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3
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Wuyun Q, Zhang Y, Yuan J, Zhang J, Ren C, Wang Q, Yan S, Liu W, Wang G. A classic screening marker does not affect antennal electrophysiology but strongly regulates reproductive behaviours in Bactrocera dorsalis. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 33:136-146. [PMID: 37877756 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12883] [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: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023]
Abstract
The key phenotype white eye (white) has been used for decades to selectively remove females before release in sterile insect technique programs and as an effective screening marker in genetic engineering. Bactrocera dorsalis is a representative tephritid pest causing damage to more than 150 fruit crops. Yet, the function of white in important biological processes remains unclear in B. dorsalis. In this study, the impacts of the white gene on electrophysiology and reproductive behaviour in B. dorsalis were tested. The results indicated that knocking out Bdwhite disrupted eye pigmentation in adults, consistent with previous reports. Bdwhite did not affect the antennal electrophysiology response to 63 chemical components with various structures. However, reproductive behaviours in both males and females were significantly reduced in Bdwhite-/- . Both pre-copulatory and copulation behaviours were significantly reduced in Bdwhite-/- , and the effect was male-specific. Mutant females significantly delayed their oviposition towards γ-octalactone, and the peak of oviposition behaviour towards orange juice was lost. These results show that Bdwhite might not be an ideal screening marker in functional gene research aiming to identify molecular targets for behaviour-modifying chemicals. Instead, owing to its strong effect on B. dorsalis sexual behaviours, the downstream genes regulated by Bdwhite or the genes from white-linked areas could be alternate molecular targets that promote the development of better behavioural modifying chemical-based pest management techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- QiQige Wuyun
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Management of Forest Ecosystem, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Management of Forest Ecosystem, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Jinxi Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Management of Forest Ecosystem, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Management of Forest Ecosystem, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Cong Ren
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Management of Forest Ecosystem, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Qi Wang
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Management of Forest Ecosystem, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Shanchun Yan
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Management of Forest Ecosystem, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Institute of Agricultural Genome, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Branch of Lingnan Modern Agricultural Science and Technology Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Agricultural Gene Data Analysis, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shenzhen, China
| | - Guirong Wang
- Institute of Agricultural Genome, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Branch of Lingnan Modern Agricultural Science and Technology Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Agricultural Gene Data Analysis, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shenzhen, China
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Sun L, Zhang T, Lan X, Zhang N, Wang R, Ma S, Zhao P, Xia Q. High-Throughput Screening of PAM-Flexible Cas9 Variants for Expanded Genome Editing in the Silkworm ( Bombyx mori). INSECTS 2024; 15:241. [PMID: 38667371 PMCID: PMC11050708 DOI: 10.3390/insects15040241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Genome editing provides novel opportunities for the precise genome engineering of diverse organisms. Significant progress has been made in the development of genome-editing tools for Bombyx mori (B. mori) in recent years. Among these, CRISPR/Cas9, which is currently the most commonly used system in lepidopteran insects, recognizes NGG protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) sequences within the target locus. However, Cas9 lacks the ability to target all gene loci in B. mori, indicating the need for Cas9 variants with a larger editing range. In this study, we developed a high-throughput screening platform to validate Cas9 variants at all possible recognizable and editable PAM sites for target sequences in B. mori. This platform enabled us to identify PAM sites that can be recognized by both xCas9 3.7 and SpCas9-NG variants in B. mori and to assess their editing efficiency. Cas9 shows PAM sites every 13 base pairs in the genome, whereas xCas9 3.7 and SpCas9-NG have an average distance of 3.4 and 3.6 base pairs, respectively, between two specific targeting sites. Combining the two Cas9 variants could significantly expand the targeting range of the genome, accelerate research on the B. mori genome, and extend the high-throughput rapid screening platform to other insects, particularly those lacking suitable NGG PAM sequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Le Sun
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (Chongqing) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (L.S.)
- Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chongqing 400715, China
- Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Tong Zhang
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (Chongqing) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (L.S.)
- Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chongqing 400715, China
- Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Xinhui Lan
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (Chongqing) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (L.S.)
- Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chongqing 400715, China
- Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Na Zhang
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (Chongqing) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (L.S.)
- Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chongqing 400715, China
- Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Ruolin Wang
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (Chongqing) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (L.S.)
- Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chongqing 400715, China
- Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Sanyuan Ma
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (Chongqing) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (L.S.)
- Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chongqing 400715, China
- Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Ping Zhao
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (Chongqing) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (L.S.)
- Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chongqing 400715, China
- Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Qingyou Xia
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (Chongqing) Science City, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (L.S.)
- Key Laboratory for Germplasm Creation in Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chongqing 400715, China
- Engineering Laboratory of Sericultural and Functional Genome and Biotechnology, Development and Reform Commission, Chongqing 400715, China
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Sui Z, Wu Q, Geng J, Xiao J, Huang D. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated efficient white genome editing in the black soldier fly Hermetia illucens. Mol Genet Genomics 2024; 299:5. [PMID: 38315256 DOI: 10.1007/s00438-023-02088-0] [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: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
The CRISPR/Cas9 system is the most straightforward genome-editing technology to date, enabling genetic engineering in many insects, including the black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens. The white gene plays a significant role in the multifarious life activities of insects, especially the pigmentation of the eyes. In this study, the white gene of H. illucens (Hiwhite) was cloned, identified, and bioinformatically analysed for the first time. Using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), we found that the white gene was expressed in the whole body of the adult flies, particularly in Malpighian tubules and compound eyes. Furthermore, we utilised CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome-editing technology to successfully generate heritable Hiwhite mutants using two single guide RNAs. During Hiwhite genome editing, we determined the timing, method, and needle-pulling parameters for embryo microinjection by observing early embryonic developmental features. We used the CasOT program to obtain highly specific guide RNAs (gRNAs) at the genome-wide level. According to the phenotypes of Hiwhite knockout strains, the pigmentation of larval stemmata, imaginal compound eyes, and ocelli differed from those of the wild type. These phenotypes were similar to those observed in other insects harbouring white gene mutations. In conclusion, our results described a detailed white genome editing process in black soldier flies, which lays a solid foundation for intensive research on the pigmentation pathway of the eyes and provides a methodological basis for further genome engineering applications in black soldier flies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuoxiao Sui
- College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Qi Wu
- College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Jin Geng
- College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Jinhua Xiao
- College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China.
| | - Dawei Huang
- College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China.
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Sollazzo G, Nikolouli K, Gouvi G, Aumann RA, Schetelig MF, Bourtzis K. Deep orange gene editing triggers temperature-sensitive lethal phenotypes in Ceratitis capitata. BMC Biotechnol 2024; 24:7. [PMID: 38302991 PMCID: PMC10835909 DOI: 10.1186/s12896-024-00832-x] [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: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata, is a significant agricultural pest managed through area-wide integrated pest management (AW-IPM) including a sterile insect technique (SIT) component. Male-only releases increase the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of SIT programs, which can be achieved through the development of genetic sexing strains (GSS). The most successful GSS developed to date is the C. capitata VIENNA 8 GSS, constructed using classical genetic approaches and an irradiation-induced translocation with two selectable markers: the white pupae (wp) and temperature-sensitive lethal (tsl) genes. However, currently used methods for selecting suitable markers and inducing translocations are stochastic and non-specific, resulting in a laborious and time-consuming process. Recent efforts have focused on identifying the gene(s) and the causal mutation(s) for suitable phenotypes, such as wp and tsl, which could be used as selectable markers for developing a generic approach for constructing GSS. The wp gene was recently identified, and efforts have been initiated to identify the tsl gene. This study investigates Ceratitis capitata deep orange (Ccdor) as a tsl candidate gene and its potential to induce tsl phenotypes. RESULTS An integrated approach based on cytogenetics, genomics, bioinformatics, and gene editing was used to characterize the Ccdor. Its location was confirmed on the right arm of chromosome 5 in the putative tsl genomic region. Knock-out of Ccdor using CRISPR/Cas9-NHEJ and targeting the fourth exon resulted in lethality at mid- and late-pupal stage, while the successful application of CRISPR HDR introducing a point mutation on the sixth exon resulted in the establishment of the desired strain and two additional strains (dor 12del and dor 51dup), all of them expressing tsl phenotypes and presenting no (or minimal) fitness cost when reared at 25 °C. One of the strains exhibited complete lethality when embryos were exposed at 36 °C. CONCLUSIONS Gene editing of the deep orange gene in Ceratitis capitata resulted in the establishment of temperature-sensitive lethal mutant strains. The induced mutations did not significantly affect the rearing efficiency of the strains. As deep orange is a highly conserved gene, these data suggest that it can be considered a target for the development of tsl mutations which could potentially be used to develop novel genetic sexing strains in insect pests and disease vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Germano Sollazzo
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Friedensstrasse 1, Seibersdorf, 2444, Austria
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Department of Insect Biotechnology in Plant Protection, Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Winchesterstr. 2, Gießen, 35394, Germany
- Present address: Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College Road, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Katerina Nikolouli
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Friedensstrasse 1, Seibersdorf, 2444, Austria
| | - Georgia Gouvi
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Friedensstrasse 1, Seibersdorf, 2444, Austria
- Laboratory of Systems Microbiology and Applied Genomics, Department of Sustainable Agriculture, University of Patras, 2 G. Seferi St., Agrinio, 30100, Greece
- Present address: Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College Road, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Roswitha A Aumann
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Department of Insect Biotechnology in Plant Protection, Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Winchesterstr. 2, Gießen, 35394, Germany
| | - Marc F Schetelig
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Department of Insect Biotechnology in Plant Protection, Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Winchesterstr. 2, Gießen, 35394, Germany.
| | - Kostas Bourtzis
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Friedensstrasse 1, Seibersdorf, 2444, Austria.
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Pradhan SK, Karuppannasamy A, Sujatha PM, Nagaraja BC, Narayanappa AC, Chalapathi P, Dhawane Y, Bynakal S, Riegler M, Maligeppagol M, Ramasamy A. Embryonic microinjection of ribonucleoprotein complex (Cas9+sgRNA) of white gene in melon fly, Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) (Diptera: Tephritidae) produced white eye phenotype. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 114:e22059. [PMID: 37844014 DOI: 10.1002/arch.22059] [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: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
Melon fly, Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) is a major pest of cucurbitaceous crops, and causes substantial yield losses and economic costs. CRISPR/Cas9 is a rapid and effective site-specific genome editing tool for the generation of genetic changes that are stable and heritable. The CRISPR/Cas9 tool uses synthetically designed single guide RNA (sgRNA) that is complementary to the target gene and guides the Cas9 enzyme to perform nuclease activity by making double-strand breaks in the target DNA sequences. This tool can be effectively exploited to improve traits critical for the management of insect pests by targeting specific genes encoding these traits without the need of extensive genetic information. The white gene is an important gene responsible for the transport of body pigment precursor molecules. In this study, we produced effective mutagenesis of the white gene of Z. cucurbitae using the CRISPR/Cas9 tool with double sgRNA to target multiple sites of white to increase the efficiency in the generation of frame-shift mutations resulting in the white eye phenotype in adults. This was achieved through embryonic microinjection of the ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex in the pre-blastoderm embryo stage 1 h after embryo laying. Our success with the production of a white eye mutant fly by CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis is important for the research on gene function and protein-level modifications in melon fly and forms the basis for the development of new genetic control strategies such as precision guided sterile insect technique (pgSIT) for this pest of economic significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjay Kumar Pradhan
- Division of Basic Sciences, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, India
- Department of Agricultural Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, India
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Ashok Karuppannasamy
- Division of Basic Sciences, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, India
- Department of Agricultural Entomology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, India
| | - Parvathy Madhusoodanan Sujatha
- Division of Basic Sciences, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, India
- Department of Plant Biotechnology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, India
| | - Bhargava Chikmagalur Nagaraja
- Division of Basic Sciences, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, India
- Department of Agricultural Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, India
| | - Anu Cholenahalli Narayanappa
- Division of Basic Sciences, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, India
- Department of Agricultural Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, India
| | - Pradeep Chalapathi
- Division of Basic Sciences, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, India
- Department of Plant Biotechnology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, India
| | - Yogi Dhawane
- Division of Basic Sciences, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, India
| | - Shivanna Bynakal
- Department of Agricultural Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, India
| | - Markus Riegler
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Manamohan Maligeppagol
- Division of Basic Sciences, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, India
| | - Asokan Ramasamy
- Division of Basic Sciences, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, India
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8
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Zhang MQ, Gong LL, Zhao YQ, Ma YF, Long GJ, Guo H, Liu XZ, Hull JJ, Dewer Y, Yang C, Zhang NN, He M, He P. Efficient DIPA-CRISPR-mediated knockout of an eye pigment gene in the white-backed planthopper, Sogatella furcifera. INSECT SCIENCE 2023. [PMID: 37919237 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Although CRISPR/Cas9 has been widely used in insect gene editing, the need for the microinjection of preblastoderm embryos can preclude the technique being used in insect species with eggs that are small, have hard shells, and/or are difficult to collect and maintain outside of their normal environment. Such is the case with Sogatella furcifera, the white-backed planthopper (WBPH), a significant pest of Oryza sativa (rice) that oviposits inside rice stems. Egg extraction from the stem runs the risk of mechanical damage and hatching is heavily influenced by the micro-environment of the rice stem. To bypass these issues, we targeted embryos prior to oviposition via direct parental (DIPA)-CRISPR, in which Cas9 and single-guide RNAs (sgRNAs) for the WBPH eye pigment gene tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase were injected into the hemocoel of adult females. Females at varying numbers of days posteclosion were evaluated to determine at what stage their oocyte might be most capable of taking up the gene-editing components. An evaluation of the offspring indicated that the highest G0 gene-edited efficacy (56.7%) occurred in females injected 2 d posteclosion, and that those mutations were heritably transmitted to the G1 generation. This study demonstrates the potential utility of DIPA-CRISPR for future gene-editing studies in non-model insect species and can facilitate the development of novel pest management applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Qi Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticides, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Lang-Lang Gong
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticides, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Ya-Qin Zhao
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticides, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Yun-Feng Ma
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticides, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Gui-Jun Long
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticides, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Huan Guo
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticides, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Xuan-Zheng Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticides, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - J Joe Hull
- Pest Management and Biocontrol Research Unit, US Arid Land Agricultural Research Center, USDA Agricultural Research Services, Maricopa, Arizona, USA
| | - Youssef Dewer
- Phytotoxicity Research Department, Central Agricultural Pesticide Laboratory, Agricultural Research Center, Dokki, Giza, Egypt
| | - Chao Yang
- Guizhou Jifeng Seed Industry Limited Liability Company, Xingyi, Guizhou Province, China
| | - Ning-Ning Zhang
- Shandong Facility Horticulture Bioengineering Research Center, Weifang University of Science and Technology, Weifang, Shandong Province, China
| | - Ming He
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticides, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Peng He
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticides, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
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Zhang Q, Dou W, He LQ, Yu SS, Chen JQ, Zheng LY, Wang L, Smagghe G, Wang JJ. Pannier is a key regulator of embryogenesis, pupal development and female reproduction in the insect pest Bactrocera dorsalis. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2023; 79:1352-1361. [PMID: 36427005 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7305] [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: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Most arthropods are famous for their large reproductive capacity, with the ovary playing a vital role in the process. The study of the regulatory mechanisms of ovarian development may have the potential for a reproduction-based pest management strategy. GATA-binding transcription factors (GATAs) as important regulatory factors mediate many physiological processes, including development, immunity, insecticide resistance and reproduction. The Pannier (pnr), a member of GATA family, was confirmed to be involved in ovarian development of Bactrocera dorsalis in our previous study. However, the direct evidence of pnr regulating the fly ovarian development is still lacking. RESULTS We used CRISPR/Cas9 to create Bdpnr loss-of-function mutations. Homozygous Bdpnr-/- mutants were nonviable, with most individuals dying during embryogenesis, some surviving to the larval stages, and the remaining few dying during pupation. In contrast, heterozygous individuals reached the adult stage, but ovarian development was disrupted, with concomitant decreases in egg laying and hatching rates. We also found that two genes encoding vitellogenin proteins (BdVg1 and BdVg2) and the vitellogenin receptor (BdVgR) were significantly down-regulated in heterozygous mutants compared to wild-type controls. CONCLUSION These results indicate that Bdpnr is required for embryonic and post-embryonic development, including the formation of ovaries. Bdpnr could therefore be considered as a molecular target for tephritid fly pest control. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- International China-Belgium Joint Laboratory on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Wei Dou
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- International China-Belgium Joint Laboratory on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Li-Qiang He
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- International China-Belgium Joint Laboratory on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Shan-Shan Yu
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- International China-Belgium Joint Laboratory on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jia-Qing Chen
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- International China-Belgium Joint Laboratory on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Li-Yuan Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- International China-Belgium Joint Laboratory on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Lin Wang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- International China-Belgium Joint Laboratory on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Guy Smagghe
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- International China-Belgium Joint Laboratory on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Department of Plants and Crops, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jin-Jun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- International China-Belgium Joint Laboratory on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
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10
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Chen H, Sun H, Xie J, Yao Z, Zheng W, Li Z, Deng Z, Li X, Zhang H. CRISPR/Cas9-induced Mutation of Sex Peptide Receptor Gene Bdspr Affects Ovary, Egg Laying, and Female Fecundity in Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae). JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2023; 23:2. [PMID: 36640045 PMCID: PMC9840094 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/ieac078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae), is an invasive and polyphagous pest of horticultural crops, and it can cause huge economic losses in agricultural production. The rapid development of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology has provided new opportunities for the scientific control of agricultural pests. Here, we explore the applicability of the B. dorsalis sex peptide receptor (Bdspr) as a target gene for the CRISPR/Cas9-based sterile insect technique (SIT) in B. dorsalis. We screened two high-efficient single guide RNAs (sgRNAs) for gene editing. The results showed that both mutation efficiency and germline transmission rate were 100% in the surviving G0 females (8/8) from injected embryos, and that 75% of mosaically mutated G0 females (6/8) were sterile. The 50% of heterozygous G1 females (4/8) could not lay eggs; 100% of eggs laid by them could not survive; and 62.5% of individual females (5/8) had abnormal ovaries. These results indicate that Bdspr plays an important role in regulating fertility, egg viability, and ovary development in female B. dorsalis, suggesting that the spr gene can be used for CRISPR/Cas9-based SIT in B. dorsalis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Junfei Xie
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization for Fruit and Vegetable Horticultural Crops, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, China-Australia Joint Research Centre for Horticultural and Urban Pests, Institute of Urban and Horticultural Entomology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Zhichao Yao
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization for Fruit and Vegetable Horticultural Crops, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, China-Australia Joint Research Centre for Horticultural and Urban Pests, Institute of Urban and Horticultural Entomology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Wenping Zheng
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization for Fruit and Vegetable Horticultural Crops, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, China-Australia Joint Research Centre for Horticultural and Urban Pests, Institute of Urban and Horticultural Entomology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Ziniu Li
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization for Fruit and Vegetable Horticultural Crops, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, China-Australia Joint Research Centre for Horticultural and Urban Pests, Institute of Urban and Horticultural Entomology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Zhurong Deng
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization for Fruit and Vegetable Horticultural Crops, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, China-Australia Joint Research Centre for Horticultural and Urban Pests, Institute of Urban and Horticultural Entomology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Xiaoxue Li
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization for Fruit and Vegetable Horticultural Crops, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, China-Australia Joint Research Centre for Horticultural and Urban Pests, Institute of Urban and Horticultural Entomology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
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11
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Paulo DF, Cha AY, Kauwe AN, Curbelo K, Corpuz RL, Simmonds TJ, Sim SB, Geib SM. A Unified Protocol for CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Gene Knockout in Tephritid Fruit Flies Led to the Recreation of White Eye and White Puparium Phenotypes in the Melon Fly. JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 2022; 115:2110-2115. [PMID: 36263914 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toac166] [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: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Tephritid fruit flies are among the most invasive and destructive agricultural pests worldwide. Over recent years, many studies have implemented the CRISPR/Cas9 genome-editing technology to dissect gene functions in tephritids and create new strains to facilitate their genetics, management, and control. This growing literature allows us to compare diverse strategies for delivering CRISPR/Cas9 components into tephritid embryos, optimize procedures, and advance the technology to systems outside the most thoroughly studied species within the family. Here, we revisit five years of CRISPR research in Tephritidae and propose a unified protocol for candidate gene knockout in fruit flies using CRISPR/Cas9. We demonstrated the efficiency of our protocol by disrupting the eye pigmentation gene white eye (we) in the melon fly, Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) (Diptera: Tephritidae). High rates of somatic and germline mutagenesis were induced by microinjecting pre-assembled Cas9-sgRNA complexes through the chorion of embryos at early embryogenesis, leading to the rapid development of new mutant lines. We achieved comparable results when targeting the we orthologue in the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae), illustrating the reliability of our methods when transferred to other related species. Finally, we functionally validated the recently discovered white pupae (wp) loci in the melon fly, successfully recreating the white puparium phenotype used in suppression programs of this and other major economically important tephritids. This is the first demonstration of CRISPR-based genome-editing in the genus Zeugodacus, and we anticipate that the procedures described here will contribute to advancing genome-editing in other non-model tephritid fruit flies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel F Paulo
- Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences (PEPS), The University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA
| | - Alex Y Cha
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service (USDA-ARS), Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center (PBARC), Hilo, HI, 96720, USA
| | - Angela N Kauwe
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service (USDA-ARS), Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center (PBARC), Hilo, HI, 96720, USA
| | - Keena Curbelo
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service (USDA-ARS), Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center (PBARC), Hilo, HI, 96720, USA
| | - Renee L Corpuz
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service (USDA-ARS), Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center (PBARC), Hilo, HI, 96720, USA
| | - Tyler J Simmonds
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service (USDA-ARS), Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center (PBARC), Hilo, HI, 96720, USA
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
| | - Sheina B Sim
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service (USDA-ARS), Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center (PBARC), Hilo, HI, 96720, USA
| | - Scott M Geib
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service (USDA-ARS), Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center (PBARC), Hilo, HI, 96720, USA
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12
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Wang ZX, Liu YL, Teng FY, Lu YY, Qi YX. Arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase 1 gene (AANAT1) regulates cuticle pigmentation and ovary development of the adult oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 150:103850. [PMID: 36265808 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2022.103850] [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: 04/16/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (AANAT) enzymes catalyze the acetyl-CoA-dependent acetylation of an amine or arylalkylamine, which is involved in important biological processes of insects. Here, we carried out the molecular and biochemical identification of an arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (AANAT) from the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis. Using a bacterial expression system, we expressed and purified the encoded recombinant BdorAANAT1-V3 protein. The purified recombinant protein acts on a wide range of substrates, including dopamine, tyramine, octopamine, serotonin, methoxytryptamine, and tryptamine, and shows similar substrate affinity (i.e., Km values: 0.16-0.26 mM) except for serotonin (Km = 0.74 mM) and dopamine (Km = 0.84 mM). Transcriptional profile analysis of BdorAANAT1 revealed that this gene is most prevalent in adults and abundant in the adult brain, gut, and ovary. Using the CRISPR/Cas9 technique, we successfully obtained a BdorAANAT1 knockout strain based on a wild-type strain (WT). Compared with the WT, the cuticle color of larvae and pupae is normal; however, in adult mutants, the yellow region of their thorax is darkly pigmented, and two black spots were evident at the abdomen's end. Moreover, the female BdorAANAT1 knockout mutant had a smaller ovary than the WT, and laid far fewer eggs. Loss of function of BdorAANAT1 caused by RNAi with mature adult females in which the reproductive system is fully developed had no effect on their fecundity. Altogether, these results indicate that BdorAANAT1 regulates ovary development. Our findings provide evidence for the insect AANAT1 modulating adult cuticle pigmentation and female fecundity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuo-Xin Wang
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ya-Lan Liu
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fei-Yue Teng
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yong-Yue Lu
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Yi-Xiang Qi
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
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13
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Xu L, Jiang HB, Tang KY, Yan Y, Schetelig MF, Wang JJ. CRISPR-mediated mutagenesis of the odorant receptor co-receptor (Orco) gene disrupts olfaction-mediated behaviors in Bactrocera dorsalis. INSECT SCIENCE 2022; 29:1275-1286. [PMID: 34986270 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Olfaction plays an essential role in insect behavior such as host location, foraging, mating, and oviposition. The odorant receptor co-receptor (Orco) is an obligatory odorant receptor and indispensable in odor perception. Here, we characterized the Orco gene from the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel), a notorious agriculture pest. The olfactory deficiency mutants were generated by editing the BdorOrco gene using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Electroantennograms (EAG) and olfactory preference assays confirmed that BdorOrco-/- mutant flies had reduced perception of methyl eugenol, β-caryophyllene, and ethyl acetate. Oviposition bioassays showed that the eggs laid by BdorOrco-/- females mediated by benzothiazole and 1-octen-3-ol were significantly decreased. In addition, BdorOrco-/- mutant flies took a significantly longer time to locate the food source compared with wild type (WT) flies. Altogether, our data indicated that Orco is essential for multiple physiological processes in B. dorsalis, and it expands our understanding of the function of insect Orco.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Xu
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- International Joint Laboratory of China-Belgium on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hong-Bo Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- International Joint Laboratory of China-Belgium on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Kai-Yue Tang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- International Joint Laboratory of China-Belgium on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Ying Yan
- Department of Insect Biotechnology in Plant Protection, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Giessen, Germany
| | - Marc F Schetelig
- Department of Insect Biotechnology in Plant Protection, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Giessen, Germany
| | - Jin-Jun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- International Joint Laboratory of China-Belgium on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
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14
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Zhang Q, Dou W, Taning CNT, Yu SS, Yuan GR, Shang F, Smagghe G, Wang JJ. miR-309a is a regulator of ovarian development in the oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010411. [PMID: 36112661 PMCID: PMC9518882 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Fecundity is arguably one of the most important life history traits, as it is closely tied to fitness. Most arthropods are recognized for their extreme reproductive capacity. For example, a single female of the oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis, a highly invasive species that is one of the most destructive agricultural pests worldwide, can lay more than 3000 eggs during its life span. The ovary is crucial for insect reproduction and its development requires further investigation at the molecular level. We report here that miR-309a is a regulator of ovarian development in B. dorsalis. Our bioinformatics and molecular studies have revealed that miR-309a binds the transcription factor pannier (GATA-binding factor A/pnr), and this activates yolk vitellogenin 2 (Vg 2) and vitellogenin receptor (VgR) advancing ovarian development. We further show that miR-309a is under the control of juvenile hormone (JH) and independent from 20-hydroxyecdysone. Thus, we identified a JH-controlled miR-309a/pnr axis that regulates Vg2 and VgR to control the ovarian development. This study has further enhanced our understanding of molecular mechanisms governing ovarian development and insect reproduction. It provides a background for identifying targets for controlling important Dipteran pests. The ovary is a very critical organ for insect reproduction. Especially, many insect pests are famous for their large reproductive capacity. Therefore, understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in ovarian development could significantly contribute in the development of new insect pest control strategies. In this study, we report that miR-309a regulates the development of the ovary in an important dipteran pest, B. dorsalis, through a transcriptional factor, pannier (GATA-binding factor A/pnr), which in turn directly mediates the expression of yolk vitellogenin 2 (Vg 2) and vitellogenin receptor (VgR). Moreover, miR-309a is under the upstream control of juvenile hormone (JH). Here, in Dipterans, a novel JH-miR-309a-pnr-Vg-related genes regulatory pathway was found in ovarian development. This finding advances our understanding of a mechanism regulating insect ovarian development and provides new insights for potential targets to control dipteran pests through the reproductive strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- International China-Belgium Joint Laboratory on Sustainable Crop Pest Control between Southwest University in China and Ghent University in Belgium, Chongqing, China
| | - Wei Dou
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- International China-Belgium Joint Laboratory on Sustainable Crop Pest Control between Southwest University in China and Ghent University in Belgium, Chongqing, China
| | - Clauvis Nji Tizi Taning
- International China-Belgium Joint Laboratory on Sustainable Crop Pest Control between Southwest University in China and Ghent University in Belgium, Chongqing, China
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants and Crops, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Shan-Shan Yu
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- International China-Belgium Joint Laboratory on Sustainable Crop Pest Control between Southwest University in China and Ghent University in Belgium, Chongqing, China
| | - Guo-Rui Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- International China-Belgium Joint Laboratory on Sustainable Crop Pest Control between Southwest University in China and Ghent University in Belgium, Chongqing, China
| | - Feng Shang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- International China-Belgium Joint Laboratory on Sustainable Crop Pest Control between Southwest University in China and Ghent University in Belgium, Chongqing, China
| | - Guy Smagghe
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- International China-Belgium Joint Laboratory on Sustainable Crop Pest Control between Southwest University in China and Ghent University in Belgium, Chongqing, China
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants and Crops, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- * E-mail: (GS); (J-JW)
| | - Jin-Jun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- International China-Belgium Joint Laboratory on Sustainable Crop Pest Control between Southwest University in China and Ghent University in Belgium, Chongqing, China
- * E-mail: (GS); (J-JW)
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15
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CRISPR-mediated knockout of cardinal and cinnabar eye pigmentation genes in the western tarnished plant bug. Sci Rep 2022; 12:4917. [PMID: 35322099 PMCID: PMC8943060 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-08908-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The western tarnished plant bug, Lygus hesperus, is a key hemipteran pest of numerous agricultural, horticultural, and industrial crops in the western United States and Mexico. A lack of genetic tools in L. hesperus hinders progress in functional genomics and in developing innovative pest control methods such as gene drive. Here, using RNA interference (RNAi) against cardinal (LhCd), cinnabar (LhCn), and white (LhW), we showed that knockdown of LhW was lethal to developing embryos, while knockdown of LhCd or LhCn produced bright red eye phenotypes, in contrast to wild-type brown eyes. We further used CRISPR/Cas9 (clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated) genome editing to generate germline knockouts of both LhCd (Card) and LhCn (Cinn), producing separate strains of L. hesperus characterized by mutant eye phenotypes. Although the cardinal knockout strain Card exhibited a gradual darkening of the eyes to brown typical of the wild-type line later in nymphal development, we observed bright red eyes throughout all life stages in the cinnabar knockout strain Cinn, making it a viable marker for tracking gene editing in L. hesperus. These results provide evidence that CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing functions in L. hesperus and that eye pigmentation genes are useful for tracking the successful genetic manipulation of this insect.
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16
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Sharma A, Pham MN, Reyes JB, Chana R, Yim WC, Heu CC, Kim D, Chaverra-Rodriguez D, Rasgon JL, Harrell RA, Nuss AB, Gulia-Nuss M. Cas9-mediated gene editing in the black-legged tick, Ixodes scapularis, by embryo injection and ReMOT Control. iScience 2022; 25:103781. [PMID: 35535206 PMCID: PMC9076890 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.103781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite their capacity to acquire and pass on an array of debilitating pathogens, research on ticks has lagged behind other arthropod vectors, such as mosquitoes, largely because of challenges in applying available genetic and molecular tools. CRISPR-Cas9 is transforming non-model organism research; however, successful gene editing has not yet been reported in ticks. Technical challenges for injecting tick embryos to attempt gene editing have further slowed research progress. Currently, no embryo injection protocol exists for any chelicerate species, including ticks. Herein, we report a successful embryo injection protocol for the black-legged tick, Ixodes scapularis, and the use of this protocol for genome editing with CRISPR-Cas9. We also demonstrate that the ReMOT Control technique could be successfully used to generate genome mutations outside Insecta. Our results provide innovative tools to the tick research community that are essential for advancing our understanding of the molecular mechanisms governing pathogen transmission by tick vectors and the underlying biology of host-vector-pathogen interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arvind Sharma
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Michael N. Pham
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Jeremiah B. Reyes
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Randeep Chana
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Won C. Yim
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Chan C. Heu
- Department of Entomology, The Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Donghun Kim
- Department of Entomology, The Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Duverney Chaverra-Rodriguez
- Department of Entomology, The Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Jason L. Rasgon
- Department of Entomology, The Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Robert A. Harrell
- Insect Transformation Facility, University of Maryland Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Andrew B. Nuss
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
- Department of Agriculture, Veterinary and Rangeland Sciences, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Monika Gulia-Nuss
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
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Heryanto C, Hanly JJ, Mazo-Vargas A, Tendolkar A, Martin A. Mapping and CRISPR homology-directed repair of a recessive white eye mutation in Plodia moths. iScience 2022; 25:103885. [PMID: 35243245 PMCID: PMC8861637 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.103885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The pantry moth Plodia interpunctella is a worldwide pest of stored food products and a promising laboratory model system for lepidopteran functional genomics. Here we describe efficient methods for precise genome editing in this insect. A spontaneous recessive white-eyed phenotype maps to a frameshift deletion (c.737delC) in the white gene. CRISPR NHEJ mutagenesis of white replicates this phenotype with high rates of somatic biallelic knockout. G0 individuals with mutant clones on both eyes produced 100% mutant progeny, making white an ideal marker for co-conversion when targeting other genes. CRISPR HDR experiments corrected c.737delC and reverted white eyes to a pigmented state in 37% of G0 mosaic adults. These repaired alleles showed practical rates of germline transmission in backcrosses, demonstrating the potential of the technique for precise genome editing. Plodia offers a promising avenue for research in this taxon because of its lab-ready features, egg injectability, and editability. Plodia pantry moths are an emerging model organism for functional genomics in Lepidoptera Spontaneous and CRISPR-induced white mutations yield recessive-white eye phenotypes CRISPR HDR repair with ssODN donor result in practical rates of base editing We provide optimized protocols for Plodia handling and genome editing
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Li H, Huang X, Yang Y, Chen X, Yang Y, Wang J, Jiang H. The short neuropeptide F receptor regulates olfaction-mediated foraging behavior in the oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel). INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 140:103697. [PMID: 34843938 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2021.103697] [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: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The short neuropeptide F (sNPF) signaling system, consisting of sNPF and its receptor (sNPFR), influences many physiological processes in insects, including feeding, growth and olfactory memory. We previously showed that sNPF regulates olfactory sensitivity in the oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) during starvation. However, the functional analysis of sNPFR is constrained by the failure of RNA interference in this species. Here, we generated a null sNPFR mutant using the CRISPR/Cas9 system to investigate the physiological roles of this receptor in more detail. G0 adults were produced at a frequency of 60.8%, and sNPFR-/- mutants were obtained after several generations of backcrossing followed by self-crossing among heterozygous flies. We found that the mutants were significantly less successful at foraging for certain foods and showed increased foraging latency. Electroantennogram (EAG) assays indicated that the mutants had significantly lower electrophysiological responses to three tested odorants. Furthermore, qPCR data revealed the inhibition of several olfactory receptor genes, including Orco. Immunohistochemistry showed that BdsNPFR was localized in cells under the sensillum on the antennae. Based on their shape and size, the BdsNPFR+ cells differ from odorant receptor neurons (ORNs), which were labeled using a Drosophila melanogaster Orco antibody. Our data suggest that sNPFR regulates olfaction-mediated foraging behavior by mediating interactions between BdsNPFR+ cells and selected ORNs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongfei Li
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China.
| | - Xingying Huang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China.
| | - Yahui Yang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China.
| | - Xiaofeng Chen
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China.
| | - Yang Yang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China.
| | - Jinjun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China.
| | - Hongbo Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China.
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Chen X, Lei Y, Li H, Xu L, Yang H, Wang J, Jiang H. CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis abolishes odorant-binding protein BdorOBP56f-2 and impairs the perception of methyl eugenol in Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel). INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 139:103656. [PMID: 34582991 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2021.103656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Olfaction underpins many insect behaviors, such as foraging, host location, mating, and predator avoidance. In the first step of insect olfaction, odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) bind hydrophobic odorants and transport them to odorant receptors. Methyl eugenol (ME) is a powerful attractant for mature males of the oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel), one of the most destructive fruit pests. The underlying molecular mechanism is unclear, but there is in vitro evidence that BdorOBP56f-2 is involved in ME perception. We used microscale thermophoresis to confirm that BdorOBP56f-2 directly binds ME with strong affinity in vitro. We then used CRISPR/Cas9 to knock out the BdorOBP56f-2 gene, allowing us to establish a homozygous mutant B. dorsalis line. The electroantennogram response and behavioral attraction to ME were significantly reduced in the mutant, providing in vivo evidence that BdorOBP56f-2 is necessary for efficient ME perception. Our results offer insight into the molecular mechanism of ME perception in B. dorsalis and provide a theoretical basis for the functional analysis of other OBPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofeng Chen
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; International Joint Laboratory of China-Belgium on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China
| | - Yibo Lei
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; International Joint Laboratory of China-Belgium on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China
| | - Hongfei Li
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; International Joint Laboratory of China-Belgium on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China
| | - Li Xu
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; International Joint Laboratory of China-Belgium on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China
| | - Hui Yang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; International Joint Laboratory of China-Belgium on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China
| | - Jinjun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; International Joint Laboratory of China-Belgium on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China
| | - Hongbo Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; International Joint Laboratory of China-Belgium on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China.
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20
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Li JF, Zhang XY, Bai X, Su HA, Liu YL, Lu YY, Qi YX. Identification of putative muscarinic acetylcholine receptor genes in Bactrocera dorsalis and functional analysis of Bdor-mAChR-B. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 139:103657. [PMID: 34582990 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2021.103657] [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: 05/13/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) play important roles in the insect nervous system. These receptors are G protein-coupled receptors, which are potential targets for insecticide development. While the investigation of pharmacological properties of insect mAChRs is growing, the physiological roles of the receptor subtype remain largely indeterminate. Here, we identified three mAChR genes in an important agricultural pest Bactrocera dorsalis. Phylogenetic analysis defined these genes as mAChR-A, -B, and -C. Transcripts of the three mAChRs are most prevalent in 1-d-old larvae and are more abundant in the brain than other body parts in adults. Functional assay of Bdor-mAChR-B transiently expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells showed that it was activated by acetylcholine (EC50, 205.11 nM) and the mAChR agonist oxotremorine M (EC50, 2.39 μM) in a dose-dependent manner. Using the CRISPR/Cas9 technique, we successfully obtained a Bdor-mAChR-B knockout strain based on wild-type (WT) strain. When compared with WT, the hatching and eclosion rate of Bdor-mAChR-B mutants are significantly lower. Moreover, the crawl speed of Bdor-mAChR-B knockout larvae was lower than that of WT, while climbing performance was enhanced in the mutant adults. Adults with loss of function of Bdor-mAChR-B showed declined copulation rates and egg numbers (by mated females). Our results indicate that Bdor-mAChR-B plays a key role in the development, locomotion, and mating behavior of B. dorsalis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian-Fang Li
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Yu Zhang
- Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Yuhangtang Road 866, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Xue Bai
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hong-Ai Su
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ya-Lan Liu
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yong-Yue Lu
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Yi-Xiang Qi
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
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Wei P, Wang C, Li C, Chen M, Sun J, Van Leeuwen T, He L. Comparing the efficiency of RNAi after feeding and injection of dsRNA in spider mites. PESTICIDE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 179:104966. [PMID: 34802516 DOI: 10.1016/j.pestbp.2021.104966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Pesticide resistance in spider mites drives the development of acaricides with novel mode of action, which could benefit from RNAi as a screening tool in search of new molecular targets. RNAi via oral delivery of dsRNA has been frequently reported in spider mites, but injection of dsRNA is rarely reported. We compare here the efficiency of oral delivery versus injection of dsRNA in female adult mites. When comparing silencing efficiency, oral delivery of dsRNAs silenced 40.6 ± 8.9% of CPR, 63.8 ± 6.9% of CHMP2A, and 37.7 ± 5.7% of CHMP3 genes. Similar silencing efficiencies were found for injection (48.6 ± 3.7% of CPR, 70.2 ± 4.1% of CHMP2A, 59.8 ± 2.2% of CHMP3), but with much lower quantities of dsRNAs. Oral delivery of dsRNA failed to silence the expression of the CHMP4B gene, but this could be accomplished by injection of dsRNA (23.1 ± 1.0%). When scoring the phenotypic effects of silencing, both oral delivery and injection of CHMP2A- and CHMP3-dsRNA influenced the locomotion speed of mites significantly. For CPR, silencing could only be accomplished by dsRNA injection, not by feeding. CPR silencing significantly impacted the toxicity of a typical acaricide, pyridaben, as the susceptibility of mites raised 2.75-fold. Last, injection of Eya-dsRNA in adults produced transgenerational phenotypic effects on 3.59% of offspring, as quantified by an observed deviation in eye development, while oral delivery of Eya-dsRNA did not. In conclusion, injection of dsRNA is superior to oral delivery in silencing the expression of the selected genes in this study and could be considered the method of choice to study gene function in reverse genetic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Wei
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China; Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China; State Cultivation Base of Crop Stress Biology for Southern Mountainous Land of Southwest University, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Chao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China; Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China; State Cultivation Base of Crop Stress Biology for Southern Mountainous Land of Southwest University, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Chunji Li
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China; Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China; State Cultivation Base of Crop Stress Biology for Southern Mountainous Land of Southwest University, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Ming Chen
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China; Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China; State Cultivation Base of Crop Stress Biology for Southern Mountainous Land of Southwest University, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jingyu Sun
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China; Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China; State Cultivation Base of Crop Stress Biology for Southern Mountainous Land of Southwest University, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Thomas Van Leeuwen
- Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Lin He
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China; Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China; State Cultivation Base of Crop Stress Biology for Southern Mountainous Land of Southwest University, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
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22
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Dion WA, Steenwinkel TE, Werner T. From Aedes to Zeugodacus: a review of dipteran body coloration studies regarding evolutionary developmental biology, pest control, and species discovery. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2021; 69:35-41. [PMID: 33578125 PMCID: PMC8349939 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2021.01.006] [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: 11/22/2020] [Revised: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Over the past two decades, evo-devo (evolution of development) studies have elucidated genetic mechanisms underlying novel dipteran body color patterns. Here we review the most recent developments, which show some departure from the model organism Drosophila melanogaster, leading the field into the investigation of more complex color patterns. We also discuss how the robust application of transgenic techniques has facilitated the study of many non-model pest species. Furthermore, we see that subtle pigmentation differences guide the discovery and description of new dipterans. Therefore, we argue that the existence of new field guides and the prevalence of pigmentation studies in non-model flies will enable scientists to adopt uninvestigated species into the lab, allowing them to study novel morphologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- William A Dion
- Integrative Systems Biology Graduate Program, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Biomedical Science Tower 3, 3501 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, United States; Aging Institute of UPMC, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Bridgeside Point 1, 100 Technology Drive, Pittsburgh, PA, 15219, United States
| | - Tessa E Steenwinkel
- Department of Biological Sciences, Michigan Technological University, 740 Dow Building, Houghton, MI, 49931, United States
| | - Thomas Werner
- Department of Biological Sciences, Michigan Technological University, 740 Dow Building, Houghton, MI, 49931, United States.
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23
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He W, Wei DD, Xu HQ, Yang Y, Miao ZQ, Wang L, Wang JJ. Molecular Characterization and Transcriptional Expression Analysis of ABC Transporter H Subfamily Genes in the Oriental Fruit Fly. JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 114:1298-1309. [PMID: 33822985 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toab045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis Hendel (Diptera: Tephretidae), is a serious pest of fruits and vegetables and has developed high levels of insecticide resistance. ATP-binding cassette transporter genes (ABC transporters) are involved in mediating the energy-driven transport of many substances across membranes and are closely associated with development and insecticide detoxification. In this study, three ABC transporters in the H subfamily were identified, and the possible roles of these genes in B. dorsalis are discussed. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that those genes are conserved, typical of half-transporters. The expression profiles of BdABCH genes (BdABCHs) in the developmental stages, tissues, and following insecticide exposure, extreme temperature, warm- and cold-acclimated strain, starvation, and desiccation stress were determined by quantitative real-time PCR. Expression of BdABCHs can be detected in various tissues and in different developmental stages. They were most highly expressed in the hindgut and in newly emerged adults. The mRNA levels of BdABCHs in males (including most tissues and body segments) were higher than in females. The expression of BdABCH1 was significantly upregulated 3.8-fold in the cold-acclimated strain, and was significantly upregulated by 1.9-, 3.8- and 4.1-fold in the 0°C, starvation, and desiccation treatments, respectively. Treatment with malathion and avermectin at LD20 and LD30 concentrations produced no obvious changes in the levels of BdABCHs. BdABCHs may be involved in the transport of related hormones during eclosion, as well as water and inorganic salts. BdABCH1 also demonstrated that it is related to the ability to cope with adverse environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wang He
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Dan-Dan Wei
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hui-Qian Xu
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Ze-Qing Miao
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jin-Jun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
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24
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Heu CC, McCullough FM, Luan J, Rasgon JL. CRISPR-Cas9-Based Genome Editing in the Silverleaf Whitefly ( Bemisia tabaci). CRISPR J 2021; 3:89-96. [PMID: 32315225 DOI: 10.1089/crispr.2019.0067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Bemisia tabaci cryptic species Middle East-Asia Minor I (MEAM1) is a serious agricultural polyphagous insect pest and vector of numerous plant viruses, causing major worldwide economic losses. B. tabaci control is limited by lack of robust gene editing tools. Gene editing is difficult in B. tabaci due to small embryos that are technically challenging to inject and which have high mortality post injection. We developed a CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing protocol based on injection of vitellogenic adult females rather than embryos ("ReMOT Control"). We identified an ovary-targeting peptide ligand ("BtKV") that, when fused to Cas9 and injected into adult females, transduced the ribonucleoprotein complex to the germline, resulting in efficient, heritable editing of the offspring genome. In contrast to embryo injection, adult injection is easy and does not require specialized equipment. Development of easy-to-use gene editing protocols for B. tabaci will allow researchers to apply the power of reverse genetic approaches to this species and will lead to novel control methods for this devastating pest insect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chan C Heu
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Francine M McCullough
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Junbo Luan
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.,College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, PR China
| | - Jason L Rasgon
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA.,Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA.,Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
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25
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Nguyen TNM, Choo A, Baxter SW. Lessons from Drosophila: Engineering Genetic Sexing Strains with Temperature-Sensitive Lethality for Sterile Insect Technique Applications. INSECTS 2021; 12:243. [PMID: 33805657 PMCID: PMC8001749 DOI: 10.3390/insects12030243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
A major obstacle of sterile insect technique (SIT) programs is the availability of robust sex-separation systems for conditional removal of females. Sterilized male-only releases improve SIT efficiency and cost-effectiveness for agricultural pests, whereas it is critical to remove female disease-vector pests prior to release as they maintain the capacity to transmit disease. Some of the most successful Genetic Sexing Strains (GSS) reared and released for SIT control were developed for Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly), Ceratitis capitata, and carry a temperature sensitive lethal (tsl) mutation that eliminates female but not male embryos when heat treated. The Medfly tsl mutation was generated by random mutagenesis and the genetic mechanism causing this valuable heat sensitive phenotype remains unknown. Conditional temperature sensitive lethal mutations have also been developed using random mutagenesis in the insect model, Drosophila melanogaster, and were used for some of the founding genetic research published in the fields of neuro- and developmental biology. Here we review mutations in select D. melanogaster genes shibire, Notch, RNA polymerase II 215kDa, pale, transformer-2, Dsor1 and CK2α that cause temperature sensitive phenotypes. Precise introduction of orthologous point mutations in pest insect species with CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology holds potential to establish GSSs with embryonic lethality to improve and advance SIT pest control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thu N. M. Nguyen
- Bio21 Institute, School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia;
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia;
| | - Amanda Choo
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia;
| | - Simon W. Baxter
- Bio21 Institute, School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia;
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26
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Koidou V, Denecke S, Ioannidis P, Vlatakis I, Livadaras I, Vontas J. Efficient genome editing in the olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2020; 29:363-372. [PMID: 32141659 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Revised: 02/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae, causes great damage to the quality and quantity of olive production worldwide. Pest management approaches have proved difficult for a variety of reasons, a fact that has brought about a need for alternative tools and approaches. Here we report for the first time in B. oleae the development of the clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR associated protein 9 (Cas9) gene editing tool, using the well-known eye colour marker gene scarlet. Two synthetic guide RNAs targeting the coding region of the scarlet gene were synthesized and shown to work efficiently in vitro. These reagents were then microinjected along with purified Cas9 protein into early-stage embryos. Successful CRISPR-induced mutations of both copies of the scarlet gene showed a striking yellow eye phenotype, indicative of gene disruption. Multiple successful CRISPR events were confirmed by PCR and sequencing. The establishment of an efficient CRISPR-based gene editing tool in B. oleae will enable the study of critical molecular mechanisms in olive fruit fly biology and physiology, including the analysis of insecticide resistance mechanisms and the discovery of novel insecticide targets, as well as facilitate the development of novel biotechnology-based pest control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Koidou
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Voutes University Campus, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
- Institute of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, Foundation for Research & Technology, Hellas, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - S Denecke
- Institute of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, Foundation for Research & Technology, Hellas, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - P Ioannidis
- Institute of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, Foundation for Research & Technology, Hellas, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - I Vlatakis
- Institute of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, Foundation for Research & Technology, Hellas, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - I Livadaras
- Institute of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, Foundation for Research & Technology, Hellas, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - J Vontas
- Institute of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, Foundation for Research & Technology, Hellas, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
- Laboratory of Pesticide Science, Faculty of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece
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27
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Gregoriou ME, Mathiopoulos KD. Knocking down the sex peptide receptor by dsRNA feeding results in reduced oviposition rate in olive fruit flies. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 104:e21665. [PMID: 32091155 DOI: 10.1002/arch.21665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Insect pests can cause crop damage in yield or quality, resulting in profit losses for farmers. The primary approach to control them is still the use of chemical pesticides resulting in significant hazards to the environment and human health. Biological control and the sterile insect technique are alternative strategies to improve agriculture protection. However, both strategies have significant limitations. A newly introduced approach that could be both effective and species-specific is the RNA interference mechanism. One key point for the success of this strategy is the delivery method of double-strand RNA (dsRNA) to the insects. A method of dsRNA delivery to insects with potential use in the field is the oral delivery, feeding the insects engineered microorganisms that produce dsRNA. Here, we present the first protocol for dsRNA feeding using modified bacteria, in the olive fruit fly, the most important insect pest of cultivated olives. We chose to target the sex peptide receptor gene. The sex peptide receptor interacts with the sex peptide, a peptide that is responsible for the postmating behavior in the model organism, Drosophila melanogaster. Feeding the female olive fruit fly with bacteria that produced dsRNA for the sex peptide receptor gene resulted in the development of female insects with significantly lower oviposition rates. Administration of dsRNA producing bacteria in insect diet against target genes that lead to genetic sexing or female-specific lethality could be added in the armory of control methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria-Eleni Gregoriou
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece
| | - Kostas D Mathiopoulos
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece
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Meccariello A, Tsoumani KT, Gravina A, Primo P, Buonanno M, Mathiopoulos KD, Saccone G. Targeted somatic mutagenesis through CRISPR/Cas9 ribonucleoprotein complexes in the olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 104:e21667. [PMID: 32100335 DOI: 10.1002/arch.21667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Revised: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae (Diptera: Tephritidae), is the most destructive insect pest of olive cultivation, causing significant economic and production losses. Here, we present the establishment of the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 methodology for gene disruption in this species. We performed targeted mutagenesis of the autosomal gene white (Bo-we), by injecting into early embryos in vitro preassembled and solubilized Cas9 ribonucleoprotein complexes loaded with two gene-specific single-guide RNAs. Gene disruption of Bo-we led to somatic mosaicism of the adult eye color. Large eye patches or even an entire eye lost the iridescent reddish color, indicating the successful biallelic mutagenesis in somatic cells. Cas9 induced either indels in each of the two simultaneously targeted Bo-we sites or a large deletion of the intervening region. This study demonstrates the first efficient implementation of the CRISPR/Cas9 technology in the olive fly, providing new opportunities towards the development of novel genetic tools for its control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Meccariello
- Department of Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | | | - Andrea Gravina
- Department of Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Pasquale Primo
- Department of Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Martina Buonanno
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB), CNR, Naples, Italy
| | - Kostas D Mathiopoulos
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece
| | - Giuseppe Saccone
- Department of Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
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Dermauw W, Jonckheere W, Riga M, Livadaras I, Vontas J, Van Leeuwen T. Targeted mutagenesis using CRISPR-Cas9 in the chelicerate herbivore Tetranychus urticae. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2020; 120:103347. [PMID: 32114158 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2020.103347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The use of CRISPR-Cas9 has revolutionized functional genetic work in many organisms, including more and more insect species. However, successful gene editing or genetic transformation has not yet been reported for chelicerates, the second largest group of terrestrial animals. Within this group, some mite and tick species are economically very important for agriculture and human health, and the availability of a gene-editing tool would be a significant advancement for the field. Here, we report on the use of CRISPR-Cas9 in the spider mite Tetranychus urticae. The ovary of virgin adult females was injected with a mix of Cas9 and sgRNAs targeting the phytoene desaturase gene. Natural mutants of this laterally transferred gene have previously shown an easy-to-score albino phenotype. Albino sons of injected virgin females were mated with wild-type females, and two independent transformed lines where created and further characterized. Albinism inherited as a recessive monogenic trait. Sequencing of the complete target-gene of both lines revealed two different lesions at expected locations near the PAM site in the target-gene. Both lines did not genetically complement each other in dedicated crosses, nor when crossed to a reference albino strain with a known genetic defect in the same gene. In conclusion, two independent mutagenesis events were induced in the spider mite T. urticae using CRISPR-Cas9, hereby providing proof-of-concept that CRISPR-Cas9 can be used to create gene knockouts in mites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wannes Dermauw
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Wim Jonckheere
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Maria Riga
- Molecular Entomology Lab, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB), Foundation for Research and Technology (FORTH), Nikolaou Plastira Street 100, 70013, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Ioannis Livadaras
- Molecular Entomology Lab, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB), Foundation for Research and Technology (FORTH), Nikolaou Plastira Street 100, 70013, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - John Vontas
- Molecular Entomology Lab, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB), Foundation for Research and Technology (FORTH), Nikolaou Plastira Street 100, 70013, Heraklion, Crete, Greece; Pesticide Science Laboratory, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855, Athens, Greece
| | - Thomas Van Leeuwen
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
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30
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Ni XY, Zhou ZD, Huang J, Qiao X. Targeted gene disruption by CRISPR/xCas9 system in Drosophila melanogaster. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 104:e21662. [PMID: 32027059 DOI: 10.1002/arch.21662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2019] [Revised: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Although the Cas9 protein from Streptococcus pyogenes (SpCas9) is the most widely used clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) variant in genome engineering experiments, it does have certain limitations. First, the stringent requirement for the protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) sequence limits the target DNA that can be manipulated using this method in insects. Second, its complementarity specifications are not very stringent, meaning that it can sometimes cause off-target effects at the target site. A recent study reported that an evolved SpCas9 variant, xCas9(3.7), with preference for various 5'-NG-3' PAM sequences not only has the broadest PAM compatibility but also has much greater DNA specificity and lower genome-wide off-target activity than SpCas9 in mammalian cells. Here we applied the CRISPR/xCas9 system to target the white gene in Drosophila melanogaster, testing the genome-editing efficiency of xCas9 at different PAM sites. On the GGG PAM site, xCas9 showed less activity than SpCas9. For the non-NGG PAM site TGA, xCas9 could produce DNA cleavage and indel-mediated disruption on the target gene. However, for other non-NGG PAM sites, xCas9 showed no activity. These findings show that the evolved Cas9 variant with broad PAM compatibility is functional in Drosophila to induce heritable gene alterations, increasing the targeting range for the applications of genome editing in insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu-Yang Ni
- Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhen-Dong Zhou
- Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jia Huang
- Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaomu Qiao
- Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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Tsoumani KT, Meccariello A, Mathiopoulos KD, Papathanos PA. Developing CRISPR-based sex-ratio distorters for the genetic control of fruit fly pests: A how to manual. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 103:e21652. [PMID: 31845410 DOI: 10.1002/arch.21652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2019] [Revised: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Agricultural pest control using genetic-based methods provides a species-specific and environmentally harmless way for population suppression of fruit flies. One way to improve the efficiency of such methods is through self-limiting, female-eliminating approaches that can alter an insect populations' sex ratio toward males. In this microreview, we summarize recent advances in synthetic sex ratio distorters based on X-chromosome shredding that can induce male-biased progeny. We outline the basic principles to guide the efficient design of an X-shredding system in an XY heterogametic fruit fly species of interest using CRISPR/Cas gene editing, newly developed computational tools, and insect genetic engineering. We also discuss technical aspects and challenges associated with the efficient transferability of this technology in fruit fly pest populations, toward the potential use of this new class of genetic control approaches for pest management purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Angela Meccariello
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Kostas D Mathiopoulos
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece
| | - Philippos Aris Papathanos
- Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
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