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Ashok K, Nagaraja Bhargava C, Venkatesh R, Balasubramani V, Murugan M, Geethalakshmi V, Manamohan M, Kumar Jha G, Asokan R. Molecular characterization and CRISPR/Cas9 validation of the precursor of egg yolk protein gene, vitellogenin of Leucinodes orbonalis Guenée (Lepidoptera: Crambidae). Gene 2025; 933:148925. [PMID: 39277149 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2024.148925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2024] [Accepted: 09/04/2024] [Indexed: 09/17/2024]
Abstract
Vitellogenin (Vg), a yolk protein precursor, plays an important role in the oocyte development of insects and is an important target of genetic pest management. Vg is synthesized in the fat body, transported through haemolymph and accumulates in developing oocytes. In this regard, the eggplant shoot and fruit borer, Leucinodes orbonalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) is the major pest in South and South East Asia and a serious concern for farmers. Therefore, in the present study, we have cloned and characterized Vg from L. orbonalis (LoVg) for further applications. The cloned Vg consisted of 5,370 base pairs encoding 1,790 amino acid residues long protein. Further, sequence alignment revealed that LoVg has three conserved domains: a Vitellogenin N domain (LPD-N), a domain of unknown function protein families (DUF1943), and a von Willebrand factor type D domain (VWD). Using phylogenetic analysis, it was found that LoVg evolved alongside homologous proteins from different insects. The real-time expression levels of LoVg were significantly greater in female adults followed by the pupal stage. This suggests that Vg production and absorption in L. orbonalis occurs in the later pupal stage. Our studies showed that editing LoVg using CRISPR/Cas9 did not affect the total number of eggs laid but affected egg hatchability. These studies help us to design newer approaches in insect pest management through genetic suppression for sustainable pest management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karuppannasamy Ashok
- Division of Basic Sciences, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India; Department of Agricultural Entomology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India.
| | - Chikmagalur Nagaraja Bhargava
- Division of Basic Sciences, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India; Department of Agricultural Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Rajendran Venkatesh
- Department of Bioinformatics, Alagappa University, Karaikudi, Karnataka, India
| | - Venkatasamy Balasubramani
- Department of Agricultural Entomology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Marimuthu Murugan
- Department of Agricultural Entomology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Vellingiri Geethalakshmi
- Department of Agricultural Entomology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Maligeppagol Manamohan
- Division of Basic Sciences, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Girish Kumar Jha
- ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi, India
| | - Ramasamy Asokan
- Division of Basic Sciences, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
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Jangra S, Potts J, Ghosh A, Seal DR. Genome editing: A novel approach to manage insect vectors of plant viruses. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 174:104189. [PMID: 39341259 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104189] [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: 05/29/2024] [Revised: 09/10/2024] [Accepted: 09/22/2024] [Indexed: 09/30/2024]
Abstract
Insect vectors significantly threaten global agriculture by transmitting numerous plant viruses. Various measures, from conventional insecticides to genetic engineering, are used to mitigate this threat. However, none provide complete resistance. Therefore, researchers are looking for novel control options. In recent years with the advancements in genomic technologies, genomes and transcriptomes of various insect vectors have been generated. However, the lack of knowledge about gene functions hinders the development of novel strategies to restrict virus spread. RNA interference (RNAi) is widely used to elucidate gene functions, but its variable efficacy hampers its use in managing insect vectors and plant viruses. Genome editing has the potential to overcome these challenges and has been extensively used in various insect pest species. This review summarizes the progress and potential of genome editing in plant virus vectors and its application as a functional genomic tool to elucidate virus-vector interactions. We also discuss the major challenges associated with editing genes of interest in insect vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumit Jangra
- UF/IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center, Homestead, FL, 33031, USA.
| | - Jesse Potts
- UF/IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center, Homestead, FL, 33031, USA
| | - Amalendu Ghosh
- Advanced Centre for Plant Virology, Division of Plant Pathology, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 110012, India.
| | - Dakshina R Seal
- UF/IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center, Homestead, FL, 33031, USA
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Yogi D, Ashok K, Anu CN, Shashikala T, Pradeep C, Bhargava CN, Parvathy MS, Jithesh MN, Manamohan M, Jha GK, Asokan R. CRISPR/Cas12a ribonucleoprotein mediated editing of tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase of Spodoptera frugiperda. Transgenic Res 2024; 33:369-381. [PMID: 39210187 DOI: 10.1007/s11248-024-00406-9] [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: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 08/22/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
In insect genome editing CRISPR/Cas9 is predominantly employed, while the potential of several classes of Cas enzymes such as Cas12a largely remain untested. As opposed to Cas9 which requires a GC-rich protospacer adjacent motif (PAM), Cas12a requires a T-rich PAM and causes staggered cleavage in the target DNA, opening possibilities for multiplexing. In this regard, the utility of Cas12a has been shown in only a few insect species such as fruit flies and the silkworm, but not in non-model insects such as the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, a globally important invasive pest that defies most of the current management methods. In this regard, a more recent genetic biocontrol method known as the precision-guided sterile insect technique (pgSIT) has shown successful implementation in Drosophila melanogaster, with certain thematic adaptations required for application in agricultural pests. However, before the development of a controllable gene drive for a non-model species, it is important to validate the activity of Cas12a in that species. In the current study we have, for the first time, demonstrated the potential of Cas12a by editing an eye color gene, tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase (TO) of S. frugiperda by microinjecting ribonucleoprotein complex into pre-blastoderm (G0) eggs. Analysis of G0 mutants revealed that all five mutants (two male and three female) exhibited distinct edits consisting of both deletion and insertion events. All five edits were further validated through in silico modeling to understand the changes at the protein level and further corroborate with the range of eye-color phenotypes observed in the present study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhawane Yogi
- ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560089, India
- Jain University, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560069, India
| | - Karuppannasamy Ashok
- ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560089, India.
- Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, 641003, India.
| | - Cholenahalli Narayanappa Anu
- ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560089, India
- University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560065, India
| | - Thalooru Shashikala
- ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560089, India
- University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560065, India
| | - Chalapathy Pradeep
- ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560089, India
- University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560065, India
| | - Chikmagalur Nagaraja Bhargava
- ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560089, India
- University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560065, India
| | - Madhusoodanan Sujatha Parvathy
- ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560089, India
- University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560065, India
| | - M N Jithesh
- Jain University, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560069, India
| | | | - Girish Kumar Jha
- ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi, 110012, India
| | - Ramasamy Asokan
- ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560089, India.
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Anu CN, Ashok K, Bhargava CN, Dhawane Y, Manamohan M, Jha GK, Asokan R. CRISPR/Cas9 mediated validation of spermatogenesis-related gene, tssk2 as a component of genetic pest management of fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 116:e22121. [PMID: 38783691 DOI: 10.1002/arch.22121] [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: 04/20/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Invasive insect pests, currently, pose a serious economic threat to several staple crops all over the world, one such being the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda. It was first observed in Africa since 2016, outside of its natural habitat in the Americas. Subsequently, it invaded several countries in South and South East Asia and also very recently in Australia. In all the newly invaded regions, maize is the principal crop attacked causing a serious economic concern to the poor farmers, particularly in the developing countries. Owing to the innate genetic ability, it defies many of the management options that include insecticides, Bt transgenics, and so forth. This is due to its high mobility, polyphagy and ability for quick development of resistance to several classes of insecticides. At this critical juncture, CRISPR/Cas9 mediated genome editing has shown a lot of promise in developing a novel area-wide pest management strategy called precision-guided sterile insect technique (pgSIT). pgSIT was initially demonstrated in Drosophila melanogaster which holds a greater promise for the environmentally friendly management of several globally significant agricultural pests such as S. frugiperda. Therefore, before developing both sgRNA and Cas9 transgenic lines, we have validated the target gene such as tssk2 through a non-transgenic approach by microinjecting ribo nucleo protein complex (Cas9 protein and tssk2 sgRNA) into G0 eggs of S. frugiperda. In the current investigation, we have obtained five edited males with distinct mutations which were further used for crossing studies to ascertain the effect of tssk2 editing affecting egg hatchability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cholenahalli Narayanappa Anu
- Division of Basic Sciences, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
- Department of Agricultural Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Karuppannasamy Ashok
- Division of Basic Sciences, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
- Department of Agricultural Entomology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
- Tata Institute for Genetics and Society, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Chikmagalur Nagaraja Bhargava
- Division of Basic Sciences, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
- Department of Agricultural Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Yogi Dhawane
- Division of Basic Sciences, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Maligeppagol Manamohan
- Division of Basic Sciences, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Grish Kumar Jha
- Division of Bioinformatics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi, India
| | - Ramasamy Asokan
- Division of Basic Sciences, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
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Zeng F, Jiang H, Xu H, Shen R, Wang D. Comparative Transcriptomics Analysis Reveals Rusty Grain Beetle's Aggregation Pheromone Biosynthesis Mechanism in Response to Starvation. INSECTS 2024; 15:137. [PMID: 38392556 PMCID: PMC10888681 DOI: 10.3390/insects15020137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2024] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Pheromones are the basis of insect aggregation, mating, and other behaviors. Cucujoid grain beetles produce macrocyclic lactones as aggregation pheromones, yet research on their biosynthesis at the molecular level remains limited. The rusty grain beetle, C. ferrugineus, is an important economic species in China. Although two aggregation pheromone components have been identified, their suspected biosynthesis via the MVA pathway and the FAS pathway lacks molecular elucidation. Previous evidence supports that starvation affects the production of aggregation pheromones. Therefore, we constructed comparative transcriptome libraries of pheromone production sites in C. ferrugineus under starvation stress and identified genes related to pheromone biosynthesis and hormone regulation. A total of 2665 genes were significantly differentially expressed, of which 2029 genes were down-regulated in starved beetles. Putative C. ferrugineus genes directly involved in pheromone biosynthesis were identified, as well as some genes related to the juvenile hormone (JH) pathway and the insulin pathway, both of which were depressed in the starved beetles, suggesting possible functions in pheromone biosynthesis and regulation. The identification of genes involved in macrolide lactone biosynthesis in vivo holds great significance, aiding in the elucidation of the synthesis and regulatory mechanisms of cucujoid grain beetle pheromones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangfang Zeng
- National Grain Industry (Storage Insect Pest Control) Technology Innovation Center, School of Food and Strategic Reserves, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- Grain Storage and Logistics National Engineering Research Center, School of Food and Strategic Reserves, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Haixin Jiang
- National Grain Industry (Storage Insect Pest Control) Technology Innovation Center, School of Food and Strategic Reserves, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- Grain Storage and Logistics National Engineering Research Center, School of Food and Strategic Reserves, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Haoqi Xu
- National Grain Industry (Storage Insect Pest Control) Technology Innovation Center, School of Food and Strategic Reserves, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- Grain Storage and Logistics National Engineering Research Center, School of Food and Strategic Reserves, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Ruotong Shen
- National Grain Industry (Storage Insect Pest Control) Technology Innovation Center, School of Food and Strategic Reserves, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- Grain Storage and Logistics National Engineering Research Center, School of Food and Strategic Reserves, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Dianxuan Wang
- National Grain Industry (Storage Insect Pest Control) Technology Innovation Center, School of Food and Strategic Reserves, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- Grain Storage and Logistics National Engineering Research Center, School of Food and Strategic Reserves, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
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Komal J, Desai HR, Samal I, Mastinu A, Patel RD, Kumar PVD, Majhi PK, Mahanta DK, Bhoi TK. Unveiling the Genetic Symphony: Harnessing CRISPR-Cas Genome Editing for Effective Insect Pest Management. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:3961. [PMID: 38068598 PMCID: PMC10708123 DOI: 10.3390/plants12233961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2023] [Revised: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2024]
Abstract
Phytophagous insects pose a significant threat to global crop yield and food security. The need for increased agricultural output while reducing dependence on harmful synthetic insecticides necessitates the implementation of innovative methods. The utilization of CRISPR-Cas (Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) technology to develop insect pest-resistant plants is believed to be a highly effective approach in reducing production expenses and enhancing the profitability of farms. Insect genome research provides vital insights into gene functions, allowing for a better knowledge of insect biology, adaptability, and the development of targeted pest management and disease prevention measures. The CRISPR-Cas gene editing technique has the capability to modify the DNA of insects, either to trigger a gene drive or to overcome their resistance to specific insecticides. The advancements in CRISPR technology and its various applications have shown potential in developing insect-resistant varieties of plants and other strategies for effective pest management through a sustainable approach. This could have significant consequences for ensuring food security. This approach involves using genome editing to create modified insects or crop plants. The article critically analyzed and discussed the potential and challenges associated with exploring and utilizing CRISPR-Cas technology for reducing insect pest pressure in crop plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Komal
- Basic Seed Multiplication and Training Centre, Central Silk Board, Kharaswan 833216, Jharkhand, India;
| | - H. R. Desai
- Department of Entomology, Main Cotton Research Station, Navsari Agricultural University, Surat 395007, Gujarat, India; (H.R.D.); (R.D.P.)
| | - Ipsita Samal
- Indian Council of Agricultural Research-National Research Centre on Litchi, Mushahari, Ramna, Muzaffarpur 842002, Bihar, India;
| | - Andrea Mastinu
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Division of Pharmacology, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
| | - R. D. Patel
- Department of Entomology, Main Cotton Research Station, Navsari Agricultural University, Surat 395007, Gujarat, India; (H.R.D.); (R.D.P.)
| | - P. V. Dinesh Kumar
- Research Extension Centre, Central Silk Board, Hoshangabad 461001, Madhya Pradesh, India;
| | - Prasanta Kumar Majhi
- Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar 751003, Odisha, India;
| | - Deepak Kumar Mahanta
- Forest Entomology Discipline, Forest Protection Division, Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE)-Forest Research Institute (ICFRE-FRI), Dehradun 248006, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Tanmaya Kumar Bhoi
- Forest Protection Division, Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE)-Arid Forest Research Institute (ICFRE-AFRI), Jodhpur 342005, Rajasthan, India
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