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Mukherjee S, Beligala G, Feng C, Marzano SY. Double-Stranded RNA Targeting White Mold Sclerotinia sclerotiorum Argonaute 2 for Disease Control via Spray-Induced Gene Silencing. PHYTOPATHOLOGY 2024; 114:1253-1262. [PMID: 38170667 DOI: 10.1094/phyto-11-23-0431-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, the causal agent of white mold infection, is a cosmopolitan fungal pathogen that causes major yield losses in many economically important crops. Spray-induced gene silencing has recently been shown to be a promising alternative method for controlling plant diseases. Based on our prior research, we focused on developing a spray-induced gene silencing approach to control white mold by silencing S. sclerotiorum argonaute 2 (SsAgo2), a crucial part of the fungal small RNA pathway. We compared the lesion size as a result of targeting each ∼500-bp segment of SsAgo2 from the 5' to the 3' end and found that targeting the PIWI/RNaseH domain of SsAgo2 is most effective. External application of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-suppressed white mold infection using either in vitro or in vivo transcripts was determined at the rate of 800 ng/0.2 cm2 area with a downregulation of SsAgo2 from infected leaf tissue confirmed by RT-qPCR. Furthermore, magnesium/iron-layered double hydroxide nanosheets loaded with in vitro- and in vivo-transcribed dsRNA segments significantly reduced the rate of S. sclerotiorum lesion expansion. In vivo-produced dsRNA targeting the PIWI/RNaseH domain of the SsAgo2 transcript showed increased efficacy in reducing the white mold symptoms of S. sclerotiorum when combined with layered double hydroxide nanosheets. This approach is promising to produce a large scale of dsRNA that can be deployed as an environmentally friendly fungicide to manage white mold infections in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soumya Mukherjee
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH
| | | | - Chenchen Feng
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH
| | - Shin-Yi Marzano
- U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Services, Application Technology Research Unit, Toledo, OH
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Wang P, Li H, Meng J, Liu Q, Wang X, Wang B, Liu B, Wang C, Sun W, Pan B. Activation of CncC pathway by ROS burst regulates ABC transporter responsible for beta-cypermethrin resistance in Dermanyssus gallinae (Acari:Dermanyssidae). Vet Parasitol 2024; 327:110121. [PMID: 38286058 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2024.110121] [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: 08/13/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
The drug resistance of poultry red mites to chemical acaricides is a global issue in the control of the mites, which presents an ongoing threat to the poultry industry. Though the increased production of detoxification enzymes has been frequently implicated in resistance development, the overexpression mechanism of acaricide-resistant related genes in mites remains unclear. In the present study, it was observed that the transcription factor Cap 'n' Collar isoform-C (CncC) and its partner small muscle aponeurosis fibromatosis (Maf) were highly expressed in resistant strains compared to sensitive strains under the stress of beta-cypermethrin. When the CncC/Maf pathway genes were down-regulated by RNA interference (RNAi), the expression of the ABC transporter genes was down-regulated, leading to a significant increase in the sensitivity of resistant strains to beta-cypermethrin, suggesting that CncC/Maf played a crucial role in mediating the resistance of D.gallinae to beta-cypermethrin by regulating ABC transporters. Furthermore, it was observed that the content of H2O2 and the activities of peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) enzymes were significantly higher in resistant strains after beta-cypermethrin stress, indicating that beta-cypermethrin activates reactive oxygen species (ROS). In ROS scavenger assays, it was found that the expression of CncC/Maf significantly decreased, along with a decrease in the ABC transporter genes. The present study showed that beta-cypermethrin seemed to trigger the outbreak of ROS, subsequently activated the CncC/Maf pathway, as a result induced the ABC transporter-mediated resistance to the drug, shedding more light on the resistance mechanisms of D.gallinae to pyrethroids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Penglong Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, No. 2 Yuan Ming Yuan West Road, Hai Dian District, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Huan Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, No. 2 Yuan Ming Yuan West Road, Hai Dian District, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Jiali Meng
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, No. 2 Yuan Ming Yuan West Road, Hai Dian District, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Qi Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, No. 2 Yuan Ming Yuan West Road, Hai Dian District, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Xu Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, No. 2 Yuan Ming Yuan West Road, Hai Dian District, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Bohan Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, No. 2 Yuan Ming Yuan West Road, Hai Dian District, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Boxing Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, No. 2 Yuan Ming Yuan West Road, Hai Dian District, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Chuanwen Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hebei Agricultural University, No. 289 Lingyusi Street, Baoding 071001, Hebei, China
| | - Weiwei Sun
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, No. 2 Yuan Ming Yuan West Road, Hai Dian District, Beijing 100193, China.
| | - Baoliang Pan
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, No. 2 Yuan Ming Yuan West Road, Hai Dian District, Beijing 100193, China.
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da Rosa J, Viana AJC, Ferreira FRA, Koltun A, Mertz-Henning LM, Marin SRR, Rech EL, Nepomuceno AL. Optimizing dsRNA engineering strategies and production in E. coli HT115 (DE3). J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 51:kuae028. [PMID: 39152090 PMCID: PMC11375590 DOI: 10.1093/jimb/kuae028] [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: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 08/14/2024] [Indexed: 08/19/2024]
Abstract
Producing double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) represents a bottleneck for the adoption of RNA interference technology in agriculture, and the main hurdles are related to increases in dsRNA yield, production efficiency, and purity. Therefore, this study aimed to optimize dsRNA production in E. coli HT115 (DE3) using an in vivo system. To this end, we designed a new vector, pCloneVR_2, which resulted in the efficient production of dsRNA in E. coli HT115 (DE3). We performed optimizations in the culture medium and expression inducer in the fermentation of E. coli HT115 (DE3) for the production of dsRNA. Notably, the variable that had the greatest effect on dsRNA yield was cultivation in TB medium, which resulted in a 118% increase in yield. Furthermore, lactose induction (6 g/L) yielded 10 times more than IPTG. Additionally, our optimized up-scaled protocol of the TRIzol™ extraction method was efficient for obtaining high-quality and pure dsRNA. Finally, our optimized protocol achieved an average yield of 53.3 µg/mL after the production and purification of different dsRNAs, reducing production costs by 72%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana da Rosa
- Department of General Biology, Londrina State University, Celso Garcia Cid Road, PR 445, km 380, University Campus, 86057-970 Londrina, PR, Brazil
- Embrapa Soja, Carlos João Strass Highway, Acess Orlando Amaral, District of Warta, 86085-981 Londrina, PR, Brazil
| | - Américo José Carvalho Viana
- Embrapa Soja, Carlos João Strass Highway, Acess Orlando Amaral, District of Warta, 86085-981 Londrina, PR, Brazil
- Arthur Bernardes Foundation, Headquarters Building, no number - University Campus, 36570-900 Viçosa, MG, Brazil
| | - Fernando Rafael Alves Ferreira
- Embrapa Soja, Carlos João Strass Highway, Acess Orlando Amaral, District of Warta, 86085-981 Londrina, PR, Brazil
- Arthur Bernardes Foundation, Headquarters Building, no number - University Campus, 36570-900 Viçosa, MG, Brazil
| | - Alessandra Koltun
- Embrapa Soja, Carlos João Strass Highway, Acess Orlando Amaral, District of Warta, 86085-981 Londrina, PR, Brazil
| | - Liliane Marcia Mertz-Henning
- Embrapa Soja, Carlos João Strass Highway, Acess Orlando Amaral, District of Warta, 86085-981 Londrina, PR, Brazil
| | | | - Elibio Leopoldo Rech
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, National Institute of Science and Technology in Synthetic Biology, 70770-917 Brasilia, DF, Brazil
| | - Alexandre Lima Nepomuceno
- Embrapa Soja, Carlos João Strass Highway, Acess Orlando Amaral, District of Warta, 86085-981 Londrina, PR, Brazil
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Uma GS, Saakre M, Singh J, Kalia VK. Double-stranded RNA mediated knockdown of sucrase gene induced mortality and reduced offspring production in Aphis gossypii. Funct Integr Genomics 2023; 23:305. [PMID: 37726585 DOI: 10.1007/s10142-023-01233-7] [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: 07/23/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
The importance of gut sucrase in maintaining osmotic equilibrium and utilizing phloem contents as a carbon source has been widely investigated and proven in sap-sucking insects. In the present study, silencing of Aphis gossypii sucrase1 (Agsuc1) was carried out by double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), which would be lethal to it due to disruption of osmotic balance. The dsRNA corresponding to Agsuc1 was synthesized by two methods, i.e., in vitro synthesis using T7/SP6 RNA polymerase and in vivo synthesis by bacterial expression, i.e., Escherichia coli strain HT115 transformed with the L4440 vector system. Oral delivery of double-stranded Agsuc1 synthesized in vitro (dsAgsuc1) and in vivo (HT115Agsuc1) induced around 50% mortality in nymphs of A. gossypii. Moreover, the number of offspring produced by the survived aphids decreased by 39-43%. Parthenogenetic reproduction of the aphids is the critical factor for their fast population build-up, leading to yield losses of economic significance. Thus, the present study demonstrated that the silencing of the Agsuc1 gene reduced the aphid population by killing it and inhibited the population buildup by reducing the number of offspring produced by the survived aphids, likely to result in a significant reduction in crop damage. The production of dsRNA by bacterial expression is a cost-effective method. It has the potential to be used as a biopesticide. The sucrase gene is an excellent putative target gene for RNAi against A. gossypii. It could be used to develop a transgenic plant that produces dsAgsuc1 to keep A. gossypii populations below the economic threshold level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gadigavarahalli Subbareddy Uma
- Division of Entomology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India
- Forest Protection Division, Forest Research Institute, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Manjesh Saakre
- Division of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, National Institute for Plant Biotechnology, Delhi, India
| | - Jyoti Singh
- Division of Entomology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India
| | - Vinay K Kalia
- Division of Entomology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India.
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Vogel E, Santos D, Huygens C, Peeters P, Van den Brande S, Wynant N, Vanden Broeck J. The Study of Cell-Penetrating Peptides to Deliver dsRNA and siRNA by Feeding in the Desert Locust, Schistocerca gregaria. INSECTS 2023; 14:597. [PMID: 37504603 PMCID: PMC10380834 DOI: 10.3390/insects14070597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
RNA(i) interference is a gene silencing mechanism triggered by double-stranded (ds)RNA, which promises to contribute to species-specific insect pest control strategies. The first step toward the application of RNAi as an insecticide is to enable efficient gene silencing upon dsRNA oral delivery. The desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria is a devastating agricultural pest. While this species is responsive to dsRNA delivered by intra-hemocoelic injection, it is refractory to orally delivered dsRNA. In this study, we evaluated the capacity of five cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) to bind long dsRNA and protect it from the locust midgut environment. We then selected the CPP EB1 for further in vivo studies. EB1:dsRNA complexes failed to induce RNAi by feeding. Interestingly, we observed that intra-hemocoelic injection of small-interfering (si)RNAs does not result in a silencing response, but that this response can be obtained by injecting EB1:siRNA complexes. EB1 also protected siRNAs from midgut degradation activity. However, EB1:siRNA complexes failed as well in triggering RNAi when fed. Our findings highlight the complexity of the dsRNA/siRNA-triggered RNAi in this species and emphasize the multifactorial nature of the RNAi response in insects. Our study also stresses the importance of in vivo studies when it comes to dsRNA/siRNA delivery systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise Vogel
- Research Group of Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction, Division of Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dulce Santos
- Research Group of Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction, Division of Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Cissy Huygens
- Research Group of Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction, Division of Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Developmental Genetics, Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Paulien Peeters
- Research Group of Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction, Division of Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Stijn Van den Brande
- Research Group of Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction, Division of Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Niels Wynant
- Research Group of Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction, Division of Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jozef Vanden Broeck
- Research Group of Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction, Division of Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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Figueiredo Prates LH, Merlau M, Rühl-Teichner J, Schetelig MF, Häcker I. An Optimized/Scale Up-Ready Protocol for Extraction of Bacterially Produced dsRNA at Good Yield and Low Costs. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24119266. [PMID: 37298215 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) can trigger RNA interference (RNAi) and lead to directed silencing of specific genes. This natural defense mechanism and RNA-based products have been explored for their potential as a sustainable and ecofriendly alternative for pest control of species of agricultural importance and disease vectors. Yet, further research, development of new products and possible applications require a cost-efficient production of dsRNA. In vivo transcription of dsRNA in bacterial cells has been widely used as a versatile and inducible system for production of dsRNA combined with a purification step required to extract the dsRNA. Here, we optimized an acidic phenol-based protocol for extraction of bacterially produced dsRNA at low cost and good yield. In this protocol, bacterial cells are efficiently lysed, with no viable bacterial cells present in the downstream steps of the purification. Furthermore, we performed a comparative dsRNA quality and yield assessment of our optimized protocol and other protocols available in the literature and confirmed the cost-efficiency of our optimized protocol by comparing the cost of extraction and yields of each extraction method.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maximilian Merlau
- Department of Insect Biotechnology in Plant Protection, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35394 Giessen, Germany
| | - Johanna Rühl-Teichner
- Department of Insect Biotechnology in Plant Protection, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35394 Giessen, Germany
| | - Marc F Schetelig
- Department of Insect Biotechnology in Plant Protection, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35394 Giessen, Germany
| | - Irina Häcker
- Department of Insect Biotechnology in Plant Protection, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35394 Giessen, Germany
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Verdonckt TW, Bilsen A, Van Nieuwerburgh F, De Troij L, Santos D, Vanden Broeck J. Identification and Profiling of a Novel Bombyx mori latent virus Variant Acutely Infecting Helicoverpa armigera and Trichoplusia ni. Viruses 2023; 15:v15051183. [PMID: 37243270 DOI: 10.3390/v15051183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Insect cell expression systems are increasingly being used in the medical industry to develop vaccines against diseases such as COVID-19. However, viral infections are common in these systems, making it necessary to thoroughly characterize the viruses present. One such virus is Bombyx mori latent virus (BmLV), which is known to be specific to Bombyx mori and to have low pathogenicity. However, there has been little research on the tropism and virulence of BmLV. In this study, we examined the genomic diversity of BmLV and identified a variant that persistently infects Trichoplusia ni-derived High Five cells. We also assessed the pathogenicity of this variant and its effects on host responses using both in vivo and in vitro systems. Our results showed that this BmLV variant causes acute infections with strong cytopathic effects in both systems. Furthermore, we characterized the RNAi-based immune response in the T. ni cell line and in Helicoverpa armigera animals by assessing the regulation of RNAi-related genes and profiling the generated viral small RNAs. Overall, our findings shed light on the prevalence and infectious properties of BmLV. We also discuss the potential impact of virus genomic diversity on experimental outcomes, which can help interpret past and future research results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas-Wolf Verdonckt
- Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction Research Group, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59 Box 2465, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Anton Bilsen
- Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction Research Group, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59 Box 2465, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Filip Van Nieuwerburgh
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Loes De Troij
- Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction Research Group, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59 Box 2465, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dulce Santos
- Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction Research Group, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59 Box 2465, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jozef Vanden Broeck
- Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction Research Group, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59 Box 2465, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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Guo H, Long GJ, Liu XZ, Ma YF, Zhang MQ, Gong LL, Dewer Y, Hull JJ, Wang MM, Wang Q, He M, He P. Functional characterization of tyrosine melanin genes in the white-backed planthopper and utilization of a spray-based nanoparticle-wrapped dsRNA technique for pest control. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 230:123123. [PMID: 36603718 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.123123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
As a significant pest of rice the white-backed planthopper (WBPH) Sogatella furcifera is a focus of pest management. However, traditional chemical-based control methods risk the development of pesticide resistance as well as severe ecological repercussions. Although nanoparticle-encapsulated dsRNAs provide a promising alternative method for sustainable pest management, gene targets specific to WBPH have yet to be optimized. Genes in the tyrosine-melanin pathway impact epidermal melanization and sclerotization, two processes essential for insect development and metabolism, have been proposed as good candidate targets for pest management. Seven genes (aaNAT, black, DDC, ebony, tan, TH, and yellow-y) in this group were identified from WBPH genome and functionally characterized by using RNAi for their impact on WBPH body color, development, and mortality. Knockdown of SfDDC, Sfblack, SfaaNAT, and Sftan caused cuticles to turn black, whereas Sfyellow-y and Sfebony knockdown resulted in yellow coloration. SfTH knockdown resulted in pale-colored bodies and high mortality. Additionally, an Escherichia coli expression system for large-scale dsRNA production was coupled with star polycation nanoparticles to develop a sprayable RNAi method targeting SfTH that induced high WBPH mortality rates on rice seedlings. These findings lay the groundwork for the development of large-scale dsRNA nanoparticle sprays as a WBPH control method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Guo
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, PR China
| | - Gui-Jun Long
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, PR China
| | - Xuan-Zheng Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, PR China
| | - Yun-Feng Ma
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, PR China
| | - Meng-Qi Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, PR China
| | - Lang-Lang Gong
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, PR China
| | - Youssef Dewer
- Phytotoxicity Research Department, Central Agricultural Pesticide Laboratory, Agricultural Research Center, 7 Nadi El-Seid Street, Dokki, 12618 Giza, Egypt
| | - J Joe Hull
- Pest Management and Biocontrol Research Unit, US Arid Land Agricultural Research Center, USDA Agricultural Research Services, Maricopa, AZ, 85138, USA
| | - Mei-Mei Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, PR China
| | - Qin Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, PR China
| | - Ming He
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, PR China.
| | - Peng He
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, PR China.
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Guo H, Liu XZ, Long GJ, Gong LL, Zhang MQ, Ma YF, Hull JJ, Dewer Y, He M, He P. Functional characterization of developmentally critical genes in the white-backed planthopper: Efficacy of nanoparticle-based dsRNA sprays for pest control. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2023; 79:1048-1061. [PMID: 36325939 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), zinc finger homeodomain-2 (zfh-2), Abdominal-A (Abd-A), and Abdominal-B (Abd-B) regulate the growth and development of the insect abdomen. However, their potential roles in pest control have not been fully assessed. The development of insecticide resistance to multiple chemistries in the white-backed planthopper (WBPH), a major pest of rice, has prompted interest in novel pest control approaches that are ecologically friendly. Although pest management approaches based on double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-mediated RNA interference (RNAi) have potential, their susceptibility to degradation limits large-scale field applications. These limitations, however, can be overcome with nanoparticle-dsRNA complexes that have greater environmental stability and improved cellular uptake. RESULTS In this study, at 5 days post-injection, transcripts for the four gene targets were reduced relative to controls and all of the experimental groups exhibited significant phenotypic defects and increased mortality. To evaluate the potential of these gene targets for field applications, a nanocarrier-dsRNA spray delivery system was assessed for RNAi efficacy. At 11 days post-spray, significant phenotypic defects and increased mortality were observed in all experimental groups. CONCLUSION Taken together, the results confirm the suitability of the target genes (SfEGFR, Sfzfh-2, SfAbd-A, and SfAbd-B) for pest management and demonstrate the efficacy of the nanocarrier spray system for inducing RNAi-mediated knockdown. As such, the study lays the foundation for the further development and optimization of this technology for large-scale field applications. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Guo
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang, P. R. China
| | - Xuan-Zheng Liu
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang, P. R. China
| | - Gui-Jun Long
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang, P. R. China
| | - Lang-Lang Gong
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang, P. R. China
| | - Meng-Qi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang, P. R. China
| | - Yun-Feng Ma
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang, P. R. China
| | - J Joe Hull
- Pest Management and Biocontrol Research Unit, US Arid Land Agricultural Research Center, USDA Agricultural Research Services, Maricopa, AZ, USA
| | - Youssef Dewer
- Phytotoxicity Research Department, Central Agricultural Pesticide Laboratory, Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt
| | - Ming He
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang, P. R. China
| | - Peng He
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang, P. R. China
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Lucena-Leandro VS, Abreu EFA, Vidal LA, Torres CR, Junqueira CICVF, Dantas J, Albuquerque ÉVS. Current Scenario of Exogenously Induced RNAi for Lepidopteran Agricultural Pest Control: From dsRNA Design to Topical Application. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232415836. [PMID: 36555476 PMCID: PMC9785151 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232415836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive insects cost the global economy around USD 70 billion per year. Moreover, increasing agricultural insect pests raise concerns about global food security constraining and infestation rising after climate changes. Current agricultural pest management largely relies on plant breeding-with or without transgenes-and chemical pesticides. Both approaches face serious technological obsolescence in the field due to plant resistance breakdown or development of insecticide resistance. The need for new modes of action (MoA) for managing crop health is growing each year, driven by market demands to reduce economic losses and by consumer demand for phytosanitary measures. The disabling of pest genes through sequence-specific expression silencing is a promising tool in the development of environmentally-friendly and safe biopesticides. The specificity conferred by long dsRNA-base solutions helps minimize effects on off-target genes in the insect pest genome and the target gene in non-target organisms (NTOs). In this review, we summarize the status of gene silencing by RNA interference (RNAi) for agricultural control. More specifically, we focus on the engineering, development and application of gene silencing to control Lepidoptera through non-transforming dsRNA technologies. Despite some delivery and stability drawbacks of topical applications, we reviewed works showing convincing proof-of-concept results that point to innovative solutions. Considerations about the regulation of the ongoing research on dsRNA-based pesticides to produce commercialized products for exogenous application are discussed. Academic and industry initiatives have revealed a worthy effort to control Lepidoptera pests with this new mode of action, which provides more sustainable and reliable technologies for field management. New data on the genomics of this taxon may contribute to a future customized target gene portfolio. As a case study, we illustrate how dsRNA and associated methodologies could be applied to control an important lepidopteran coffee pest.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Leonardo A. Vidal
- Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia, Brasília 70770-917, DF, Brazil
- Department of Cellular Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Universidade de Brasília—UnB, Brasília 70910-9002, DF, Brazil
| | - Caroline R. Torres
- Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia, Brasília 70770-917, DF, Brazil
- Department of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Universidade de Brasília—UnB, Brasília 70910-9002, DF, Brazil
| | - Camila I. C. V. F. Junqueira
- Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia, Brasília 70770-917, DF, Brazil
- Department of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Universidade de Brasília—UnB, Brasília 70910-9002, DF, Brazil
| | - Juliana Dantas
- Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia, Brasília 70770-917, DF, Brazil
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Nwokeoji AO, Nwokeoji EA, Chou T, Togola A. A novel sustainable platform for scaled manufacturing of double-stranded RNA biopesticides. BIORESOUR BIOPROCESS 2022; 9:107. [PMID: 38647833 PMCID: PMC10992233 DOI: 10.1186/s40643-022-00596-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
RNA interference (RNAi) represents one of the most conserved pathways evolved by eukaryotic cells for regulating gene expression. RNAi utilises non-translatable double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) molecules to sequester or degrade mRNA molecules gene. In RNAi, specifically designed exogenous dsRNA delivered to the cell can silence a target gene, a phenomenon that has been exploited in many functional studies and explored in biopesticide applications. The search for safe and sustainable crop pest management options drives the need to offset the effect of inorganic pesticides on biodiversity. The prospect of replacing inorganic pesticides with dsRNA crop spray is gaining popularity, enhanced by its high-target specificity and low environmental impact. However, for dsRNA to reach the pesticide market, it must be produced cost-effectively and sustainably. In this paper, we develop a high-yield expression media that generates up to 15-fold dsRNA yield compared to existing expression media utilising 1 mM IPTG. We also optimise a low-cost purification method that generates high-quality and purified dsRNA. The developed method circumvents the need for hazardous chemical reagents often found in commercial kits or commercial nucleases to eliminate contaminating DNA or single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) species. We also demonstrate that the production platform is scalable, generating 6.29 mg dsRNA from 259 mg wet E. coli cell pellet. The results also provide structural insights into the heterogeneous dsRNA species within the microbial-derived dsRNA pool. Finally, we also show that the purified 'naked' dsRNA, without prior formulation, can induce insect toxicity under field conditions. This study provides a novel, complete, low-cost process dsRNA platform with potential for application in industrial dsRNA production.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Tachung Chou
- School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
- All First Technologies Co. Ltd, No.208, Longnan Rd, Pingzhen Dist, Taoyuan City, Taiwan
| | - Abou Togola
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Kano Station, PMB 3112, Sabo Bakin Zuwo road, Kano, Kano State, Nigeria
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Bocos-Asenjo IT, Niño-Sánchez J, Ginésy M, Diez JJ. New Insights on the Integrated Management of Plant Diseases by RNA Strategies: Mycoviruses and RNA Interference. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:9236. [PMID: 36012499 PMCID: PMC9409477 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23169236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA-based strategies for plant disease management offer an attractive alternative to agrochemicals that negatively impact human and ecosystem health and lead to pathogen resistance. There has been recent interest in using mycoviruses for fungal disease control after it was discovered that some cause hypovirulence in fungal pathogens, which refers to a decline in the ability of a pathogen to cause disease. Cryphonectria parasitica, the causal agent of chestnut blight, has set an ideal model of management through the release of hypovirulent strains. However, mycovirus-based management of plant diseases is still restricted by limited approaches to search for viruses causing hypovirulence and the lack of protocols allowing effective and systemic virus infection in pathogens. RNA interference (RNAi), the eukaryotic cell system that recognizes RNA sequences and specifically degrades them, represents a promising. RNA-based disease management method. The natural occurrence of cross-kingdom RNAi provides a basis for host-induced gene silencing, while the ability of most pathogens to uptake exogenous small RNAs enables the use of spray-induced gene silencing techniques. This review describes the mechanisms behind and the potential of two RNA-based strategies, mycoviruses and RNAi, for plant disease management. Successful applications are discussed, as well as the research gaps and limitations that remain to be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Teresa Bocos-Asenjo
- Department of Plant Production and Forest Resources, University of Valladolid, 34004 Palencia, Spain
- iuFOR-Sustainable Forest Management Research Institute, University of Valladolid-INIA, 34004 Palencia, Spain
| | - Jonatan Niño-Sánchez
- Department of Plant Production and Forest Resources, University of Valladolid, 34004 Palencia, Spain
- iuFOR-Sustainable Forest Management Research Institute, University of Valladolid-INIA, 34004 Palencia, Spain
| | - Mireille Ginésy
- Department of Plant Production and Forest Resources, University of Valladolid, 34004 Palencia, Spain
- iuFOR-Sustainable Forest Management Research Institute, University of Valladolid-INIA, 34004 Palencia, Spain
| | - Julio Javier Diez
- Department of Plant Production and Forest Resources, University of Valladolid, 34004 Palencia, Spain
- iuFOR-Sustainable Forest Management Research Institute, University of Valladolid-INIA, 34004 Palencia, Spain
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