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Lebenzon JE, Toxopeus J. Knock down to level up: Reframing RNAi for invertebrate ecophysiology. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2024; 297:111703. [PMID: 39029617 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2024.111703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 07/16/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/21/2024]
Abstract
Comparative ecophysiologists strive to understand physiological problems in non-model organisms, but molecular tools such as RNA interference (RNAi) are under-used in our field. Here, we provide a framework for invertebrate ecophysiologists to use RNAi to answer questions focused on physiological processes, rather than as a tool to investigate gene function. We specifically focus on non-model invertebrates, in which the use of other genetic tools (e.g., genetic knockout lines) is less likely. We argue that because RNAi elicits a temporary manipulation of gene expression, and resources to carry out RNAi are technically and financially accessible, it is an effective tool for invertebrate ecophysiologists. We cover the terminology and basic mechanisms of RNA interference as an accessible introduction for "non-molecular" physiologists, include a suggested workflow for identifying RNAi gene targets and validating biologically relevant gene knockdowns, and present a hypothesis-testing framework for using RNAi to answer common questions in the realm of invertebrate ecophysiology. This review encourages invertebrate ecophysiologists to use these tools and workflows to explore physiological processes and bridge genotypes to phenotypes in their animal(s) of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline E Lebenzon
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4.
| | - Jantina Toxopeus
- Department of Biology, St. Francis Xavier University, 2321 Notre Dame Ave, Antigonish, NS, Canada B2G 2W5
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2
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Abstract
To identify novel host factors as putative targets to reverse HIV-1 latency, we performed an insertional mutagenesis genetic screen in a latent HIV-1 infected pseudohaploid KBM7 cell line (Hap-Lat). Following mutagenesis, insertions were mapped to the genome, and bioinformatic analysis resulted in the identification of 69 candidate host genes involved in maintaining HIV-1 latency. A select set of candidate genes was functionally validated using short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated depletion in latent HIV-1 infected J-Lat A2 and 11.1 T cell lines. We confirmed ADK, CHD9, CMSS1, EVI2B, EXOSC8, FAM19A, GRIK5, IRF2BP2, NF1, and USP15 as novel host factors involved in the maintenance of HIV-1 latency. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays indicated that CHD9, a chromodomain helicase DNA-binding protein, maintains HIV-1 latency via direct association with the HIV-1 5′ long terminal repeat (LTR), and its depletion results in increased histone acetylation at the HIV-1 promoter, concomitant with HIV-1 latency reversal. FDA-approved inhibitors 5-iodotubercidin, trametinib, and topiramate, targeting ADK, NF1, and GRIK5, respectively, were characterized for their latency reversal potential. While 5-iodotubercidin exhibited significant cytotoxicity in both J-Lat and primary CD4+ T cells, trametinib reversed latency in J-Lat cells but not in latent HIV-1 infected primary CD4+ T cells. Importantly, topiramate reversed latency in cell line models, in latently infected primary CD4+ T cells, and crucially in CD4+ T cells from three people living with HIV-1 (PLWH) under suppressive antiretroviral therapy, without inducing T cell activation or significant toxicity. Thus, using an adaptation of a haploid forward genetic screen, we identified novel and druggable host factors contributing to HIV-1 latency.
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3
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Rahmani S, Bandani AR. Caspase gene silencing affects the growth and development of Tuta absoluta. BIOCATALYSIS AND AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bcab.2021.102044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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4
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Daack CW, Yeh D, Busch M, Kliethermes CL. GABAergic regulation of locomotion before and during an ethanol exposure in Drosophila melanogaster. Behav Brain Res 2021; 410:113369. [PMID: 34015397 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Ethanol at low doses induces a locomotor stimulant response across a range of phylogenetically diverse species. In rodents, this response is commonly used as an index of ethanol's disinhibitory, anxiolytic, or reinforcing effects, and its expression is regulated by signaling through a number of conserved neurotransmitter systems. In the current experiments, we asked whether ethanol-induced locomotor stimulation in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster might be mediated by ionotropic GABA receptors. We measured basal and ethanol-stimulated locomotion in flies expressing RNAi directed against three known subunits of ionotropic GABA receptors, and also examined the effects of picrotoxin feeding on these behaviors. We found that RNAi-mediated knockdown of a subunit of fly ionotropic GABA receptors, RDL, in all neurons resulted in an increased ethanol-induced locomotor stimulant response, while knockdown of two other subunits, LCCH3 and GRD, did not affect the responses. The effect of pan neuronal RDL knockdown was recapitulated with selective RDL knockdown in cholinergic neurons, and increased ethanol-induced locomotor stimulation was also seen by feeding the GABAA antagonist picrotoxin to flies prior to behavioral testing. However, the increase in ethanol-stimulated locomotion in each of these experiments was largely accounted for by decreased baseline activity. Our results indicate that ionotropic GABA receptors might be a conserved mediator of the locomotor stimulant effects of ethanol, but that alternative experimental approaches will be necessary to disentangle effects of GABAergic manipulations on baseline and ethanol-stimulated locomotion in flies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Calvin W Daack
- Drake University, 318 Olin Hall, 1344 27thStreet, Des Moines, IA, 50311, United States
| | - Derek Yeh
- Drake University, 318 Olin Hall, 1344 27thStreet, Des Moines, IA, 50311, United States
| | - Marc Busch
- Drake University, 318 Olin Hall, 1344 27thStreet, Des Moines, IA, 50311, United States
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5
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Hughson BN, Shimell M, O'Connor MB. AKH Signaling in D. melanogaster Alters Larval Development in a Nutrient-Dependent Manner That Influences Adult Metabolism. Front Physiol 2021; 12:619219. [PMID: 33708137 PMCID: PMC7940354 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.619219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Metabolism, growth, and development are intrinsically linked, and their coordination is dependent upon inter-organ communication mediated by anabolic, catabolic, and steroid hormones. In Drosophila melanogaster, the corpora cardiaca (CC) influences metabolic homeostasis through adipokinetic hormone (AKH) signaling. AKH has glucagon-like properties and is evolutionarily conserved in mammals as the gonadotropin-releasing hormone, but its role in insect development is unknown. Here we report that AKH signaling alters larval development in a nutrient stress-dependent manner. This activity is regulated by the locus dg2, which encodes a cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG). CC-specific downregulation of dg2 expression delayed the developmental transition from larval to pupal life, and altered adult metabolism and behavior. These developmental effects were AKH-dependent, and were observed only in flies that experienced low nutrient stress during larval development. Calcium-mediated vesicle exocytosis regulates ecdysteroid secretion from the prothoracic gland (PG), and we found that AKH signaling increased cytosolic free calcium levels in the PG. We identified a novel pathway through which PKG acts in the CC to communicate metabolic information to the PG via AKH signaling. AKH signaling provides a means whereby larval nutrient stress can alter developmental trajectories into adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryon N Hughson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - MaryJane Shimell
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Michael B O'Connor
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
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6
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Soleimani S, Valizadeh Arshad Z, Moradi S, Ahmadi A, Davarpanah SJ, Azimzadeh Jamalkandi S. Small regulatory noncoding RNAs in Drosophila melanogaster: biogenesis and biological functions. Brief Funct Genomics 2020; 19:309-323. [PMID: 32219422 DOI: 10.1093/bfgp/elaa005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Revised: 02/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
RNA interference (RNAi) is an important phenomenon that has diverse genetic regulatory functions at the pre- and posttranscriptional levels. The major trigger for the RNAi pathway is double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). dsRNA is processed to generate various types of major small noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) that include microRNAs (miRNAs), small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) in Drosophila melanogaster (D. melanogaster). Functionally, these small ncRNAs play critical roles in virtually all biological systems and developmental pathways. Identification and processing of dsRNAs and activation of RNAi machinery are the three major academic interests that surround RNAi research. Mechanistically, some of the important biological functions of RNAi are achieved through: (i) supporting genomic stability via degradation of foreign viral genomes; (ii) suppressing the movement of transposable elements and, most importantly, (iii) post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression by miRNAs that contribute to regulation of epigenetic modifications such as heterochromatin formation and genome imprinting. Here, we review various routes of small ncRNA biogenesis, as well as different RNAi-mediated pathways in D. melanogaster with a particular focus on signaling pathways. In addition, a critical discussion of the most relevant and latest findings that concern the significant contribution of small ncRNAs to the regulation of D. melanogaster physiology and pathophysiology is presented.
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Gurumurthy CB, Lloyd KCK. Generating mouse models for biomedical research: technological advances. Dis Model Mech 2019; 12:dmm029462. [PMID: 30626588 PMCID: PMC6361157 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.029462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the past decade, new methods and procedures have been developed to generate genetically engineered mouse models of human disease. This At a Glance article highlights several recent technical advances in mouse genome manipulation that have transformed our ability to manipulate and study gene expression in the mouse. We discuss how conventional gene targeting by homologous recombination in embryonic stem cells has given way to more refined methods that enable allele-specific manipulation in zygotes. We also highlight advances in the use of programmable endonucleases that have greatly increased the feasibility and ease of editing the mouse genome. Together, these and other technologies provide researchers with the molecular tools to functionally annotate the mouse genome with greater fidelity and specificity, as well as to generate new mouse models using faster, simpler and less costly techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Channabasavaiah B Gurumurthy
- Developmental Neuroscience, Munroe Meyer Institute for Genetics and Rehabilitation, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68106-5915, USA
- Mouse Genome Engineering Core Facility, Vice Chancellor for Research Office, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68106-5915, USA
| | - Kevin C Kent Lloyd
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95618, USA
- Mouse Biology Program, University of California, Davis, CA 95618, USA
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8
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Siddall NA, Hime GR. A Drosophila toolkit for defining gene function in spermatogenesis. Reproduction 2017; 153:R121-R132. [PMID: 28073824 DOI: 10.1530/rep-16-0347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2016] [Revised: 12/15/2016] [Accepted: 01/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Expression profiling and genomic sequencing methods enable the accumulation of vast quantities of data that relate to the expression of genes during the maturation of male germ cells from primordial germ cells to spermatozoa and potential mutations that underlie male infertility. However, the determination of gene function in specific aspects of spermatogenesis or linking abnormal gene function with infertility remain rate limiting, as even in an era of CRISPR analysis of gene function in mammalian models, this still requires considerable resources and time. Comparative developmental biology studies have shown the remarkable conservation of spermatogenic developmental processes from insects to vertebrates and provide an avenue of rapid assessment of gene function to inform the potential roles of specific genes in rodent and human spermatogenesis. The vinegar fly, Drosophila melanogaster, has been used as a model organism for developmental genetic studies for over one hundred years, and research with this organism produced seminal findings such as the association of genes with chromosomes, the chromosomal basis for sexual identity, the mutagenic properties of X-irradiation and the isolation of the first tumour suppressor mutations. Drosophila researchers have developed an impressive array of sophisticated genetic techniques for analysis of gene function and genetic interactions. This review focuses on how these techniques can be utilised to study spermatogenesis in an organism with a generation time of 9 days and the capacity to introduce multiple mutant alleles into an individual organism in a relatively short time frame.
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Affiliation(s)
- N A Siddall
- Department of Anatomy and NeuroscienceThe University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - G R Hime
- Department of Anatomy and NeuroscienceThe University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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9
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Anstead CA, Batterham P, Korhonen PK, Young ND, Hall RS, Bowles VM, Richards S, Scott MJ, Gasser RB. A blow to the fly — Lucilia cuprina draft genome and transcriptome to support advances in biology and biotechnology. Biotechnol Adv 2016; 34:605-620. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2016.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2015] [Revised: 02/08/2016] [Accepted: 02/20/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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10
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Abstract
RNAi technologies enable the testing of gene function in a cell-type- and stage-specific manner in Drosophila. The development of genome-wide RNAi libraries has allowed expansion of this approach to the genome scale and supports identification of most genes required for a given process in a cell type of choice. However, a large-scale RNAi approach also harbors many potential pitfalls that can complicate interpretation of the results. Here, we summarize published screens and provide a guide on how to optimally plan and perform a large-scale, in vivo RNAi screen. We highlight the importance of assay design and give suggestions on how to optimize the assay conditions by testing positive and negative control genes. These genes are used to estimate false-negative and false-positive rates of the screen data. We discuss the planning and logistics of a large-scale screen in detail and suggest bioinformatics platforms to identify and select gene groups of interest for secondary assays. Finally, we review various options to confirm RNAi knock-down specificity and thus identify high confidence genes for more detailed case-by-case studies in the future.
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11
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Yamamoto-Hino M, Yoshida H, Ichimiya T, Sakamura S, Maeda M, Kimura Y, Sasaki N, Aoki-Kinoshita KF, Kinoshita-Toyoda A, Toyoda H, Ueda R, Nishihara S, Goto S. Phenotype-based clustering of glycosylation-related genes by RNAi-mediated gene silencing. Genes Cells 2015; 20:521-42. [PMID: 25940448 PMCID: PMC4682476 DOI: 10.1111/gtc.12246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2015] [Accepted: 03/24/2015] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Glycan structures are synthesized by a series of reactions conducted by glycosylation-related (GR) proteins such as glycosyltransferases, glycan-modifying enzymes, and nucleotide-sugar transporters. For example, the common core region of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) is sequentially synthesized by peptide-O-xylosyltransferase, β1,4-galactosyltransferase I, β1,3-galactosyltransferase II, and β1,3-glucuronyltransferase. This raises the possibility that functional impairment of GR proteins involved in synthesis of the same glycan might result in the same phenotypic abnormality. To examine this possibility, comprehensive silencing of genes encoding GR and proteoglycan core proteins was conducted in Drosophila. Drosophila GR candidate genes (125) were classified into five functional groups for synthesis of GAGs, N-linked, O-linked, Notch-related, and unknown glycans. Spatiotemporally regulated silencing caused a range of malformed phenotypes that fell into three types: extra veins, thick veins, and depigmentation. The clustered phenotypes reflected the biosynthetic pathways of GAGs, Fringe-dependent glycan on Notch, and glycans placed at or near nonreducing ends (herein termed terminal domains of glycans). Based on the phenotypic clustering, CG33145 was predicted to be involved in formation of terminal domains. Our further analysis showed that CG33145 exhibited galactosyltransferase activity in synthesis of terminal N-linked glycans. Phenotypic clustering, therefore, has potential for the functional prediction of novel GR genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miki Yamamoto-Hino
- Department of Life Science, Rikkyo University, Toshima-ku, Tokyo, Japan.,Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST) of Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Kawaguchi, Saitama, Japan
| | - Hideki Yoshida
- Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST) of Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Kawaguchi, Saitama, Japan.,Department of Bioinformatics, Faculty of Engineering, Soka University, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Applied Biology, Insect Biomedical Research Center, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Tomomi Ichimiya
- Department of Bioinformatics, Faculty of Engineering, Soka University, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Sho Sakamura
- Department of Biofunctional Chemistry, Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
| | - Megumi Maeda
- Department of Biofunctional Chemistry, Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
| | - Yoshinobu Kimura
- Department of Biofunctional Chemistry, Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
| | - Norihiko Sasaki
- Department of Bioinformatics, Faculty of Engineering, Soka University, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan.,Research Team for Geriatric Medicine (Vascular Medicine), Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kiyoko F Aoki-Kinoshita
- Department of Bioinformatics, Faculty of Engineering, Soka University, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akiko Kinoshita-Toyoda
- Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST) of Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Kawaguchi, Saitama, Japan.,College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu, Shiga, Japan
| | - Hidenao Toyoda
- Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST) of Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Kawaguchi, Saitama, Japan.,College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu, Shiga, Japan
| | - Ryu Ueda
- Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST) of Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Kawaguchi, Saitama, Japan.,Invertebrate Genetics Laboratory, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Shoko Nishihara
- Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST) of Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Kawaguchi, Saitama, Japan.,Department of Bioinformatics, Faculty of Engineering, Soka University, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Satoshi Goto
- Department of Life Science, Rikkyo University, Toshima-ku, Tokyo, Japan.,Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST) of Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Kawaguchi, Saitama, Japan
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12
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Li Z, Zeng B, Ling L, Xu J, You L, Aslam AFM, Tan A, Huang Y. Enhancement of larval RNAi efficiency by over-expressing Argonaute2 in Bombyx mori. Int J Biol Sci 2015; 11:176-85. [PMID: 25561900 PMCID: PMC4279093 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.10235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2014] [Accepted: 11/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA interference has been described as a powerful genetic tool for gene functional analysis and a promising approach for pest management. However, RNAi efficiency varies significantly among insect species due to distinct RNAi machineries. Lepidopteran insects include a large number of pests as well as model insects, such as the silkworm, Bombyx mori. However, only limited success of in vivo RNAi has been reported in lepidoptera, particularly during the larval stages when the worms feed the most and do the most harm to the host plant. Enhancing the efficiency of larval RNAi in lepidoptera is urgently needed to develop RNAi-based pest management strategies. In the present study, we investigate the function of the conserved RNAi core factor, Argonaute2 (Ago2), in mediating B. mori RNAi efficiency. We demonstrate that introducing BmAgo2 dsRNA inhibits the RNAi response in both BmN cells and embryos. Furthermore, we establish several transgenic silkworm lines to assess the roles of BmAgo2 in larval RNAi. Over-expressing BmAgo2 significantly facilitated both dsRNA-mediated larval RNAi when targeting DsRed using dsRNA injection and shRNA-mediated larval RNAi when targeting BmBlos2 using transgenic shRNA expression. Our results show that BmAgo2 is involved in RNAi in B. mori and provides a promising approach for improving larval RNAi efficiency in B. mori and in lepidopteran insects in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiqian Li
- 1. Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China. ; 2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Baosheng Zeng
- 1. Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China. ; 2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Lin Ling
- 1. Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jun Xu
- 1. Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China. ; 2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Lang You
- 1. Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Abu F M Aslam
- 1. Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Anjiang Tan
- 1. Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yongping Huang
- 1. Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
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13
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Abstract
The power of Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism lies in its ability to be used for large-scale genetic screens with the capacity to uncover the genetic basis of biological processes. In particular, genetic screens for circadian behavior, which have been performed since 1971, allowed researchers to make groundbreaking discoveries on multiple levels: they discovered that there is a genetic basis for circadian behavior, they identified the so-called core clock genes that govern this process, and they started to paint a detailed picture of the molecular functions of these clock genes and their encoded proteins. Since the discovery that fruit flies sleep in 2000, researchers have successfully been using genetic screening to elucidate the many questions surrounding this basic animal behavior. In this chapter, we briefly recall the history of circadian rhythm and sleep screens and then move on to describe techniques currently employed for mutagenesis and genetic screening in the field. The emphasis lies on comparing the newer approaches of transgenic RNA interference (RNAi) to classical forms of mutagenesis, in particular in their application to circadian behavior and sleep. We discuss the different screening approaches in light of the literature and published and unpublished sleep and rhythm screens utilizing ethyl methanesulfonate mutagenesis and transgenic RNAi from our lab.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Axelrod
- Laboratory of Genetics, The Rockefeller University, New York, USA
| | - Lino Saez
- Laboratory of Genetics, The Rockefeller University, New York, USA
| | - Michael W Young
- Laboratory of Genetics, The Rockefeller University, New York, USA.
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