RNA interference (RNAi) has been widely applied for uncovering the biological functions of numerous genes, and has been envisaged as a pest control tool operating by disruption of essential gene expression. Although different methods, such as injection, feeding, and soaking, have been reported for successful delivery of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), the efficiency of RNAi through oral delivery of dsRNA is highly variable among different insect groups. The German cockroach, Blattella germanica, is highly sensitive to the injection of dsRNA, as shown by many studies published previously. The present study describes a method to demonstrate that the dsRNA encapsulated with liposome carriers is sufficient to retard the degradation of dsRNA by midgut juice. Notably, the continuous feeding of dsRNA encapsulated by liposomes significantly reduces the tubulin expression in the midgut, and led to the death of cockroaches. In conclusion, the formulation and utilization of dsRNA lipoplexes, which protect dsRNA against nucleases, could be a practical use of RNAi for insect pest control in the future.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.3791/57385 | DOI Listing |
Pest Manag Sci
January 2025
Dpto. Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain.
Background: Chitin is a crucial component of fungal cell walls and an effective elicitor of plant immunity; however, phytopathogenic fungi have developed virulence mechanisms to counteract the activation of this plant defensive response. In this study, the molecular mechanism of chitin-induced suppression through effectors involved in chitin deacetylases (CDAs) and their degradation (EWCAs) was investigated with the idea of developing novel dsRNA-biofungicides to control the cucurbit powdery mildew caused by Podosphaera xanthii.
Results: The molecular mechanisms associated with the silencing effect of the PxCDA and PxEWCAs genes were first studied through dsRNA cotyledon infiltration assays, which revealed a ≈80% reduction in fungal biomass and a 50% decrease in gene expression.
Pest Manag Sci
January 2025
College of Plant Protection, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China.
Background: The whitefly Bemisia tabaci is a notorious agricultural pest known for its ability to cause significant crop damage through direct feeding and virus transmission. Its remarkable adaptability and reproductive capacity are linked to its ability to acquire and integrate horizontally transferred genes (HTGs) into its genome. These HTGs increase the physiological and metabolic capacities of this pest, including cholesterol synthesis, which is critical for its survival and reproductive success.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Rheum Dis
January 2025
The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, China.
Background: N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is one of the most conserved internal RNA modifications, which has been implicated in many biological processes, such as apoptosis and proliferation. Wilms tumor 1-associating protein (WTAP), as a key component of m6A methylation, is a nuclear protein that has been associated with the regulation of proliferation and apoptosis. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a systemic, infiltrating autoimmune disease, is characterized by synovial hyperplasia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Mol Sci
December 2024
Liaoning Engineering and Technology Research Center for Insect Resources, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China.
Chitin deacetylases (CDAs) are carbohydrate esterases associated with chitin metabolism and the conversion of chitin into chitosan. Studies have demonstrated that chitin deacetylation is essential for chitin organization and compactness and therefore influences the mechanical and permeability properties of chitinous structures, such as the peritrophic membrane (PM) and cuticle. In the present study, two genes ( and ) encoding CDA protein isoforms were identified and characterized in Chinese oak silkworm () larvae.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Mol Sci
December 2024
Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute-National Research Institute, Radzikow, 05-870 Blonie, Poland.
The development of innovative and effective strategies to combat fungal pathogens is critical to sustainable crop protection. Fungicides have been used for over two centuries, with traditional copper- and sulfur-based formulations still in use due to their broad-spectrum, multisite mode of action, which minimizes the risk of pathogen resistance. In contrast, modern systemic fungicides, though potent, often target a single site of action, leading to the accelerated emergence of resistant fungal strains.
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