Non-Target Effects of dsRNA Molecules in Hemipteran Insects
Insect pest control by RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated gene expression knockdown can be undermined by many factors, including small sequence differences between double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) and the target gene. It can also be compromised by effects that are independent of the dsRNA sequence on non-t...
Main Authors: | , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-03-01
|
Series: | Genes |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4425/12/3/407 |
id |
doaj-a3cc89ee5af8424d83d41331f91f0c80 |
---|---|
record_format |
Article |
spelling |
doaj-a3cc89ee5af8424d83d41331f91f0c802021-03-13T00:03:53ZengMDPI AGGenes2073-44252021-03-011240740710.3390/genes12030407Non-Target Effects of dsRNA Molecules in Hemipteran InsectsArinder K. Arora0Seung Ho Chung1Angela E. Douglas2Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USADepartment of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USADepartment of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USAInsect pest control by RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated gene expression knockdown can be undermined by many factors, including small sequence differences between double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) and the target gene. It can also be compromised by effects that are independent of the dsRNA sequence on non-target organisms (known as sequence-non-specific effects). This study investigated the species-specificity of RNAi in plant sap-feeding hemipteran pests. We first demonstrated sequence-non-specific suppression of aphid feeding by dsRNA at dietary concentrations ≥0.5 µg µL<sup>−1</sup>. Then we quantified the expression of <i>NUC</i> (nuclease) genes in insects administered homologous dsRNA (with perfect sequence identity to the target species) or heterologous dsRNA (generated against a related gene of non-identical sequence in a different insect species). For the aphids <i>Acyrthosiphon pisum</i> and <i>Myzus persicae</i>, significantly reduced <i>NUC</i> expression was obtained with the homologous but not heterologous dsRNA at 0.2 µg µL<sup>−1</sup>, despite high ds<i>NUC</i> sequence identity. Follow-up experiments demonstrated significantly reduced expression of <i>NUC</i> genes in the whitefly <i>Bemisia tabaci</i> and mealybug <i>Planococcus maritimus</i> administered homologous <i>dsNUCs</i>, but not heterologous aphid ds<i>NUC</i>s. Our demonstration of inefficient expression knockdown by heterologous dsRNA in these insects suggests that maximal dsRNA sequence identity is required for RNAi targeting of related pest species, and that heterologous dsRNAs at appropriate concentrations may not be a major risk to non-target sap-feeding hemipterans.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4425/12/3/407<i>Acyrthosiphon pisum</i><i>Bemisia tabaci</i><i>Myzus persicae</i>sequence-non-specific RNAinon-target organismsnucleases of insects |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Arinder K. Arora Seung Ho Chung Angela E. Douglas |
spellingShingle |
Arinder K. Arora Seung Ho Chung Angela E. Douglas Non-Target Effects of dsRNA Molecules in Hemipteran Insects Genes <i>Acyrthosiphon pisum</i> <i>Bemisia tabaci</i> <i>Myzus persicae</i> sequence-non-specific RNAi non-target organisms nucleases of insects |
author_facet |
Arinder K. Arora Seung Ho Chung Angela E. Douglas |
author_sort |
Arinder K. Arora |
title |
Non-Target Effects of dsRNA Molecules in Hemipteran Insects |
title_short |
Non-Target Effects of dsRNA Molecules in Hemipteran Insects |
title_full |
Non-Target Effects of dsRNA Molecules in Hemipteran Insects |
title_fullStr |
Non-Target Effects of dsRNA Molecules in Hemipteran Insects |
title_full_unstemmed |
Non-Target Effects of dsRNA Molecules in Hemipteran Insects |
title_sort |
non-target effects of dsrna molecules in hemipteran insects |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Genes |
issn |
2073-4425 |
publishDate |
2021-03-01 |
description |
Insect pest control by RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated gene expression knockdown can be undermined by many factors, including small sequence differences between double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) and the target gene. It can also be compromised by effects that are independent of the dsRNA sequence on non-target organisms (known as sequence-non-specific effects). This study investigated the species-specificity of RNAi in plant sap-feeding hemipteran pests. We first demonstrated sequence-non-specific suppression of aphid feeding by dsRNA at dietary concentrations ≥0.5 µg µL<sup>−1</sup>. Then we quantified the expression of <i>NUC</i> (nuclease) genes in insects administered homologous dsRNA (with perfect sequence identity to the target species) or heterologous dsRNA (generated against a related gene of non-identical sequence in a different insect species). For the aphids <i>Acyrthosiphon pisum</i> and <i>Myzus persicae</i>, significantly reduced <i>NUC</i> expression was obtained with the homologous but not heterologous dsRNA at 0.2 µg µL<sup>−1</sup>, despite high ds<i>NUC</i> sequence identity. Follow-up experiments demonstrated significantly reduced expression of <i>NUC</i> genes in the whitefly <i>Bemisia tabaci</i> and mealybug <i>Planococcus maritimus</i> administered homologous <i>dsNUCs</i>, but not heterologous aphid ds<i>NUC</i>s. Our demonstration of inefficient expression knockdown by heterologous dsRNA in these insects suggests that maximal dsRNA sequence identity is required for RNAi targeting of related pest species, and that heterologous dsRNAs at appropriate concentrations may not be a major risk to non-target sap-feeding hemipterans. |
topic |
<i>Acyrthosiphon pisum</i> <i>Bemisia tabaci</i> <i>Myzus persicae</i> sequence-non-specific RNAi non-target organisms nucleases of insects |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4425/12/3/407 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT arinderkarora nontargeteffectsofdsrnamoleculesinhemipteraninsects AT seunghochung nontargeteffectsofdsrnamoleculesinhemipteraninsects AT angelaedouglas nontargeteffectsofdsrnamoleculesinhemipteraninsects |
_version_ |
1724222463790809088 |