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Title: Towards the elements of successful insect Ribonucleic acid interference (RNAi)

Author
item SCOTT, JEFF - Cornell University
item MICHEL, KRISTIN - Kansas State University
item BARTHOLOMAY, LYRIC - Iowa State University
item SIEGFRIED, BLAIR - University Of Nebraska
item Hunter, Wayne
item SMAGGHE, GUY - Ghent University
item ZHU, KUN - Kansas State University
item DOUGLAS, ANGELA - Cornell University

Submitted to: Journal of Insect Physiology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/1/2013
Publication Date: 9/13/2013
Citation: Scott, J.G., Michel, K., Bartholomay, L., Siegfried, B.D., Hunter, W.B., Smagghe, G., Zhu, K.Y., Douglas, A.E. 2013. Towards the elements of successful insect Ribonucleic acid interference (RNAi). Journal of Insect Physiology. 59:1212-1221.

Interpretive Summary: Ribonucleic acid interference (RNAi), the sequence-specific suppression of gene expression, offers great opportunities for the control of insect pests, and the reduction of disease pathogens in plants, beneficial insects, and other arthropods. However, RNAi research has revealed that the efficiency of RNAi varies greatly between different species, in the mode of RNAi delivery, and with the genes being targeted for ‘silencing’. At present, there is a limited capacity to predict the ideal experimental approach for RNAi of a particular gene within an insect prior to conducting the research. Consequently, development of the optimal RNAi protocols suitable for use across a diverse set of insects is extremely difficult. This limitation can be relieved by using a systematic analysis of the molecular physiological basis of RNAi mechanisms in insects, to fast-track the application of RNAi in the control of pests and disease pathogens. Effective methods will advance the ability to protect beneficial insects, particularly the honey bee (Apis mellifera), and non-insect food arthropods, like the cultured Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) from viral and parasitic diseases.

Technical Abstract: Ribonucleic acid interference (RNAi), the sequence-specific suppression of gene expression, offers great opportunities for insect science, especially to analyze gene function, manage pest populations, and reduce disease pathogens. The accumulating body of literature on insect RNAi has revealed that the efficiency of RNAi varies between different species, the mode of RNAi delivery, and the genes being targeted. There is also variation in the duration of transcript suppression. At present, there is a limited capacity to predict the ideal experimental strategy for RNAi of a particular gene in an insect because of the incomplete understanding of whether and how the RNAi signal is amplified and spread among insect cells. Consequently, development of the optimal RNAi protocols is a highly empirical process. This limitation can be relieved by systematic analysis of the molecular physiological basis of RNAi mechanisms in insects. An enhanced conceptual understanding of RNAi function in insects will facilitate the application of RNAi for dissection of gene function, and to fast-track the application of RNAi to both control pests and develop effective methods to protect beneficial insects and non-insect arthropods, particularly the honey bee (Apis mellifera) and cultured Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) from viral and parasitic diseases.