Silencing of PmYPR65 receptor prevents yellow head virus infection in Penaeus monodon.

The suppression of viral replication by double-stranded RNAs (dsRNA) specific to mRNAs of either virus or host genes has been widely investigated as a possible shrimp disease therapy. PmYRP65, a yellow head virus (YHV) receptor, was previously identified and characterized in the black tiger shrimp, Penaeus monodon. In our previous study, entry of YHV into cells of the Oka organ of P. monodon required the host receptor PmYRP65 and silencing of PmYRP65 in vitro led to a complete suppression of YHV replication in the cells. In this study, PmYRP65 was shown to be in vivo suppressed by dsRNA specific for PmYRP65, leading to inhibition of YHV replication and almost complete abolition of shrimp mortality following YHV challenge. Targeting PmYRP65 could be an effective YHV antiviral shrimp strategy.