Kong Linghao, Xu Jiazheng, Shen Weihong, Zhang Songhan, Xu Zhiping, Zhu Kun Yan
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China.
Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence for Education, School of Computer Science and Technology, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
Pest Manag Sci. 2025 Mar;81(3):1529-1538. doi: 10.1002/ps.8557. Epub 2024 Nov 25.
RNA interference (RNAi) technology has emerged as a promising strategy for species-specific management of agricultural pests. However, the application of this technology has been significantly hindered by the instability of the interfering RNA molecules in the insect body after ingestion leading to variations in the susceptibility to the RNA triggers across different taxonomic groups of insects. Therefore, it is necessary to develop new approaches that will overcome these challenges associated with the use of RNAi-based insect pest management strategies. This study explored the use of RNA microspheres (RMS) synthesized via rolling-circle transcription (RCT) technology as a potential method for managing striped flea beetle (Phyllotreta striolata), a globally destructive pest of Cruciferae crops.
The synthesized RMS against the genes encoding reticulocalbin (RMS-PsRCN) and ribosomal RNA (RMS-PsrRNA) were highly effective in both silencing their target genes and causing increased P. striolata adult mortality. Relative expression levels of the target genes RMS-PsRCN and RMS-PsrRNA were decreased by 74.9% and 68.92%, respectively, in RMS fed adults, compared with the control adults fed RMS-EGFP. Consequently, the adult mortalities were 81.7% and 73.3% when fed RMS-PsRCN and RMS-PsrRNA, respectively, compared with 8.3% in the control adults. Furthermore, movements of adults fed RMS-PsRCN and RMS-PsrRNA were decreased by 70.2% and 55.7%, respectively, compared with the control adults.
This study shows the potential of using RMS to suppress the expression of target genes and subsequently produce significant mortality rates and behavioral changes in RMS-fed adult P. striolata. These findings underscore the promises and viability of using RMS as an effective strategy for gene function studies and species-specific management of agricultural important insect pests. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
RNA干扰（RNAi）技术已成为一种有前景的农业害虫物种特异性治理策略。然而，摄入后干扰RNA分子在昆虫体内的不稳定性显著阻碍了该技术的应用，导致不同分类群昆虫对RNA触发物的敏感性存在差异。因此，有必要开发新方法来克服与基于RNAi的害虫治理策略相关的这些挑战。本研究探索了通过滚环转录（RCT）技术合成的RNA微球（RMS）作为治理十字花科作物全球毁灭性害虫条纹跳甲（Phyllotreta striolata）的一种潜在方法。
针对编码网钙蛋白的基因（RMS-PsRCN）和核糖体RNA（RMS-PsrRNA）合成的RMS在沉默其靶基因以及导致条纹跳甲成虫死亡率增加方面均非常有效。与喂食RMS-EGFP的对照成虫相比，喂食RMS的成虫中靶基因RMS-PsRCN和RMS-PsrRNA的相对表达水平分别降低了74.9%和68.92%。因此，喂食RMS-PsRCN和RMS-PsrRNA时成虫死亡率分别为81.7%和73.3%，而对照成虫的死亡率为8.3%。此外，与对照成虫相比，喂食RMS-PsRCN和RMS-PsrRNA的成虫活动分别减少了70.2%和55.7%。
本研究表明使用RMS抑制靶基因表达并随后在喂食RMS的条纹跳甲成虫中产生显著死亡率和行为变化的潜力。这些发现强调了使用RMS作为基因功能研究和农业重要害虫物种特异性治理的有效策略的前景和可行性。© 2024化学工业协会。
