Bacteria-Mediated RNA Interference for Management of Plagiodera versicolora (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Abstract

RNA interference (RNAi) has emerged as a novel and feasible strategy for pest management. Methods for cost-effective production and stable delivery of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) to the target insects are crucial for the wide application of RNAi for pest control. In this study, we tested the expression of dsRNA in RNaseIII-deficient Escherichia coli HT115 which was then fed to Plagiodera versicolora larvae, an insect pest of Salicaceae plants worldwide. By targeting six potential genes, including actin (ACT), signal recognition particle protein 54k (SRP54), heat shock protein 70 (HSC70), shibire (SHI), cactus (CACT), and soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion attachment proteins (SNAP), we found that feeding bacteria-expressed dsRNA successfully triggered the silencing of the five target genes tested and the suppression of ACT and SRP54 genes caused significant mortality. Our results suggest that the oral delivery of bacteria-expressed dsRNA is a potential alternative for the control of P. versicolora, and that ACT and SRP54 genes are the potent targets.

RNAi in Insects: A Revolution in Fundamental Research and Pest Control Applications

“…The bacteria could potentially lead to a longer persistence of the dsRNA in the environment and in the insect. In the current Special Issue, Zhang et al [ 35 ] provide proof that application of dsRNA-expressing bacteria could be used to target the leaf beetle Plagiodera versicolora .…”

Advances in the Development of Microbial Double-Stranded RNA Production Systems for Application of RNA Interference in Agricultural Pest Control

“…The production of dsRNA using engineered bacterial expression was first attempted by Timmons and Fire (1998) , and the corresponding RNAi phenotype was verified after feeding to the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans , showing that dsRNA expressed by bacteria can induce RNAi effects ( Timmons et al, 2001 ). Using this dsRNA generation strategy, RNAi effects were induced in a variety of insects, such as Spodoptera exigua ( Tian et al, 2009 ), Bactrocera dorsalis ( Li et al, 2011 ), Chilo infuscatellus ( Zhang et al, 2012 ), Spodoptera exigua ( Vatanparast and Kim, 2017 ), Plagiodera versicolora ( Zhang et al, 2019 ), Tuta absoluta ( Bento et al, 2020 ), Harmonia axyridis ( Ma et al, 2020 ), Spodoptera littoralis ( Caccia et al, 2020 ), Agrilus planipennis ( Leelesh and Rieske, 2020 ). In addition, expressed virus dsRNA can protect a plant or animal against viral infection.…”

Effects of Delayed Mating on Mating Performance and Reproductive Fitness of the Willow Leaf Beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) under Laboratory Conditions

“…The willow leaf beetle Plagiodera versicolora Laicharting (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae ) is widely distributed in Asia, Europe, and North Africa. Larvae and adults of P. versicolora feed on poplar and willow leaves and twigs, leaving only the midrib and a network of veins [ 18 ]. The damage done by this pest can seriously affect the growth of seedlings and saplings.…”

“…The conventional control strategy of using chemical insecticides can efficiently reduce the population density, but their long-term application inevitably leads to undesirable and hazardous side effects for the environment, plants, and human life [19]. In addition, the Bacillis thuringiensis (Bt) toxin and RNA interference (RNAi) technology are being directed towards developing new methods for P. versicolora control [18,[20][21][22]. However, the effects of delayed mating on mating performance and reproductive fitness are not known.…”