RNA Interference in Insect Vectors for Plant Viruses

Abstract

Insects and other arthropods are the most important vectors of plant pathogens. The majority of plant pathogens are disseminated by arthropod vectors such as aphids, beetles, leafhoppers, planthoppers, thrips and whiteflies. Transmission of plant pathogens and the challenges in managing insect vectors due to insecticide resistance are factors that contribute to major food losses in agriculture. RNA interference (RNAi) was recently suggested as a promising strategy for controlling insect pests, including those that serve as important vectors for plant pathogens. The last decade has witnessed a dramatic increase in the functional analysis of insect genes, especially those whose silencing results in mortality or interference with pathogen transmission. The identification of such candidates poses a major challenge for increasing the role of RNAi in pest control. Another challenge is to understand the RNAi machinery in insect cells and whether components that were identified in other organisms are also present in insect. This review will focus on summarizing success cases in which RNAi was used for silencing genes in insect vector for plant pathogens, and will be particularly helpful for vector biologists.

Identification of Plant Virus Receptor Candidates in the Stylets of Their Aphid Vectors

“…RNAi-mediated interference in aphids has been attempted in several studies ( 51 , 52 ). The efficacy of silencing is notoriously highly variable and dependent on the gene targeted ( 52 , 53 ).…”

A Systematic Study of RNAi Effects and dsRNA Stability in Tribolium castaneum and Acyrthosiphon pisum, Following Injection and Ingestion of Analogous dsRNAs

“…However, considerable variability in responses to ingested dsRNAs currently limits application of this technology as a general strategy for crop protection [ 26 , 27 , 29 , 30 , 31 ]. Whilst many of the core RNAi genes appear to be conserved amongst insects, a multitude of factors including developmental stage, tissue type, target gene, selected region within the target gene, as well as the length and amount of introduced dsRNA have been shown to influence RNAi effects [ 7 , 8 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 30 , 32 ]. Further complexity is provided by gaps in understanding of the relative stability of dsRNAs in vivo and the mechanisms underlying gene uptake into cells.…”

Potential of RNA interference in the study and management of the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci

“…About 200 viruses within five virus genera have been reported to be transmitted by whiteflies (Jones, ). Among them, the begomoviruses are the most destructive ones (Kanakala & Ghanim, ). These viruses belong to the geminiviridae family, characterized by a 22–38 nm geminate particle.…”