RNA meets toxicology: efficacy indicators from the experimental design of RNAi studies for insect pest management

Abstract

RNA interference (RNAi) selectively targets genes and silences their expression in vivo, causing developmental defects, mortality and altered behavior. Consequently, RNAi has emerged as a promising research area for insect pest management. However, it is not yet a viable alternative over conventional pesticides despite several theoretical advantages in safety and specificity. As a first step toward a more standardized approach, a machine learning algorithm was used to identify factors that predict trial efficacy. Current research on RNAi for pest management is highly variable and relatively unstandardized. The applied random forest model was able to reliably predict mortality ranges based on bioassay parameters with 72.6% accuracy. Response time and target gene were the most important variables in the model, followed by applied dose, double‐stranded RNA (dsRNA) construct size and target species, further supported by generalized linear mixed effect modeling. Our results identified informative trends, supporting the idea that basic principles of toxicology apply to RNAi bioassays and provide initial guidelines standardizing future research similar to studies of traditional insecticides. We advocate for training that integrates genetic, organismal, and toxicological approaches to accelerate the development of RNAi as an effective tool for pest management. © 2022 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Bacteria‐mediated RNAi for managing fall webworm, Hyphantria cunea: screening target genes and analyzing lethal effect

“…Therefore, the acquisition of highly efficient target genes is particularly important for lepidopteran pests such as H. cunea . In addition, experimental factors, such as the dsRNA construct size and the applied dose of the introduced dsRNA, might also influence the efficacy of RNAi 19 . It is possible that smaller siRNAs from Dicer may have directly interacted with non‐target genes.…”

“…Therefore, more target genes are required is RNAi is to be used as a future pest management tool for H. cunea . In addition to identifying the target gene, selecting a convenient strategy to deliver dsRNA into the insect body is equally important 18,19 . Delivery techniques for efficient dsRNAs to target insects have been investigated, such as direct injection, feeding in vitro synthesized dsRNA, production of dsRNA in bacteria, and expression of dsRNA in plants 18,22 .…”

Characterization and Functional Analysis of OcomOBP7 in Ophraella communa Lesage

“…The RNAi technology is a highly conserved in vivo mechanism for inhibiting gene expression. Studies on silencing target genes have promoted the exploration of insect gene functions [ 21 ].…”

Development of RNAi Methods for the Mormon Cricket, Anabrus simplex (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae)

“…A well-designed RNAi can have a dramatic response in a short period of time to a targeted pest with few non-target effects, which is a desirable trait for an effective insecticide [ 36 , 38 ]. However, there are still some obstacles to overcome in making them commercially viable and effective alternatives to traditional chemical insecticides [ 35 , 40 ].…”