Rapid and persistent RNAi response in western corn rootworm adults

Authors

Ke Wu, University of FloridaFollow
Caitlin E. Taylor, University of Florida
Elane Fishilevich, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Kenneth E. Narva, Dow AgroSciencesFollow
Blair Siegfried, University of FloridaFollow

Date of this Version

2018

Citation

Published in Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology 150 (2018), pp 66–70.

doi 10.1016/j.pestbp.2018.07.002

Comments

Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. Used by permission.

Abstract

RNA interference (RNAi) has proven effective for controlling pest insects such as western corn rootworm (WCR), Diabrotica virgifera virgifera (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Previous studies have shown that WCR adults display a robust RNAi response to orally-administered double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). However, it is unclear how quickly the response occurs after ingestion or how long RNAi effect lasts after WCR stop ingesting diet containing dsRNA. In the current study, WCR adult females were provided with diet treated with dsRNAs of Laccase 2 and Argonaute 2, two nonessential genes, for 8 days. RNAi response in WCR females commenced as early as 10 h after exposure to dsRNA and lasted up to 40 days after exposure to dsRNA ended. Our results show that dsRNA-mediated RNAi response in WCR females is rapid and long-lasting. These findings suggest that even a short-term ingestion of transgenic plants expressing dsRNA by WCR may have a sustained impact on this insect.