Target gene selection for RNAi ‐based biopesticides against the hawthorn spider mite, Amphitetranychus viennensis (Acari: Tetranychidae)

作者：Jing Yang, Yuying Zhang, Jin Zhao, Yue Gao, Zhongfang Liu, Pengjiu Zhang, Renjun Fan, Shuping Xing, Xuguo Zhou · 发表于：Pest Management Science · 年份：2023 · DOI：10.1002/ps.7437 · 被引用次数：19 · 研究领域：Insect-Plant Interactions and Control、Insect Resistance and Genetics、Insect Pest Control Strategies

BACKGROUND: Recently, RNA interference (RNAi)-based biopesticide, a species-specific pest control alternative, has been deregulated and commercialized in the US and Canada. The hawthorn spider mite, Amphitetranychus viennensis Zacher, is a major pest for rosaceous plants, which has been controlled primarily by synthetic pesticides. To address the emerging resistance issues in A. viennensis, we initiated a project to develop RNAi-based biopesticides. RESULTS: In this study, we (i) developed a dietary RNAi system for A. viennensis using leaf disc, (ii) assessed the suitability of multiple control genes to distinguish sequence-specific silencing from non-specific effects within this RNAi system, and (iii) screened for the target gene candidates. As a result, β-Glucuronidase (GUS), an enzyme derived from E. coli and a broadly used reporter for plants is the appropriate control for A. viennensis RNAi, while green fluorescent protein (GFP), is not suitable due to its significantly higher mortality than the other controls. For target gene screening, suppression was confirmed for all the candidates, including two housekeeping genes (Vacuolar-type H + -ATPase subunit A (V-ATPase A) and Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase, (GAPDH)), and three genes associated with development (ATP-dependent RNA Helicase DDX3Y (Belle), CREB-binding protein (CBP), and Farnesoic acid O-methyltransferase (FaMet)). Knocking down of V-ATPase A resulted in the highest mortality (~ 90%) and reduced fecund...