Gene knockdown by RNAi in the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum.
BACKGROUND
RNA interference (RNAi) is a powerful method to inhibit gene expression in a sequence specific manner.


RESULTS
Here, we described the development of RNAi by micro-injection of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) in the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum. Injection of dsRNA into whole aphid body induced the silencing of two marker genes with different expression patterns: the ubiquitously expressed Ap-crt genes encoding a calreticulin and the gut specific Ap-cath-L gene encoding a cathepsin-L. Time-course analysis of the silencing showed similar temporal patterns for both genes: inhibition started at 1 day after injection, reached its maximum at 5 days and stopped at 7 days. A comparable 40% decrease of gene expression was observed for Ap-crt and Ap-cath-L.


CONCLUSIONS
The pea aphid is the first Hemipteran insect for which genome sequence will be available soon. The gene knockdown technique developed in this study will be an essential post-genomic tool for further investigations in aphidology.
Jaubert-Possamai
Stéphanie
S
INRA, Agrocampus Rennes, UMR 1099 BiO3P (Biology of Organisms and Populations applied to Plant Protection), F-35653 LE RHEU, France. stephanie.jaubert@rennes.inra.fr
Le Trionnaire
Gaël
G
Bonhomme
Joël
J
Christophides
Georges K
GK
Rispe
Claude
C
Tagu
Denis
D
D000818:Animals; D001042:Aphids / Q000235:genetics*; D037282:Calreticulin / Q000235:genetics; D056668:Cathepsin L; D002403:Cathepsins / Q000235:genetics; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D017344:Genes, Insect; D005821:Genetic Techniques; D034622:RNA Interference; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded / Q000235:genetics
D037282:Calreticulin; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded; D002403:Cathepsins; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; D056668:Cathepsin L