title: RNAi-mediated knockdown of the voltage gated sodium ion channel TcNav causes mortality in Tribolium castaneum.
abstract: The voltage-gated sodium ion channel (VGSC) belongs to the largest superfamily of ion channels. Since VGSCs play key roles in physiological processes they are major targets for effective insecticides. RNA interference (RNAi) is widely used to analyse gene function, but recently, it has shown potential to contribute to novel strategies for selectively controlling agricultural insect pests. The current study evaluates the delivery of dsRNA targeted to the sodium ion channel paralytic A (TcNav) gene in Tribolium castaneum as a viable means of controlling this insect pest. Delivery of TcNav dsRNA caused severe developmental arrest with larval mortalities up to 73% post injection of dsRNA. Injected larvae showed significant (p < 0.05) knockdown in gene expression between 30-60%. Expression was also significantly (p < 0.05) reduced in pupae following injection causing 30% and 42% knockdown for early and late pupal stages, respectively. Oral delivery of dsRNA caused dose-dependant mortalities of between 19 and 51.34%; this was accompanied by significant (p < 0.05) knockdown in gene expression following 3 days of continuous feeding. The majority of larvae injected with, or fed, dsRNA died during the final larval stage prior to pupation. This work provides evidence of a viable RNAi-based strategy for insect control.
authors.affiliation: Newcastle Institute for Research on Environment and Sustainability, School of Biology, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK.|Entomology Department, Faculty of Science, Benha University, Benha, Egypt.
authors.forename: Hesham M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Abd El Halim
authors.affiliation: Newcastle Institute for Research on Environment and Sustainability, School of Biology, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK.
authors.forename: Baida M H
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Alshukri
authors.affiliation: Newcastle Institute for Research on Environment and Sustainability, School of Biology, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK.|Department of Zoology, University of, Swabi, KPK, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Munawar S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.affiliation: Newcastle Institute for Research on Environment and Sustainability, School of Biology, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK.
authors.forename: Erich Y T
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Nakasu
authors.affiliation: Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Benha University, Benha, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mohammed H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Awwad
authors.affiliation: Entomology Department, Faculty of Science, Benha University, Benha, Egypt.
authors.forename: Elham M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Salama
authors.affiliation: Newcastle Institute for Research on Environment and Sustainability, School of Biology, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK.
authors.forename: Angharad M R
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gatehouse
authors.affiliation: Newcastle Institute for Research on Environment and Sustainability, School of Biology, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK.
authors.forename: Martin G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Edwards
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay; D019295:Computational Biology; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D007814:Larva / Q000378:metabolism; D034622:RNA Interference; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D014231:Tribolium / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D061566:Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019476:Insect Proteins; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D061566:Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels