title: Knockdown of genes in the Toll pathway reveals new lethal RNA interference targets for insect pest control.
abstract: RNA interference (RNAi) is a promising alternative strategy for ecologically friendly pest management. However, the identification of RNAi candidate genes is challenging owing to the absence of laboratory strains and the seasonality of most pest species. Tribolium castaneum is a well-established model, with a strong and robust RNAi response, which can be used as a high-throughput screening platform to identify potential RNAi target genes. Recently, the cactus gene was identified as a sensitive RNAi target for pest control. To explore whether the spectrum of promising RNAi targets can be expanded beyond those found by random large-scale screening, to encompass others identified using targeted knowledge-based approaches, we constructed a Cactus interaction network. We tested nine genes in this network and found that the delivery of double-stranded RNA corresponding to fusilli and cactin showed lethal effects. The silencing of cactin resulted in 100% lethality at every developmental stage from the larva to the adult. The knockdown of pelle, Dorsal-related immunity factor and short gastrulation reduced or even prevented egg hatching in the next generation. The combination of such targets with lethal and parental RNAi effects can now be tested against different pest species in field studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bingsohn
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Knorr
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Billion
authors.affiliation: Dow AgroSciences, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Narva
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Giessen, Germany.|Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vilcinskas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks; D017344:Genes, Insect; D034541:Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein Group F-H / Q000235:genetics; D007300:Insect Control; D008297:Male; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000235:genetics; D034622:RNA Interference; D012098:Reproduction; D014231:Tribolium / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C439908:FUS protein, Drosophila; D034541:Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein Group F-H; D010750:Phosphoproteins; C077938:cact protein, Drosophila
keywords: Cactus; Diabrotica virgifera virgifera; RNA interference (RNAi); RNAi target gene; Toll pathway; Tribolium castaneum; pest management; plant protection