1. Molecular characterization of the insecticidal activity of double-stranded RNA targeting the smooth septate junction of western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera)
- Author
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Mark E. Nelson, Joseph P. Steimel, Courtney Davis-Vogel, Deirdre M Kapka-Kitzman, Albert L. Lu, Xu Hu, Gusui Wu, Nina M. Richtman, and John P. Mathis
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,0301 basic medicine ,Insecticides ,Life Cycles ,Molecular biology ,Genes, Insect ,01 natural sciences ,Biochemistry ,Binding Analysis ,Larvae ,RNA interference ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,Drosophila Proteins ,Small interfering RNAs ,Multidisciplinary ,biology ,Drosophila Melanogaster ,Eukaryota ,Animal Models ,Cell biology ,Coleoptera ,Nucleic acids ,Insects ,RNA silencing ,RNA isolation ,Experimental Organism Systems ,Larva ,Insect Proteins ,Medicine ,RNA Interference ,Drosophila ,Drosophila melanogaster ,Cell Binding Assay ,Research Article ,Arthropoda ,Science ,Research and Analysis Methods ,Biomolecular isolation ,Insect Control ,Zea mays ,03 medical and health sciences ,Model Organisms ,Genetics ,Gene silencing ,Animals ,RNA, Messenger ,Pest Control, Biological ,Non-coding RNA ,Gene ,Immunohistochemistry Techniques ,Chemical Characterization ,RNA, Double-Stranded ,Nutrition ,Biology and life sciences ,Smooth septate junction ,fungi ,Organisms ,Membrane Proteins ,Midgut ,biology.organism_classification ,Invertebrates ,Gene regulation ,Diet ,Histochemistry and Cytochemistry Techniques ,010602 entomology ,030104 developmental biology ,Western corn rootworm ,Molecular biology techniques ,Animal Studies ,Immunologic Techniques ,RNA ,Gene expression ,Developmental Biology - Abstract
The western corn rootworm (WCR, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera) gene, dvssj1, is a putative homolog of the Drosophila melanogaster gene, snakeskin (ssk). This gene encodes a membrane protein associated with the smooth septate junction (SSJ) which is required for the proper barrier function of the epithelial lining of insect intestines. Disruption of DVSSJ integrity by RNAi technique has been shown previously to be an effective approach for corn rootworm control, by apparent suppression of production of DVSSJ1 protein leading to growth inhibition and mortality. To understand the mechanism that leads to the death of WCR larvae by dvssj1 double-stranded RNA, we examined the molecular characteristics associated with SSJ functions during larval development. Dvssj1 dsRNA diet feeding results in dose-dependent suppression of mRNA and protein; this impairs SSJ formation and barrier function of the midgut and results in larval mortality. These findings suggest that the malfunctioning of the SSJ complex in midgut triggered by dvssj1 silencing is the principal cause of WCR death. This study also illustrates that dvssj1 is a midgut-specific gene in WCR and its functions are consistent with biological functions described for ssk.
- Published
- 2019