Horizontally transferred genes as RNA interference targets for aphid and whitefly control

• DOI: 10.1111/pbi.13992
• Publication Date: 2022-12-29T03:00:11Z
• Authors: Honglin Feng; Wenbo Chen; Sonia Hussain; Sara Shakir; Vered Tzin; Femi Adegbayi; Todd Ugine; Zhangjun Fei; Georg Jander
• Keywords: Whitefly

RNA interference (RNAi)-based technologies are starting to be commercialized as a new approach for agricultural pest control. Horizontally transferred genes (HTGs), which have been into insect genomes from viruses, bacteria, fungi or plants, attractive targets RNAi-mediated HTGs often unique specific family even genus, making it unlikely that RNAi constructs targeting such will negative effects on ladybugs, lacewings and other beneficial predatory species. In this study, we sequenced the genome of red, tobacco-adapted isolate Myzus persicae (green peach aphid) bioinformatically identified 30 HTGs. We then used plant-mediated virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) show several bacterial plant origin important aphid growth and/or survival. Silencing expression fungal-origin did not affect survivorship but decreased reproduction. Importantly, although there was uptake plant-expressed by Coccinella septempunctata (seven-spotted ladybugs) via aphids they consumed, observe ladybugs aphid-targeted VIGS constructs. To demonstrate is more broadly applicable, also targeted five Bemisia tabaci (whitefly) using demonstrated knockdown some these affected whitefly As functional in numerous species, propose should explored further efficient safe control pests interference.