Jiaqin Xie1, Shangji Li1, Wei Zhang1, Yuxian Xia1. 1. Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Fungal Insecticide, Genetic Engineering Research Center, School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The migratory locust Locusta migratoria is one of the most important agricultural pests worldwide. The nuclear export factor 1 (NXF1) protein plays a crucial role in mediating mRNA transport from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. This study evaluates whether NXF1 could be a potential target for RNAi-mediated pest control of L. migratoria. RESULTS: We cloned and characterized the nuclear export factor lm-nxf1 of L. migratoria. Lm-nxf1 was expressed in all tissues examined, including head, fat body, hemolymph, trunk, leg and midgut, with high expression observed in the hemolymph and fat body. Injection of lm-nxf1 dsRNA into hemolymph resulted in inhibition of mRNA export in hemocytes, which were used as a target for observing mRNA export. Total hemocyte levels were reduced by ca. 97% in lm-nxf1-dsRNA-treated locusts, and high insect mortality occurred with LT50 = 7.75 day as compared with 18.15 day for gfp-dsRNA-treated controls. Further, the locust intestine became atrophy, and the opportunistic pathogens Enterobacter aerogenes, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Enterobacter asburiae were specifically detected in midgut after lm-nxf1 dsRNA treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The results reveal that knockdown of the lm-nxf1 gene affects the survival of L. migratoria, indicating that lm-nxf1 is a potential target for RNAi-mediated pest control.
BACKGROUND: The migratory locustLocusta migratoria is one of the most important agricultural pests worldwide. The nuclear export factor 1 (NXF1) protein plays a crucial role in mediating mRNA transport from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. This study evaluates whether NXF1 could be a potential target for RNAi-mediated pest control of L. migratoria. RESULTS: We cloned and characterized the nuclear export factor lm-nxf1 of L. migratoria. Lm-nxf1 was expressed in all tissues examined, including head, fat body, hemolymph, trunk, leg and midgut, with high expression observed in the hemolymph and fat body. Injection of lm-nxf1 dsRNA into hemolymph resulted in inhibition of mRNA export in hemocytes, which were used as a target for observing mRNA export. Total hemocyte levels were reduced by ca. 97% in lm-nxf1-dsRNA-treated locusts, and high insect mortality occurred with LT50 = 7.75 day as compared with 18.15 day for gfp-dsRNA-treated controls. Further, the locust intestine became atrophy, and the opportunistic pathogens Enterobacter aerogenes, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Enterobacter asburiae were specifically detected in midgut after lm-nxf1 dsRNA treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The results reveal that knockdown of the lm-nxf1 gene affects the survival of L. migratoria, indicating that lm-nxf1 is a potential target for RNAi-mediated pest control.
Authors: Nina Hahn; Luca Büschgens; Nicola Schwedhelm-Domeyer; Sarah Bank; Bart R H Geurten; Pia Neugebauer; Bita Massih; Martin C Göpfert; Ralf Heinrich Journal: Front Mol Neurosci Date: 2019-10-11 Impact factor: 5.639