RNAi associated knockdown of CHC, vATPase-A, and Snf7 genes and mortality for Asian citrus psyllid adults

On-Demand

Presenting Author(s)

ES

Esmaeil Saberi

Postdoctoral Researcher
University of Florida
Immokalee, Florida

Co-Author(s)

Mondal Mosharrof Hossain

Postdoc
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
JM

Jorge R. R. Montero Paredes

Post-Doctoral Associate
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
JB

Judith K. Brown

Professor
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
JQ

Jawwad A. Qureshi

Associate Professor
University of Florida
Immokalee, Florida

Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), Diaphorina citri Kuwayama, is an economically important pest of citrus, and the vector of “Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus” (CLas), the causal agent of huanglongbing (HLB). Silencing genes by environmental RNA interference (RNAi) offers a promising approach for controlling D. citri population size in citrus to reduce CLas spread. The first step in developing RNAi biopesticide strategies involves identification of target genes with robust silencing potential. In this study, ACP adults were screened for knockdown post-ingestion access (PIA) to dsRNA (concentrations 10, 50, 100, 200 and 500 ng/µL) for Clathrin heavy chain (CHC), vacuolar ATPase subunit A (vATPase-A) and sucrose non-fermenting protein 7 (Snf7) by oral delivery in a 20% sucrose solution. Knockdown and mortality were quantified, after 7 and 10 days-PIA, respectively. The RNAi penetrance in D. citri was dose-dependent, with dsRNA at 200 ng/µL being an optimally effective dose to knockdown and mortality, in that, by increasing the concentration, knockdown and mortality were not increased. Expression of vATPase-A, CHC and Snf7 at 200 ng/µL was significantly reduced by 26, 37 and 30%, respectively, and resulted in significant mean adult mortality of 47, 33 and 42%, respectively, compared with luciferase dsRNA control. A biopesticide targeting vATPase-A, CHC, and Snf7 genes could augment integrated pest and disease management of citrus greening disease.