The effects of DNMT1 on oogenesis in the whitefly Bemisia tabaci

Across the insect tree of life, the function and evolution of DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) is not well understood. One constant across the functional studies of DNMT1 in insects is an association with reproduction. However, the mechanisms through which DNMT1 influences reproduction are unknown. We have previously found that RNAi-mediated downregulation of Dnmt1 expression in the female whitefly Bemisia tabaci reduces fecundity. Here, we further investigate the role of DNMT1 in whitefly reproduction to understand how it functions mechanistically. Using RNAi, qRT-PCR, and immunohistochemistry, we show the effects of Dnmt1 downregulation on the expression of candidate genes associated with the cell cycle, ovarian structure, and oogenesis. Our results suggest a shared mechanism with another hemipteran, Oncopeltus fasciatus, by which DNMT1 regulates oogenesis. The results further suggest that Dnmt1 may be a suitable target gene for RNAi-mediated control of whiteflies.