RNA interference-mediated silencing of genes involved in the immune responses of the soybean pod borer Leguminivora glycinivorella (Lepidoptera: Olethreutidae)

Ruixue Ran; Tianyu Li; Xinxin Liu; Hejia Ni; Wenbin Li; Fanli Meng

doi:10.7717/peerj.4931

RNA interference-mediated silencing of genes involved in the immune responses of the soybean pod borer Leguminivora glycinivorella (Lepidoptera: Olethreutidae)

PeerJ. 2018 Jun 12:6:e4931. doi: 10.7717/peerj.4931. eCollection 2018.

Authors

Ruixue Ran¹, Tianyu Li¹, Xinxin Liu¹, Hejia Ni², Wenbin Li^{1

3}, Fanli Meng^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Soybean Biology in the Chinese Ministry of Education, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.
² Colleges of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.
³ Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetics & Breeding for Soybean in Northeast China, Ministry of Agriculture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.

Abstract

RNA interference (RNAi) technology may be useful for developing new crop protection strategies against the soybean pod borer (SPB; Leguminivora glycinivorella), which is a critical soybean pest in northeastern Asia. Immune-related genes have been recently identified as potential RNAi targets for controlling insects. However, little is known about these genes or mechanisms underlying their expression in the SPB. In this study, we completed a transcriptome-wide analysis of SPB immune-related genes. We identified 41 genes associated with SPB microbial recognition proteins, immune-related effectors or signalling molecules in immune response pathways (e.g., Toll and immune deficiency pathways). Eleven of these genes were selected for a double-stranded RNA artificial feeding assay. The down-regulated expression levels of LgToll-5-1a and LgPGRP-LB2a resulted in relatively high larval mortality rates and abnormal development. Our data represent a comprehensive genetic resource for immune-related SPB genes, and may contribute to the elucidation of the mechanism regulating innate immunity in Lepidoptera species. Furthermore, two immune-related SPB genes were identified as potential RNAi targets, which may be used in the development of RNAi-mediated SPB control methods.

Keywords: Artificial feeding assay; Double-stranded RNA; Immune-related gene; Leguminivora glycinivorella; RNA interference.

Grants and funding

This work was financially supported by China National Novel Transgenic Organisms Breeding Project (2016ZX08004-004-006), the Chinese National Natural Science Foundation (31201229), the Foundation for University Key Teacher of the Department of Education of Heilongjiang Province (1253G008), the Academic Backbone Project of Northeast Agricultural University (15XG03), and Harbin Science and technology innovation program (2017RAQXJ122). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.