PARENTAL RNAI SUPPRESSION OF KRUPPEL GENE TO CONTROL HEMIPTERAN PESTS

This disclosure concerns nucleic acid molecules and methods of use thereof for control of hemipteran pests through RNA interference - mediated inhibition of target coding and transcribed non - coding sequences in hemipteran pests. The disclosure also concerns methods for making transgenic plants that express nucleic acid molecules useful for the control of hemipteran pests, and the plant cells and plants obtained thereby

PARENTAL RNAI SUPPRESSION OF HUNCHBACK GENE TO CONTROL HEMIPTERAN PESTS

This disclosure concerns nucleic acid molecules and methods of use thereof for control of hemipteran pests through RNA interference-mediated inhibition of target coding and transcribed non-coding sequences in hemipteran pests. The dis closure also concerns methods for making transgenic plants that express nucleic acid molecules useful for the control of hemipteran pests, and the plant cells and plants obtained thereby

PARENTAL RNAI SUPPRESSION OF HUNCHBACK GENE TO CONTROL HEMIPTERAN PESTS

This disclosure concerns nucleic acid molecules and methods of use thereof for control of hemipteran pests through RNA interference-mediated inhibition of target coding and transcribed non-coding sequences in hemipteran pests. The dis closure also concerns methods for making transgenic plants that express nucleic acid molecules useful for the control of hemipteran pests, and the plant cells and plants obtained thereby

PARENTAL RNAI SUPPRESSION OF CHROMATIN REMODELING GENES TO CONTROL COLEOPTERAN PESTS

This disclosure concerns nucleic acid molecules and meth ods of use thereof for control of hemipteran pests through RNA interference - mediated inhibition of target coding and transcribed non - coding sequences in hemipteran pests. The disclosure also concerns methods for making transgenic plants that express nucleic acid molecules useful for the control of hemipteran pests, and the plant cells and plants obtained thereby

Use of chromatin remodeling ATPases as RNAi targets for parental control of western corn rootworm (\u3ci\u3eDiabrotica virgifera virgifera\u3c/i\u3e) and Neotropical brown stink bug (\u3ci\u3eEuschistus heros\u3c/i\u3e)

RNA interference (RNAi) is a gene silencing mechanism that is present in animals and plants and is triggered by double stranded RNA (dsRNA) or small interfering RNA (siRNA), depending on the organism. In the western corn rootworm (WCR), Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), RNAi can be achieved by feeding rootworms dsRNA added to artificial diet or plant tissues transformed to express dsRNA. The effect of RNAi depends on the targeted gene function and can range from an absence of phenotypic response to readily apparent responses, including lethality. Furthermore, RNAi can directly affect individuals that consume dsRNA or the effect may be transferred to the next generation. Our previous work described the potential use of genes involved in embryonic development as a parental RNAi technology for the control of WCR. In this study, we describe the use of chromatin-remodeling ATPases as target genes to achieve parental gene silencing in two insect pests, a coleopteran, WCR, and a hemipteran, the Neotropical brown stink bug, Euschistus heros Fabricius (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). Our results show that dsRNA targeting chromatin-remodeling ATPase transcripts, brahma, mi-2, and iswi strongly reduced the fecundity of the exposed females in both insect species. Additionally, knockdown of chd1 reduced the fecundity of E. heros

RNAi targeting of rootworm \u3ci\u3eTroponin I\u3c/i\u3e transcripts confers root protection in maize

Western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera, is the major agronomically important pest of maize in the US Corn Belt. To augment the repertoire of the available dsRNA-based traits that control rootworm, we explored a potentially haplolethal gene target, wings up A (wupA), which encodes Troponin I. Troponin I, a component of the Troponin-Tropomyosin complex, is an inhibitory protein involved in muscle contraction. In situ hybridization showed that feeding on wupA-targeted dsRNAs caused systemic transcript knockdown in D. v. virgifera larvae. The knockdown of wupA transcript, and by extension Troponin I protein, led to deterioration of the striated banding pattern in larval body muscle and decreased muscle integrity. Additionally, the loss of function of the circular muscles surrounding the alimentary system led to significant accumulation of food material in the hind gut, which is consistent with a loss of peristaltic motion of the alimentary canal. In this study, we demonstrate that wupA dsRNA is lethal in D. v. virgifera larvae when fed via artificial diet, with growth inhibition of up to 50% within two days of application. Further, wupA hairpins can be stably expressed and detected in maize. Maize expressing wupA hairpins exhibit robust root protection in greenhouse bioassays, with several maize transgene integration events showing root protection equivalent to commercial insecticidal protein-expressing maize

PARENTAL RNAI SUPPRESSION OF KRUPPEL GENE TO CONTROL HEMIPTERAN PESTS

This disclosure concerns nucleic acid molecules and methods of use thereof for control of hemipteran pests through RNA interference - mediated inhibition of target coding and transcribed non - coding sequences in hemipteran pests. The disclosure also concerns methods for making transgenic plants that express nucleic acid molecules useful for the control of hemipteran pests, and the plant cells and plants obtained thereby