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Entomology
Molly Darlington, Jordan D. Reinders, Amit Sethi, Albert L. Lu, Partha Ramaseshadri, Joshua R. Fischer, Chad J. Boeckman, Jay S. Petrick, Jason M. Roper, Kenneth E. Narva, Ana M. Velez
Summary: The western corn rootworm is an economically important pest of maize in the United States. Various management strategies have been used, but resistance has evolved, highlighting the need for new approaches. RNA interference technology is considered the next step in species-specific pest management.
Article
Entomology
Kyle J. Paddock, Kyle Dellamano, Bruce E. Hibbard, Kent S. Shelby
Summary: Insect resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins is a major concern in agriculture, and resistance mechanisms include loss of toxin binding sites, changes in gut microbiota, and midgut tissue regeneration. This study provides histopathological evidence for the first time showing the morphological response of Bt-resistant and Bt-susceptible western corn rootworm larvae to Bt intoxication, shedding light on the multifaceted nature of Bt resistance in these insects.
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Chunyu Zhang, Mingyang Jian, Weijun Li, Xiani Yao, Cuirong Tan, Qian Qian, Yilong Hu, Xu Liu, Xingliang Hou
Summary: The study reveals that BRM plays a crucial role in the photoperiod regulation of Arabidopsis by interacting with DELLA and NF-YC transcription factors, affecting the expression of NF-YC and SOC1 genes, and regulating flowering. This finding provides molecular insights into the coordination between GA signaling, epigenetic factors, and transcription factors in the regulation of flowering and gene expression in plants.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Qi Wei, Xu-Hui Zhu, Pin-Jun Wan, Jia-Chun He, Wei-Xia Wang, Feng-Xiang Lai, Qiang Fu
Summary: The brown planthopper (BPH) is one of the most destructive pests in rice-growing regions of Asia. In this study, the researchers investigated the physiological properties of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling ATPase Brahma (BRM) in BPH. They found that NlBRM, the homolog of BRM in BPH, was abundantly expressed in the egg and ovary. Downregulation of NlBRM significantly affected female survival and decreased the number of oviposition marks and newly hatched BPH nymphs. The researchers concluded that NlBRM plays a crucial role in ovarian development and fecundity of BPH, potentially through regulating the vitellogenin gene.
PESTICIDE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Nuria Jimenez-Juarez, Jarred Oral, Mark E. Nelson, Albert L. Lu
Summary: IPD072Aa is a new insecticidal protein that shows high activity against western corn rootworm (WCR). It targets the cells of WCR midgut and causes cell death. This mechanism is different from the insecticidal proteins currently used in commercial traits to target WCR.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Krzysztof Krawczyk, Joanna Forys, Miroslaw Nakonieczny, Monika Tarnawska, Pawel K. Beres
Summary: This study confirmed the role of western corn rootworm as a vector of Pantoea ananatis, providing the first report of vectorization of P. ananatis by D. virgifera globally.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Carolina Senhorinho Ramalho Pizetta, William Rafael Ribeiro, Amanda Lopes Ferreira, Matheus da Costa Moura, Kenny Bonfim, Patricia Valle Pinheiro, Glaucia Barbosa Cabral, Francisco Jose Lima Aragao
Summary: The study demonstrates that introducing RNA interference constructs against whiteflies in genetically modified tomato plants can effectively reduce whitefly populations and damages, laying the foundation for developing elite tomato varieties resistant to whiteflies.
PLANT CELL TISSUE AND ORGAN CULTURE
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Marlena Herbertz, Jennifer Lohr, Christian Lohr, Susanne Dobler
Summary: The study explores the importance of beta-subunits in cell functionality and their tissue-specific distribution. The findings reveal that knockdown of different beta-subunits significantly disrupts molting and results in weakened phenotypes. Furthermore, the study suggests the existence of standalone beta-subunits and their structure-specific distribution, indicating potential pump-independent functions.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Muhammad Shakeel, Juan Du, Shang-Wei Li, Yuan-Jin Zhou, Naeem Sarwar, Xiaolan Guo
Summary: Parental RNAi (pRNAi) was studied in Cnaphalocrocis medinalis to silence the CmGNA gene. The results showed that pRNAi effectively reduced ovulation and hatched eggs per female, altered sex ratios, increased larval and pupal mortality, and decreased mRNA expression levels. These findings confirmed the potential role of pRNAi in insect pest resistance management strategies.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Eileen Knorr, Andre Billion, Elane Fishilevich, Linda Tenbusch, Meghan L. F. Frey, Murugesan Rangasamy, Premchand Gandra, Kanika Arora, Wendy Lo, Chaoxian Geng, Andreas Vilcinskas, Kenneth E. Narva
Summary: RNA interference (RNAi) is a promising technology for species-specific pest management, with successful plant protection dependent on data-driven target gene selection. This study used a knowledge-based approach to identify novel RNAi target genes and pre-screened targets in a model beetle, increasing the probability of identifying lethal RNAi targets.
FRONTIERS IN AGRONOMY
(2021)
Article
Entomology
C. S. Tavares, S. Paula-Moraes, A. Valencia-Jimenez, T. E. Hunt, A. M. Velez, E. J. G. Pereira
ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Agronomy
Ana M. Velez, Elane Fishilevich, Murugesan Rangasamy, Chitvan Khajuria, David G. McCaskill, Adriano E. Pereira, Premchand Gandra, Meghan L. F. Frey, Sarah E. Worden, Shannon L. Whitlock, Wendy Lo, Karl D. Schnelle, Jamie R. Lutz, Kenneth E. Narva, Blair D. Siegfried
PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
(2020)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Julia Bally, Elane Fishilevich, Rachel L. Doran, Karen Lee, Samanta Bolzan de Campos, Marcelo A. German, Kenneth E. Narva, Peter M. Waterhouse
PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yolanda Bel, Marc Zack, Ken Narva, Baltasar Escriche
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2019)
Review
Plant Sciences
Olivier Christiaens, Steve Whyard, Ana M. Velez, Guy Smagghe
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2020)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Andrew Roberts, Chad J. Boeckman, Marina Muhl, Joerg Romeis, John L. Teem, Fernando H. Valicente, Judith K. Brown, Martin G. Edwards, Steven L. Levine, Rachel L. Melnick, Thais B. Rodrigues, Ana M. Velez, Xuguo Zhou, Richard L. Hellmich
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Entomology
Annie J. Krueger, Kathryn Hanford, Thomas J. Weissling, Ana M. Velez, Troy D. Anderson
Summary: The study indicates that pyrethroid insecticides pose a potential risk to monarch caterpillars, with bifenthrin being less toxic than beta-cyfluthrin, but causing significant impacts on diet consumption and caterpillar growth at sublethal levels.
JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Jing Lu, Chunxiao Yang, Zhuoqi Liu, Ana M. Velez, Mujuan Guo, Shimin Chen, Baoli Qiu, Youjun Zhang, Xuguo Zhou, Huipeng Pan
Summary: The study explores RNAi as a new method for controlling the H. vigintioctopunctata pest of solanaceous plants, and demonstrates that the α and γ subunits of HvCOPI have a significant impact on mortality in both larvae and adults.
JOURNAL OF PEST SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Xiaozeng Yang, Elane Fishilevich, Marcelo A. German, Premchand Gandra, Robert E. McEwan, Andre Billion, Eileen Knorr, Andreas Vilcinskas, Kenneth E. Narva
Summary: Western corn rootworm (WCR) is a highly destructive agricultural insect pest in North America, yet little is known about its genetic basis of behavior and adaptation. Through constructing, sequencing, and analyzing sRNA libraries, this study identified various precursor miRNAs and specific pre-miRNAs in WCR, as well as revealed the dynamic change of sRNA transcriptome during insect development. Comparisons with other insect species highlighted conserved miRNA-regulated processes in WCR and suggested the existence of potentially evolutionarily transient miRNAs.
GENOMICS PROTEOMICS & BIOINFORMATICS
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Molly Darlington, Jordan D. Reinders, Amit Sethi, Albert L. Lu, Partha Ramaseshadri, Joshua R. Fischer, Chad J. Boeckman, Jay S. Petrick, Jason M. Roper, Kenneth E. Narva, Ana M. Velez
Summary: The western corn rootworm is an economically important pest of maize in the United States. Various management strategies have been used, but resistance has evolved, highlighting the need for new approaches. RNA interference technology is considered the next step in species-specific pest management.
Article
Entomology
Samuel Pallis, Andrei Alyokhin, Brian Manley, Thais Rodrigues, Ethann Barnes, Kenneth Narva
Summary: The Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) is a major pest for potato crops. A new double-stranded RNA insecticide has been found effective in managing the beetle population through RNA interference. Low doses of the insecticide inhibit pupation in larvae and reduce mobility and fertility in adults, particularly in females, which can decrease the overall beetle population and hinder their movement and reproductive success.
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Debora G. Montezano, Thomas E. Hunt, Priscila M. Colombo da Luz, Kelsey Karnik, Stephen D. Kachman, Ana M. Velez, Julie A. Peterson
Summary: This study investigated the behavior of the western bean cutworm larvae when exposed to Bt plants. The results showed that the larvae were more likely to abandon plants that expressed Bt proteins. This finding is important for the use of integrated versus structured refuges.
Article
Microbiology
Sijun Liu, Arnubio Valencia-Jimenez, Molly Darlington, Ana M. Velez, Bryony C. Bonning
MICROBIOLOGY RESOURCE ANNOUNCEMENTS
(2020)
Article
Microbiology
Sijun Liu, Arnubio Valencia-Jimenez, Molly Darlington, Ana M. Velez, Bryony C. Bonning
MICROBIOLOGY RESOURCE ANNOUNCEMENTS
(2020)