Skip to main content

A Random-Screening Approach to Identify RNAi Targets for the Control of Western Corn Rootworm (Diabrotica. virgifera virgifera Le Conte)

  • Protocol
  • First Online:
RNAi Strategies for Pest Management

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 2360))

  • 815 Accesses

Abstract

Identification of active target genes in bioassay screening is the first important step for application of RNA interference (RNAi) for pest control. Here, we describe the methodology for performing high-throughput RNAi target screening against important agriculture pest, Western corn rootworm in 96-well microplate. Two approaches are presented to identify active targets from random-cDNA library or testing a certain group of specific targets via in silico sequence analysis. Methods of PCR primer design, DNA template preparation, and dsRNA production described here can be applied for other pests.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Protocol
USD 49.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 109.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Gray ME, Sappington TW, Miller NJ et al (2009) Adaptation and invasiveness of western corn rootworm: intensifying research on a worsening pest. Annu Rev Entomol 54:303–321. . Epub 2008/12/11. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.ento.54.110807.090434

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Narva KE, Siegfried BD, Storer NP (2013) Transgenic approaches to western corn rootworm control. Adv Biochem Eng Biotechnol 136:135–162

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Levine E, Oloumi-Sadeghi H (1991) Management of Diabroticite Rootworms in corn. Annu Rev Entomol 36(1):229–255. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.en.36.010191.001305

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Gassmann AJ, Petzold-Maxwell JL, Keweshan RS et al (2011) Field-evolved resistance to Bt maize by western corn rootworm. PLoS One 6(7):e22629. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0022629

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  5. Andow DA, Pueppke SG, Schaafsma AW et al (2016) Early detection and mitigation of resistance to Bt maize by Western corn rootworm (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). J Econ Entomol 109(1):1–12. https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/tov238

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Fire A, Xu S, Montgomery M et al (1998) Potent and specific genetic interference by double-stranded RNA in Caenorhabditis elegans. Nature 391:806–811. https://doi.org/10.1038/35888

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Kurreck J (2009) RNA interference: from basic research to therapeutic applications. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 48:1378–1398. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.200802092

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  8. Price DR, Gatehouse JA (2008) RNAi-mediated crop protection against insects. Trends Biotechnol 26:393–400. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2008.04.004

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Timmons L, Court DL, Fire A (2001) Ingestion of bacterially expressed dsRNAs can produce specific and potent genetic interference in Caenorhabditis elegans. Gene 263:103–112. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-1119(00)00579-5

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Huvenne H, Smagghe G (2010) Mechanisms of dsRNA uptake in insects and potential of RNAi for pest control: a review. J Insect Physiol 56:227–235. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinsphys.2009.10.004

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Baum J, Bogaert T, Clinton W et al (2007) Control of coleopteran insect pests through RNA interference. Nat Biotechnol 25:1322–1326. https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt1359

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Hu X, Richtman N, Zhao J et al (2016) Discovery of midgut genes for the RNA interference control of corn rootworm. Sci Rep 6:30542. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep30542

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  13. Niu X, Kassa A, Hu X et al (2017) Control of Western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera) reproduction through plant-mediated RNA interference. Sci Rep 7:12591. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-12638-3

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  14. Kaya-Çopur A, Schnorrer F (2016) A guide to genome-wide in vivo RNAi applications in drosophila. Methods Mol Biol 1478:117–143. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-6371-3_6

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Tabara H, Grishok A, Mello CC (1998) RNAi in C. elegans: soaking in the genome sequence. Science 282(5388):430–431. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.282.5388.430

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Hammell CM, Hannon GJ (2012) Inducing RNAi in C. elegans by feeding with dsRNA-expressing E. coli. Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2012(12):pdb.prot072348. https://doi.org/10.1101/pdb.prot072348

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Ludwick DC, Meihls LN, Huynh MP et al (2018) A new artificial diet for western corn rootworm larvae is compatible with and detects resistance to all current Bt toxins. Sci Rep 8:5379. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-23738-z

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  18. Zhao JZ, Oneal MA, Richtman NM et al (2016) mCry3A-selected western corn rootworm (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) Colony exhibits high resistance and has reduced binding of mCry3A to midgut tissue. J Econ Entomol 109(3):1369–1377. https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/tow049

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Gramates LS, Marygold SJ, Santos G et al (2017) FlyBase at 25: looking to the future. Nucleic Acids Res 45(D1):D663–D671

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Dietzl G, Chen D, Schnorrer F et al (2007) A genome-wide transgenic RNAi library for conditional gene inactivation in drosophila. Nature 448(7150):151–156

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank Nina M. Richtman and Bliss Kernodle for DNA and RNA preparations and Lisa Procyk for insect bioassay support.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xu Hu .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature

About this protocol

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this protocol

Hu, X., Kassa, A. (2022). A Random-Screening Approach to Identify RNAi Targets for the Control of Western Corn Rootworm (Diabrotica. virgifera virgifera Le Conte). In: Vaschetto, L.M. (eds) RNAi Strategies for Pest Management. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 2360. Humana, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-1633-8_9

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-1633-8_9

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Humana, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-0716-1632-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-0716-1633-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

Publish with us

Policies and ethics