Tribolium castaneum as a Model for High-Throughput RNAi Screening

摘要: Coleopteran insects are a highly diverse and successful order, many beetle species significant agricultural pests. New biorational strategies for managing populations of beetles other insect needed as pests develop resistance to chemical insecticides Bt toxins. There is now an opportunity use genome sequence data identify genes that essential growth, development, or survival new targets designing control technology. This goal requires method high-throughput in vivo screening thousands candidate that, when their expression disrupted, have phenotype may be useful pest control. Tribolium castaneum, the red flour beetle, model organism offers considerable advantages such screening, including ease rearing large numbers, sequenced genome, strong, systemic RNAi response specific depletion gene transcripts. The effect T. castaneum can elicited any tissue stage by injection dsRNA into hemocoel, adult females even used phenotypes offspring. A pilot screen (iBeetle) underway. Several with promising further development mechanisms plant protection been identified. These include heat shock protein 90, chitin synthase, segmentation hairy, matrix metalloprotease. Candidate identified screens then tested (in which not feasible), evaluate effectiveness potential plant-based strategies. Delivery expressed genetically modified crops midgut phytophagous under investigation tool very plants from species. platform system discovery high benefit. Open image window Graphical Abstract