Liposome-based RNAi delivery in honeybee for inhibiting parasite Nosema ceranae

Yue Qi; Chen Wang; Haoyu Lang; Yueyi Wang; Xiaofei Wang; Hao Zheng; Yuan Lu

Synthetic and Systems Biotechnology (Dec 2024)

Liposome-based RNAi delivery in honeybee for inhibiting parasite Nosema ceranae

Yue Qi,
Chen Wang,
Haoyu Lang,
Yueyi Wang,
Xiaofei Wang,
Hao Zheng,
Yuan Lu

Affiliations

Yue Qi: College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China; Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China; Key Laboratory of Industrial Biocatalysis, Ministry of Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
Chen Wang: Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China; Key Laboratory of Industrial Biocatalysis, Ministry of Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
Haoyu Lang: College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
Yueyi Wang: College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China; Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China; Key Laboratory of Industrial Biocatalysis, Ministry of Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
Xiaofei Wang: College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China; Corresponding author.
Hao Zheng: College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China; Corresponding author.
Yuan Lu: Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China; Key Laboratory of Industrial Biocatalysis, Ministry of Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China; Corresponding author. Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 9, no. 4
pp. 853 – 860

Abstract

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Nosema ceranae, a parasite that parasitizes and reproduces in the gut of honeybees, has become a serious threat to the global apiculture industry. RNA interference (RNAi) technology can be used to inhibit N. ceranae growth by targeting silencing the thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) in N. ceranae. However, suitable carriers are one of the reasons limiting the application of RNAi due to the easy degradation of dsRNA in honeybees. As a vesicle composed of a lipid bilayer, liposomes are a good carrier for nucleic acid delivery, but studies in honeybees are lacking. In this study, liposomes were used for double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) dsTrxR delivery triggering RNAi to inhibit the N. ceranae growth in honeybees. Compared to naked dsTrxR, liposome-dsTrxR reduced N. ceranae numbers in the midgut and partially restored midgut morphology without affecting bee survival and gut microbial composition. The results of this study confirmed that liposomes could effectively protect dsRNA from entering the honeybee gut and provide a reference for using RNAi technology to suppress honeybee pests and diseases.

Published in Synthetic and Systems Biotechnology

ISSN: 2405-805X (Online)
Publisher: KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
Country of publisher: China
LCC subjects: Technology: Chemical technology: Biotechnology; Science: Biology (General)
Website: https://www.keaipublishing.com/en/journals/synthetic-and-systems-biotechnology/

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