Harnessing plant-mediated RNAi for effective management of Phthorimaea absoluta by targeting AChE1 and SEC23 genes
Muneeb Hassan Hashmi,
Haneef Tariq,
Faisal Saeed,
Ufuk Demirel,
Ayhan Gökçe,
Hans Merzendorfer,
Emre Aksoy,
Allah Bakhsh
Affiliations
Muneeb Hassan Hashmi
Department of Chemistry-Biology, University of Siegen, 57068, Siegen, Germany; Department of Agricultural Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies, Nigde Omer Halisdemir University, 51240 Nigde, Turkey; Corresponding author.
Haneef Tariq
National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide; Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China; Department of Plant Production & Technologies, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies, Niğde Omer Halisdemir University, Niğde, Turkey
Faisal Saeed
Department of Agricultural Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies, Nigde Omer Halisdemir University, 51240 Nigde, Turkey; Agriculture, Health and Environment Department. Natural Resources Institute, Faculty of Engineering & Science. University of Greenwich, ME4 4 TB, United Kingdom
Ufuk Demirel
Department of Agricultural Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies, Nigde Omer Halisdemir University, 51240 Nigde, Turkey
Ayhan Gökçe
Department of Plant Production & Technologies, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies, Niğde Omer Halisdemir University, Niğde, Turkey
Hans Merzendorfer
Department of Chemistry-Biology, University of Siegen, 57068, Siegen, Germany
Emre Aksoy
Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
Allah Bakhsh
Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
Tomato production on a global scale is under persistent pressure due to the devastating impact of Phthorimaea absoluta Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), the South American tomato leaf miner. To combat this devastating pest, we explored the potential of plant-mediated RNA interference (RNAi) as a novel strategy for its management. Using transgenic techniques, we developed RNAi constructs (p35S::dsAChE1, p35S::dsSEC23) targeting crucial genes, AChE1 and SEC23, in P. absoluta. These genes play pivotal roles in insect physiology and development. The transformation of tomato cultivar Rio Grande was carried out with these RNAi constructs using Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The results demonstrated a significant reduction in transcript levels of both AChE1 and SEC23 in P. absoluta. Silencing AChE1 resulted in substantial mortality rates, reduced larval weight gain, and deformities, highlighting its pivotal role in insect survival. SEC23 gene silencing also induced mortality and influenced insect physiology. Furthermore, we explored the susceptibility of AChE1 to organophosphate insecticides, revealing its relevance in insecticide susceptibility. These findings support the potential of AChE1 and SEC23 as valuable targets for RNAi-based control of P. absoluta for the first time, providing multifaceted insights into insect physiology and insecticide susceptibility, thereby offering valuable insights for the development of effective strategies to mitigate the impact of this destructive pest.
