Open AccessRNA interference-mediated knockdown of the hydroxyacid-oxoacid transhydrogenase gene decreases thiamethoxam resistance in adults of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci
Author(s) -
Xin Yang,
Wen Xie,
Rumei Li,
Xiaomao Zhou,
Shaoli Wang,
Qingjun Wu,
Ning Yang,
Jixing Xia,
Ze-Zong Yang,
Long Guo,
Yating Liu,
Youjun Zhang
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
scientific reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.24
H-Index - 213
ISSN - 2045-2322
DOI - 10.1038/srep41201
Subject(s) - thiamethoxam , gene knockdown , whitefly , biology , gene silencing , rna interference , rna silencing , gene , neonicotinoid , genetics , rna , horticulture , imidacloprid , pesticide , agronomy
Bemisia tabaci has developed a high level of resistance to thiamethoxam, a second generation neonicotinoid insecticide that has been widely used to control this pest. In this study, we investigated whether hydroxyacid-oxoacid transhydrogenase ( HOT ) is involved in resistance to the neonicotinoid insecticide thiamethoxam in the whitefly. We cloned the full-length gene that encodes HOT in B. tabaci . Its cDNA contains a 1428-bp open reading frame encoding 475 amino acid residues. Then we evaluated the mRNA expression level of HOT in different developmental stages, and found HOT expression was significantly greater in thiamethoxam resistance adults than in thiamethoxam susceptible adults. Subsequently, seven field populations of B. tabaci adults were sampled, the expression of mRNA level of HOT significant positive correlated with thiamethoxam resistance level. At last, we used a modified gene silencing system to knock-down HOT expression in B. tabaci adults. The results showed that the HOT mRNA levels decreased by 57% and thiamethoxam resistance decreased significantly after 2 days of feeding on a diet containing HOT dsRNA. The results indicated that down-regulation of HOT expression decreases thiamethoxam resistance in B. tabaci adults.