Open AccessIntegration of dsRNA against host immune response genes augments the virulence of transgenic Metarhizium robertsii strains in insect pest species
Author(s) -
Wang Yulong,
Xie Xiangyun,
Qin Li,
Yu Deshui,
Wang Zhangxun,
Huang Bo
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
microbial biotechnology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.287
H-Index - 74
ISSN - 1751-7915
DOI - 10.1111/1751-7915.13748
Subject(s) - biology , virulence , galleria mellonella , metarhizium anisopliae , microbiology and biotechnology , rna silencing , host (biology) , gene , retrotransposon , virology , genetics , rna interference , botany , rna , biological pest control , genome , transposable element
Summary The slow lethality of fungal biopesticides to insects restrains their widespread application as a strategy of pest control. In this study, unary, binary and ternary transgenic Metarhizium robertsii were created by integrating genes that encode the scorpion neurotoxin Bjα IT, the cuticle‐degrading protease Pr1A, and a double‐stranded RNA (dsRNA) that targets host gnbp3 , individually or collectively under a constitutive promoter to enhance virulence. Compared with the parental wild type, all unary transgenic strains had increased virulence against four insect species, Tenebrio molitor , Locusta migratoria , Plutella xylostella and Galleria mellonella , whereas the binary transgenic strain expressing both pr1A and Bjα IT had increased virulence to T. molitor and L. migratoria , with no change in virulence against P. xylostella and G. mellonella . Importantly, all ternary transgenic strains simultaneously expressing pr1A , Bjα IT, and the dsRNA specific to host gnbp3 exhibited the highest increase in insect‐specific virulence. This finding highlights a novel strategy for genetic engineering of dsRNAs that target genes associated with the host immune response alongside virulence genes to maximize fungal virulence and lethality against insect pests.