Research and application progress of RNA interference technology for pest control

RNA interference refers to the specific degradation of intracellular homologous mRNA caused by endogenous or exogenous double-stranded RNA, blocking gene expression, thereby inhibiting the important functions of organisms, and causing development arrest or death
of harmful organisms.
RNA interference mechanisms are ubiquitous
in eukaryotes.

In recent years, with the vigorous development and application of global RNA interference technology in the field of biomedicine and breeding, it has rapidly penetrated
into the field of plant protection.
Because RNA pesticides can not only control diseases and pests without affecting the genetic expression of crops, but also have the advantages of combining chemical drugs and transgenic crops, and are green and pollution-free, they provide a new solution for sustainable agricultural development and are known as the third revolution
in the history of pesticides.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations announced that up to 40% of the world's food crops are lost due to pests and diseases every year, and the large-scale use of chemical pesticides not only produces serious resistance management problems, but also brings huge risks to environmental safety, food safety and human health, and it is urgent to develop new and efficient biopesticides to achieve green prevention and control
.

Recently, Tang Xueming's team from the School of Agriculture and Biology of Shanghai Jiao Tong University published a review article
entitled "RNAi-based pest control: Production, application and the fate of dsRNA" in Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology 。 This paper comprehensively and systematically reviews the research and application progress of RNA interference technology for pest control, mainly including: (1) the synthesis and construction of dsRNA and large-scale production methods
.
The construction and production methods of dsRNA synthetic biology, artificial phage synthesis technology and the application of cell-free in vitro synthesis using different microorganisms as chassis cells were expounded.
(2) dsRNA exogenous administration pathway
.
Foliar spraying, root drip irrigation and trunk injection were mainly introduced.
(3) The fate
of exogenously administered dsRNA.
The destination, uptake, working mechanism and fate of dsRNA in the peripheral environment, plant cells and insects were elaborated.
(4) Nanomaterial mining and application suitable for dsRNA delivery; (5) Global development trend
of RNA insecticides.
Finally, this paper looks forward to using the synergy of multiple target genes to improve the efficiency of pest control, and points out that many countries are establishing evaluation frameworks and regulatory systems based on new biopesticides to accelerate the commercialization of RNA pesticides
.

Fig 1.
 The schematic diagram of production, application and the fate of dsRNA

He Li, a postdoctoral fellow at the College of Agriculture and Biology of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, is the first author of this paper, and the principal researcher Tang Xueming and assistant researcher Huang Yanna are the co-corresponding authors
of this paper.
The research was supported
by the Shanghai Jiao Tong University High-level Talent Fund and the Shanghai Leading Talent Program.