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RESUMOForam utilizados 1600 pintos de corte de um dia de idade, distribuídos em delineamento, em blocos ao acaso, com esquema fatorial 4×2 (quatro linhagens, sendo uma delas comercial (Ross-308) e as demais específicas para a produção colonial (Caipirinha, Pescoço Pelado e Paraíso Pedrês) e dois sistemas de criação (confinado e com acesso a piquete), com quatro repetições de 50 aves cada. A ração não continha promotores químicos de crescimento e produtos de origem animal. Avaliaram-se o ganho de peso, o consumo de ração, a conversão alimentar, a mortalidade e os rendimentos de carcaça e das partes (peito, pernas, asas e dorso) aos 56, 63, 70, 77 e 84 dias de idade. O comprimento e a porcentagem (em relação ao peso vivo) dos intestinos e o peso e a porcentagem (em relação ao peso vivo) do fígado, moela e pâncreas foram avaliados aos 84 dias de idade. Houve efeito (P<0,05) da linhagem para as características de desempenho e da linhagem e do sexo para rendimentos da carcaça e das partes, assim como para as características do sistema digestório (P<0,05). O sistema de criação não influenciou as características avaliadas.Palavras-chave: frango de corte colonial, desempenho, rendimento de carcaça, produção semi-extensiva ABSTRACTOne thousand and six hundred day-old-chicks were randomly assigned to a 4×2 factorial design (4 strains and 2 production systems) with 4 replicates of 50 birds each. A commercial strain Ross and three strains (Caipirinha, Pescoço Pelado and Paraíso Pedrês) for free range chicken production systems were used. The production systems were confined and semi-confined supplemented with grass paddock (3m 2 /bird). The diets did not contain chemical growth promoters and animal by products. Weight gain, feed consumption, feed conversion, mortality and carcass yield and parts were evaluated at 56, 63, 70, 77 and 84 days. Length and percentage of gut, liver, gizzard and spleen were evaluated at 84 days. Differences (P<0.05) among strains for performance, carcass yield and parts and gut characteristics and no differences (P>0.05) among production systems were observed.

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Genetically modified (GM) crops producing double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) are being investigated largely as an RNA interference (RNAi)-based resistance strategy against crop insect pests. However, limitations of this strategy include the sensitivity of dsRNA to insect gut nucleases and its poor insect cell membrane penetration. Working with the insect pest cotton boll weevil (Anthonomus grandis), we showed that the chimeric protein PTD-DRBD (peptide transduction domain—dsRNA binding domain) combined with dsRNA forms a ribonucleoprotein particle (RNP) that improves the effectiveness of the RNAi mechanism in the insect. The RNP slows down nuclease activity, probably by masking the dsRNA. Furthermore, PTD-mediated internalization in insect gut cells is achieved within minutes after plasma membrane contact, limiting the exposure time of the RNPs to gut nucleases. Therefore, the RNP provides an approximately 2-fold increase in the efficiency of insect gene silencing upon oral delivery when compared to naked dsRNA. Taken together, these data demonstrate the role of engineered RNPs in improving dsRNA stability and cellular entry, representing a path toward the design of enhanced RNAi strategies in GM plants against crop insect pests.