Functional Characterization of a Juvenile Hormone Esterase Related Gene in the Moth Sesamia nonagrioides through RNA Interference

Abstract

Juvenile hormone esterase (JHE) is a carboxylesterase that has attracted great interest because of its critical role in regulating larval to adult transition in insects and other arthropods. Previously, we characterized an ecdysteroid sensitive and juvenile hormone non-susceptible juvenile hormone esterase related gene (SnJHER) in the corn stalk borer, Sesamia nonagrioides. SnJHER was rhythmically up-regulated close to each molt during the corn stalk borer’s larval development. In this paper we attempted to functionally characterize SnJHER using several reverse genetics techniques. To functionally characterize SnJHER, we experimented with different dsRNA administration methods, including hemolymph, bacterial or baculovirus-mediated RNA interference, (RNAi). Our findings indicate the potential implication of SnJHER in the developmental programming of Sesamia nonagrioides. It is still unclear whether SnJHER is closely related to the authentic JHE gene, with different or similar biological functions.

Abnormal development in larvae of Sesamia nonagrioides (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) resulting from baculovirus-mediated overexpression of a JHE-related gene (SnJHER)

“…Insect rearing and determining the stage of development of the larvae S. nonagrioides insects were maintained at 25°C, 55 ± 5% relative humidity on an artifi cial diet (Kontogiannatos et al, 2011(Kontogiannatos et al, , 2013. Larvae reared under 16L : 8D conditions completed their larval stage in 6 instars.…”

“…For functional studies, Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus (BmNPV) was selected as described previously (Kontogiannatos et al, 2013). Recombinant GFP-expressing BmNPV (BmNPVBmA::GFP) was shown to be able to infect effi ciently cells and tissues of S. nonagrioides (Kontogiannatos et al, 2013).…”

“…Recombinant GFP-expressing BmNPV (BmNPVBmA::GFP) was shown to be able to infect effi ciently cells and tissues of S. nonagrioides (Kontogiannatos et al, 2013). Viral GFP-expression is located mostly in the fat body, haemolymph, epidermal cells and tracheoles of infected larvae (Kontogiannatos et al, 2013).…”

“…Viral GFP-expression is located mostly in the fat body, haemolymph, epidermal cells and tracheoles of infected larvae (Kontogiannatos et al, 2013). BmNPV-infected larvae are able to continue normal development in the absence of symptoms of polyhedrosis (Kontogiannatos et al, 2013). In contrast to larval infections, however, when insects are infected with BmNPV-BmA::GFP virus during the prepupal stage (6th instar d9), they are unable to complete the larval-pupal transition and most of them die as larval-pupal intermediates.…”

“…In contrast to larval infections, however, when insects are infected with BmNPV-BmA::GFP virus during the prepupal stage (6th instar d9), they are unable to complete the larval-pupal transition and most of them die as larval-pupal intermediates. Moreover, abnormal adults with fused pupal tissues and curly wings emerged from the surviving pupae (Kontogiannatos et al, 2013). BmNPV therefore can be used as a gene transduction vector during larval development but is not suitable for infections at the prepupal or pupal stage (Kontogiannatos et al, 2013).…”