Abstract:
Nosema ceranae, a parasite that parasitizes and reproduces in the gut of honeybees, has become a serious threat to the global apiculture industry. RNA interference (RNAi) technology can be used to inhibit N. ceranae growth by targeting silencing the thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) in N. ceranae. However, suitable carriers are one of the reasons limiting the application of RNAi due to the easy degradation of dsRNA in honeybees. As a vesicle composed of a lipid bilayer, liposomes are a good carrier for nucleic acid delivery, but studies in honeybees are lacking. In this study, liposomes were used for double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) dsTrxR delivery triggering RNAi to inhibit the N. ceranae growth in honeybees. Compared to naked dsTrxR, liposome-dsTrxR reduced N. ceranae numbers in the midgut and partially restored midgut morphology without affecting bee survival and gut microbial composition. The results of this study confirmed that liposomes could effectively protect dsRNA from entering the honeybee gut and provide a reference for using RNAi technology to suppress honeybee pests and diseases.
摘要:
Nosemaceranae,一种寄生在蜜蜂肠道中繁殖的寄生虫,已经成为全球养蜂业的严重威胁。RNA干扰(RNAi)技术可用于通过靶向沉默N.ceranae中的硫氧还蛋白还原酶(TrxR)来抑制N.ceranae生长。然而,由于dsRNA在蜜蜂中容易降解,合适的载体是限制RNAi应用的原因之一。作为由脂质双层组成的囊泡,脂质体是核酸递送的良好载体,但是对蜜蜂的研究还缺乏。在这项研究中,脂质体用于双链RNA(dsRNA)dsTrxR递送,其触发RNAi以抑制蜜蜂中的ceranae生长。与裸dsTrxR相比,脂质体-dsTrxR减少了中肠中的N.ceranae数量,并部分恢复了中肠形态,而不影响蜜蜂的存活和肠道微生物组成。本研究结果证实脂质体能有效保护dsRNA不进入蜜蜂肠道,为利用RNAi技术抑制蜜蜂病虫害提供参考。