Transgenic East African Highland Banana Plants Are Protected against <i>Radopholus similis</i> through Host-Delivered RNAi
The burrowing nematode <i>Radopholus similis</i> is considered a major problem of intensive banana cultivation. It can cause extensive root damage resulting in the toppling disease of banana, which means that plants fall to the ground. Soaking <i>R. similis</i> in double-stra...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-07-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/15/12126 |
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| author | Henry Shaykins Mwaka Lander Bauters Josephine Namaganda Shirley Marcou Priver Namanya Bwesigye Jerome Kubiriba Guy Smagghe Wilberforce Kateera Tushemereirwe Godelieve Gheysen |
| author_facet | Henry Shaykins Mwaka Lander Bauters Josephine Namaganda Shirley Marcou Priver Namanya Bwesigye Jerome Kubiriba Guy Smagghe Wilberforce Kateera Tushemereirwe Godelieve Gheysen |
| author_sort | Henry Shaykins Mwaka |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The burrowing nematode <i>Radopholus similis</i> is considered a major problem of intensive banana cultivation. It can cause extensive root damage resulting in the toppling disease of banana, which means that plants fall to the ground. Soaking <i>R. similis</i> in double-stranded (ds) RNA of the nematode genes <i>Rps13</i>, chitin synthase (<i>Chs-2</i>), <i>Unc-87</i>, <i>Pat-10</i> or beta-1,4-endoglucanase (<i>Eng1a</i>) suppressed reproduction on carrot discs, from 2.8-fold (<i>Chs-2</i>) to 7-fold (<i>Rps13</i>). The East African Highland Banana cultivar Nakitembe was then transformed with constructs for expression of dsRNA against the same genes, and for each construct, 30 independent transformants were tested with nematode infection. Four months after transfer from in vitro culture to the greenhouse, the banana plants were transferred to a screenhouse and inoculated with 2000 nematodes per plant, and thirteen weeks later, they were analyzed for several parameters including plant growth, root necrosis and final nematode population. Plants with dsRNA constructs against the nematode genes were on average showing lower nematode multiplication and root damage than the nontransformed controls or the banana plants expressing dsRNA against the nonendogenous gene. In conclusion, RNAi seems to efficiently protect banana against damage caused by <i>R. similis</i>, opening perspectives to control this pest. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:26:09Z |
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| issn | 1661-6596 1422-0067 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:26:09Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-2c65b843954d4f1d9da76ae9caaebecd2023-11-18T23:00:44ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences1661-65961422-00672023-07-0124151212610.3390/ijms241512126Transgenic East African Highland Banana Plants Are Protected against <i>Radopholus similis</i> through Host-Delivered RNAiHenry Shaykins Mwaka0Lander Bauters1Josephine Namaganda2Shirley Marcou3Priver Namanya Bwesigye4Jerome Kubiriba5Guy Smagghe6Wilberforce Kateera Tushemereirwe7Godelieve Gheysen8Department of Biotechnology, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumDepartment of Biotechnology, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumNational Agricultural Research Laboratories, Kawanda, Kampala P.O. Box 7065, UgandaDepartment of Plants and Crops, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumNational Agricultural Research Laboratories, Kawanda, Kampala P.O. Box 7065, UgandaNational Agricultural Research Laboratories, Kawanda, Kampala P.O. Box 7065, UgandaDepartment of Plants and Crops, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumNational Agricultural Research Laboratories, Kawanda, Kampala P.O. Box 7065, UgandaDepartment of Biotechnology, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumThe burrowing nematode <i>Radopholus similis</i> is considered a major problem of intensive banana cultivation. It can cause extensive root damage resulting in the toppling disease of banana, which means that plants fall to the ground. Soaking <i>R. similis</i> in double-stranded (ds) RNA of the nematode genes <i>Rps13</i>, chitin synthase (<i>Chs-2</i>), <i>Unc-87</i>, <i>Pat-10</i> or beta-1,4-endoglucanase (<i>Eng1a</i>) suppressed reproduction on carrot discs, from 2.8-fold (<i>Chs-2</i>) to 7-fold (<i>Rps13</i>). The East African Highland Banana cultivar Nakitembe was then transformed with constructs for expression of dsRNA against the same genes, and for each construct, 30 independent transformants were tested with nematode infection. Four months after transfer from in vitro culture to the greenhouse, the banana plants were transferred to a screenhouse and inoculated with 2000 nematodes per plant, and thirteen weeks later, they were analyzed for several parameters including plant growth, root necrosis and final nematode population. Plants with dsRNA constructs against the nematode genes were on average showing lower nematode multiplication and root damage than the nontransformed controls or the banana plants expressing dsRNA against the nonendogenous gene. In conclusion, RNAi seems to efficiently protect banana against damage caused by <i>R. similis</i>, opening perspectives to control this pest.https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/15/12126banana<i>Radopholus similis</i>nematodesRNAitransgenicpest control |
| spellingShingle | Henry Shaykins Mwaka Lander Bauters Josephine Namaganda Shirley Marcou Priver Namanya Bwesigye Jerome Kubiriba Guy Smagghe Wilberforce Kateera Tushemereirwe Godelieve Gheysen Transgenic East African Highland Banana Plants Are Protected against <i>Radopholus similis</i> through Host-Delivered RNAi International Journal of Molecular Sciences banana <i>Radopholus similis</i> nematodes RNAi transgenic pest control |
| title | Transgenic East African Highland Banana Plants Are Protected against <i>Radopholus similis</i> through Host-Delivered RNAi |
| title_full | Transgenic East African Highland Banana Plants Are Protected against <i>Radopholus similis</i> through Host-Delivered RNAi |
| title_fullStr | Transgenic East African Highland Banana Plants Are Protected against <i>Radopholus similis</i> through Host-Delivered RNAi |
| title_full_unstemmed | Transgenic East African Highland Banana Plants Are Protected against <i>Radopholus similis</i> through Host-Delivered RNAi |
| title_short | Transgenic East African Highland Banana Plants Are Protected against <i>Radopholus similis</i> through Host-Delivered RNAi |
| title_sort | transgenic east african highland banana plants are protected against i radopholus similis i through host delivered rnai |
| topic | banana <i>Radopholus similis</i> nematodes RNAi transgenic pest control |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/15/12126 |
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