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      Lab-to-Field Transition of RNA Spray Applications – How Far Are We?

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          Abstract

          The drastic loss of biodiversity has alarmed the public and raised sociopolitical demand for chemical pesticide-free plant production, which is now treated by governments worldwide as a top priority. Given this global challenge, RNAi-based technologies are rapidly evolving as a promising substitute to conventional chemical pesticides. Primarily, genetically modified (GM) crops expressing double-stranded (ds)RNA-mediating gene silencing of foreign transcripts have been developed. However, since the cultivation of GM RNAi crops is viewed negatively in numerous countries, GM-free exogenous RNA spray applications attract tremendous scientific and political interest. The sudden rise in demand for pesticide alternatives has boosted research on sprayable RNA biopesticides, generating significant technological developments and advancing the potential for field applications in the near future. Here we review the latest advances that could pave the way for a quick lab-to-field transition for RNA sprays, which, as safe, selective, broadly applicable, and cost-effective biopesticides, represent an innovation in sustainable crop production. Given these latest advances, we further discuss technological limitations, knowledge gaps in the research, safety concerns and regulatory requirements that need to be considered and addressed before RNA sprays can become a reliable and realistic agricultural approach.

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          Most cited references116

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          Potent and specific genetic interference by double-stranded RNA in Caenorhabditis elegans.

          Experimental introduction of RNA into cells can be used in certain biological systems to interfere with the function of an endogenous gene. Such effects have been proposed to result from a simple antisense mechanism that depends on hybridization between the injected RNA and endogenous messenger RNA transcripts. RNA interference has been used in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans to manipulate gene expression. Here we investigate the requirements for structure and delivery of the interfering RNA. To our surprise, we found that double-stranded RNA was substantially more effective at producing interference than was either strand individually. After injection into adult animals, purified single strands had at most a modest effect, whereas double-stranded mixtures caused potent and specific interference. The effects of this interference were evident in both the injected animals and their progeny. Only a few molecules of injected double-stranded RNA were required per affected cell, arguing against stochiometric interference with endogenous mRNA and suggesting that there could be a catalytic or amplification component in the interference process.
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            Control of coleopteran insect pests through RNA interference.

            Commercial biotechnology solutions for controlling lepidopteran and coleopteran insect pests on crops depend on the expression of Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal proteins, most of which permeabilize the membranes of gut epithelial cells of susceptible insects. However, insect control strategies involving a different mode of action would be valuable for managing the emergence of insect resistance. Toward this end, we demonstrate that ingestion of double-stranded (ds)RNAs supplied in an artificial diet triggers RNA interference in several coleopteran species, most notably the western corn rootworm (WCR) Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte. This may result in larval stunting and mortality. Transgenic corn plants engineered to express WCR dsRNAs show a significant reduction in WCR feeding damage in a growth chamber assay, suggesting that the RNAi pathway can be exploited to control insect pests via in planta expression of a dsRNA.
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              Bidirectional cross-kingdom RNAi and fungal uptake of external RNAs confer plant protection

              Aggressive fungal pathogens such as Botrytis and Verticillium spp. cause severe crop losses worldwide. We recently discovered that Botrytis cinerea delivers small RNAs (Bc-sRNAs) into plant cells to silence host immunity genes. Such sRNA effectors are mostly produced by B. cinerea Dicer-like protein 1 (Bc-DCL1) and Bc-DCL2. Here we show that expressing sRNAs that target Bc-DCL1 and Bc-DCL2 in Arabidopsis and tomato silences Bc-DCL genes and attenuates fungal pathogenicity and growth, exemplifying bidirectional cross-kingdom RNAi and sRNA trafficking between plants and fungi. This strategy can be adapted to simultaneously control multiple fungal diseases. We also show that Botrytis can take up external sRNAs and double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs). Applying sRNAs or dsRNAs that target Botrytis DCL1 and DCL2 genes on the surface of fruits, vegetables, and flowers significantly inhibits gray mold disease. Such pathogen gene-targeting RNAs represent a new generation of environmentally-friendly fungicides.
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                Author and article information

                Contributors
                Journal
                Front Plant Sci
                Front Plant Sci
                Front. Plant Sci.
                Frontiers in Plant Science
                Frontiers Media S.A.
                1664-462X
                15 October 2021
                2021
                : 12
                : 755203
                Affiliations
                Institute of Phytomedicine, University of Hohenheim , Stuttgart, Germany
                Author notes

                Edited by: Antje Dietz-Pfeilstetter, Julius Kühn-Institut - Braunschweig, Germany

                Reviewed by: Athanasios Dalakouras, Institute of Industrial and Forage Crops, Hellenic Agricultural Organisation, Greece; Clauvis Nji Tizi Taning, Ghent University, Belgium

                *Correspondence: Aline Koch, aline.koch@ 123456uni-hohenheim.de

                This article was submitted to Plant Biotechnology, a section of the journal Frontiers in Plant Science

                Article
                10.3389/fpls.2021.755203
                8554022
                34721485
                e0494274-db5c-41ef-85d0-f1c4f8a99e3e
                Copyright © 2021 Rank and Koch.

                This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

                History
                : 08 August 2021
                : 15 September 2021
                Page count
                Figures: 0, Tables: 1, Equations: 0, References: 118, Pages: 16, Words: 13764
                Categories
                Plant Science
                Review

                Plant science & Botany
                rnai-based plant protection,rna biopesticides,dsrna,sirna,nanomaterial-based sirna delivery,spray-induced gene silencing (sigs)

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