The current study seeks to improve our ability to utilize RNA interference in developing novel tactics for management of arthropod pests related to crop protection and vector mitigation. The use of this technology in the development of novel arthropod control strategies has been substantially limited relative to its potential for implementation, and inherent advantages over traditional means for controlling pests. Past efforts in applying RNA interference as a strategy for management of arthropod pests have been limited by substantial hurdles that this research seeks to address. While the potential for the utility of RNAi in pest management has been recognized in the past several decades, previous research has found that the practicability of the technology in an applied setting is stifled by a number of factors, including the molecular instability of RNA, host susceptibility, evolved resistance, efficacy, and off-target effects. Our interest in exploring the potential for RNAi as a strategy for pest management application comes from recent developments in our investigation into the genomic basis of toxin resistance in insects. This work suggests the vital importance of a family of genes found in all insects that we believe may function as a target for RNAi that would alleviate many of these stated concerns; these genes are directly involved in insect immunity, they are highly conserved throughout insects yet have enough sequence variability to allow for species-specific targeting, and many of these genes cause lethality when silenced using RNA interference. In our analysis, we highlight the potential of this family of genes in being leveraged towards pest management applications across arthropod species; and in our experimental study we target a member of this gene family in 2 species of fruit flies, Drosophila melanogaster and D. sechelia, as well as a target gene that has previously been shown to cause lethality when knocked down in fruit flies. We show that member genes in this family may be an effective target for the development of RNAi based bioinsecticidal approaches, with potential applications in a broad range of arthropod pests.
