Functional validation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) α6 as a target of spinosyns in Spodoptera exigua utilizing the CRISPR/Cas9 system

BACKGROUND The beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua, is a serious agricultural pest that is primarily controlled using chemical insecticides. Recently, resistance to the insecticide spinosad has been described in S. exigua field populations. To date, there has been no functional evidence proving the inv...

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Published in:Pest management science 2020-07, Vol.76 (7), p.2415-2422
Main Authors: Zuo, Yayun, Xue, Yuxin, Lu, Wenjie, Ma, Huanhuan, Chen, Maohua, Wu, Yidong, Yang, Yihua, Hu, Zhaonong
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acetylcholine receptors (nicotinic)
beet armyworm
Benzoates
Bioassays
CRISPR
Editing
Genetic analysis
Genome editing
Genomes
Insecticide resistance
Insecticides
Mutation
nicotinic acetylcholine receptor
Pest resistance
Receptors
Spinosad
Spodoptera exigua
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Summary:BACKGROUND The beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua, is a serious agricultural pest that is primarily controlled using chemical insecticides. Recently, resistance to the insecticide spinosad has been described in S. exigua field populations. To date, there has been no functional evidence proving the involvement of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) α6 mutation in spinosad resistance in S. exigua. RESULTS In this study, using the CRISPR/Cas9 genome‐editing system, a homozygous strain (Seα6‐KO) with approximately 1760‐bp deletion within Seα6 in S. exigua causing a premature truncation of Seα6 was successfully constructed. Insecticide bioassays showed that Seα6‐KO exhibited 373‐fold higher resistance to spinosad and 850‐fold higher resistance to spinetoram compared to WH‐S strain with the same genetic background but showed no significant change in susceptibility to emamectin benzoate and chlorantraniliprole. Genetic analysis revealed that Seα6‐KO is inherited as an incompletely recessive trait. CONCLUSION The results clearly demonstrated the functional role of Seα6 in resistance to spinosyn insecticides and provide an example of using genome editing to verify a target premature truncation associated with resistance. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) α6 as a target of spinosyns in Spodoptera exigua utilizing the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Seα6‐KO exhibited 373‐fold higher resistance to spinosad and 850‐fold higher resistance to spinetoram compared to WH‐S strain. Genetic analysis revealed that Seα6‐KO is inherited as an incompletely recessive trait.
ISSN:1526-498X
1526-4998
DOI:10.1002/ps.5782