RNA interference of the clock gene period disrupts circadian rhythms in the expression of genes related to insecticide resistance in the chagas disease vector Triatoma infestans (Hemiptera: Reduviidae)

• Published in: Acta tropica 2024-09, Vol.257, p.107329, Article 107329
• Main Authors: Córdoba, L.E., Pérez de Rosas, A.R., García, B.A., Serradell, M.del C., Remón, C., Mougabure-Cueto, G.A., Stroppa, M.M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Chagas' disease; Circadian Rhythm - genetics; Clock regulation; CYP4EM7 and CPR genes rhythms; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System - genetics; Disease Vectors; Gene Expression Regulation - drug effects; Insect Proteins - genetics; Insect Proteins - metabolism; Insecticide Resistance - genetics; NADPH-Ferrihemoprotein Reductase - genetics; NADPH-Ferrihemoprotein Reductase - metabolism; Period gene silencing; Pyrethroid metabolism; RNA Interference; Triatoma - drug effects; Triatoma - genetics; Triatoma infestans
• ISSN: 0001-706X; 1873-6254; 1873-6254
• DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107329

•The silencing of per gene in T. infestans abolished its canonical rhythm of expression at transcriptional level.•The effect of silencing the gene per showed the loss of rhythmicity in the expression profiles of CPR and CYP4EM7 genes.•The effect of silencing the gene per demonstrated the biological clock involvement in the regulation of CPR and CYP4EM7 genes expression. In Triatoma infestans it was observed pyrethroid resistance attributed in part to an elevated oxidative metabolism mediated by cytochromes P450. The nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR) plays a crucial role in catalysing the electron transfer from NADPH to all cytochrome P450s. The daily variations in the expression of CPR gene and a P450 gene (CYP4EM7), both associated with insecticide resistance, suggested that their expressions would be under the endogenous clock control. To clarify the involvement of the clock in orchestration of the daily fluctuations in CPR and CYP4M7 genes expression, it was proposed to investigate the effect of silencing the clock gene period (per) by RNA interference (RNAi). The results obtained allowed to establish that the silencing of per gene was influenced by intake schemes used in the interference protocols. The silencing of per gene in T. infestans reduced its expression at all the time points analysed and abolished the characteristic rhythm in the transcriptional expression of per mRNA. The effect of the per gene silencing in the expression profiles at the transcriptional level of CPR and CYP4EM7 genes showed the loss of rhythmicity and demonstrated the biological clock involvement in the regulation of t heir expression. [Display omitted]