Delivery of dsRNA to arthropods
AssigneeCommonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
InventorsSteven Whyard, Fiona Helen Cameron, Minoo Moghaddam, Trevor J. Lockett
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention is to methods of gene silencing in arthropods using dsRNA. The method is include contacting the arthropod with, and/or directly feeding the arthropod, the dsRNA to the arthropods to deliver the dsRNA to arthropod tissues. It is envisaged that the methods of the invention will have use in determining the biological function of genes in arthropods. Methods of pest control of arthropods, and of protecting arthropods against parasites and predators are provided. Transgenic arthropods expressing dsRNA molecules are also provided by the present invention.
Claims20
A method of reducing the level of a target RNA in a coleopteran insect comprising feeding to the insect in a larval stage a composition comprising a dsRNA molecule and phosphatidylcholine, wherein the dsRNA molecule specifically reduces the level of the target RNA in a cell of the insect.
A method of reducing the level of an RNA in a coleopteran insect comprising delivering to a coleopteran insect larva a composition comprising a dsRNA molecule and phosphatidylcholine, wherein the composition is ingested by the larva, and wherein the dsRNA molecule comprises 21 contiguous nucleotides in a sequence identical to the sequence of a portion of the RNA in the larva.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.