Identification of genes that induce embryonic diapause of Eotetranychus smithi by low temperatures alone

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K14668
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Plant protection science
• Research Institution: Ibaraki University
• Principal Investigator: Gotoh Tetsuo 茨城大学, 農学部, 教授 (60178449)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 応用動物 / 遺伝子 / ゲノム

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The mite Eotetranychus smithi exhibits a facultative diapause that occurs at the egg stage. Diapause was induced by low temperatures alone (<17.5℃) and averted by high temperatures (>=20℃). Transcriptome analysis (RNA-Seq) was conducted to specify the diapause-inducing genes of E. smithi. 85 genes with significantly higher expression were revealed in diapause-egg laying females compared to non-diapause-egg laying females. In order to clarify the relationship between diapause induction and gene expression, we developed an efficient RNAi treatment protocol, resulting in the suppression of genes for 15 days by applying dsRNA solution to a host plant leaf. Although gene expression could be successfully controlled using RNAi, diapause induction was not completely blocked in all of the mites with the ‘particularly high expression' genes suppressed; all females still laid diapause eggs. Other high expression genes may be involved in dormancy in a complex manner.

Free Research Field

応用動物学