Breaking into cells: Intracellular delivery of double stranded (dsRNA) mediated by nanoparticles

The development of new and specific insect pest management methods is critical for overcoming pesticide resistance and collateral off-target killings. Gene silencing by feeding dsRNA to insects shows promise in this area. In this study we used a peptide nano-material to facilitate the cellular uptake of dsRNA by insects through feeding. The insect diets included dsRNA with and without complexation with the peptide nanoparticles. The selected insect species come from two different orders with different feeding mechanisms: Tribolium castaneum and Acyrthosiphon pisum. The gene transcripts tested (BiP and Armet) are part of the unfolded protein response (UPR) and suppressing their translation resulted in lethality. In addition, we investigated the mechanisms involved in the transport of nanoparticles across the insect midgut epithelium. Overall, these results show that complexation of dsRNA with the peptide nanomaterial enhanced the oral delivery of dsRNA over dsRNA alone.