Development of dsRNA delivery platforms for insect control in agriculture

• Grant number: 23/05204-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: December 01, 2023
• End date: July 31, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry
• Principal Investigator: Marcelo Bispo de Jesus
• Grantee: André Lopes Ferreira
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

In recent years, with increasing population growth and food consumption, the use of agrochemicals for pest control has become indispensable since losses caused by pest account for approximately 20% to 40% of agricultural production. To reduce this percentage, manufacturers began to use and rely on synthetic chemical products. However, their indiscriminate and irresponsible use can harm human health, cause water and soil pollution, and have a broad spectrum of effects, often affecting numerous non-target species. Hence, developing new approaches to efficient pest control is crucial to overcome these problems. An alternative would be RNAi technology, which represents a sustainable alternative to control agricultural pests and diseases with high target specificity and versatility. However, one of the major bottlenecks in using RNAi technology in agriculture is the development of formulations that confer stability, promote efficient RNA delivery into target organism. Thus, this project aims to develop double-stranded RNA nanocarriers from nanoparticles of layered double hydroxides (LDHs), a highly attractive class of inorganic nanomaterials with excellent anion exchange capacity, high stability, low cytotoxicity, and high biocompatibility. Therefore, we will develop different compositions of LDHs (1) by varying the metal ions used during synthesis to find more suitable physicochemical properties. The different formulations will be evaluated and selected based on their ability to complex with RNA molecules (2), transport the molecules to the cells of the model organisms (Tuta absoluta), induce suppression of specific gene silencing (3), minimize toxicity (4), grant stability to the RNA molecules (5), internalize the molecules in the plant cell (HIGS, Host-Induced Gene Silencing) (6), maximize selectivity for the target organism (7) and maximize in vivo performance (8). This strategy aims to select the formulations with the best performance in these criteria, giving great potential for use in RNAi technology to control insect pests and promote sustainable and environmentally friendly agriculture.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DE LIMA, LUCAS FELIPE; FERREIRA, ANDRE LOPES; DO NASCIMENTO, GUIDA HELLEN MOTA; CARDOSO, LUANA PEREIRA; DE JESUS, MARCELO BISPO; DE ARAUJO, WILLIAM REIS. Tongue depressor (bio)sensors: A fast decentralized self-testing of salivary biomarkers for personalized medicine. CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL, v. 494, p. 13-pg., 2024-06-18. (22/09892-0, 23/03483-4, 23/05204-5, 23/12589-0, 23/06143-0, 23/00246-1, 18/08782-1, 22/03250-7)