Knockdown of the Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor β1 Subunit Decreases the Susceptibility to Five Neonicotinoid Insecticides in Whitefly (Bemisia tabaci)

Abstract

The sweet potato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci, (Gennadius) (Hemiptera:Aleyrodidae) is a global pest of crops. Neonicotinoids are efficient insecticides used for control of this pest. Insecticidal targets of neonicotinoids are insect nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). Here, we characterized and cloned the full length of the nAChR β1 subunit (BTβ1) in B. tabaci and confirmed the consistency of BTβ1 in B. tabaci MEAM1 and MED. Expression levels of BTβ1 in different developmental stages and body parts of adults were investigated and compared in B. tabaci MED. dsRNA was prepared to knock down BTβ1 in adult B. tabaci and significantly decreases the susceptibility to five neonicotinoid insecticides, including imidacloprid, clothianidin, thiacloprid, nitenpyram, and dinotefuran. This study indicated BTβ1 as a notable site influencing the susceptibility of B. tabaci to neonicotinoids.

Keywords: Bemisia tabaci; RNA interference; insecticidal susceptibility; neonicotinoids; nicotinic acetylcholine receptor β1 subunit.