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Systemic gene knockdown in Camponotus floridanus workers by feeding of dsRNA

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Abstract

RNA interference (RNAi) technology enables to study specific gene functions also in social insects, which are otherwise difficult to access for genetic manipulations. The recent sequencing of the genomes from seven ant species made these members of the Formicidae available for knockdown studies. However, for this purpose the RNAi technology first needs to be adapted for application in ants. Studies on other insects show that the effectiveness of RNAi is quite species-specific and can depend on several experimental parameters such as the investigated stage of the insect, the target gene and/or the dsRNA delivery method. RNAi in ants through feeding of dsRNA is a preferable approach, since knockdown can be achieved in individuals without interfering with the animal’s physiology in contrast to injection of dsRNA. Here, we present a protocol for gene knockdown in Formicidae by feeding of dsRNA to worker animals. The expression of a peptidoglycan recognition protein gene, PGRP-LB, was efficiently knocked down in the body of Camponotus floridanus worker ants. Moreover, we describe a relatively cheap method to extract dsRNA from bacteria in order to obtain large quantities needed for feeding experiments.

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Acknowledgments

This work was funded by the priority program SFB567/C2 and the grant GR1243/8-1 of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), and by the EU COST action FA0701 “Arthropod symbioses: from fundamental studies to pest management”. C. Ratzka was kindly supported by the program “Chancengleichheit für Frauen in Forschung und Lehre”. We thank Andreas Vilcinskas as well as Eileen Knorr for the opportunity to learn the application of RNAi at the University of Gießen. Moreover, Carolin Ratzka thanks Gro Amdam and Christina Grozinger for the chance to participate at the International Short Course on RNAi-Mediated Functional Genetics in Honey Bees.

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  1. Lehrstuhl für Mikrobiologie, Biozentrum, Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany

    C. Ratzka & R. Gross

  2. Lehrstuhl für Tierökologie I, Universität Bayreuth, Gebäude NW I, 95440, Bayreuth, Germany

    H. Feldhaar

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  1. C. Ratzka
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Correspondence to H. Feldhaar.

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Ratzka, C., Gross, R. & Feldhaar, H. Systemic gene knockdown in Camponotus floridanus workers by feeding of dsRNA. Insect. Soc. 60, 475–484 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00040-013-0314-6

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