LAUSR

BACKGROUND Tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV) is mainly vectored by Bemisia tabaci (B. tabaci) in China, which has a worldwide distribution, and greatly reduces the yields of tomato and other vegetables. At present, control of ToCV has been focused mainly by the use of insecticides to control whitefly populations. Transcriptome sequencing showed high expression of the B. tabaci Bta11975 gene, an α-glucosidase (AGLU) during ToCV acquisition by whitefly Mediterranean (MED) species. To investigate the role of Bta11975 gene in ToCV acquisition and transmission by B. tabaci MED, we used RNA interference (RNAi) to reduce the expression of Bta11975 gene. RESULTS The relative expression of Bta11975 gene was correlated with the ToCV content in B. tabaci. AGLU is highly expressed in primary salivary gland and gut. After Bta11975 gene was silenced, the gene expression of B. tabaci was reduced and B. tabaci mortality was increased. Besides, ToCV acquisition by B. tabaci at 48 and 72-h acquisition access period was reduced, and ToCV transmission was significantly reduced by 25 or 50 of B. tabaci. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that suppression of expression of the Bta11975 gene in B. tabaci MED by RNA interference can reduce acquisition and transmission of ToCV by B. tabaci MED. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.