USWBSI Abstract Viewer

2023 National Fusarium Head Blight Forum


Transformational Science (TSCI)

Invited Presenter

Graphene Quantum Dots (GQDs) Mediated dsRNA Delivery for the Control of Fusarium Head Blight in Wheat

Authors & Affiliations:

Binod Gyawali 1, Rahim Rahimi 2, and Mohsen Mohammadi 1
1. Department of Agronomy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
2. School of Materials Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana

Corresponding Author:

Mohsen Mohammadi
mohamm20@purdue.edu

Abstract:

Spray-induced gene silencing (SIGS) is a non-transgenic RNA interference (RNAi) strategy used for the control of various pathogen and pest. Fusarium graminearum (Fg) is the pathogen responsible for Fusarium head blight (FHB) disease in wheat. We aimed to silence those genes of Fg which are responsible for the growth and pathogenicity. Given the instability of RNA molecules, the hypothesis is that the nanoparticle coating offers stability and slow-release to double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) molecules with continuous inhibition of Fg during the critical time of infection. In this study, we designed native and synthetic dsRNA against MGV1 and RAS1, and six other genes, by using pssRNAit web server. The synthetized segments were cloned into L4440 double-T7 plasmid and in-vivo dsRNAs were produced in the RNAase III-deficient E. coli strain HT115(DE3). GQDs were synthesized by pyrolyzing citric acid and they were surface functionalized by using branched polyethyleneimine (bPEI). After dsRNA-GQDs interaction testing by gel shifting assay, we observed that the presence of dsRAS1 and dsMGV1 in PDA media can restrict the growth of Fg on plate. In addition, dsMGV1+GQDs and dsRAS1+GQDs spray restricted infection symptoms on intact wheat spikes, evidenced by reductions in percent symptomatic spikelets (PSS). For example, H2O+GQDs control resulted in up to 100% PSS while synthetic dsMGV1+GQDs reduced PSS to ~35%. In a very recent study, involving dsRNA against eight genes including MGV1, RAS1, COT1, FgPp2A (responsible for growth and development of Fg), CAK1, TRI5, GMK1, and YCK1 (responsible for pathogenicity of Fg), we observed that when all dsRNAs are mixed and applied on spike as cocktail post-inoculation, the PSS significantly reduced to 20% compared with 100% PSS observed in control. 


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