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Program Symposium

Physiology, Biochemistry, and Toxicology

Plant-Insect Ecosystems

25-Year Anniversary of RNAi for Pest Management: Milestones and Prospects – Foundational Science

The design of dsRNA sequences for pest control: From choosing the target gene to the optimization of the sequence

Sunday, November 9, 2025
8:45 AM - 9:00 AM Pacific
Location: Oregon Convention Center, Portland Ballroom 251, OCC
Oral Presentation
RNAi is an emerging technology for eco-friendly and species-specific pest control. One of the challenges is the identification of the best RNAi target sequences, i.e. those that lead to the death of the target at minimal concentrations and with minimal side effects on other species. To that end, the best target gene needs to be selected. In addition, the target sequence itself should be optimized for maximum efficacy.
First, I will outline why a knowledge-based prediction of target genes is difficult and will present our efforts in determining the best target genes via a genome-wide RNAi screen. We have identified our set of superior target genes, which has been performed well in several pest species and, hence, are an excellent starting point for testing in additional pest species.
Second, we have used small RNA sequencing to measure the efficacy of siRNAs in insects and based on that set up an algorithm to predict regions of a given mRNA that knock-down a gene more efficiently. Besides the underlying insights gained from small RNA sequencing, I will present the online site, where this algorithm is made available open access (https://dsrip.uni-goettingen.de/).