Modern Gene Disruption Methods in Insect Science

TOPICAL COLLECTIONS

Guest Editors

Dr. Kangxu Wang

Nanjing University of Finance & Economics, Department of Food Science and Technology

Dr. Kangxu Wang is an Assistant Professor at the Nanjing University of Finance & Economics since 2019. His current research focuses on developing RNAi-based novel pest control technologies and elucidating the molecular mechanisms of insect RNAi. Prior to joining the Nanjing University of Finance & Economics, he was an Instructor at the Department of Biology, Miami University, and during this time carried out a number of gene knockdown/knockout assays on the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum. Dr. Wang obtained both his BSc (Hons) and PhD in Entomology from the Nanjing Agricultural University.

Dr. Huidong Wang

Henan University, Department of Life Science

Dr. Huidong Wang has been an Associate Professor at the Henan University since 2019. His current research focuses on the detoxification mechanism of agricultural pests to phytochemicals and insecticides, the molecular target of insecticidal compounds, and the application of CRISPR/Cas9 technology in insects. He has good experience in the application of CRISPR/Cas9 technology in the pests Lepidoptera, Hemiptera and Coleoptera.

Dr. Guan-Heng Zhu

Sun Yat-Sen University, School of Agriculture

Dr. Guan-Heng Zhu has been an Associate Professor at the Sun Yat-Sen University since 2021. His current research focuses on juvenile hormone action in insects using CRISPR/Cas9 and transgenic system. Prior to joining the Sun Yat-Sen University, he worked as a postdoctoral research fellow in the laboratory of Dr. Subba Palli at the Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky for three years. .

Collection Overview

Current gene disruption technologies, including Clustered Regularly Interspaced Palindomic Repeats (CRISPR) and RNA interference (RNAi) are gaining popularity in different areas of Entomological Research. These gene disruption tools have confirmed utility in a wide range of applications such as gene mapping and functional genetics. However, the appropriate methods for applying these technologies vary among insect species. Detailed description of such cutting-edge technology in major insect pests could offer new insight into integrated pest management in the future.

The goal of this Method Collections is to make existing methods more accessible to researchers interested in working with different insect species. Examples of methods to be included in this collection are: gene knockout/knock-in assays using CRISPR, gene drive, Genome-wide CRISPR screening, RNAi/CRISPR using high efficient delivery systems, RNAi based gene-modified crops, and mass production of dsRNA. Each method should focus on at least one major insect pest or an important insect cell line.