基于细菌表达dsRNA Pool策略的贝类基因沉默方法

DEVELOPMENT OF A GENE SILENCING METHOD FOR BIVALVE BASED ON BACTERIA-EXPRESSED DSRNA POOL STRATEGY

  • 摘要: 针对RNA干扰(RNAi)技术在双壳贝类中应用的递送效率低与脱靶效应等瓶颈问题, 本研究发展了一种新型复合RNAi方法。该方法基于细菌表达双链RNA (dsRNA) pool设计策略, 旨在实现对栉孔扇贝(Chlamys farreri)核受体nr5a2基因的高效、精准沉默。通过RNase III缺陷型大肠杆菌HT115表达5条靶向nr5a2开放阅读框的dsRNA片段, 并设计了菌藻混合投喂系统进行递送。实验结果显示, 该投喂法相比注射法具有更优的基因沉默效率, 靶基因抑制率稳定在 50% 以上。全转录组分析进一步证实, 该 dsRNA pool 策略特异性良好, 未造成显著的脱靶效应。本研究建立的方法为水产无脊椎动物基因功能研究提供了一种低成本、高特异性且易于规模化的解决方案。

     

    Abstract: RNA interference (RNAi) represents a promising technique for gene functional studies, yet its implementation in bivalve mollusks has been hindered by two persistent obstacles: inefficient in vivo delivery and substantial off-target effects. To overcome these challenges, we developed an integrated RNAi strategy combining bacterially expressed double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) with a pooled dsRNA approach and applied it to silence the nuclear receptor nr5a2 gene in the zhikong scallop (Chlamys farreri). Five non-overlapping dsRNA fragments targeting the nr5a2 open reading frame were expressed in RNase III-deficient Escherichia coli HT115 and delivered orally via an established Spirulina-based feeding system. Comparative assessment revealed that feeding achieved higher and more prolonged nr5a2 knockdown than intramuscular injection, with 60.5% silencing on day 1 and remaining 33.4% on day 7. Temporal profiling indicated effective silencing for up to 12hours post-feeding, supported by bacterial viability assays that justified a 12h feeding interval. Crucially, the dsRNA pool strategy minimized off-target effects: in silico analysis identified only 110 potential off-target transcripts, and RNA-seq validation showed merely 4 (females) and 8 (males) with modest expression changes, none of which exhibited typical RNAi suppression patterns. In summary, we present a scalable, cost-effective RNAi platform that combines bacterial dsRNA production, algal delivery, and a pooled dsRNA design. This system achieves efficient (>50%) and specific gene silencing in a bivalve species, offering a robust tool for functional genomics and potential applications in aquaculture breeding.

     

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