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Title: FUNCTIONAL ANALYSES OF ISOFORMS OF CHITIN SYNTHASES AND CHITINASES OF THE RED FLOUR BEETLE BY RNAI-MEDIATED GENE KNOCK-DOWN

Author
item MUTHUKRISHNAN, S - KANSAS STATE UNIV
item Arakane, Yasuyuki
item ZHU, QUINGSONG - KANSAS STATE UNIV
item KRAMER, KARL - 5430-05-30 RETIRED
item Beeman, Richard
item KANOST, MICHAEL - KANSAS STATE UNIV
item SPECHT, CHARLES - BOSTON UNIV

Submitted to: National Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/15/2004
Publication Date: 11/15/2004
Citation: Muthukrishnan, S., Arakane, Y., Zhu, Q., Kramer, K.J., Beeman, R.W., Kanost, M.R., Specht, C.A. 2004. Functional analyses of isoforms of chitin synthases and chitinases of the red flour beetle by rnai-mediated gene knock-down. National Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, UT.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Chitin is an important structural component of the cuticle and peritrophic matrix of insects. The red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, has multiple isoforms of chitin synthases and chitinases, which synthesize and degrade chitin, respectively. To determine the role of individual isoforms of these enzymes in chitin metabolism, we have utilized RNAi-mediated gene knockout experiments using larvae, prepupae and pupae of this beetle. The effects of injections of isoform-specific dsRNA on the phenotype, levels of specific transcripts, morphology, development, and chitin content of insects were determined. These experiments reveal the biological roles of some of the isoforms of chitin synthases and chitinases.