The Inhibition of Microsomal Triglyceride Transfer Protein through the use of Long dsRNA in Drosophilia Melanogaster S2 Cells
- UNCP Author/Contributor (non-UNCP co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Nicholas W. Faulkner (Creator)
- Institution
- The University of North Carolina at Pembroke (UNCP )
- Web Site: http://www.uncp.edu/academics/library
- Advisor
- Jeremy Sellers
Abstract: A major source of crop destruction worldwide is the pests, particularly insects, which consume them. As such, the overarching goal of our research is to explore the potential use of RNA interference (RNAi) in developing species-targeted insecticides. In our experiments, we use Drosophilia melanogaster as a model for all insects, which share many similarities in the lipid-transfer pathways, yet are divergent enough to allow for species specificity. The target of RNAi is a molecule in our experiments is a molecule that is part of the lipid-transport pathway. Th bulk of lipid transport in the hemolymph of insects is facilitated by lipoproteins, which package and transport neutral lipids from dietary or stored sources to the peripheral tissues to be used in ATP generation. The lipoproteins we have focused on are apoliopophorin II/I (appoLpII/I) containing particles, of which there are at least two main requirements for formation: apoLpII/I and microsomal transfer triglyceride protein (MTP). While the role of MTP in apoLpII/I containing lipoprotein biogenesis is not fully defined, it is suggested to have similar role as mammalian MTP in promoting the acquisition and filling of apoLpII/I with lipids for transport through the hemolymph. In this work, we have explored the inhibition of MTP expression by RNA intrference, with the ultimate goal of examining its effect on lipoprotein biogenesis and the phenotype this confers on whole flies This project specifically involved the construction and screening of an anti-MTP RNA that was capable of specifically knocking down the expression of MTP mRNA by >95% in drosophilia S2 cells.
The Inhibition of Microsomal Triglyceride Transfer Protein through the use of Long dsRNA in Drosophilia Melanogaster S2 Cells
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Created on 5/10/2011
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Honors Project
- Language: English
- Date: 2011
- Keywords
- RNA interference, RNAi, Species-targeted Insecticides, Drosophillia melanogaster, Lipid-transport Pathways, Hemolymph, Insects, Lipids, Microsomal Transfer Triglyceride Protein, Apolipophorin II/I, Anti-MTP RNA, MTP, apoLpII/I,