Small RNAs in insects: emerging classes and functions

IF 5.5 1区农林科学 Q1 BIOLOGY

Current opinion in insect science Pub Date : 2026-02-01 Epub Date: 2025-11-09 DOI:10.1016/j.cois.2025.101458

Doga Cedden , Gözde Güney

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Insects produce diverse small RNAs (sRNAs) that play important roles in gene regulation and immunity, and some are being exploited as species-specific pest control strategies. Here, we review recent advances in insect sRNA biology. First, we summarize the canonical classes, microRNAs (miRNAs), small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), and PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs). Next, we highlight emerging functions for transfer RNA-derived sRNAs (tsRNAs) in development and stress responses. We highlight that mechanistic studies are now beginning to link sRNAs to various biological phenomena using methods such as RNA sequencing and degradomics in combination with functional validations. We outline design features that increase the efficacy of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) derived siRNAs and note that siRNAs appear to play a limited part in transposon control compared with piRNAs. We discuss emerging roles of piRNAs in reproduction and sex determination that suggest potential pest control strategies. Lastly, we highlight emerging evidence for cross-kingdom miRNAs delivered by insects to plants to facilitate herbivory, and conversely, plant miRNAs that may be transferred to insects to regulate their physiology. Overall, we argue that our understanding of insect sRNAs is rapidly expanding, which has implications for novel pest management strategies.

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昆虫中的小rna：新出现的类别和功能。

昆虫产生多种小rna (sRNAs)，它们在基因调控和免疫中发挥重要作用，其中一些正被开发为物种特异性害虫防治策略。本文综述了近年来昆虫sRNA生物学的研究进展。首先，我们总结了microRNAs （miRNAs）、小干扰rna （sirna）和PIWI相互作用rna （piRNAs）的典型分类。接下来，我们重点介绍了转移RNA衍生的sRNAs （tsrna）在发育和应激反应中的新功能。我们强调，机制研究现在开始使用RNA测序和降解组学结合功能验证等方法将sRNAs与各种生物现象联系起来。我们概述了提高双链RNA （dsRNA）衍生sinas功效的设计特征，并注意到与pirna相比，sinas在转座子控制中似乎发挥有限的作用。我们讨论了pirna在生殖和性别决定中的新作用，提出了潜在的害虫控制策略。最后，我们强调了昆虫向植物传递跨界mirna以促进食草性的新证据，相反，植物mirna可能转移到昆虫以调节其生理。总的来说，我们认为我们对昆虫sRNAs的理解正在迅速扩大，这对新的害虫管理策略具有重要意义。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Current opinion in insect science BIOLOGYECOLOGYENTOMOLOGY-ECOLOGY

CiteScore

10.40

自引率

1.90%

发文量

113

期刊介绍： Current Opinion in Insect Science is a new systematic review journal that aims to provide specialists with a unique and educational platform to keep up–to–date with the expanding volume of information published in the field of Insect Science. As this is such a broad discipline, we have determined themed sections each of which is reviewed once a year. The following 11 areas are covered by Current Opinion in Insect Science. -Ecology -Insect genomics -Global Change Biology -Molecular Physiology (Including Immunity) -Pests and Resistance -Parasites, Parasitoids and Biological Control -Behavioural Ecology -Development and Regulation -Social Insects -Neuroscience -Vectors and Medical and Veterinary Entomology There is also a section that changes every year to reflect hot topics in the field. Section Editors, who are major authorities in their area, are appointed by the Editors of the journal. They divide their section into a number of topics, ensuring that the field is comprehensively covered and that all issues of current importance are emphasized. Section Editors commission articles from leading scientists on each topic that they have selected and the commissioned authors write short review articles in which they present recent developments in their subject, emphasizing the aspects that, in their opinion, are most important. In addition, they provide short annotations to the papers that they consider to be most interesting from all those published in their topic over the previous year.