Identification and RNA Interference-Based Functional Analysis of Chitin Deacetylase Genes in Bemisia tabaci
1
School of Life Sciences, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, China
2
Key Laboratory of Microbial Diversity Research and Application of Hebei Province, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, China
3
Engineering Research Center of Ecological Safety and Conservation in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (Xiong’an New Area) of MOE, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Insects 2026, 17(6), 628; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects17060628
Submission received: 7 May 2026
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Revised: 10 June 2026
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Accepted: 12 June 2026
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Published: 15 June 2026
Simple Summary
The whitefly, Bemisia tabaci, is a globally destructive agricultural pest that causes substantial economic losses through direct plant sap feeding and transmission of plant viruses. Current management relies primarily on chemical insecticides. RNA interference-based insect pest control is considered a green and sustainable alternative B. tabaci control strategy. In this study, we identified four key chitin deacetylase genes in B. tabaci—BtCDA1, BtCDA2a, BtCDA2b, and BtCDA4—that are involved in the formation of critical structures, such as the insect cuticle and midgut matrix. Delivery of corresponding double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) into B. tabaci using the nanomaterial SPc, or allowing whiteflies to feed on transgenic tomato plants producing dsRNAs, effectively silenced the target genes. These findings demonstrate that RNA interference-mediated targeting of these genes is promising for developing novel, environmentally friendly strategies for B. tabaci management.
Abstract
Chitin deacetylases (CDAs) play important roles in the growth and development of insects. In this study, four genes encoding chitin deacetylases (BtCDAs) were identified and characterized in the genome of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci MEAM1 cryptic species through bioinformatic annotation. Phylogenetic analysis showed that insect chitin deacetylases could be divided into five groups, with no Group II, IV, or V CDAs found in B. tabaci. Investigation of the developmental expression patterns of the four BtCDAs revealed that BtCDA1, BtCDA2a, BtCDA2b, and BtCDA4 were expressed at varying levels during the egg and nymph stages, with extremely low expression levels in adults. Delivery of dsRNA targeting BtCDA1, BtCDA2a/b, and BtCDA4 to fourth-instar nymphs of B. tabaci using the nanomaterial SPc resulted in significant gene silencing and mortality. A fusion gene of the three BtCDAs was designed based on the four BtCDA genes and subjected to RNAi experiments, demonstrating that both transgenic tomato and SPc-mediated delivery of fusion gene dsRNA could silence all BtCDA genes. These preliminary results indicate that the RNAi targeting of BtCDAs leads to substantial mortality in B. tabaci, highlighting the potential of BtCDAs as effective targets for RNAi-based pest management strategies.
