Fig. 1

Phenotypes and mortality induced by RNAi-mediated knockdown of HDAC3 in T. castaneum. A a) dsHDAC3 was injected into the newly molted last instar larvae. Developmental defects and mortality were recorded every day until adult eclosion. The knockdown of the HDAC3 gene affected pupal development resulting in abnormally folded wings. b) Control larvae injected with dsmalE pupated in 5–6 days after injection and later emerged as healthy adults. c) The larvae injected with dsHDAC3 at 72 h after ecdysis to last instar larval stage pupated but showed abnormally folded wings. d) dsHDAC3 injected into newly formed pupae caused defects in the wing development. e) Healthy adults have emerged from the pupae injected with dsmalE. B HDAC3 mRNA levels were determined in larvae, pupae, and adults injected with dsHDAC3 or dsmalE. dsRNA were injected into day 0 last instar larvae, pupae and adults and the insects were collected on the third day after treatment, total RNA extracted and used to determine relative HDAC3 mRNA levels. Levels not connected by the same letter are significantly different. Mean ± SE (n = 30) are shown. C Injection of dsHDAC3 into day 0 last instar larvae, pupae and adults induced 30, 41 and 54% mortality, respectively mortality not connected by the same letter are significantly different. Mean ± SE (n = 30) are shown