ArticleScientific reports2026
A model system test of trophic transmission of RNA interference effects using the milkweed bug Oncopeltus fasciatus (Hemiptera).
Article in Scientific reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
Abstract
Designing species-specific dsRNAs makes gene knockdown by RNA interference (RNAi) ideal for pest control. Here, we establish the milkweed bug Oncopeltus fasciatus as a lab model to assess RNAi impacts. Oncopeltus are harmless, easy to rear and highly susceptible to RNAi. Knockdown of developmental regulatory genes by parental RNAi-dsRNA administered to adult females with effects observed in their offspring-is technically straightforward and even partial knockdown results in scorable, gene-specific morphological defects. Defects were detectable at low dsRNA doses and duration of effects increased with dose, exhibiting improved sensitivity over measurements of mortality. While delivery by injection is most effective, we show that Oncopeltus are susceptible to RNAi via ingestion. We tested potential passage of RNAi effects from prey to predator, exploiting Oncopeltus egg cannibalism, injecting females with dsRNA and feeding their offspring to different females never exposed to exogenous dsRNA. The offspring of this second group of females displayed gene-specific defects in similar ranges to females directly fed dsRNA. Thus, RNAi effects can be passed generationally and trophically. Although effects on non-target organisms through the food chain are possible, the subtle responses in this scenario suggest they are unlikely to be problematic for agricultural RNAi insecticides.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.