AMINE-CONTAINING POLYMERS COMPLEXED WITH dsRNA AS A PROOF OF CONCEPT TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE CROP PROTECTION

Karine Panico^*, Mariana Martins Reis Andrade, Fernando Augusto de Oliveira, Hana Paula Masuda, Fernando Carlos Giacomelli

Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, Santo André, Brazil

([email protected])

Genetic engineering can be highly effective in agriculture and the development of RNA-based biopesticides is gaining momentum as an alternative to chemical-based control measures, with pests and pathogens targeted with accuracy and specificity.¹ The RNAi-nanotechnology is indeed expected to reduce adverse environmental effects of chemical pesticides currently used. Limitations in this framework include the stability of the nucleic acids in topical applications and enzymatic degradation in the digestive tract of insects. The RNA susceptibility to degradation aiming crop protection can be circumvented by polyplex formulation using cationic polymers². We have accordingly investigated the use of amine-containing polymers complexed with dsRNA as a proof of concept to be used in crop protection. It has been evidenced that polymers with pKa higher than pH values (pH ~ 5.8) found in field conditions (for instance block copolymers containing segments of poly(2-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) with a pKa around 7.5) can indeed provide protection and stabilize dsRNA, avoiding premature degradation by nucleases without relevant levels of phytotoxicity.

Keywords: nucleic acids; amine-containing polymers; polyplexes; crop protection

Acknowledgements: We acknowledge the sponsoring by FAPESP (grant 2021/12071-6).

References:

1. P. K. Das et al. RSC Adv. 2022, 12(53):34463-3448. 
2. B. Baptista et al. Biomater Adv. 2023, 145:213267.