Effects of Varroa destructor calmodulin dsRNA treatment on gene expression of foundress Varroa mites

Laboratory mini-hives of honey bees and Varroa were used to test the effects of vadescana dsRNA, which is specific in sequence to a Varroa destructor calmodulin mRNA, applied at two concentrations on the survival, reproduction, and gene expression of these parasites. RNA-seq was performed on pooled samples of foundress mites collected from bee brood (pupal) cells either 5 days after cells were capped (early uncapping) or from brood cells of emerging adult bees (late uncapping) to determine effects of vadescana on gene expression. Vadescana was developed by GreenLight Biosciences, Inc. (Medford, MA, USA) and is the active ingredient in their RNAi-based biopesticide product (brand name: NorroaTM; pending regulatory approval) for control of Varroa mites in honey bee colonies.