Dnmt1 knockdown of female Bemisia tabaci

The function of methylation in insects and the DNA methyltransferase (Dnmt) genes that influence methylation remains uncertain. We used RNAi to reduce the gene expression of Dnmt1 within the whitefly Bemisia tabaci, a Hemipteran species that relies on Dnmt1 for proper gametogenesis. We then used RNA-seq to test an a priori hypothesis that meiosis related genetic pathways would be perturbed. We also characterized the methylome of B. tabaci and assessed the influence of Dnmt1 knockdown on cytosine methylation. This species has methylome characteristics comparable to other Hemipterans regarding overall level, enrichment within gene bodies, and bimodal distribution of methylated/non-methylated genes.