USE OF FANA ANTISENSE OLIGONUCLEOTIDES FOR THE PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF HUANGLONGBING AND ZEBRA CHIP DISEASES

摘要

The present invention is based on the seminal discovery that FANA antisense oligonucleotides inhibit the growth of bacteria harbored within plant-feeding insects, wherein the insect is chewing or feeding from the xylem, phloem, or mesophyll. Specifically, the use of FANA antisense oligonucleotides decreases the expression of target RNA or DNA and inhibits growth of CLas within the psyllid D. citri, which then prevents the transmission of CLas from D. citri to a citrus tree, or of CLso within the psyllid Bactericera cockerelli which prevents the transmission of CLso from Bactericera cockerelli to a Solanaceous plant. Specifically, the use of FANA antisense oligonucleotides decreases the expression of target RNA or DNA and inhibits growth of CLas within the host plant, citrus or Solanaceous, which then prevents the transmission of CLas from D. citri to a citrus tree, or which prevents the transmission of CLso from Bactericera cockerelli to a Solanaceous plant.