CPC C12N 15/113 (2013.01) [A01N 63/60 (2020.01); C12N 15/8218 (2013.01); C12N 15/8286 (2013.01); C12N 2310/14 (2013.01); C12N 2310/531 (2013.01)] | 12 Claims |
1. A small hairpin RNA (shRNA) polynucleotide less than 70 nucleotides in length, the polynucleotide comprising the following structures:
a) a hairpin structure consisting of less than or equal to 25 nucleotides, obtained from an insect microRNA scaffold, that comprises double-stranded nucleotides and single-stranded nucleotides;
b) a DICER-1 recognition and cleavage site structure; and
c) a double-stranded stem structure consisting of 16-25 nucleotide pairs, wherein the two strands of the double-stranded stem structure are 100% complementary to one another;
wherein the two strands of the double-stranded stem structure (c) are connected at one end of the double-stranded stem structure via the hairpin structure (a); wherein the stem structure comprises a polynucleotide that shares 70% to 100% sequence identity with a target polynucleotide of a plant pest;
wherein the shRNA is unable to be cleaved by insect DROSHA.
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