RNAi Suppression of Hormone Receptor HR3 Blocks Larval Molting and Metamorphosis in the Cigarette Beetle, Lasioderma serricorne

Hormone receptor 3 (HR3), an early-late gene of the 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) signaling pathway, plays a critical role in insect metamorphosis and development. In this study, we identified characterized HR3 (LsHR3) from cigarette beetle, Lasioderma serricorne. The open reading frame LsHR3 is 1581 bp encoding 527 amino acid protein that contains conserved DNA binding domain ligand domain. was mainly expressed fourth-instar larvae, prepupae, pupae showed high expression fat body. induced by 20E, while it significantly suppressed silencing six 20E synthesis pathway genes. RNA interference (RNAi)-aided knockdown larvae disrupted larval–pupal molting caused 100% mortality. titer LsHR3-depletion decreased, expressions five genes were dramatically decreased. Silencing reduced chitin content downregulated involved degradation. Hematoxylin eosin staining abdominal cuticle no apolysis occurred after LsHR3. These results suggest LsHR3-mediated regulation metabolism during process L. serricorne, targeting RNAi has potential controlling pest.