Compositions for controlling Varroa mites in bees

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10801028-B2
Application number	US-201715498008-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 26, 2017
Priority date	Oct 14, 2009
Publication date	Oct 13, 2020
Grant date	Oct 13, 2020

Abstract

An isolated nucleic acid agent is disclosed comprising a nucleic acid sequence which downregulates expression of a gene product of a Varroa destructor mite. Compositions comprising same and uses thereof are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A composition comprising at least one nucleic acid agent which comprises a nucleic acid sequence which downregulates expression of a gene product of a Varroa destructor mite, and wherein said nucleic acid agent does not comprise a permeation enhancing agent selected from the group consisting of a virus, a polyamine, a polycation, a lipopolyamine, an anionic lipid, a neutral lipid, a pH sensitive lipid, transferrin, biotin, a serum protein, a glycoprotein, polyethylene glycol, and a cationic lipid.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said at least one nucleic acid agent comprises at least five nucleic acid agents, for down-regulating ATPase subunit A, RNA polymerase III, Inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP), FAS apoptotic inhibitor and α-Tubulin, each of said at least five nucleic acid agent targeting a different gene.

3. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said at least one nucleic acid agent comprises at least six nucleic acid agents, for down-regulating ATPase subunit A, RNA polymerase I, RNA polymerase III, Inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP), FAS apoptotic inhibitor and α-Tubulin, each of said at least six nucleic acid agents for targeting a different gene.

4. The composition of claim 2 , wherein said nucleic acid agents are as set forth in SEQ ID Nos: 1, 13, 27, 30 and 39.

5. The composition of claim 3 , wherein said nucleic acid agents are as set forth in SEQ ID Nos: 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 27, 30, 33, 36 and 39.

6. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said composition is in solid form.

7. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said composition is in liquid form.

8. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises protein.

9. The composition of claim 7 , wherein said liquid is a sucrose solution.

10. The composition of claim 7 , wherein said liquid is a corn syrup solution.

11. The composition of claim 7 , wherein said liquid further comprises a carbohydrate or sugar supplement.

12. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid sequence comprises a sequence complementary to at least 21 nucleotides of Varroa destructor mite messenger RNA (mRNA).

13. The composition of claim 12 , wherein said Varroa destructor mite mRNA encodes a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of ATPase subunit A, RNA polymerase III, IAP, FAS apoptotic inhibitor, and α-Tubulin.

14. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid sequence is greater than 15 base pairs in length.

15. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid sequence is greater than 19 to 25 base pairs in length.

16. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid sequence is greater than 30 base pairs in length.

17. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said at least one nucleic acid agent is selected from the group consisting of a double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), an antisense RNA, and a ribozyme.

18. The composition of claim 17 , wherein said dsRNA is selected from the group consisting of a small inhibitory RNA (siRNA), a short-hairpin RNA (shRNA), and a microRNA (miRNA).

Assignees

• Yissum Res Dev Co Of Hebrew Univ Jerusalem Ltd
• Beeologics Inc

Inventors

• Sela Ilan
• Shafir Sharoni
• Maori Eyal
• Garbian Yael
• Ben-Chanoch Eyal
• Yarden Gal
• Kalev Haim

Classifications

• C12N15/1137 Primary

  against enzymes (viral enzymes C12N15/1131; receptors C12N15/1138) · CPC title

• C12N15/113

  Non-coding nucleic acids modulating the expression of genes, e.g. antisense oligonucleotides; {Antisense DNA or RNA; Triplex- forming oligonucleotides; Catalytic nucleic acids, e.g. ribozymes; Nucleic acids used in co-suppression or gene silencing (when used in plants C12N15/8218)} · CPC title

• A61K31/713

  Double-stranded nucleic acids or oligonucleotides · CPC title

• A23K50/90 Primary

  for insects, e.g. bees or silkworms · CPC title

• A23K20/163

  Sugars; Polysaccharides · CPC title