Randy Oliver:

> It is not RNA silencing--it is dsRNA, which simply primes the bee's natural immune response against assembly of the virus. 

Nitzan Paldi:

RNAi refers to the process of sequence-specific post-transcriptional gene silencing in animals mediated by short interfering RNAs (siRNAs). RNA interference technology (RNAi) has been used successfully to silence endogenous insect (including honey bee) genes both by injection and feeding. RNA interference by dsRNA is effective in silencing gene expression in a broad variety of species.

In a variety of organisms, exogenously applied dsRNA or their siRNA derivatives, can be used to arrest, retard or even prevent a variety of pathogens. An amplification stage follows the initiation stage of gene silencing.  To serve as a preventive or curative strategy, amplification and systemic spread of the silencing signal are both paramount.

The replicating viral genome serves as a template for dsRNA/siRNA amplification via virus encoded RdRp, and subsequent continued silencing of the virus.

To determine if IAPV can be silenced using RNAi technology, we had to (1) purify IAPV from honey bees, (2) infect honey bee colonies with IAPV and/or Remebee-I and (3) determine IAPV presence in experimental colonies.

refs:

RNA interference (RNAi) technology to prevent Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus disease in honey bees (Apis mellifera, Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Large-Scale Field Application of RNAi Technology Reducing Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus Disease in Honey Bees (Apis mellifera, Hymenoptera: Apidae)
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