Tc OBP functional characterization.

<p>(<b>A</b>) qRT-PCR analysis of the OBP mRNA expression levels in Tc larvae of different weight, using RPS18 mRNA as reference. (<b>B</b>) OBP silencing in Tc larvae in response to injection of dsRNA against Tc OBP. The relative amount of Tc OBP transcript estimated by qRT-PCR in control and silenced larvae was compared normalized to the expression of <i>RPS18</i> gene. The statistical significance of the gene expression between the two samples was evaluated using Student's <i>t</i>-test and significant knockdown was observed (p<0.05). Error bars represent standard error of the mean of two biological replicates. (<b>C</b>) Mortality percentage following Cry3Ba, Cry23Aa/Cry37Aa or Cry1Ac spore-crystal treatments on either buffer-injected (control) or OBP dsRNA-injected larvae. Mortality experiments were performed using fifty Tc larvae in each spore-crystal treatment and the corresponding controls. Error bars represent standard error of the mean of at least two biological replicates. Mortality increase observed upon Bt treatments in OBP silenced larvae respect to buffer-injected larvae was statistically significant using Student's <i>t</i>-test (p<0.05).