Data on the rate of biodegradation of dsRNAs in the environment is an essential element of a comprehensive environmental risk assessment of RNA-based agricultural products. The continued use of RNA-based gene suppression for agricultural products necessitates the development of novel analytical methods to evaluate the biodegradation potential of dsRNAs. Therefore, we have developed two complementary techniques to assess the rate of dsRNA degradation in soil including a molecular hybridization assay (QuantiGene�) to quantify the amount of dsRNA, and a sensitive insect bioassay to measure the dissipation of biological activity. QuantiGene results demonstrate that dsRNA rapidly degrades in representative agricultural soils alone or within a soil-corn tissue mixture. Furthermore, results from the insect bioassay indicate a nearly identical time-dependent loss in biological activity. Results from complementary methods support a lack of persistence of dsRNA in the soil environment and will support exposure assessment needed to characterize environmental risk of RNA-based agricultural products.

Assessing the environmental fate of RNA-based products in representative agricultural soils

248th National Meeting (2014)

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