Figure 2

Effect of dsRNA injections on trypsin 1 expression. A. Reduction of specific trypsin-like activity in the midgut of dsRNA Trypsin 1-injected Lu. Longipalpis compared to dsAMP-injected and uninjected sand flies. Bar charts represent mean ± SEM of samples combined from 3 independent experiments.* indicates statistical significance at p < 0.05 (U Mann-Whitney). B. Representative RT-PCR showing individual sand fly profiles of the Lu. longipalpis Trypsin 1 gene for dsTryp1-injected, dsAMP-injected and uninjected sand flies. C. Relative expression of the Lu. longipalpis Trypsin 1 gene for uninjected sand flies, mock-injected flies, and dsTryp1-injected sand flies using stock concentrations of 0.45, 2.5 and 4.5 μg/μL (14.4, 80 and 144 ng of dsRNA per fly, respectively). Bar charts represent mean ± SEM of samples combined from 2 independent experiments. Kruskal-Wallis p = 0.013. ** indicates statistical significance at p = 0.016 between sand flies injected with 4.5 μg/μL dsRNA compared to uninjected, mock-injected and flies injected with 0.45 μg/μL. *** indicates statistical significance at p = 0.032 between flies injected with 2.5 μg/μL and mock-injected flies (U Mann-Whitney).