RNA activation in insects: From emerging evidence to molecular applications

RNA interference is commonly used as a reverse genetics tool to investigate gene function. In insects, this is achieved by introducing double-stranded RNA or synthetic short-interfering RNAs (siRNAs). However, RNA activation (RNAa) is less frequently utilised in these studies. RNAa can be achieved by targeting a gene's promoter with antisense RNA, which triggers endogenous transcription. Unlike the siRNA mechanism, which is well characterised, the RNAa mechanism is less well known. In the literature, 'RNAa' has been adopted to describe diverse small RNA-mediated upregulation mechanisms that may not necessarily function through the canonical RNAa mechanism described in mammals, which involves interaction of the small RNA with the promoter region. Although the outcomes of RNAi and RNAa differ, some components are shared between their pathways, such as Argonaute proteins. In this minireview, RNAa, its canonical and non-canonical mechanisms, and applications in insect research are examined with the aim of encouraging its use as a tool in Insect Molecular Biology.