Genetic biosensor for optimizing double-stranded RNA production by bacterial symbionts

There is growing interest in engineering animal and plant microbiomes to deliver double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) for RNA interference (RNAi) applications. We developed a genetically encoded biosensor that uses bimolecular fluorescence complementation to monitor dsRNA levels within bacterial cells to accelerate the symbiont-mediated RNAi design-build-test cycle. We validated performance of the sensor in Escherichia coli and demonstrated enhanced dsRNA accumulation in engineered strains of the aphid symbiont Serratia symbiotica.