新疆将发展成为我国最大优质红枣生产基地，但近年来病虫害爆发加剧，已经造成严重经济损失。生产上，迫切需要发展安全、高效、新型的策略来控制其危害。精氨酸激酶(AK)在昆虫生命活动中对能量代谢起关键作用，它仅存在无脊椎动物中，针对AK抑制剂对人和高等动物安全性好。本项目以危害新疆红枣产业重大害虫-土耳其斯坦叶螨为研究对象，采用RACE技术克隆其AK基因；设计和构建不同大小和功能区域的dsRNA,并亚克隆至RNase酶III缺陷型大肠杆菌HT115(DE3)中；通过dsRNA饲喂法进行RNAi特异干扰效果试验，从生理、细胞与分子等水平上进行深入系统研究，明确RNAi对害螨损害抑制效应，揭示叶螨精氨酸激酶RNAi沉默的生理与分子机制。本项目基于AK基因RNAi来展示一种潜在的，有吸引力的害螨控制新策略，为农业害螨的防治提供了特异性强且环境安全的新思路。

Xinjiang is developing into the biggest bases for the production of premium jujube in China. However, insect pests have broke out and caused great economic losses in recent years. As a result, there is an urgent need to develop effectively, safely and new alternatives for pest control. Arginine kinase (AK) plays a critical role in cellular energy metabolism in invertebrates. It only presents in invertebrates and is safe towards mammalians and human beings. Tetranychus turkestani, a devastating pest in jujube tree, will be studied. Arginine kinase from T.turkestani will be cloned by RACE technique. Different size and functional regions of dsRNA molecules will be constructed and sub-cloned into RNase III-deficient HT115 (DE3) cells. Feeding-based RNA interference experiments in T.turkestani will be carried out from physiological, molecular and cellular levels. The experiments will confirm the damage effects of dsRNA targeting AK on mites, and explore the physiological and molecular mechanisms of RNAi against mite AK gene. The study will show that RNAi targeting AK is a potential and attractive tool for controlling insect pests, which provides a special, environmentally-sound and new approach in mites control.