Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Gainesville, Florida » Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology » Chemistry Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #322903

Title: Isolation, characterization, and expression analyses of ecdysone receptor 1, ecdysone receptor 2 and ultraspiracle genes in varroa destructor mite

Author
item Li, Qin-Bao
item CABRERA CORDON, ANA - Bayer Corporation
item Teal, Peter
item Shirk, Paul

Submitted to: Genbank
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/20/2015
Publication Date: 10/14/2015
Citation: Li, Q., Cabrera Cordon, A.R., Teal, P.E., Shirk, P.D. 2015. Isolation, characterization, and expression analyses of ecdysone receptor 1, ecdysone receptor 2 and ultraspiracle genes in varroa destructor mite. Genbank. KR230042-46,KR363132.

Interpretive Summary: The varroa mite, Varroa destructor, is a honeybee ectoparasite considered the most important pest in apiaries throughout the US. Ecdysone receptor is a hormone secreted by the prothoracic gland of insects that controls ecdysis and stimulates metamorphosis. The ecdysone receptor is a nuclear receptor that controls development and contributes to other processes such as reproduction. The receptor is a non-covalent heterodimer of two proteins, the EcR protein and ultraspiracle protein (USP). Scientists at CMAVE in collaboration with the Bee Research Laboratory (ERL, ARS-USDA) cloned two complete ecdysone(ECR) and one ultraspiracle protein(USP) genes from the varroa mite. These cDNA and genomic DNA sequences were submitted to the NCBI database and the assigned accession numbers were KR230042, KR230043, KR230044, KR230045, KR230046 and KR363132 for VdEcR1, VdEcR2, VdUSP, respectively. The study of these genes will advance our knowledge of the varroa mite reproduction and it will be possible to learn more about the host- parasite interaction in the honeybee-varroa mite system.

Technical Abstract: The varroa mite, Varroa destructor, is a honeybee ectoparasite considered the most important pest in apiaries throughout the US. Ecdysone receptor is a hormone secreted by the prothoracic gland of insects that controls ecdysis and stimulates metamorphosis. The ecdysone receptor is a nuclear receptor that controls development and contributes to other processes such as reproduction. The receptor is a non-covalent heterodimer of two proteins, the EcR protein and ultraspiracle protein (USP). Scientists at CMAVE in collaboration with the Bee Research Laboratory (ERL, ARS-USDA) cloned two complete ecdysone(ECR) and one ultraspiracle protein(USP) genes from the varroa mite. These cDNA and genomic DNA sequences were submitted to the NCBI database and the assigned accession numbers were KR230042, KR230043, KR230044, KR230045, KR230046 and KR363132 for VdEcR1, VdEcR2, VdUSP, respectively. The study of these genes will advance our knowledge of the varroa mite reproduction and it will be possible to learn more about the host- parasite interaction in the honeybee-varroa mite system.