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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Invasive Insect Biocontrol & Behavior Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #299008
Title: Complete genome sequence of a novel iflavirus from the transcriptome of Halyomorpha halys, the brown marmorated stink bug.

Author
item Sparks, Michael
item Gundersen-Rindal, Dawn
item Harrison, Robert - Bob

Submitted to: Genome Announcements
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/31/2013
Publication Date: 11/27/2013
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/58849
Citation: Sparks, M., Gundersen, D.E., Harrison, R.L. 2013. Complete genome sequence of a novel iflavirus from the transcriptome of Halyomorpha halys, the brown marmorated stink bug.. Genome Announcements. 1(6):e00910-13.

Interpretive Summary: The brown marmorated stink bug is a new insect pest that is causing millions of dollars in crop damage in the mid-Atlantic region of the USA. Chemical insecticides used to kill this pest come with negative ecological, environmental, and health consequences, and are not an option for organic agriculture. Naturally occurring insect viruses have been used in the past to kill insect pests without the problems of chemical insecticides. In this study, the nucleotide sequence for the genome of a previously undescribed virus was discovered in the brown marmorated stink bug. The features of this genome sequence were characterized and described. Because of the significant threat that the brown marmorated stink bug poses to US agriculture, this study will be of interest to scientists in academia, government, and industry who work in pest control.

Technical Abstract: An Asian species of stink bug, Halyomorpha halys, currently poses a significant threat to fruit and vegetable crops in the mid-Atlantic USA. We report the genome sequence of a novel iflavirus present in a colony of H. halys. Phylogenetic inference with a conserved polymerase domain reveals that the H. halys virus is most closely related to honeybee sacbrood virus and Lygus lineolaris virus-1.