Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Subtropical Insects and Horticulture Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #256530
Title: Expressed sequence tag (EST) survey of life stages of the potato psyllid (Bactericera cockerelli) using 454 pyrosequencing

Author
item HAIL, D - University Of Texas
item Hunter, Wayne
item DOWD, S - Spiro Stat Technologies
item BEXTINE, B - University Of Texas

Submitted to: Southwestern Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/23/2010
Publication Date: 10/8/2010
Citation: Hail, D., Hunter, W.B., Dowd, S., Bextine, B.R. 2010. Expressed sequence tag (EST) survey of life stages of the potato psyllid (Bactericera cockerelli) using 454 pyrosequencing. Southwestern Entomologist. 35:463-466.

Interpretive Summary: Identification of genes from psyllids provides new approaches to reduce these serious agricultural insect pests. Psyllids transmit bacterial pathogens of many important fruit and vegetable crops. The potato psyllid is an insect pest of Solanaceous plants, like potato and tomato, and has recently become of interest because of its association with Zebra Chip, an immerging potato disease in the US. Genomic information on the potato psyllid is limited but could be used to develop novel management strategies for the insect and the disease. To that end, genetic information was isolated from these insects. We identified genes which function in structure and muscle, neurological and reproductive developmental processes, stress response, and primary metabolism. We also identified the presence of microbial, viral and fungal symbionts or pathogens in the potato psyllid. Psyllid specific sequences were selected which affect psyllid development and reproduction for further evaluations as candidates for use in RNA-interference approaches to suppress psyllid populations and subsequently reduce the spread of bacteria transmission in the field.

Technical Abstract: A genomics approach was used to identify genes from the transcriptome of the potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli (Hemiptera: Psyllidae). Psyllids have gained attention due to the bacterial pathogens they transmit within the Candidatus Liberibacter species complex, which limits production of many important fruit and vegetable crops. The potato psyllid feeds primarily from Solanaceous plants, like potato and tomato and is the vector of Can. Liberibacter psyllaurous associated with Zebra Chip, an emerging potato disease in the US. Genomic information on the potato psyllid is limited but could be used to develop novel management strategies for the insect and the disease. To that end, genetic information was isolated from these insects. The cDNA libraries were prepared for the 5th instar and adult life stages using the Roche 454 platform sequencing. Within the 106K plus sequences were significant homologies for house-keeping genes, as well as reproductive and developmental processes, stress response, ion transporters, nucleic acid binding and primary metabolism. Sequences aligning to microbes included (Mycobacterium, Xanthomonas, Dictyostelium, Wigglesworthia, Corynebacterium), virus (Eggplant mosaic virus, Enterobacteria phage, Pepper mild mottle virus, Zucchini yellow mosaic virus) and fungi (Emericella, Encephalitozoon, Aspergillus) along with known symbionts. Genomic data was submitted to the public database at NCBI, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=genomeprj&cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=29473 and at the International Psyllid Genome Consortium database, http://www.uttyler.edu/psyllidgenomics/Home.html. From these data psyllid specific sequences were selected which affect psyllid development and reproduction for further evaluations as candidates for use in RNA-interference approaches to suppress psyllid populations and subsequently bacterium transmission.