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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Columbia, Missouri » Biological Control of Insects Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #110452

Title: INGESTION AND DIGESTION OF GREEN FLUORESCENT PROTEIN (GFP) BY THE WESTERN TARNISHED PLANT BUG, LYGUS HESPERUS

Author
item HABIBI, JAVAD - UNIV OF MISSOURI
item Coudron, Thomas
item BACKUS, ELAINE - UNIV OF MISSOURI
item Brandt, Sandra
item Wagner, Renee
item HUESING, J - MONSANTO

Submitted to: Entomology International Congress
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/10/2000
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: We investigated the ingestion, absorption, degradation, excretion, and salivation of GFP by the western tarnished plant bug, Lygus Hesperus. Analysis of GFP, administered through the diet, indicated that L. Hesperus is a discrete intermittent feeder, with a maximum volume of ca. 10 ul for each meal. The time from ingestion to first excretion was 3 hrs. GFP was detected in the hemolymph and saliva at ca. 5 and 6 h post feeding, respectively. Brightfield and fluorescence microscopy showed that GFP bound to the anterior part of the midgut and posterior part of the hindgut and caused disruption of epithelial cells in second instar nymphs. In adult females GFP bound to brush-border microvilli of midgut epithelial cells. Also, the holoprotein of GFP, ingested per os, was found associated with fat body and hemolymph. Changes were noted in the composition of the acidic and basic proteins in the hemolymph with the addition of GFP to the diet. Electrophoretic analysis revealed that fecal material from insects fed diet containing GFP had a protein profile different than that of fecal material from insects fed control diet. Hence, incorporation of GFP in the diet may affect the digestion and absorption of dietary proteins.