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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Columbia, Missouri » Biological Control of Insects Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #181308

Title: CROSS-SPECIES INVESTIGATION OF HELICOVERPA ARMIGERA MICROSATELLITES FOR DETERMINATION OF GENETIC VARIATION ON OTHER RELATED LEPIDOPTERAN SPECIES

Author
item Grasela, James
item McIntosh, Arthur

Submitted to: Journal of Insect Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/20/2005
Publication Date: 12/31/2005
Citation: Grasela, J.J., Mcintosh, A.H. 2005. Cross-species investigation of Helicoverpa armigera microsatellites for determination of genetic variation on other related lepidopteran species. Journal of Insect Science. 5(47):1-13.

Interpretive Summary: Many types of gene markers have been used to identify differences in insect populations that cause significant damage to important agricultural crops in the United States. One form that has provided important information on insect pest genetics consists of 3 to 5 DNA letters grouped together and repeated along the length of the DNA molecule. A major drawback using these markers is the extensive amount of work required to develop them. We successfully applied four previously developed gene markers for the Old World bollworm to the corn earworm, tobacco budworm, and fruitworm. This information will be useful to researchers in agriculture, industry and academia and may be potentially useful as markers to even more related pest insect species.

Technical Abstract: Primers designed to amplify microsatellite DNA markers in Helicoverpa armigera larvae were tested in three closely related species: Helicoverpa zea, Heliothis virescens, and Heliothis subflexa. Only four of fourteen loci examined were able to consistently demonstrate scorable single-copy microsatellite bands. Of these four, length polymorphism was identified only in the HaC14, HaB60 and HarSSR1. Partial DNA sequences of all the identified single-copy microsatellites are presented as well as alignments to their respective Helicoverpa armigera microsatellite.