Microarray analysis of female- and larval-specific gene expression in the horn fly, Haematobia irritans

Authors: Guerrero, Felicito; Dowd, Scot; Sun, Ying Fang; Saldivar, Leonel; WILEY, GRAHAM; MACMIL, SIMONE; NAJAR, FARES; ROE, BRUCE; FOIL, L

Submitted to: Journal of Medical Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/12/2008
Publication Date: 3/1/2012
Citation: Guerrero, F., Dowd, S.E., Sun, Y., Saldivar, L., Wiley, G.B., Macmil, S.L., Najar, F., Roe, B.A., Foil, L.D. 2012. Microarray analysis of female- and larval-specific gene expression in the horn fly, Haematobia irritans. Journal of Medical Entomology. 46(2):257-270.

Interpretive Summary: Novel population control technologies are being evaluated for their utility against agricultural pests. One of these technologies involves the use of dominant female conditional-lethal genetic systems. A critical need in this type of system is a highly expressed female-specific gene promoter which can be used to express large amounts of a lethality-inducing gene product in the insect of interest. There are no horn fly gene promoters identified to date which can serve this purpose. We designed microarray experiments from a recently developed horn fly EST database and probed to identify female-specific and larval-specific differential gene expression. We found 431 and 419 genes which were over- and under-expressed in adult female flies, respectively, compared to adult male flies. Additionally, 419 and 871 transcripts were over- and under-expressed in first instar larvae compared to adult flies. Three transcripts were identified which were over-expressed in adult females flies compared to adult males and which also were over-expressed in the first instar larval lifestage compared to adult flies. These three transcripts are candidates to provide the gene promoter for use in the dominant female conditional-lethal genetic system being designed for the horn fly.

Technical Abstract: Dominant conditional lethal gene systems are being investigated as population control technologies against agricultural insect pests. One of the critical components of these systems is a highly expressed female-specific gene promoter which can be used to drive expression of a lethality-inducing gene. To identify candidate genes to supply this gene promoter, microarrays were designed from a recently developed horn fly EST database and probed to identify female-specific and larval-specific differential gene expression. Analysis of dyeswap experiments found 431 and 419 transcripts which were over- and under-expressed in adult female flies, respectively, compared to adult male flies. Additionally, 419 and 871 transcripts were over- and under-expressed in first instar larvae compared to adult flies. Three transcripts were identified which were over-expressed in adult females flies compared to adult males and which also were over-expressed in the first instar larval lifestage compared to adult flies.