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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » Corn Insects and Crop Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #135483
Title: TWO SEX-CHROMOSOME-LINKED MICROSATELLITE LOCI SHOW GEOGRAPHIC VARIANCE AMONG NORTH AMERICAN OSTRINIA NUBILALIS

Author
item Coates, Brad
item Hellmich Ii, Richard

Submitted to: Journal of Insect Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/30/2003
Publication Date: 9/9/2003
Citation: COATES, B.S., HELLMICH II, R.L. TWO SEX-CHROMOSOME-LINKED MICROSATELLITE LOCI SHOW GEOGRAPHIC VARIANCE AMONG NORTH AMERICAN OSTRINIA NUBILALIS. AVAILABLE FROM insectscience.org/3.29. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE. 2003. V. 3:29. P. 1-6.

Interpretive Summary: The European corn borer is a major crop pest in the United States. In continuing efforts to characterize genetic differences within the North American population, we identified a microsatellite located on the sex chromosome. Microsatellites are regions of DNA where a short sequence is repeated in tandem with the number of repeats present varying among individuals. The microsatellite was the first sex-linked microsatellite from a lepidopteran species, and had the unusual property of being highly conserved among related crop pest species. We used variation in repeat number of the microsatellite to identify genetic differences between European corn borer populations, and infer relationships to other species. This information will be useful for all stakeholders interested in understanding the genetics of European corn borer and finding novel ways to control European corn borers.

Technical Abstract: A (GAAAAT)n repeat microsatellite was isolated from a partial Ostrinia nubilalis genomic library. Pedigree analysis indicated the marker was female specific, and referred to as Ostrinia nubilalis W-chromosome marker 1 (ONW1). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequence analysis indicated that intact repeats of three, four, or five GAAAAT units were responsible for observed allele size differences. ONW1 amplification from 450 O. nubilalis females from ten North American locations indicated no significant ONW1 allele frequency differences were present between subpopulations or ecotypes. Low ONW1 mutation rate was inferred from population data, and attributed to reduced number of cell divisions during oogenesis, low repeat numbers, or short array length. Lack of meiotic crossover and fixation of nucleotides flanking the repeat may contribute to success of interspecies PCR amplification. The microsatellite was the first sex-linked microsatellite from a lepidopteran species, and had the unusual property of being highly conserved among related crop pest species. ONW1 may be informative for evaluation of ancient relationships and inferring the rate of lepidopteran sex chromosome evolution.