IDENTIFYING GENETIC TARGETS FOR GLASSY-WINGED SHARPSHOOTER CONTROL: AVAILABLE GENETIC DATASETS FOR THE GLASSY-WINGED SHARPSHOOTER

• Author(s): Dang, P.; Hunter, Wayne;
• Abstract: Genes identified from the glassy-winged sharpshooter, GWSS, (Homalodisca coagulata) are available on NCBI, ESTdb. Posted by Dr. Wayne Hunter at the U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory, Ft. Pierce, FL. More genes are scheduled to be released by March 2004. Examples of the data construction, protocols, and BLAST results are presented. One set of genes identified was Heat Shock Proteins. Eight unique genes for hsp20.8, hsp70, hsp90, hsp83, and others had a significant identity to heat shock proteins described from Drosophila, and other insects. The assembled sequences averaged just over 1,100 base pairs, with the longest being 1,361 bases. The identification of genes being expressed in adult GWSS and their putative functions in relation to stress, adverse environmental conditions, biology and development were categorized using the Gene Ontology classification resulting in genes for Cell communication, cell adhesion, cell signaling, cell death, cell differentiation, cell growth/maintenance. Developmental genes- Aging, cell differentiation, larval development, morphogenesis, Organs- eye, gut, heart, imaginal disc development, muscle, nerves, and tracheal system. Reproduction. Carbohydrate utilization and metabolism, transport, enzymatic pathways, cuticle biosynthesis and others. These cDNA libraries provide important information on thousands of potential genetic targets which may be used to develop methods aimed at reducing GWSS populations, and will increase our understanding of sharpshooter biology.
• Publication Date: Aug 2003
• Journal: 2003 Pierce's Disease Research Symposium