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Molecular profiling of proteolytic and lectin transcripts in Homalodisca vitripennis (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Cicadellidae) feeding on sunflower and cowpea
Author(s) -
Coudron Thomas A.,
Brandt Sandra L.,
Hunter Wayne B.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
archives of insect biochemistry and physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.576
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1520-6327
pISSN - 0739-4462
DOI - 10.1002/arch.20200
Subject(s) - biology , complementary dna , midgut , helianthus annuus , vigna , microbiology and biotechnology , sunflower , botany , gene , biochemistry , larva , horticulture
Homalodisca vitripennis Germar 1821 (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) [Takiya et al. (2006) Ann Entomol Soc Am 99:648–655; syn. H. coagulata (Say)] salivary gland and gut EST libraries were used to isolate cDNA fragments of the gene transcripts encoding for cathepsin L, asparaginyl endopeptidase, cathepsin B, metalloendopeptidase, cathepsin D, multicatalytic endopeptidase, and a sugar‐binding C‐type lectin. Transcript levels were evaluated in immature and adult H. vitripennis feeding on sunflower ( Helianthus annuus ) or cowpea ( Vigna unguiculata ). Northern blot hybridization results showed that expression of most of the transcripts were similar for all developmental stages and feeding on the two diets examined. However, the expression of the transcript for asparaginyl endopeptidase was less expressed in sunflower‐fed adult females compared to sunflower‐fed immatures. Also, the expression of the C‐type lectin transcript was up‐regulated in adults compared to immatures when fed on either diet. Documenting both the presence and variation of transcript expression involved in putative digestive proteolysis in this xylem‐feeding leafhopper is noteworthy and aids efforts to design specific diet formulations for mass production of hosts and parasitoids to be used as effective biological control measures. Arch. Insect Biochem. Physiol. 66:76–88, 2007. Published 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.