Open AccessElectromechanical Microinjection of Pink Bollworm Pectinophora gossypiella Embryos Increases Survival
Author(s) -
John J. Peloquin,
Stephen T. Thibault,
Leo P. Schouest,
Thomas A. Miller
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
biotechniques/biotechniques
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.617
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1940-9818
pISSN - 0736-6205
DOI - 10.2144/97223st04
Subject(s) - pink bollworm , microinjection , drosophila melanogaster , biology , embryo , drosophila (subgenus) , caenorhabditis elegans , transformation (genetics) , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , botany , larva , gene
We report and compare methods and apparatus for injection of pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders), embryos. Injection with an electromechanical device resulted in 59% survival of embryos. Previous techniques relying on a mechanical manipulator resulted in 8% survival. Pink bollworm (PBW) embryo injection technology is based in part on methods developed for injection and genetic transformation of Caenorhabditis elegans ([Maupas] Dougherty) and Drosophila melanogaster (Meigen) with substantial alterations in both method and apparatus to accommodate special conditions of PBW biology, behavior and morphology. The microinjection methodology described here has direct application to other difficult-to-inject insects and invertebrates.