Author
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Valles, Steven |
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Porter, Sanford |
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Submitted to: Insectes Sociaux
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 1/23/2003 Publication Date: 6/9/2003 Citation: Valles, S.M., Porter, S.D. 2003. Identification of pologyne and mongyne fire ant colonies (Solenopsis invivta) by multiplex PCR of GP-9 alleles. Insectes Sociaux. 50:199-200. Interpretive Summary: The red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, exists in two socially distinct forms. Colonies of the monogyne form are characterized by having a single fertile queen, while the polygyne form contains multiple fertile queens per colony. The polygyne form can be considerably more difficult to control. Hence identification of colony social form is highly desirable from a control standpoint. Unfortunately, current methods to identify social form are destructive, subjective, or labor intensive. Scientists at the Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology have developed a molecular method capable of identifying social form in red imported fire ants in as little as 3 hours. Technical Abstract: Oligonucleotide primers were designed to discriminate between the Gp-9B and Gp-9b alleles found in the two social forms (monogyne and polygyne) of Solenopsis invicta. Primers specific for the Gp-9B allele produced a 518 bp amplicon and primers specific for Gp-9b allele produced a 423 bp amplicon. When both sets of primers were multiplexed, monogyne ants produced a single 518 bp amplicon (specific for Gp-9B), whereas polygyne ants produced one 518 bp amplicon and one 423 bp amplicon (specific for Gp-9B and Gp-9b, respectively) which allowed the Gp-9 alleles to be discerned in a single reaction. |
