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Title: ACTIN GENES FROM THE GLASSY-WINGED SHARPSHOOTER (HEMIPTERA:CICADELLIDAE: HOMALODISCA COAGULATA)

Author
item Hunter, Wayne
item Dang, Phat

Submitted to: Genbank
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/6/2004
Publication Date: 5/8/2004
Citation: Hunter, W.B., Dang, P.M. 2004. Actin genes from the glassy-winged sharpshooter (Hemiptera:Cicadellidae: Homalodisca coagulata). Genbank.

Interpretive Summary: The glassy-winged sharpshooter, is an insect pest that is very efficient at spreading a bacterial disease which threatens many agricultural food and ornamental crops, such as almonds, peach, plum, citrus, grapes, alfalfa and oleander. One of the most severe and deadly to plants is Pierce's Disease of grapes. In southern California the glassy-winged sharpshooter is able to feed on many different crops. To better understand sharpshooter biology, and feeding, proteins were identified from the glassy-winged sharpshooter. These proteins are important to insect survival, development and feeding. Identifying sharpshooter proteins and their functions will allow better management methods aimed at protecting plants from the diseases spread by sharpshooters, such as Pierce's Disease in grapes.

Technical Abstract: The glassy-winged sharpshooter, GWSS, Homalodisca coagulata Say, is the main vector of a bacterial pathogen, Xylella, which is a major threat to agriculture throughout California and the southern United States. This bacterium causes many plant diseases but one of the most severe is Pierce's Disease of grapes where infected vines have a reduce yield, and die. To better understand the dynamics of sharpshooter biology, development and feeding, cDNA libraries were made from actively feeding adult GWSS. Then the proteins being expressed within these tissues were identified using amino acid sequence comparison to previously identified proteins from insects and other arthropods. Identification of proteins actively involved in feeding, digestion, development and cellular functions of GWSS will provide specific targets for the development of methods aimed at disrupting GWSS survival and feeding and ultimately at reducing the acquisition and transmission of Pierce's Disease.