Skip to main content
ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » Corn Insects and Crop Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #172185
Title: POLYMORPHIC CA/GT AND GA/CT MICROSATELLITE LOCI FOR OSTRINIA NUBILALIS (LEPIDOPTERA: CRAMBIDAE)

Author
item Coates, Brad
item Hellmich Ii, Richard
item Lewis, Leslie

Submitted to: Molecular Ecology Notes
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/9/2004
Publication Date: 3/1/2005
Citation: Coates, B.S., Hellmich II, R.L., Lewis, L.C. 2005. Polymorphic CA/GT and GA/CT microsatellite loci for Ostrinia nubilalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae). Molecular Ecology Notes. 5(1):10-12.

Interpretive Summary: European corn borer is a serious insect pest of corn in the United States. Damage and control costs for this insect exceed $1 billion from an annual crop valued at more than $22 billion. In this study, ten DNA microsatellite markers were developed for these moths. Microsatellites are regions of DNA that vary in size due to different numbers of tandemly repeated units. These markers are useful for population genetic studies of European corn borer because they show differences between individuals in a population. These DNA markers also will be used to understand aspects of this insect's biology and evolution. All stakeholders interested in understanding the genetics of European corn borer and finding novel ways to control this pest will be interested in this research.

Technical Abstract: Ten polymorphic dinucleotide (CA/GT and GA/CT) microsatellite loci suitable for population genetic screening were characterized from enriched partial Ostrinia nubilalis genomic libraries. Sequence from 126 enriched small insert genomic library clones identified 25 CA/GT and 58 GA/CT loci that were unique. Perfect repeats tended to be short (n = 10 to 12). Ten microsatellites PCR amplified from a Crawfordsville, Iowa population showed a mean of 10 alleles per locus (range 6 to 20), and 6 of 10 loci showed heterozygote deficiency. Amplification of 8 loci was observed in the sister species O. furnicalis.