Author
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Lord, Jeffrey |
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Submitted to: Journal of Invertebrate Pathology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 7/31/2006 Publication Date: 10/1/2006 Citation: Lord, J.C. 2006. Detection of Mattesia oryzaephili (Neogregarinorida: Lipotrophidae) in grain beetle laboratory colonies with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 94: 74-76. Interpretive Summary: The impact of naturally occurring insect pathogens on population of stored-grain pests is not known. Pathogens are often present but not detected in laboratory insect colonies and may interfere with experimental work. Researchers have not had tools that can easily detect infections in large insect samples. A serological test (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) with highly specific monoclonal antibodies was developed for the detection of Mattesia oryzaephili, a pathogen of grain beetles. Seven rusty grain beetle laboratory cultures from the United States, Canada, and Australia were tested with the assay. All of the cultures were infected with the pathogen. This assay will make possible epizootiological studies to assess the impact of M. oryzaephili on pest populations and to determine the potential to exploit the pathogen by conservation or introduction where it does not occur. It will also allow scientists to be aware of problems in their cultures that hamper their work. Technical Abstract: An indirect sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of the neogregarine Mattesia oryzaephili was developed with monoclonal antibodies. It was used to screen laboratory colonies of the rusty grain beetle Cryptolestes ferrugineus from the United States, Canada, and Australia. All seven colonies had larvae that tested positive with the percent of positives ranging from 0.54 to 83.9. This assay will make possible epizootiological studies to assess the impact of M. oryzaephili on pest populations. |
