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Title: Analysis of expressed sequence tags from the blue-green sharpshooter, Graphocephala atropunctata

Author
item Hunter, Wayne
item HUNNICUTT, LAURA - UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA

Submitted to: Entomological Society of America Regional Meetings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/25/2008
Publication Date: 3/2/2008
Citation: Hunter, W.B., Hunnicutt, L. 2008. Analysis of expressed sequence tags from the blue-green sharpshooter, Graphocephala atropunctata. Southeastern Branch of the Entomological Society of America.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: We used a metagenomic approach and identified and sequenced 6,836 genetic sequences isolated from adult blue-green sharpshooters, BGSS, Graphocephala atropunctata. These results provided over 70% of the mitochondrial genome sequence which is being completed. The BGSS is endemic to southern California and spreads the plant pathogenic bacterium, Xylella fastidiosa into and out of riparian host plants. Wild host plants of Pierce’s disease of grapes provide a continuous infection of bacteria into vineyards in the spring. These results provide an important genetic dataset to examine leafhopper-bacteria interactions. The data was published under accession numbers: EH655849-EH662332, in the National Center for Biotechnology Information, NCBI, public database. These data provide a significant increase in the understanding of the genetic basis of leafhopper biology. The new data from BGSS also provides valuable insight and genetic tools for comparison to other leafhoppers which transmit Pierce’s disease such as the glassy-winged sharpshooter, GWSS. Genomic relationships and the comparison of proteins linked to leafhopper survival, feeding, and their ability to transmit diseases can now be analyzed for differences and similarities between them within these two leafhoppers. These comparisons are aiding efforts to identify the critical elements that influence the acquisition and transmission of the Pierce’s disease bacterium.