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Title: Expressed Genes in Asian Citrus Psyllid adults feeding on citrus

Author
item Hunter, Wayne
item Dowd, Scot
item McKenzie, Cindy
item Shatters, Robert - Bob
item Hall, David

Submitted to: Florida Entomological Society Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/14/2008
Publication Date: 7/15/2008
Citation: Hunter, W.B., Dowd, S.E., McKenzie., C.L., Shatters, Jr. R.G., Hall, D.G. 2008. Expressed Genes in Asian Citrus Psyllid adults feeding on citrus [abstract]. The 91st Annual Meeting of the Florida Entomological Society. p. 11.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: We created and described the first genetic data set from the Asian citrus psyllid, AsCP, Diaphorina citri, Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Psyllidae). The AsCP spread the plant-infecting bacterium, Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, which is associated with the citrus disease Huanglongbing, HLB, known as Citrus Yellows Disease due to the discoloration of leaves and fruit. Where HLB develops there is severe economic losses in citrus production, due to reduced fruit yield, and tree death. Currently HLB is in Florida citrus, but it is also a problem in most citrus growing regions around the world. Using a genomics approach we identified genes linked to psyllid survival and reproduction. Genomics provides new insights and tools to examine psyllid biology. With this approach we will be able to identify genes which function in: feeding, disease transmission, and insecticide resistance. In this project, we created a data set of over 14,906 sequences from AsCP. All the sequences were annotated by comparison to all known sequences in the public database at the National Center for Biotechnology Information, NCBI. Although the AsCP gene expression data set advances current research efforts, a full-Psyllid-genome-sequence would provide the most benefit in developing effective, highly species specific, management strategies to reduce AsCP and HLB. Identification and characterization of these genes and proteins has already provided the development of new molecular markers, and other tools such as microarrays to conduct further functional genomic studies. The results from these studies are being applied to development of effective management strategies against psyllids and HLB transmission.