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Title: Morphology and proteome characterization of the salivary glands of the western chinch bug, Blissus occiduus (Hemiptera: Blissidae)

Author
item RAMM, CRYSTAL - University Of Nebraska
item WAYADNADE, ASTRI - Oklahoma State University
item BAIRD, LISA - University Of San Diego
item NANDAKUMAR, RENU - University Of Nebraska
item MADAYIPUTHIYA, NANDAKUMAR - University Of Nebraska
item AMUNDSEN, KEENAN - University Of Nebraska
item DONZE, TERESA - University Of Nebraska
item BAXENDALE, FREDERICK - University Of Nebraska
item Sarath, Gautam
item HENG-MOSS, TIFFANY - University Of Nebraska

Submitted to: Journal of Economic Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/17/2015
Publication Date: 6/1/2015
Citation: Ramm, C., Wayadnade, A., Baird, L., Nandakumar, R., Madayiputhiya, N., Amundsen, K., Donze, T., Baxendale, F., Sarath, G., Heng-Moss, T. 2015. Morphology and proteome characterization of the salivary glands of the western chinch bug, Blissus occiduus (Hemiptera: Blissidae). Journal of Economic Entomology. Published online June 10, 2015.

Interpretive Summary: Many species of turfgrasses, including buffalograss are attacked by chichbugs. Chinchbug feeding can cause extensive damage to the plant, and a portion of this damage is attributable to the salivary secretions of the pest. In order to better understand the components in the saliva that can cause plant damage, it is necessary to first obtain intact salivary glands from these minute insects. In this study, methods were first developed to dissect salivary glands from adult chinchbugs. Intact isolated salivary glands were studied using light and scanning electron microscopy to understand their morphology. Proteins present in excised salivary glands were analyzed using proteomic methods. These analyses resulted in the identification of 228 proteins, of which many were similar to proteins found in the saliva of other piercing-sucking insects. These results can be exploited in the future to better understand chinchbug-turfgrass interactions.

Technical Abstract: The western chinch bug, Blissus occiduus Barber, is a serious pest of buffalograss due to physical and chemical damage caused during the feeding process. Although previous work has investigated the feeding behaviors of chinch bugs in the Blissus complex, no study to date has explored salivary gland morphology and the associated salivary complex of this insect. Whole and sectioned B. occiduus salivary glands were visualized using light (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to determine overall structure and cell types of the salivary glands and their individual lobes. To link structure with function, the salivary gland proteome was characterized using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Microscopy revealed a pair of tri-lobed principal glands and a pair of tubular accessory glands of differing cellular types. The salivary proteome analysis resulted in B. occiduus sequences matching 228 non-homologous protein sequences of the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum, with many specific to the proteins present in the salivary proteome of A. pisum. A number of sequences were assigned the molecular function of hydrolase and oxido-reductase activity, with one specific protein sequence revealing a peroxidase-like function. This is the first study to characterize the salivary proteome of B. occiduus and the first of any species in the family Blissidae.