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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Subtropical Insects and Horticulture Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #382174
Research Project: IPM Method for Control of Insect Pests and Transmitted Diseases of Orchard Crops

Location: Subtropical Insects and Horticulture Research

Title: Annotation and analysis of yellow genes in Diaphorina citri, vector for the Huanglongbing disease

Author
item MASSIMINO, CRISSY - Indian River State College
item VOSBURG, CHAD - Indian River State College
item SHIPPY, TERESA - Kansas State University
item HOSMANI, PRASHANT - Boyce Thompson Institute
item FLORES-GONZALEZ, MIRELLA - Boyce Thompson Institute
item MUELLER, LUKAS - Boyce Thompson Institute
item Hunter, Wayne
item BENOIT, JOSHUA - University Of Cincinnati
item BROWN, SUSAN - Kansas State University
item D'ELIA, TOM - Indian River State College
item SAHA, SURYA - University Of Arizona

Submitted to: Gigascience
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/18/2021
Publication Date: 5/24/2021
Citation: Massimino, C., Vosburg, C., Shippy, T., Hosmani, P.S., Flores-Gonzalez, M., Mueller, L.A., Hunter, W.B., Benoit, J.B., Brown, S.B., D'Elia, T., Saha, S. 2021. Annotation and analysis of yellow genes in Diaphorina citri, vector for the Huanglongbing disease. Gigascience. https://doi.org/10.46471/gigabyte.20.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.46471/gigabyte.20

Interpretive Summary: A key strategy to stop the spread of Huanglongbing, HLB, caused by a deadly bacterial pathogen to citrus trees, is to suppress the population of the vector the Asian citrus psyllid ACP, Diaphorina citri. The psyllid spread the bacteria during feeding. Currently there is no suitable treatment. Psyllid population suppression using gene-based strategies need high quality gene sequence data. Thus the 'yellow' gene family, which is linked to melanization a crucial process for insect survival were curated to produce the most in-depth molecular analysis of the 'yellow gene' family in hemipterans. A single unique 'yellow 9' gene was identified. The function encodes for dopachrome conversion enzyme which is essential to produce melanin, and provides a highly specific target to reduce psyllid survival. Support: Citrus Greening Solutions Project (USDA-NIFA Award 2014-70016-23028), Data: https://citrusgreening.org/annotation/index

Technical Abstract: Psyllid population suppression is one strategy to stop the spread of Huanglongbing, HLB, a deadly bacterial pathogen in citrus trees. The psyllid vector, Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri, actively reproduce year round. Thus, an essential gene family 'yellow' was curated to produce the most accurate dataset across hemipteran insects. The data is being used to produce gene-targeting molecules that will be specific to the psyllid. The 'yellow' gene family dataset, are genes linked to melanization a crucial process for insect survival in psyllid and other important hemipteran insect vectors of pathogens. One unique 'yellow 9' gene was identified, with the putative function for encodes for dopachrome conversion enzyme, essential for producing melanin. Efforts are building new molecules to silence one or more of the 'yellow genes' to stop psyllid development, thereby reducing the psyllid population and stopping the spread of HLB. Data at: https://citrusgreening.org/annotation/index. Support: The Citrus Greening Solutions Project (USDA-NIFA Award 2014-70016-23028)