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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Columbia, Missouri » Biological Control of Insects Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #62025
Title: IDENTIFICATION OF INSECT CELL LINES BY DNA AMPLIFICATION FINGERPRINTING (DAF)

Author
item McIntosh, Arthur
item Grasela, James
item Matteri, Robert

Submitted to: Insect Molecular Biology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/26/1996
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Insect cell lines that are derived from various tissues and stages of insect hosts are increasing in number as a result of the variety of uses for such cell lines. One such need is for the production of baculoviruses used to control insect pests. These viruses replicate in these cells in a sterile environment free of contaminating bacteria and fungi, leading to the death of such cells. The virus is then harvested from dead cells and can be used in a special formulation for controlling insect pests in the field. Because of the increasing number of insect cell lines the chances are increased for cross contamination or mislabeling leading to mistaken identities. The A method known as DNA amplification fingerprinting (DAF) provides a valuable and reliable technique for the proper identification of insect cell lines.

Technical Abstract: Fingerprint profiles were generated from 20 insect cell lines spanning the Orders, Lepidoptera, Diptera, Coleoptera and Homoptera employing DNA amplification fingerprinting (DAF). All cell lines could be distinguished from each other with the following exceptions: Plutella xylostella (BCIRL-PX2-HNU3) and Mamestra brassicae (IZD-MB-0503) produced identical patterns to Trichoplusia ni (TN-CL1). Also Spodoptera exigua (UCR-SE-1C) produced the same profile as Spodoptera frugiperda (SF9) and the parent cell line IPLB-SF21. Aedes aegypti (59) and A. albopictus (ATC-15) could not be distinguished from each other. All these cases of identical patterns are believed to be due to cross contamination or mislabeling of cultures. The fingerprint pattern is a stable characteristic of the cell line since high and low passages generated the same profile. Profiles from the insect hosts generated similar profiles to the homologous cell lines. DAF will serve as an additional, valuable and reliable technique for the identification of insect cell lines.