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Submitted to: Trends in Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 9/1/1998 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: This study describes a new technique for marking insects. It provides rese conventional marking techniques that are used for insect mark-release-recap markers; such as paints, dyes, tags, and dusts are too large and heavy for marked insects with a vertebrate protein. In turn, insects marked with th enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using a protein-specific antibody yto the assays used in medical industry to examine patients for the presenc detection of pregnancy, and for early diagnosis of disease. Marking insect represents a significant paradigm shift in the methods used to mark insects researchers to better monitor the dispersal patterns of insect pests and th is simple, inexpensive, persistent, and effective. Technical Abstract: An alternative to the conventional methods for marking arthropods for dispersal studies is described. Adult Trichogrammatoidea bactrae Nagaraja parasitoids were marked either internally by feeding on a honey solution labeled with rabbit immunoglobulin (IgG) or externally by topical application aqueous rabbit IgG. Marked and unmarked individuals were then examined for the presence of rabbit protein by a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using a rabbit IgG specific antibody. The protein marker was retained throughout the entire adult lifespan in almost every individual parasitoid marked as an adult, regardless of the application method used. In another test, pre-emerged parasitoids were marked by applying a topical solution of rabbit IgG directly on the parasitoid's host. Upon adult emergence, these parasitoids were assayed by ELISA for the presence of the protein marker. The marker was not retained well in those parasitoids marked while still enclosed in their host. The advantages of using vertebrate-specific proteins over the current marking techniques are discussed. |
