Diagnostic marker for E- and Z-strains of Ostrinia nubilalis, expressing differentially in larval Δ11 desaturase transcript
2009
Király, L. | Szöcs, G.
Relationships between host plant and pheromone strains of the European corn borer (ECB), Ostrinia nubilalis Hbn. (Lep., Pyraustidae), as well as genetic features of these strains have been intensively studied. We compared expression of a Δ11 desaturase and three Δ14 desaturase genes in larvae and adults of a Z- and an E-strain of ECB, respectively, by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The Z-strain originated from Kéty, southern Hungary, whereas the E-strain was collected from Brezice, Slovenia. Cultures of both strains were maintained without diapause on semisynthetic diet, under identical conditions. Oligonucleotide primers were designed to amplify a 524-bp Ostrinia nubilalisΔ11 desaturase (On11desat) cDNA fragment (GenBank accession AF441221) and three 297-bp O. nubilalisΔ14 desaturase (On14desat) cDNA fragments (GenBank accessions AF441220, EF125926 and EF125927). We found that the expression of On11desat in the Z-strain was on a similarly high level in adult females and males, but was weak or non-detectable in larvae. In the E-strain, On11desat was expressed in uniformly high levels in larvae as well as in male and female adults. On the other hand, the three Δ14 desaturases did not show significant differences in gene expression, when either larvae or adult females or males of either the Z- or E-strains of O. nubilalis were compared. The possibility of determining pheromone strain identity at larval stages from feral-collected, single individuals, by checking differential expression of On11desat is discussed.
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