title: Biomarker discovery from the top down: Protein biomarkers for efficient virus transmission by insects (Homoptera: Aphididae) discovered by coupling genetics and 2-D DIGE.
abstract: Yellow dwarf viruses cause the most economically important virus diseases of cereal crops worldwide and are vectored by aphids. The identification of vector proteins mediating virus transmission is critical to develop sustainable virus management practices and to understand viral strategies for circulative movement in all insect vectors. Previously, we applied 2-D DIGE to an aphid filial generation 2 population to identify proteins correlated with the transmission phenotype that were stably inherited and expressed in the absence of the virus. In the present study, we examined the expression of the DIGE candidates in previously unstudied, field-collected aphid populations. We hypothesized that the expression of proteins involved in virus transmission could be clinically validated in unrelated, virus transmission-competent, field-collected aphid populations. All putative biomarkers were expressed in the field-collected biotypes, and the expression of nine of these aligned with the virus transmission-competent phenotype. The strong conservation of the expression of the biomarkers in multiple field-collected populations facilitates new and testable hypotheses concerning the genetics and biochemistry of virus transmission. Integration of these biomarkers into current aphid-scouting methodologies will enable rational strategies for vector control aimed at judicious use and development of precision pest control methods that reduce plant virus infection.
authors.affiliation: Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health, USDA-ARS, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cilia
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Howe
authors.forename: Tara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fish
authors.forename: Dawn
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Jaclyn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mahoney
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tamborindeguy
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Burd
authors.forename: Theodore W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Thannhauser
authors.forename: Stewart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gray
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001042:Aphids / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis*; D020635:Buchnera / Q000737:chemistry; D015180:Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D014644:Genetic Variation; D001467:Hordeum / Q000821:virology; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology*; D010942:Plant Viruses / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D040901:Proteomics / Q000379:methods; D013559:Symbiosis
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D015415:Biomarkers; D019476:Insect Proteins