title: Characterization and comparative profiling of miRNAs in invasive Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) B and Q.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, conserved, non-coding RNAs that post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression. Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) B and Q are two invasive and dominant whiteflies, and B. tabaci Q has been displacing B in China. Differences in biological traits (fecundity, host range, resistance to insecticides, etc.) as affected by miRNAs might be involved in the displacement. In this study, we performed high-throughput sequencing to identify miRNAs in B. tabaci B and Q.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We identified 170 conserved miRNAs and 15 novel candidates, and found significant differences in the expression of miRNAs between B. tabaci B and Q.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Expression levels of miRNAs differ in B. tabaci B vs. Q. Additional research is needed to determine whether these differences are related to differences in the biology of B. tabaci B and Q, and whether these differences help explain why B. tabaci Q is displacing B in China.
authors.affiliation: Key Lab of Integrated Crop Pest Management of Shandong Province, College of Agronomy and Plant Protection, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Yun-Li
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002681:China; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D005298:Fertility / Q000235:genetics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000235:genetics*; D006430:Hemiptera / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D059014:High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; D007305:Insecticide Resistance / Q000235:genetics; D058865:Introduced Species; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D035683:MicroRNAs