Proteins and small molecules in aphid saliva influence interactions with host plants
G. JANDER (1) (1) Boyce Thompson Institute, U.S.A.

Myzus persicae (green peach aphids) have specialized mouthparts that allow them to penetrate plant tissue intercellularly and feed from the phloem sieve elements. When aphids are consuming phloem sap, they also repeatedly inject saliva into the sieve elements to maintain their feeding sites. Analysis of plant responses to fractionated aphid saliva indicates that both proteins and small molecules play a role in mediating plant-aphid interactions. Variation in salivary gland gene expression when feeding from different plant species suggests that the regulated production of M. persicae salivary proteins plays a role in their adaptation to new host plants. Exogenous expression in host plants and targeted gene silencing in the aphids shows that salivary proteins have specific functions and are required for optimal aphid feeding. Consumption of isotope-labeled precursors by aphids feeding from artificial diet leads to the synthesis of labeled metabolites that are secreted in the aphid saliva. Plant gene expression studies and reporter constructs show that small molecules in M. pericae saliva elicit specific, localized responses in the plants from which the aphids are feeding.


Abstract Number: C18-2
Session Type: Concurrent