Parietal-eye phototransduction components and their potential evolutionary implications

The parietal-eye photoreceptor is unique because it has two antagonistic light signaling pathways in the same cell-a hyperpolarizing pathway maximally sensitive to blue light and a depolarizing pathway maximally sensitive to green light. Here, we report the molecular components of these two pathways. We found two opsins in the same cell: the blue-sensitive pinopsin and a previously unidentified green-sensitive opsin, which we name parietopsin. Signaling components included gustducin-alpha and Galphao, but not rod or cone transducin-alpha. Single-cell recordings demonstrated that Go mediates the depolarizing response. Gustducin-alpha resembles transducin-alpha functionally and likely mediates the hyperpolarizing response. The parietopsin-Go signaling pair provides clues about how rod and cone phototransduction might have evolved.     

Cross-resistance, inheritance and stability of resistance to acetamiprid in cotton whitefly, Bemisia tabaci Genn (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae)

The cotton whitefly Bemisia tabaci, (Genn.) is an important pest of field crops, vegetables and ornamentals worldwide. Neonicotinoids are considered an important group of insecticides being used against B. tabaci for several years. B. tabaci has developed resistance to some of the compounds of the group. This study was designed to investigate if the selection of B. tabaci with acetamiprid would give a broad-spectrum of cross-resistance and to genetically classify the resistance. At G₁ a low level of resistance to acetamiprid, imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, thiacloprid and nitenpyram was observed with resistance ratios of 3-fold, 8-, 9-, 6- and 5-fold, respectively, compared with a laboratory susceptible population. After selection for eight generations with acetamiprid, resistance to acetamiprid increased to 118-fold compared with the laboratory susceptible population. Selection also increased resistance to imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, thiacloprid, nitenpyram, endosulfan and bifenthrin but no change in susceptibility to fipronil was observed. Furthermore resistance in a field population was stable in the absence of acetamiprid selection pressure. Genetic crosses between resistant and susceptible populations indicated autosomal and incompletely recessive resistance. Further genetic analysis suggested that resistance could be controlled by a single factor. The high level of cross-resistance and stability of incomplete resistance in the field population is of some concern. However, lack of cross-resistance between acetamiprid and fipronil or unstable resistance in the resistant population could provide options to use alternative products which could reduce acetamiprid selection pressure.     

Resistance of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Solanum</Emphasis> species to <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cucumber mosaic virus</Emphasis> subgroup IA and its vector <Emphasis Type="Italic">Myzus persicae</Emphasis>

Sixty-nine tomato genotypes representing nine Solanum species were evaluated for resistance to Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) subgroup IA and its aphid vector Myzus persicae. Resistance was assessed by visual scoring of symptoms in the field under natural conditions, and in the greenhouse by artificial inoculations through aphid M. persicae and mechanical transmissions in the year 2007 and 2009. Considerable variation in responses was observed among the evaluation methods used. Field evaluations were found liable to errors as different levels were observed for the same genotypes in the different years, however mechanical inoculation was found to be the most useful in identifying CMV subgroup IA resistance, in contrast aphid transmission was most useful in identifying insect transmission resistance. All genotypes observed as highly resistant to CMV subgroup IA in the field or through vector transmission became systemically infected through mechanical inoculations. Using mechanical inoculation, six genotypes (TMS-1 of S. lycopersicum, LA1963 and L06049 of S. chilense, LA1353, L06145 and L06223 of S. habrochaites) were found resistant and another six (L06188 and L06238 of S. neorickii, L06219 of S. habrochaites, L05763, L05776 and L06240 of S. pennellii) were found tolerant showing mild symptoms with severity index (SI) ranging 1-2 and with delayed disease development after a latent period (LP) of 18–30 days. However, these genotypes were found to be resistant to highly resistant in the field and through inoculation by M. persicae; and they also supported low population levels of M. persicae except TMS-1. Another nine genotypes (LA2184 of S. pimpinellifolium L., LA2727 of S. neorickii, LA0111, L06221, L06127 and L06231 of S. peruvianum L., LA1306, L06057 and L06208 of S. chmielewskii) showing a susceptible response after mechanical inoculation were highly resistant, resistant and tolerant after M. persicae transmission. The resistant genotypes, identified in the present study can be exploited in the breeding programmes aimed at developing tomato varieties resistant to CMV subgroup IA and broadening the genetic base of CMV-resistant germplasm. The differences observed between mechanical and aphid transmission suggests that one should consider both evaluation methods for tomato germplasm screening against CMV subgroup IA.