Zebra chip of potato, Solanum tuberosum L., is caused by the phytopathogen Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum (Lso) transmitted by the potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli Sulc. While the potato psyllid is native to the United States and northern Mexico, the Lso range has expanded north and south during the past 10 years. Historically, population-level studies have used the mitochondrial gene Cytochrome Oxidase I (COI) and applied molecular biology techniques to understand population genetics of the species. Unfortunately, most published phylogenies are based on a few single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within this single-gene sequence. In this study, the nearly complete mitochondrial genome for several potato psyllid populations from North America: Texas, Nebraska, California, Washington, northwest (Washington), and southwest (Arizona), were sequenced using next-generation sequencing technology. The gene content included: two ribosomal RNAs (16S and 12S rRNAs); 22 tRNAs and genes that encode for the 13 proteins: COI-III, Cytb, ND1-6, ND4L, ATP6, and ATP8. Through analysis of the almost complete mitochondrial genome, potato psyllid populations from Texas, Nebraska (central biotype), and southwestern haplotype were determined to be most closely related. Divergent from this clade were the Washington and California populations (western biotype). The northwestern population seems to be a new population that has arisen from the western biotype. Use of the whole mitochondrial genome, instead of one gene, provides greater depth and improves understanding of the relationships among the different potato psyllid populations as well as with other closely related species.
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1 June 2016
The Mitochondrial Genome of the Potato Psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli Sulc., and Differences Among Potato Psyllid Populations of the United States
Amalia Lopez Montiel,
Daymon Hail,
Juan F. Macias-Velasco,
Christopher M. Powell,
Blake R. Bextine
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Southwestern Entomologist
Vol. 41 • No. 2
June 2016
Vol. 41 • No. 2
June 2016