Skip to main content
Entomology 2024 Main banner
Bayer Crop Science
Icon Legend
 
Oral Presentation
Oral Presentation
Poster Display
Poster Display
Student Competition
Student Competition
Ticketed Event
Ticketed Event
Back

10-Minute Presentation

Physiology, Biochemistry, and Toxicology

10-min: PBT, Genetics

Identification and functional analysis of the halloween genes in the western tarnished plant bug, Lygus hesperus

Wednesday, November 13, 2024
2:54 PM – 3:06 PM MST
Location: Phoenix Convention Center, 121 C, PCC
Oral Presentation
Ecdysteroid biosynthesis is mediated by a suite of cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (Spook/Spookiest, Phantom, Disembodied, Shadow, and Shade) as well as a Rieske oxygenase (Neverland) and a short-chain dehydrogenase (Shroud), all of which are collectively referred to as Halloween genes. While the impact these genes have on dipteran female reproduction has been well studied, their role in regulating similar reproductive functions in non-model organisms has not been as clearly defined. Here, we used RNA interference-mediated knockdown via injected dsRNAs targeting putative Halloween gene homologs to examine their roles in post-eclosion ecdysteroid biosynthesis and oogenesis in the mirid pest Lygus hesperus. Despite confirmed reductions in target transcript levels, the biological effects were varied with most pronounced effects observed following knockdown of genes (Neverland and Spookiest) early in the ecdysteroid biosynthetic pathway.