Quantitative expression analysis of a Glyptapanteles indiensis polydnavirus protein tyrosine phosphatase gene in its natural lepidopteran host, Lymantria dispar

• Published in: Insect molecular biology Vol. 12; no. 3; pp. 271 - 280
• Main Authors: Chen, Y.P, Taylor, P.B, Shapiro, M, Gundersen-Rindal, D.E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Science Ltd 01.06.2003
• Subjects: Animals; Blotting, Southern; chromosome mapping; Gene expression; Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; Glyptapanteles indiensis; Glyptapanteles indiensis bracovirus; hemolymph; insect viruses; Lymantria dispar; Moths - parasitology; parasitism; PDV; phosphoprotein phosphatase; Polydnaviridae - genetics; Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases - genetics; quantitative analysis; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA, Viral - chemistry; RNA, Viral - genetics; RT-PCR; RT-qcPCR; structural genes; tissue distribution; Virus Integration; Wasps - genetics; Wasps - virology
• ISSN: 0962-1075; 1365-2583
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2583.2003.00411.x

In the present study, expression of a newly identified Glyptapanteles indiensis polydnavirus (GiPDV) gene encoding a putative protein tyrosine phosphatase (PDVPTP) was monitored in vivo in the parasitized host, L. dispar, using one step RT-PCR. Expression levels of the PDVPTP transcript were also evaluated in various host tissues at different times post parasitization (pp) using RT quantitative competitive PCR (RT-qcPCR). Expression levels varied, with the most abundant transcript detected in host haemolymph 2 h pp. The high expression level in host haemolymph at an early stage of parasitization suggested a potential role for viral PDVPTP in disruption of the host immune system and protection of the endoparasitoid egg from encapsulation. Additionally, the PDVPTP gene or its homolog(s) mapped to more than one GiPDV genomic DNA segment, which may account for its increased level of expression in the absence of virus replication.