Gene expression in Brevipalpus yothersi (Acari: Tenuipalpidae) related to virus-vector interaction

• Grant number: 21/02521-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2021
• End date: June 30, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Plant Health
• Principal Investigator: Valdenice Moreira Novelli
• Grantee: Lucas Monteiro Zuliani
• Host Institution: Instituto Agronômico (IAC). Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios (APTA). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

One of the citriculture biotic problems is related to mites of the genus Brevipalpus, due to the vector capacity of viruses called Virus Transmitted Brevipalpus (VTBs). These viruses affect other economically important crops, such as coffee, passion fruit and ornamentals such as orchids. In addition to the vector, these VTBs have the common characteristics of causing similar symptoms in the host plants and leading to a non-systemic viral disease, that is, the virus does not circulate being restricted to the feeding sites of infected mites. In general, the symptoms of the disease are chlorotic and / or necrotic spots on the leaves, branches and fruits, with damages in the quality and production of the orchards and, in advanced stages, can cause the death of the plants. Well-known examples of these VTBs are citrus leprosis and coffee ringspot, with high investment by producers in acaricides, which is the most common strategy for vector control and management of these diseases in the field. Molecular biology studies, such as the transcriptome of the mite Brevipalpus yothersi (Acari: Tenuipalpidae) revealed differentially expressed genes when in contact with the CiLV-C virus, suggesting a genetic response in this interaction. Considering the importance of the mite as a vector of leprosis and coffee ringspot, the objectives of this proposal are to evaluate and compare the expression of some of these differentially expressed genes (GDEs) in mites with and without the virus, and to verify if some of these genes would participate in the interaction between the virus and the vector mite. The results aim to aggregate information to understand the possible genetic components of these important pathosystems attributed to the VTBs.