intErDisciPlinAry tEAM cOMPEtitiOn

Saving Ohios ash trees by understanding emerald ash borer genomics

Omprakash Mittapalli, Entomology Pierluigi Bonello, Plant Pathology Daniel A. Herms, Entomology Since its accidental introduction from eastern Asia in the 1990s, the emerald ash borer has killed millions of ash trees in both natural and managed landscape settings in North America. Because of its devastating economic, social, and environmental impacts, the insect continues to threaten the survival of all major North American ash species, including green, blue, white, and black ash. According to data from the U.S. Department of Agricultures (USDA) Forest Inventory, there are 3.8 billion white ash trees in Ohio forests, making it the fourth most abundant tree species in the state, with standing timber valued at more than $1 billion. There is no literature to date that describes the insects physiological, biochemical, or molecular processes in relation to its aggressiveness. Here, the research team applied state-of-the-art genomics approaches aimed at deciphering the genetic makeup of the insect and elucidating the basic processes that help it successfully adapt in North America. Newer-generation sequencing was used to obtain about 60,000 high-quality expressed sequence tags (ESTs, or portions of genes that are expressed in a cell) for the emerald ash borers midgut and fat body larval tissues. These tissues are vital for an insects survival, as they deal with digestion, energy metabolism, and overcoming plant toxins. Among these ESTs, 36 percent of the midgut and 38 percent of the fat body sequences were similar to
Omprakash Mittapalli

proteins in other insects. A high number of digestive and detoxification proteins were also retrieved. Furthermore, the midgut sequences revealed genetic coding for cell-wall degrading enzymes. A significant number of mutations were also found, along with other molecular markers. An initial assessment of detoxification and antioxidant genes revealed distinct expression patterns at the tissue level and during different developmental stages. The team has developed a huge database for emerald ash borer genes, which lays the foundation for several future studies. For example, the team is currently performing experiments to gain insights into differential gene expression patterns among emerald ash borer larvae around the world that feed on different ash species. These results will provide first-hand knowledge as to how the insect deploys genetic strategies to overcome the ash trees defenses, leading to its successful adaptation in North America. Furthermore, these results shed light on susceptible insect-specific targets in futuristic targeted control strategies (e.g. using RNA interference), in which disrupting specific insect genes can retard insect development and thereby enhance plant health.

Because of its devastating economic, social, and environmental impacts, the emerald ash borer continues to threaten the survival of all major North American ash species.

www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/seeds

SEEDS: The OARDC Research Enhancement Competitive Grants Program