Microarray analysis of aphids (Myzus persicae) on transgenic tobacco

Insects are unable to produce the sterols required for biological processes. As a result the required sterols must be ingested from their diet. Transgenic tobacco plants have been modified to alter sterol content to create more resistant strains and have been found to be differentially resistant to aphids (Myzus persicae Hemiptera: Aphididae). Data was collected by counting the total number of aphids on three strains plus one wild type control during a four week period. Strain 284A had 25.48% fewer aphids than the wild type. Mircoarrays were used to determine which genes are differentially expressed by the aphids that fed on modified tobacco as compared to those that have fed on wild type tobacco. Such analysis provides information about the types of proteins being synthesized by these insects and we can begin to investigate the mechanisms that increase plant resistance. Once the most resistant strains have been confirmed, we can then reproduce the plant repeatedly in order to obtain an extremely resilient strain of tobacco.