Characterization and comparison of Lsm protein between Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri Kuwayama) and potato psyllid (Bactericera cockerelli)

The Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri Kuwayama) has been identified as the primary vector of the phytopathogenic bacterium “Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus”, the causal agent of Huanglongbing (HLB). Analogously, a related Liberibacter species “Candidatus Liberibacter psyllaurous” is transmitted by the Potato psyllid (Bactericera cockerelli) which causes Zebra Chip of potatoes. Identifying potential target genes within these vectors provides potential tools for insect management. The Lsm family of proteins is well conserved, dynamically functional proteins that have a major impact on RNA processing eukaryotic cells. In this study, Lsm4, a residue of the homohexameric ring structure were obtained for the Asian citrus psyllid and the Potato psyllid by sequencing of cDNA. These sequences were annotated and validated through direct sequencing. Predictions of the corresponding proteins were made through tcoffee and phylogenetic trees were constructed following alignment using clustalX. Due to the crucial role Lsm4 plays in different splicing mechanisms, it would be a strong candidate for RNA interference (RNAi).