Maddur, Ashoka

Ph.D. 2005 madduras@uic.eduDegree Being Pursued: Ph.D.

Bio Brief

Molecular characterization of protease inhibitors from the Hessian Fly [Mayetiola destructor (Say)]

Education

B.S. Forestry, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, India, 1994
M.S. Agricultural Biochemistry, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, India, 1998

Research

Hessian fly is one of the major pests on wheat, which cause enormous economic loss. Evidences suggest that Hessian fly larva injects saliva into the host plant and cause stunting and death of wheat seedlings. I am involved in identification and characterization of cDNAs and genes of salivary gland that have secretion signal peptide using subcloning techniques. BAC subcloning and southern analysis shows that these genes are present in multiple copies and found to be clustered in the genome. BLAST searches shows that these genes show slight similarity to protease inhibitors. Through in vitro assay I am functionally characterizing these salivary cDNAs by expressing in E. coli system. Trying to understand the localization of the proteins in host system using immunofluorescence techniques. Also I am interested to know whether the Hessian fly salivary protease inhibitors secreted into the host are inhibiting the wheat protease inhibitor that is induced to Hessian fly infestation.

In our laboratory, recently for the first time we have discovered the association of bacteria with Hessian fly. I am involving in this group, which is focusing on to provide the molecular evidences for the association of bacteria with Hessian fly. Also we are trying to show Hessian fly injects bacteria along with salivary secretion into the host and bacteria is necessary for the survival of the fly on wheat plants.

Publications

Maddur, A.A., X. Liu, Y.C. Zhu, J.P. Fellers, B. Oppert, Y. Park, J. Bai, G.E. Wilde and M.S. Chen. 2006. Cloning and characterization of protease inhibitor-like cDNAs from the Hessian fly Mayetiola destructor (SAY). Insect Molecular Biology 15: 485-496.

Zhu, Y.C., X. Liu, A.A. Maddur, B. Oppert, and M.S. Chen. 2005. Cloning and characterization of chymotrypsin- and trypsin-like cDNAs from the gut of the Hessian fly [Mayetiola destructor (say)]. Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 35: 23-32.