Gene expression differences in Bemisia tabaci following acquisition of an Old World begomovirus

Begomoviruses (Geminiviridae) are economically important, high consequence plant viruses transmitted by members of the Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) cryptic species complex. One of the most economically significant begomoviruses is tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV), which is efficiently transmitted by B. tabaci Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1), one of the most destructive agricultural pests globally. The purpose of this study is to determine the gene expression profiles of non-viruliferous and viruliferous MEAM1 after TYLCV acquisition access feeding. Adult whiteflies were fed on healthy or TYLCV infected tomato plants for 12, 36, or 60 hours, followed by a 12-hour gut clearing period on collard, a TYLCV non-host. Differential expression analyses (read mapping and transcript quantification) from RNA-seq data derived from ribodepleted total RNA were performed to determine gene expression patterns associated with TYLCV acquisition. In total, 37 differentially expressed genes were identified, including two horizontally acquired from plants. Elucidating the transcriptional response of MEAM1 to virus acquisition can inform the development of novel genomics-assisted whitefly transmitted virus management strategies.