Scientific Programme Abstracts for the 2005 Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of Manitoba 61~(st) Annual Meeting 21-22 October, 2005, Winnipeg, Manitoba

摘要

Immunoassays (ELISA) for the detection of pest-specific proteins and PCR assays for the detection of pest-specific DNA are state-of-the-art predator stomach content assays. Unfortunately, these gut content assays are not quantifiable and do not lend themselves to studies of entire arthropod assemblages (e.g, an arthropod-specific MAb or DNA probe must be developed for every arthropod in the assemblage). Consequently, there is a dearth of information on the quantitative impact that generalist predators have on suppressing pest populations. These challenges were the impetus for me to develop a technique to study the predator activity of an entire arthropod community. I conducted studies to determine if protein markers could be substituted for pest-specific ELISA and PCR assays for the immunological detection of prey in predator guts. Protein markers used in concert with protein-specific ELISAs offer a simple, precise, rapid, economical, and sensitive method for studying the feeding activity of an entire predator assemblage without the burden of developing a pest-specific MAb or DNA probe for each insect. I will discuss the pros and cons of all of the currently used molecular gut content assays and I will demonstrate how the prey marking can be usedto quantify the predatory activity of an entire arthropod assemblage.