Abstract
An inbred colony of the tarnished plant bug, Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois) (Miridae: Hemiptera), was observed to contain specimens with abnormal traits including red eyes, deformed antennae, and deformed legs. These specimens were isolated and back crossed to create stable phenotypic strains. The only successful strain established was a red eyed strain named Cardinal. The trait was more prevalent and stable in males, suggesting that it could be sex linked. To test the hypothesis that the trait was based on a recessive sex linked allele, classical genetic crosses were performed. The hypothesis was confirmed, and the eye color phenotype was measured and characterized using color analysis software. The trait is similar to other red eyed phenotypes described in this species, but is clearly based on a different mutation since it is sex linked rather than autosomal. The results of crossing experiments also suggest that inbreeding in this species results in substantial fitness cost to laboratory insects.
Highlights
Variations in the eye color of insects can be found in nature and selected by inbreeding or induced by mutagenesis
After inbreeding a culture of L. lineolaris without introgression for overlapping generations of roughly 60 days for four years, a red eyed individual was identified in a colony cage
For the two years backcrossing and inspection of the parent colony for additional red eyed stock eventually produced a homozygous strain of red eyed specimens (Figure 1)
Summary
Variations in the eye color of insects can be found in nature and selected by inbreeding or induced by mutagenesis. Occurring and induced mutations have served as a foundation for progress in both general genetics and in genetic manipulation of insects. A white eye color mutation was found to be linked to sex in Drosophila melanogaster, defining the phenomenon of sexlinkage, and establishing methods in classical genetics [1]. Transplantation studies using D. melanogaster eye disks from multiple eye color strains were vital to the establishment of biochemical pathway genetics [2]. Eye color mutations have been utilized extensively to verify manipulation systems involving genetic transformation [4,5], especially when the eye-specific promoter 3xP3 is utilized [6]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
