Dataset Information

Entomological signatures in honey: an environmental DNA metabarcoding approach can disclose information on plant-sucking insects in agricultural and forest landscapes.

ABSTRACT: Honeydew produced from the excretion of plant-sucking insects (order Hemiptera) is a carbohydrate-rich material that is foraged by honey bees to integrate their diets. In this study, we used DNA extracted from honey as a source of environmental DNA to disclose its entomological signature determined by honeydew producing Hemiptera that was recovered not only from honeydew honey but also from blossom honey. We designed PCR primers that amplified a fragment of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene of Hemiptera species using DNA isolated from unifloral, polyfloral and honeydew honeys. Ion Torrent next generation sequencing metabarcoding data analysis assigned Hemiptera species using a customized bioinformatic pipeline. The forest honeydew honeys reported the presence of high abundance of Cinara pectinatae DNA, confirming their silver fir forest origin. In all other honeys, most of the sequenced reads were from the planthopper Metcalfa pruinosa for which it was possible to evaluate the frequency of different mitotypes. Aphids of other species were identified from honeys of different geographical and botanical origins. This unique entomological signature derived by environmental DNA contained in honey opens new applications for honey authentication and to disclose and monitor the ecology of plant-sucking insects in agricultural and forest landscapes.

SUBMITTER: Utzeri VJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6030050 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Entomological signatures in honey: an environmental DNA metabarcoding approach can disclose information on plant-sucking insects in agricultural and forest landscapes.

Utzeri Valerio Joe VJ Schiavo Giuseppina G Ribani Anisa A Tinarelli Silvia S Bertolini Francesca F Bovo Samuele S Fontanesi Luca L

Scientific reports 20180703 1

Honeydew produced from the excretion of plant-sucking insects (order Hemiptera) is a carbohydrate-rich material that is foraged by honey bees to integrate their diets. In this study, we used DNA extracted from honey as a source of environmental DNA to disclose its entomological signature determined by honeydew producing Hemiptera that was recovered not only from honeydew honey but also from blossom honey. We designed PCR primers that amplified a fragment of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase sub ...[more]

PMID: 29968727

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Dataset Information

Entomological signatures in honey: an environmental DNA metabarcoding approach can disclose information on plant-sucking insects in agricultural and forest landscapes.

Publications

Entomological signatures in honey: an environmental DNA metabarcoding approach can disclose information on plant-sucking insects in agricultural and forest landscapes.

Similar Datasets

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