Proteins Identified from Saliva and Salivary Glands of the Chinese Gall Aphid Schlechtendalia chinensis.

Aphid saliva plays an essential role in the interaction between aphids and their host plants. Several aphid salivary proteins have been identified but none from galling aphids. Here the salivary proteins from the Chinese gall aphid are analyzed, Schlechtendalia chinensis, via an LC-MS/MS analysis. A total of 31 proteins are identified directly from saliva collected via an artificial diet, and 141 proteins are identified from extracts derived from dissected salivary glands. Among these identified proteins, 17 are found in both collected saliva and dissected salivary glands. In comparison with salivary proteins from ten other free-living Hemipterans, the most striking feature of the salivary protein from S. chinensis is the existence of high proportion of proteins with binding activity, including DNA-, protein-, ATP-, and iron-binding proteins. These proteins maybe involved in gall formation. These results provide a framework for future research to elucidate the molecular basis for gall induction by galling aphids.