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Shao S, Yang L, Hu G, Li L, Wang Y, Tao L. Application of omics techniques in forensic entomology research. Acta Trop 2023; 246:106985. [PMID: 37473953 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.106985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
With the advent of the post-genome era, omics technologies have developed rapidly and are widely used, including in genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and microbiome research. These omics techniques are often based on comprehensive and systematic analysis of biological samples using high-throughput analysis methods and bioinformatics, to provide new insights into biological phenomena. Currently, omics techniques are gradually being applied to forensic entomology research and are useful in species identification, phylogenetics, screening for developmentally relevant differentially expressed genes, and the interpretation of behavioral characteristics of forensic-related species at the genetic level. These all provide valuable information for estimating the postmortem interval (PMI). This review mainly discusses the available omics techniques, summarizes the application of omics techniques in forensic entomology, and their future in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shipeng Shao
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Soochow University, Ganjiang East Road, Suzhou, China
| | - Lijun Yang
- Criminal Police Branch, Suzhou Public Security Bureau, Renmin Road, Suzhou, China
| | - Gengwang Hu
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Soochow University, Ganjiang East Road, Suzhou, China
| | - Liangliang Li
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Soochow University, Ganjiang East Road, Suzhou, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Soochow University, Ganjiang East Road, Suzhou, China.
| | - Luyang Tao
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Soochow University, Ganjiang East Road, Suzhou, China
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Traylor MJ, Baek JM, Richards KE, Fusetto R, Huang W, Josh P, Chen Z, Bollapragada P, O'Hair RAJ, Batterham P, Gillam EMJ. Recombinant expression and characterization of Lucilia cuprina CYP6G3: Activity and binding properties toward multiple pesticides. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2017; 90:14-22. [PMID: 28918158 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2017.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2017] [Revised: 09/08/2017] [Accepted: 09/10/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The Australian sheep blowfly, Lucilia cuprina, is a primary cause of sheep flystrike and a major agricultural pest. Cytochrome P450 enzymes have been implicated in the resistance of L. cuprina to several classes of insecticides. In particular, CYP6G3 is a L. cuprina homologue of Drosophila melanogaster CYP6G1, a P450 known to confer multi-pesticide resistance. To investigate the basis of resistance, a bicistronic Escherichia coli expression system was developed to co-express active L. cuprina CYP6G3 and house fly (Musca domestica) P450 reductase. Recombinant CYP6G3 showed activity towards the high-throughput screening substrates, 7-ethoxycoumarin and p-nitroanisole, but not towards p-nitrophenol, coumarin, 7-benzyloxyresorufin, or seven different luciferin derivatives (P450-Glo™ substrates). The addition of house fly cytochrome b5 enhanced the kcat for p-nitroanisole dealkylation approximately two fold (17.8 ± 0.5 vs 9.6 ± 0.2 min-1) with little effect on KM (13 ± 1 vs 10 ± 1 μM). Inhibition studies and difference spectroscopy revealed that the organochlorine compounds, DDT and endosulfan, and the organophosphate pesticides, malathion and chlorfenvinphos, bind to the active site of CYP6G3. All four pesticides showed type I binding spectra with spectral dissociation constants in the micromolar range suggesting that they may be substrates of CYP6G3. While no significant inhibition was seen with the organophosphate, diazinon, or the neonicotinoid, imidacloprid, diazinon showed weak binding in spectral assays, with a Kd value of 23 ± 3 μM CYP6G3 metabolised diazinon to the diazoxon and hydroxydiazinon metabolites and imidacloprid to the 5-hydroxy and olefin metabolites, consistent with a proposed role of CYP6G enzymes in metabolism of phosphorothioate and neonicotinoid insecticides in other species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Traylor
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Queensland, St. Lucia 4072, Australia
| | - Jong-Min Baek
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Queensland, St. Lucia 4072, Australia
| | - Katelyn E Richards
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Queensland, St. Lucia 4072, Australia
| | - Roberto Fusetto
- The Bio21 Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - W Huang
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Queensland, St. Lucia 4072, Australia
| | - Peter Josh
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Queensland, St. Lucia 4072, Australia
| | - Zhenzhong Chen
- The Bio21 Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Padma Bollapragada
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Queensland, St. Lucia 4072, Australia
| | - Richard A J O'Hair
- The Bio21 Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Philip Batterham
- The Bio21 Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Elizabeth M J Gillam
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Queensland, St. Lucia 4072, Australia.
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Building early-larval sexing systems for genetic control of the Australian sheep blow fly Lucilia cuprina using two constitutive promoters. Sci Rep 2017; 7:2538. [PMID: 28566730 PMCID: PMC5451413 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-02763-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2017] [Accepted: 04/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Transgenic sexing strains (TSS) that carry conditional female lethal genes are advantageous for genetic control programs based on the sterile insect technique (SIT). It is desirable if females die early in development as larval diet is a major cost for mass production facilities. This can be achieved by using a gene promoter that is only active in embryos to drive expression of the tetracycline transactivator (tTA), the transcription factor commonly used in two-component TSS. While an embryo-specific promoter is ideal it may not be essential for assembling an effective TSS as tTA can be repressed by addition of tetracycline to the diet at larval and/or adult stages. Here we have investigated this idea by isolating and employing the promoters from the Lucilia spitting image and actin 5C genes to drive tTA expression in embryos and later stages. L. cuprina TSS with the tTA drivers and tTA-regulated tetO-Lshid effectors produced only females when raised on a limited tetracycline diet. The Lshid transgene contains a sex-specific intron and as a consequence only females produce LsHID protein. TSS females died at early larval stages, which makes the lines advantageous for an SIT program.
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Anstead CA, Perry T, Richards S, Korhonen PK, Young ND, Bowles VM, Batterham P, Gasser RB. The Battle Against Flystrike - Past Research and New Prospects Through Genomics. ADVANCES IN PARASITOLOGY 2017; 98:227-281. [PMID: 28942770 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apar.2017.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Flystrike, or cutaneous myiasis, is caused by blow fly larvae of the genus Lucilia. This disease is a major problem in countries with large sheep populations. In Australia, Lucilia cuprina (Wiedemann, 1830) is the principal fly involved in flystrike. While much research has been conducted on L. cuprina, including physical, chemical, immunological, genetic and biological investigations, the molecular biology of this fly is still poorly understood. The recent sequencing, assembly and annotation of the draft genome and analyses of selected transcriptomes of L. cuprina have given a first global glimpse of its molecular biology and insights into host-fly interactions, insecticide resistance genes and intervention targets. The present article introduces L. cuprina, flystrike and associated issues, details past control efforts and research foci, reviews salient aspects of the L. cuprina genome project and discusses how the new genomic and transcriptomic resources for this fly might accelerate fundamental molecular research of L. cuprina towards developing new methods for the treatment and control of flystrike.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Trent Perry
- The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | | | | | - Neil D Young
- The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
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Anstead CA, Batterham P, Korhonen PK, Young ND, Hall RS, Bowles VM, Richards S, Scott MJ, Gasser RB. A blow to the fly — Lucilia cuprina draft genome and transcriptome to support advances in biology and biotechnology. Biotechnol Adv 2016; 34:605-620. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2016.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2015] [Revised: 02/08/2016] [Accepted: 02/20/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Hall MJR, Wall RL, Stevens JR. Traumatic Myiasis: A Neglected Disease in a Changing World. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ENTOMOLOGY 2015; 61:159-76. [PMID: 26667275 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ento-010715-023655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Traumatic myiasis, the parasitic infestation by fly larvae in traumatic lesions of the tissues of living vertebrates, is a serious medical condition in humans and a welfare and economic issue in domestic animals. New molecular studies are providing insights into its evolution and epidemiology. Nevertheless, its incidence in humans is generally underreported, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions. Myiasis in domestic animals has been studied more extensively, but continuous management is difficult and expensive. A key concern is the inadvertent introduction and global spread of agents of myiasis into nonendemic areas, facilitated by climate change and global transport. The incursion of the New World screwworm fly (Cochliomyia hominivorax) into Libya is the most notable of many such range shifts and demonstrates the potential risks of these parasites and the costs of removing them once established in a geographic area. Nevertheless, the insect agents of myiasis can be of societal benefit to forensic science and in medicine as an aid to wound treatment (larval therapy).
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin J R Hall
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, United Kingdom;
| | - Richard L Wall
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, United Kingdom;
| | - Jamie R Stevens
- Department of Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, United Kingdom;
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Leitch O, Papanicolaou A, Lennard C, Kirkbride KP, Anderson A. Chemosensory genes identified in the antennal transcriptome of the blowfly Calliphora stygia. BMC Genomics 2015; 16:255. [PMID: 25880816 PMCID: PMC4392625 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-015-1466-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2014] [Accepted: 03/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Blowflies have relevance in areas of forensic science, agriculture, and medicine, primarily due to the ability of their larvae to develop on flesh. While it is widely accepted that blowflies rely heavily on olfaction for identifying and locating hosts, there is limited research regarding the underlying molecular mechanisms. Using next generation sequencing (Illumina), this research examined the antennal transcriptome of Calliphora stygia (Fabricius) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) to identify members of the major chemosensory gene families necessary for olfaction. RESULTS Representative proteins from all chemosensory gene families essential in insect olfaction were identified in the antennae of the blowfly C. stygia, including 50 odorant receptors, 22 ionotropic receptors, 21 gustatory receptors, 28 odorant binding proteins, 4 chemosensory proteins, and 3 sensory neuron membrane proteins. A total of 97 candidate cytochrome P450s and 39 esterases, some of which may act as odorant degrading enzymes, were also identified. Importantly, co-receptors necessary for the proper function of ligand-binding receptors were identified. Putative orthologues for the conserved antennal ionotropic receptors and candidate gustatory receptors for carbon dioxide detection were also amongst the identified proteins. CONCLUSIONS This research provides a comprehensive novel resource that will be fundamental for future studies regarding blowfly olfaction. Such information presents potential benefits to the forensic, pest control, and medical areas, and could assist in the understanding of insecticide resistance and targeted control through cross-species comparisons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Leitch
- National Centre for Forensic Studies, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australia. .,CSIRO Division of Ecosystem Sciences and Food Futures Flagship, Canberra, Australia.
| | - Alexie Papanicolaou
- CSIRO Land and Water Flagship, Canberra, Australia. .,Current Address: Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, University of Western Sydney, Richmond, Australia.
| | - Chris Lennard
- National Centre for Forensic Studies, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australia. .,Current Address: School of Science and Health, University of Western Sydney, Penrith, Australia.
| | - K Paul Kirkbride
- School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Australia.
| | - Alisha Anderson
- CSIRO Division of Ecosystem Sciences and Food Futures Flagship, Canberra, Australia.
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Blenkiron C, Tsai P, Brown LA, Tintinger V, Askelund KJ, Windsor JA, Phillips AR. Characterisation of the small RNAs in the biomedically important green-bottle blowfly Lucilia sericata. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0122203. [PMID: 25803701 PMCID: PMC4372549 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0122203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2014] [Accepted: 02/08/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The green bottle fly maggot, Lucilia sericata, is a species with importance in medicine, agriculture and forensics. Improved understanding of this species' biology is of great potential benefit to many research communities. MicroRNAs (miRNA) are a short non-protein coding regulatory RNA, which directly regulate a host of protein coding genes at the translational level. They have been shown to have developmental and tissue specific distributions where they impact directly on gene regulation. In order to improve understanding of the biology of L. sericata maggots we have performed small RNA-sequencing of their secretions and tissue at different developmental stages. RESULTS We have successfully isolated RNA from the secretions of L. sericata maggots. Illumina small RNA-sequencing of these secretions and the three tissues (crop, salivary gland, gut) revealed that the most common small RNA fragments were derived from ribosomal RNA and transfer RNAs of both insect and bacterial origins. These RNA fragments were highly specific, with the most common tRNAs, such as GlyGCC, predominantly represented by reads derived from the 5' end of the mature maggot tRNA. Each library also had a unique profile of miRNAs with a high abundance of miR-10-5p in the maggot secretions and gut and miR-8 in the food storage organ the crop and salivary glands. The pattern of small RNAs in the bioactive maggot secretions suggests they originate from a combination of saliva, foregut and hindgut tissues. Droplet digital RT-PCR validation of the RNA-sequencing data shows that not only are there differences in the tissue profiles for miRNAs and small RNA fragments but that these are also modulated through developmental stages of the insect. CONCLUSIONS We have identified the small-RNAome of the medicinal maggots L. sericata and shown that there are distinct subsets of miRNAs expressed in specific tissues that also alter during the development of the insect. Furthermore there are very specific RNA fragments derived from other non-coding RNAs present in tissues and in the secretions. This new knowledge has applicability in diverse research fields including wound healing, agriculture and forensics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cherie Blenkiron
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Biodiscovery, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- * E-mail:
| | - Peter Tsai
- Bioinformatics Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Lisa A. Brown
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Vernon Tintinger
- Department of Anthropology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Kathryn J. Askelund
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - John A. Windsor
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Biodiscovery, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Anthony R. Phillips
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Biodiscovery, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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Sandeman RM, Levot GW, Heath ACG, James PJ, Greeff JC, Scott MJ, Batterham P, Bowles VM. Control of the sheep blowfly in Australia and New Zealand--are we there yet? Int J Parasitol 2014; 44:879-91. [PMID: 25240442 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2014.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2014] [Revised: 08/07/2014] [Accepted: 08/11/2014] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The last 50 years of research into infections in Australia and New Zealand caused by larvae of the sheep blowfly, Lucilia cuprina, have significantly advanced our understanding of this blowfly and its primary host, the sheep. However, apart from some highly effective drugs it could be argued that no new control methodologies have resulted. This review addresses the major areas of sheep blowfly research over this period describing the significant outcomes and analyses, and what is still required to produce new commercial control technologies. The use of drugs against this fly species has been very successful but resistance has developed to almost all current compounds. Integrated pest management is becoming basic to control, especially in the absence of mulesing, and has clearly benefited from computer-aided technologies. Biological control has more challenges but natural and perhaps transformed biopesticides offer possibilities for the future. Experimental vaccines have been developed but require further analysis of antigens and formulations to boost protection. Genetic technologies may provide potential for long-term control through more rapid indirect selection of sheep less prone to flystrike. Finally in the future, genetic analysis of the fly may allow suppression and perhaps eradication of blowfly populations or identification of new and more viable targets for drug and vaccine intervention. Clearly all these areas of research offer potential new controls but commercial development is perhaps inhibited by the success of current chemical insecticides and certainly requires a significant additional injection of resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- R M Sandeman
- School of Applied and Biomedical Sciences, Federation University, Churchill, Gippsland, Vic. 3842, Australia.
| | - G W Levot
- Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Woodbridge Road, Menangle, NSW 2568, Australia
| | - A C G Heath
- AgResearch Ltd., c/o MPI, National Centre for Biosecurity and Infectious Disease, P.O. Box 4072, Upper Hutt 5018, New Zealand
| | - P J James
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, University of Queensland, Dutton Park, Qld 4102, Australia
| | - J C Greeff
- Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia, 3 Baron Hay Court, South Perth, WA 6151, Australia
| | - M J Scott
- Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University, Campus Box 7613, Raleigh, NC 27695-7613, USA
| | - P Batterham
- Department of Genetics, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Vic. 3010, Australia
| | - V M Bowles
- Centre for Animal Biotechnology, School of Veterinary Science, University of Melbourne, Vic. 3010, Australia
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Li F, Wantuch HA, Linger RJ, Belikoff EJ, Scott MJ. Transgenic sexing system for genetic control of the Australian sheep blow fly Lucilia cuprina. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2014; 51:80-88. [PMID: 24928635 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2014.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2014] [Revised: 05/29/2014] [Accepted: 06/01/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The New World screwworm and the Australian sheep blowfly Lucilia cuprina are devastating pests of livestock. The larvae of these species feed on the tissue of the living animal and can cause death if untreated. The sterile insect technique or SIT was used to eradicate screwworm from North and Central America. This inspired efforts to develop strains containing complex chromosomal rearrangements for genetic control of L. cuprina in Australia. Although one field trial was promising, the approach was abandoned due to costs and difficulties in mass rearing the strain. As the efficiency of SIT can be significantly increased if only sterile males are released, we have developed transgenic strains of L. cuprina that carry a dominant tetracycline repressible female lethal genetic system. Lethality is due to overexpression of an auto-regulated tetracycline repressible transactivator (tTA) gene and occurs mostly at the pupal stage. Dominant female lethality was achieved by replacing the Drosophila hsp70 core promoter with a Lucilia hsp70 core promoter-5'UTR for tTA overexpression. The strains carry a dominant strongly expressed marker that will facilitate identification in the field. Interestingly, the sexes could be reliably sorted by fluorescence or color from the early first instar larval stage as females that overexpress tTA also overexpress the linked marker gene. Male-only strains of L. cuprina developed in this study could form the basis for a future genetic control program. Moreover, the system developed for L. cuprina should be readily transferrable to other major calliphorid livestock pests including the New and Old World screwworm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Li
- Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University, Campus Box 7613, Raleigh, NC 27695-7613, USA.
| | - Holly A Wantuch
- Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University, Campus Box 7613, Raleigh, NC 27695-7613, USA.
| | - Rebecca J Linger
- Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University, Campus Box 7613, Raleigh, NC 27695-7613, USA.
| | - Esther J Belikoff
- Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University, Campus Box 7613, Raleigh, NC 27695-7613, USA.
| | - Maxwell J Scott
- Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University, Campus Box 7613, Raleigh, NC 27695-7613, USA.
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