Molecular diversity of Helicoverpa armigera Hubner (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera) in India

Molecular diversity of genes, namely actin, glutathione-S-transferase (gst), cytochrome P450, chymotrypsin and serine protease from the interspecific populations of the fruit borer Helicoverpa armigera was studied to understand the sequence polymorphism. These genes were cloned, sequenced and analysed employing the sequence editor BioEdit and MEGA 4.0. Sequence comparisons showed variation of the genes as follows: Actin - 35 positions, 3.09%, gst - 60 positions, 9.66%, cytochrome P450 - 64 positions, 8.11%, chymotrypsin - 36 positions, 4.02%, and serine protease - 119 positions, 15.31%. Phylogenetic analysis concluded that these intraspecific populations from India formed a major clade. Comparison of deduced amino acid sequences concluded that there were no major differences except for serine protease. This analysis will be useful for delineating genetic relationships amongst the intraspecific populations and estimating genetic diversity, thereby gaining insight into genetic structure of populations.