B.S., Zoology, Ohio University
M.S., Botany, Ohio University
Ph.D., Plant Pathology, Cornell University

Studies on the infection process and biology of aphid-infecting viruses are aimed at identifying the molecular mechanisms determining host and tissue specificities of these viruses. At this time little is known about the distribution and host range of aphid viruses or the mechanisms of transmission and survival. Aphid-infecting viruses might prove useful in biological control of aphids or for use as models for studies of virus recognition and evolution.

Studies initiated in the Fall of 2000 are directed at identifying aphid vectors of plum pox virus in the eastern United States and determining the biological components associated with epidemiological aspects of aphid vector survival and spread associated with the recent plum pox virus epidemic in Pennsylvania. Virus transmission efficiency by different aphid species, and aphid-host interactions influencing the virus transmission mechanism will be studied. This work is in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Agriculture.

My research involves greenhouse and field studies of pathogen transmission by insects, as well as laboratory studies of virus-vector cell interactions regulating plant virus transmission by insects. Techniques currently used in my research include electron microscopy, immunology, and protein and nucleic acid characterization.

Strenger, D.C., R. French, and F.E. Gildow. 2005. Complete deletion of Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus HC-Pro: a null mutant is viable for systemic infection. J. of Virology 79: 12077-12080.

Wallis, C., S. Fleischer, D. Luster, and F.E. Gildow. 2005. Aphid (Homoptera: Aphididae) species composition and potential aphid vectors of Plum pox virus in Pennsylvania peach orchards. J. Econ. Entomol. 98: 1441-1450.

Damsteegt, V.D., A.L. Stone, F.E. Gildow, W.L. Schneider, and D.G. Luster. 2004. Prunus host range of Pennsylvania isolates of plum pox virus by aphid transmission. Acta Hort. : 657: 201-205

Gildow, F.E. 2004. Plum pox in North America : Identification of aphid vectors and a potential role for fruit in virus spread. Phytopathology : 94: 868-874.

Gray, S.M., and Gildow, F.E . 2003. Luteovirus-Aphid Interactions. Ann. Rev. Phytopathology 41: 539-566.

Gildow, F.E. 2001. Virus Detection – Electron Microscopy. Pages: 1088-92; In: Encyclopedia of Plant Pathology, O.C. Maloy and T.D. Murray (eds.), John Wiley and Sons, Inc.

Li, Chao-Yang, D. Cox-Foster, and F. E. Gildow. 2001. Vector-specificity of Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYDV) transmission: Identification of potential cellular receptors binding BYDV-MAV in the aphid, Sitobion avenae. Virology: 286: 125-133.

Reinbold, C., Gildow, F.E., Herrback, E., Ziegler-Graff, V., M.C. Goncalves, van den Heuvel, J.E.J.M., and Brault, V. 2001. Studies on the role of the minor capsid protein in transport of Beet western yellows virus through Myzus persicae. J. Gen. Virology: 82: 1995-2007.

Garcia-Salazar, C., F. E. Gildow, S. J. Fleischer, D. Cox-Foster, and F. L. Lukezic. 2000. "The alimentary canal of Acalymma vittata (F) (Coleoptera:Chrysomelidae): Morphology and potential role in the survival of Erwinia tracheiphila." Canadian Entomol. 132:1-13.

Garcia-Salazar, F. E. Gildow, S. J. Fleischer, D. Cox-Foster, and F. L. Lukezic. 2000." Immunolocalization of Erwinia tracheiphila in Acalymma vittata." Environ. Entomol. 29:542-550.

Gildow, F. E. 2000. "Virus detection: electron microscopy." In: The Encyclopedia of Plant Pathology, O.C. Maloy and T.D. Murray, eds., John Wiley & Sons, New York.

Gildow, F. E., V. D. Damsteegt, A. L. Stone, O. P. Smith, and S. M. Gray. 2000. "Virus-vector cell interactions regulating transmission specificity of soybean dwarf luteoviruses." J Phytopathology : 148:333-342.

Gildow, F. E., B. Reavy, M. A. Mayo, G. H. Duncan, J. A. T. Woodford, J. W. Lamb and R. T. Hay. 2000. "Aphid acquisition and cellular transport of potato leafroll virus-like particles lacking P5 readthrough protein." Phytopathology 90:1153-1161.

Gildow, F. E. 1999. "Luteovirus transmission and mechanisms regulating vector-specificity." Pp. 88-113, in: The Luteoviridae, H. G. Smith and H. Barker, eds., CAB International.

DeMackiewicz, D., F. E. Gildow, M. Blua, and S .J. Fleischer. 1998." Herbaceous weeds are not ecologically important reservoirs of Erwinia tracheiphila." Plant Disease 82:521-529.

Peiffer, M. L., F. E. Gildow, and S. M. Gray. 1997. "Two distinct mechanisms regulate luteovirus transmission efficiency and specificity at the aphid salivary gland." J. General Virology 78:495-503.

Zabalgogeazcoa, I. A., D. Petrunak, B. J. Christ, and F. E. Gildow. 1997. "Unencapsidated double-stranded RNA associated with membrane vesicles in isolates of Alternaria solani." Mycol. Res. 101:604-608.

Lamb, J. E., G. H. Duncan, B. Reavy, F. E. Gildow, M. A. Mayo, and R. T. Hay. 1996. "Assembly of virus-like particles in insect cells infected with a baculovirus containing a modified coat protein gene of potato leafroll luteovirus." J. General Virology 77:1349-1358.

Gildow, F. E. 1993. "Evidence for receptor-mediated endocytosis regulating luteovirus acquisition by aphids." Phytopathology 83:270-277.

Gildow, F. E., and S. M. Gray. 1993. "The aphid salivary basal lamina as a selective barrier associated with vector-specific transmission of barley yellow dwarf virus." Phytopathology 83:1293-1302.

Zabalgogeazcoa, I. A., D. Cox-Foster, and F. E. Gildow. 1993. "Pedigree analysis of the transmission of a double-stranded RNA in barley cultivars." Plant Science 91:45-53.