Gary W. Felton, Ph.D.
- Professor and Department Head of Entomology
University Park, PA 16802
- Email gwf10@psu.edu
Education
- B.S., University of California, Irvine, 1975
- M.S., University of Kentucky, 1983
- Ph.D., University of California, Davis, 1988
Current Graduate Students
Adam Damon
Po-An Lin
Gabriela Ponce
Liu Zhang
Postdoctoral Scholars
Charles Mason
Research Support Assistant (Lab Manager)
Michelle Peiffer
Department Focus Areas
Chemical ecology
Research
Chemical ecology; Insect-plant interactions; induced plant defenses, plant perception of herbivores
Research Programs and Interests
My research program uses molecular, proteomic, and physiological approaches to investigate insect-plant interactions. My main interests are investigating the countermeasures herbivores use in overcoming host plant defenses. Particular interest is on the role of herbivore salivary signals in suppressing the induced defenses of host plants.
The role of saliva of blood-feeding arthropods in suppressing the defenses of their vertebrate hosts has been comparatively well studied; however, very little is known about how the saliva of herbivores may interfere with plant defensive responses. Our projects focus primarily on the saliva of caterpillars. Recent findings indicate that saliva is enriched with an array of molecules that function in defense against microbial infection, digestion of plant tissues, and in suppressing induced defenses of plants. We employ a variety of surgical, molecular genetic approaches (e.g., RNA interference, CRISPR-Cas9) to examine function(s) of saliva.
Publications
Selection for high levels of resistance to double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) in Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say) using non-transgenic foliar delivery
Scientific Reports, Mishra, Swati, Dee, James, Moar, William, Dufner-Beattie, Jodi, Baum, James, Dias, Naymã Pinto, Alyokhin, Andrei, Buzza, Aaron, Rondon, Silvia I., Clough, Mark, Menasha, Sandy, Groves, Russell, Clements, Justin, Ostlie, Ken, Felton, Gary, Waters, Tim, Snyder, William E., Jurat-Fuentes, Juan Luis, 2021
Effects of maize (Zea mays) genotypes and microbial sources in shaping fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) gut bacterial communities
Scientific Reports, Mason, Charles J., Hoover, Kelli, Felton, Gary W., 2021
Silencing the alarm
New Phytologist, Lin, Po An, Chen, Yintong, Chaverra-Rodriguez, Duverney, Heu, Chan Chin, Zainuddin, Nursyafiqi Bin, Sidhu, Jagdeep Singh, Peiffer, Michelle, Tan, Ching Wen, Helms, Anjel, Kim, Donghun, Ali, Jared, Rasgon, Jason L., Lynch, Jonathan, Anderson, Charles T., Felton, Gary W., 2021
Changes in tolerance and resistance of a plant to insect herbivores under variable water availability
Environmental and Experimental Botany, Lin, Po An, Paudel, Sulav, Afzal, Amin, Shedd, Nancy L., Felton, Gary W., 2021
Silicon-Mediated Enhancement of Herbivore Resistance in Agricultural Crops
Frontiers in Plant Science, Acevedo, Flor E., Peiffer, Michelle, Ray, Swayamjit, Tan, Ching Wen, Felton, Gary W., 2021
Changes in arthropod community but not plant quality benefit a specialist herbivore on plants under reduced water availability
Oecologia, Lin, Po An, Liu, Chia Ming, Ou, Jia Ang, Sun, Cheng Han, Chuang, Wen Po, Ho, Chuan Kai, Kinoshita, Natsuko, Felton, Gary W., 2021
Host permissiveness to baculovirus influences time-dependent immune responses and fitness costs
Insect Science, Pan, Qinjian, Shikano, Ikkei, Felton, Gary W., Liu, Tong Xian, Hoover, Kelli, 2021
Editorial
Frontiers in Plant Science, Sugio, Akiko, Felton, Gary W., Giron, David, Kaloshian, Isgouhi, 2020
Asymmetric Responses to Climate Change
Journal of Chemical Ecology, Paudel, Sulav, Lin, Po An, Hoover, Kelli, Felton, Gary W., Rajotte, Edwin G., 2020
Top-down effects from parasitoids may mediate plant defence and plant fitness
Functional Ecology, Tan, Ching Wen, Peiffer, Michelle L., Ali, Jared G., Luthe, Dawn S., Felton, Gary W., 2020
Host plant defense produces species-specific alterations to flight muscle protein structure and flight-related fitness traits of two armyworms
Journal of Experimental Biology, Portman, Scott L., Felton, Gary W., Kariyat, Rupesh R., Marden, James H., 2020
Fungi from the black cutworm Agrotis ipsilon oral secretions mediate plant–insect interactions
Arthropod-Plant Interactions, Chen, Xuewei, Peiffer, Michelle, Tan, Ching Wen, Felton, Gary W., 2020
Induction of defensive proteins in Solanaceae by salivary glucose oxidase of Helicoverpa zea caterpillars and consequences for larval performance
Arthropod-Plant Interactions, Lin, Po An, Peiffer, Michelle, Felton, Gary W., 2020
Oral cues are not enough
Planta, Lin, Po An, Felton, Gary W., 2020
Potential Impacts of Translocation of Neonicotinoid Insecticides to Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum (Malvales
Environmental Entomology, Jones, Asher G., Hoover, Kelli, Pearsons, Kirsten, Tooker, John F., Felton, Gary W., 2020
Diet influences proliferation and stability of gut bacterial populations in herbivorous lepidopteran larvae
PLoS One, Mason, Charles J., St Clair, Abbi, Peiffer, Michelle, Gomez, Elena, Jones, Asher G., Felton, Gary W., Hoover, Kelli, 2020
Geographically isolated Colorado potato beetle mediating distinct defense responses in potato is associated with the alteration of gut microbiota
Journal of Pest Science, Wang, Jie, Gao, Zhou, Yang, Mingyu, Xue, Rongrong, Yan, Hui, Fu, Kaiyun, Zhang, Zhaojuan, Guo, Wenchao, Felton, Gary W., Zeng, Rensen, 2020
Parasitic Wasp Mediates Plant Perception of Insect Herbivores
Journal of Chemical Ecology, Tan, Ching Wen, Peiffer, Michelle, Hoover, Kelli, Rosa, Cristina, Felton, Gary W., 2019
Host plant and population source drive diversity of microbial gut communities in two polyphagous insects
Scientific Reports, Jones, Asher G., Mason, Charles J., Felton, Gary W., Hoover, Kelli, 2019
Induced Plant Defenses Against Herbivory in Cultivated and Wild Tomato
Journal of Chemical Ecology, Paudel, Sulav, Lin, Po An, Foolad, Majid R., Ali, Jared Gregory, Rajotte, Edwin George, Felton, Gary, 2019
Plant defenses interact with insect enteric bacteria by initiating a leaky gut syndrome
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Mason, Charles J., Ray, Swayamjit, Shikano, Ikkei, Peiffer, Michelle, Jones, Asher G., Luthe, Dawn S., Hoover, Kelli, Felton, Gary W., 2019
Phytohormones in fall armyworm saliva modulate defense responses in plants
Journal of Chemical Ecology, Acevedo, Flor Edith, Smith, Philip B., Peiffer, Michelle, Helms, Anjel, Tooker, John Frazier, Felton, Gary, 2019
Pathogen-Mediated Tritrophic Interactions
Journal of Chemical Ecology, Pan, Qinjian, Shikano, Ikkei, Hoover, Kelli, Liu, Tong Xian, Felton, Gary W., 2019
Enterobacter ludwigii, isolated from the gut microbiota of Helicoverpa zea, promotes tomato plant growth and yield without compromising anti-herbivore defenses
Arthropod-Plant Interactions, Pan, Qinjian, Shikano, Ikkei, Hoover, Kelli, Liu, Tong Xian, Felton, Gary W., 2019
Co-option of microbial associates by insects and their impact on plant–folivore interactions
Plant, Cell and Environment, Mason, Charles J., Jones, Asher G., Felton, Gary W., 2019
Herbivore-Induced Defenses in Tomato Plants Enhance the Lethality of the Entomopathogenic Bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki
Journal of Chemical Ecology, Shikano, Ikkei, Pan, Qinjian, Hoover, Kelli, Felton, Gary W., 2018
Gut-associated bacteria of helicoverpa zea indirectly trigger plant defenses in maize
Journal of Chemical Ecology, Wang, Jie, Yang, Mingyu, Song, Yuanyuan, Acevedo, Flor E., Hoover, Kelli, Zeng, Rensen, Felton, Gary W., 2018
Correction: Gut-Associated Bacteria of Helicoverpa zea Indirectly Trigger Plant Defenses in Maize
Journal of Chemical Ecology, Wang, Jie, Yang, Mingyu, Song, Yuanyuan, Acevedo, Flor E., Hoover, Kelli, Zeng, Rensen, Felton, Gary W., 2018
Proteomic analysis of labial saliva of the generalist cabbage looper (Trichoplusia ni) and its role in interactions with host plants
Journal of Insect Physiology, Rivera-Vega, Loren J., Stanley, Bruce A., Stanley, Anne, Felton, Gary W., 2018
Intraspecific differences in plant defense induction by fall armyworm strains
New Phytologist, Acevedo, Flor E., Peiffer, Michelle, Ray, Swayamjit, Meagher, Robert, Luthe, Dawn S., Felton, Gary W., 2018
Tritrophic Interactions
Annual Review of Phytopathology, Shikano, Ikkei, Rosa, Cristina, Tan, Ching Wen, Felton, Gary, 2017
Host plant driven transcriptome plasticity in the salivary glands of the cabbage looper (Trichoplusia ni)
PLoS One, Rivera-Vega, Loren J., Galbraith, David A., Grozinger, Christina M., Felton, Gary W., 2017
Quantitative proteomic analysis of the fall armyworm saliva
Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Acevedo, Flor E., Stanley, Bruce A., Stanley, Anne, Peiffer, Michelle, Luthe, Dawn S., Felton, Gary W., 2017
Helicoverpa zea gut-associated bacteria indirectly induce defenses in tomato by triggering a salivary elicitor(s)
New Phytologist, Wang, Jie, Peiffer, Michelle, Hoover, Kelli, Rosa, Cristina, Zeng, Rensen, Felton, Gary W., 2017
Plant-mediated effects on an insect–pathogen interaction vary with intraspecific genetic variation in plant defences
Oecologia, Shikano, Ikkei, Shumaker, Ketia L., Peiffer, Michelle, Felton, Gary W., Hoover, Kelli, 2017
Letter from the Editor
Journal of Chemical Ecology, Felton, Gary W., 2017
Genomics of Lepidoptera saliva reveals function in herbivory
Current Opinion in Insect Science, Rivera-Vega, Loren J., Acevedo, Flor E., Felton, Gary W., 2017
Fall armyworm-associated gut bacteria modulate plant defense responses
Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, Acevedo, Flor E., Peiffer, Michelle, Tan, Ching Wen, Stanley, Bruce A., Stanley, Anne, Wang, Jie, Jones, Asher G., Hoover, Kelli, Rosa, Cristina, Luthe, Dawn, Felton, Gary, 2017
Host plant species determines symbiotic bacterial community mediating suppression of plant defenses
Scientific Reports, Chung, Seung Ho, Scully, Erin D., Peiffer, Michelle, Geib, Scott M., Rosa, Cristina, Hoover, Kelli, Felton, Gary W., 2017
Lessons from the far end: Caterpillar frass-induced defenses in maize, rice, cabbage, and tomato
Journal of Chemical Ecology, Ray, Swayamjit, Basu, Saumik, Rivera-Vega, Loren J., Acevedo, Flor E., Louis, Joe, Felton, Gary W., Luthe, Dawn S., 2016
Intraplant communication in maize contributes to defense against insects
Plant Signaling and Behavior, Varsani, Suresh, Basu, Saumik, Williams, W. Paul, Felton, Gary W., Luthe, Dawn S., Louis, Joe, 2016
Herbivore Oral Secreted Bacteria Trigger Distinct Defense Responses in Preferred and Non-Preferred Host Plants
Journal of Chemical Ecology, Wang, Jie, Chung, Seung Ho, Peiffer, Michelle, Rosa, Cristina, Hoover, Kelli, Zeng, Rensen, Felton, Gary W., 2016
Turnabout is fair play: Herbivory-induced plant chitinases excreted in fall armyworm frass suppress herbivore defenses in maize
Plant Physiology, Ray, Swayamjit, Alves, Patrick C.M.S., Ahmad, Imtiaz, Gaffoor, Iffa, Acevedo, Flor E., Peiffer, Michelle, Jin, Shan, Han, Yang, Shakee, Samina, Felton, Gary W., Luthe, Dawn S., 2016
Chew and spit
Arthropod-Plant Interactions, Dussourd, David E., Peiffer, Michelle, Felton, Gary W., 2016
Essential amino acid supplementation by gut microbes of a wood-feeding cerambycid
Environmental Entomology, Ayayee, Paul A., Larsen, Thomas, Rosa, Cristina, Felton, Gary W., Ferry, James G., Hoover, Kelli, 2016
Ethylene contributes to maize insect resistance1-mediated maize defense against the phloem sap-sucking corn leaf aphid
Plant Physiology, Louis, Joe, Basu, Saumik, Varsani, Suresh, Castano-Duque, Lina, Jiang, Victoria, Paul Williams, W., Felton, Gary W., Luthe, Dawn S., 2015
Cues from chewing insects - the intersection of DAMPs, HAMPs, MAMPs and effectors
Current Opinion in Plant Biology, Acevedo, Flor E., Rivera-Vega, Loren J., Chung, Seung Ho, Ray, Swayamjit, Felton, Gary W., 2015
Enhancing Plant Resistance at the Seed Stage
Journal of Chemical Ecology, Strapasson, Priscila, Pinto-Zevallos, Delia M., Paudel, Sulav, Rajotte, Edwin George, Felton, Gary, Zarbin, Paulo H.G., 2014
Effect of PGPR on population growth parameters of cotton aphid
Archives of Phytopathology and Plant Protection, Fahimi, Azadeh, Ashouri, Ahmad, Ahmadzadeh, Masoud, Hoseini Naveh, Vahid, Asgharzadeh, Ahmad, Maleki, Feizollah, Felton, Gary W., 2014
Herbivore Oral Secretions are the First Line of Protection Against Plant-Induced Defences, Felton, Gary W., Chung, Seung Ho, Hernandez, Maria Gloria Estrada, Louis, Joe, Peiffer, Michelle, Tian, Donglan, 2014
Herbivore cues from the fall armyworm (spodoptera frugiperda) larvae trigger direct defenses in maize
Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, Chuang, Wen Po, Ray, Swayamjit, Acevedo, Flor Edith, Peiffer, Michelle, Felton, Gary W., Luthe, Dawn S., 2014
Insights into the saliva of the brown marmorated stink bug Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera
PLoS One, Peiffer, Michelle, Felton, Gary W., 2014
Benefits and costs of tomato seed treatment with plant defense elicitors for insect resistance
Arthropod-Plant Interactions, Paudel, Sulav, Rajotte, Edwin George, Felton, Gary, 2014
Gut microbes contribute to nitrogen provisioning in a wood-feeding cerambycid
Environmental Entomology, Ayayee, Paul, Rosa, Cristina, Ferry, James Gregory, Felton, Gary, Saunders, Mike, Hoover, Kelli, 2014
Roles of ethylene and jasmonic acid in systemic induced defense in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) against helicoverpa zea
Planta, Tian, Donglan, Peiffer, Michelle, De Moraes, Consuelo M., Felton, Gary W., 2014
Salivary signals of European Corn Borer induce indirect defenses in tomato
Plant Signaling and Behavior, Louis, Joe, Luthe, Dawn S., Felton, Gary W., 2013
Herbivore exploits orally secreted bacteria to suppress plant defenses
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Chung, Seung Ho, Rosa, Cristina, Scully, Erin D., Peiffer, Michelle, Tooker, John F., Hoover, Kelli, Luthe, Dawn S., Felton, Gary W., 2013
Host-specific salivary elicitor(s) of European corn borer induce defenses in tomato and maize
New Phytologist, Louis, Joe, Peiffer, Michelle, Ray, Swayamjit, Luthe, Dawn S., Felton, Gary W., 2013
Priming of antiherbivore defensive responses in plants
Insect Science, Kim, Jinwon, Felton, Gary, 2013
Colorado potato beetle manipulates plant defenses in local and systemic leaves
Plant Signaling and Behavior, Chung, Seung Ho, Rosa, Cristina, Hoover, Kelli, Luthe, Dawn S., Felton, Gary W., 2013
ATP hydrolyzing salivary enzymes of caterpillars suppress plant defenses
PLoS One, Wu, Shuang, Peiffer, Michelle, Luthe, Dawn S., Felton, Gary W., 2012
Role of trichomes in defense against herbivores
Planta, Tian, Donglan, Tooker, John Frazier, Peiffer, Michelle, Chung, Seung Ho, Felton, Gary, 2012
Salivary glucose oxidase from caterpillars mediates the induction of rapid and delayed-induced defenses in the tomato plant
PLoS One, Tian, Donglan, Peiffer, Michelle, Shoemaker, Erica, Tooker, John Frazier, Haubruge, Eric, Francis, Frederic, Luthe, Dawn S., Felton, Gary, 2012
Herbivory in the previous generation primes plants for enhanced insect resistance
Plant Physiology, Rasmann, Sergio, De Vos, Martin, Casteel, Clare L., Tian, Donglan, Halitschke, Rayko, Sun, Joel Y., Agrawal, Anurag A., Felton, Gary W., Jander, Georg, 2012
Insect eggs can enhance wound response in plants
PLoS One, Kim, Jinwon, Tooker, John Frazier, Luthe, Dawn S., De Moraes, Consuelo M, Felton, Gary, 2012
Reiterative and interruptive signaling in induced plant resistance to chewing insects
Phytochemistry, Kim, Jinwon, Quaghebeur, Hélène, Felton, Gary, 2011
Specificity of Induced Resistance in Tomato Against Specialist Lepidopteran and Coleopteran Species
Journal of Chemical Ecology, Chung, Seung Ho, Felton, Gary, 2011
Microorganisms from aphid honeydew attract and enhance the efficacy of natural enemies
Nature Communications, Leroy, Pascal D., Sabri, Ahmed, Heuskin, Stéphanie, Thonart, Philippe, Lognay, Georges, Verheggen, François J., Francis, Frédéric, Brostaux, Yves, Felton, Gary W., Haubruge, Eric, 2011
