An Insect Model of Molecular Host-Parasite Relationships

本研究的目的是探索 寄生虫在宿主体内成功发育。 问题 经常被问到：“谁在控制这种关系-- 寄生虫还是宿主“在Beckage博士的实验中， 烟草天蛾Manduca sexta被用作寄生的模型， 与寄生蜂Cotesia congregata一起感染。 黄蜂将病毒沿着卵一起注入宿主幼虫， 病毒在促进成功寄生方面的作用将是 考察 病毒诱导一种新的蛋白质由 宿主，以及蛋白质在抑制免疫反应中的作用 将使用血细胞测定法在存在和 不存在蛋白质以评估其是否抑制包囊化 被宿主的血细胞吸收 另一个目标是 来鉴定编码蛋白质氨基酸序列的基因 并在新寄生的幼虫中研究其调控。 各种 寄生虫与病毒有关，包括原生动物， 变形虫，但他们的作用还有待确定在大多数情况下。 的 病毒可能被开发为遗传转化的机制， 节肢动物和寄生虫，从而为新的遗传研究铺平了道路 以及对害虫物种和医学上重要的寄生虫的操纵。

The purpose of this investigation is to explore the mechanisms whereby parasites achieve successful development in their host. The question is often asked: "Who is in control of this relationship - the parasites or their host?" In Dr. Beckage experiments, larvae of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta, are used as a model of parasitic infection in conjunction with the wasp parasitoid Cotesia congregata. The wasp injects a virus into host larvae along with its eggs, and the role of the virus in facilitating successful parasitism will be examined. The virus induces a new protein to be synthesized by the host, and the role of the protein in suppressing the immune response of the host will be tested using hemocyte assays in the presence and the absence of the protein to assess whether it inhibits encapsulation of foreign organisms by the host's blood cells. Another goal will be to identify the gene encoding the amino acid sequence of the protein and study its regulation in newly parasitized larvae. A variety of parasites have viruses associated with them, including protozoa and amoebae, yet their role has yet to be identified in most cases. The viruses may be developed as mechanisms of genetic transformation of arthropods and parasites, thus paving the way of novel genetic studies and manipulation of pest species and medically important parasites.