Interactions of an Entomopoxvirus, its Parasitic Wasp Symbiont and their Insect Host: Viral Morphogenesis and Gene Expression

加勒比海果蝇Anastrepha Susensa和它的地中海果蝇(Certis Capata)近亲一样，是一种农业害虫。寄生黄蜂Diachasimoga Longicaudata(DL)是世界范围内广泛使用的一种防治果蝇的生物剂。劳伦斯博士发现，雌性黄蜂将昆虫痘病毒(EPV)与卵一起注射到果蝇幼虫体内，这种病毒的结合会导致宿主死亡。由于EPVs被用作害虫的微生物防治剂，因此DlEPV本身就是一种可能的抗果蝇制剂。然而，它还没有被描述，或者它与其他埃博拉病毒的关系也没有被理解。本研究的目标是：(1)。对DlEPV基因组中发现的四种蛋白(DNA连接酶和聚合酶、RNA聚合酶和利福平抗性蛋白)的基因进行测序，并将其与已知的痘病毒和痘病毒进行比较；(1B)。确定编码对病毒感染和成熟至关重要的蛋白质的已知PVs和EPVs的基因在DlEPV基因组中是否有同源基因，(2A)。确定某些DlEPV基因是否仅在黄蜂体内表达，而其他基因仅在果蝇中表达；和(2B)。对在寄主和黄蜂中差异表达的选定基因进行测序。这些结果将提供关于这种不同寻常的EPV基因组成分的基本分子数据，并建立它与其他EPV的关系。控制感染性的基因和那些在宿主和黄蜂中差异表达的基因的存在，将为深入了解该病毒对黄蜂无致病性，但对果树具有感染性和致病性的能力。这些数据还将为可能使用DlEPV作为载体将致死基因引入果蝇基因组奠定基础

The Caribbean fruit fly Anastrepha suspensa, like its Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata) relative, is an agricultural pest. The parasitic wasp, Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Dl) is used worldwide as a biological control agent against these fruit flies. Dr. Lawrence discovered that female wasps inject an entomopoxvirus (EPV) into fruit fly larval hosts with their eggs, the combination of which causes host mortality. Since EPVs are utilized as microbial control agents against insect pests, DlEPV itself is a likely anti-fruit fly agent. However, it has not been characterized or is its relationship to other EPVs understood. The objectives of this research are to: (1A). sequence the gene of four putative proteins (DNA ligase and polymerase, RNA polymerase and refampicin resistant proteins which are important in virus replication and development) found in the DlEPV genome and compare them with those of known poxviruses (PVs) and EPVs; (1B). determine whether genes of known PVs and EPVs which encode proteins essential for viral infection and maturation have homologs in the DlEPV genome, (2A). determine whether certain DlEPV genes are expressed only within the wasp and others only in the fruit fly; and (2B). sequence selected genes that are differentially expressed in host versus wasp. The results will provide fundamental molecular data on the genome components of this unusual EPV, the first reported from a parasitic wasp, and establish its relationship to other EPVs. The presence of genes governing infectivity and those differentially expressed in host versus wasp would provide insights into the virus' ability to be non-pathogenic to wasps but infective and pathogenic to fruit files. The data will also lay the groundwork for the possible use of DlEPV as a vector to introduce lethal genes into fruit fly genomes