Functional Genomic Approach to Signal Transduction and Innate Immunity in Shrimp

本研究的重点是了解甲壳类动物，海洋虾，凡纳滨对虾对病毒感染的免疫反应。甲壳类动物是海洋环境的重要组成部分，海洋虾具有重要的商业意义，特别是因为这些动物被广泛养殖。这些动物极易感染多种病毒，包括陶拉综合征病毒和白斑综合征病毒，这些病毒对水产养殖造成毁灭性影响，并可能对海洋环境健康造成未知后果。本研究提出了两个虾分子（STAT和IkK，这两个免疫功能蛋白家族）是虾识别和响应病毒感染的分子机制的组成部分的假设。具体目的有两个：1)通过RNA干扰方法降低STAT和IkK的表达，并确定这种降低表达对对虾抗病毒感染的影响。2)鉴定STAT和IkK调控的病毒免疫重要基因。“功能基因组学”方法将被采用，使用DNA微阵列同时测量大约3000个虾基因的表达水平。结果数据的生物信息学分析将确定参与宿主对病毒感染反应的基因，以及STAT和IkK的作用。这项研究将增加我们对海洋无脊椎动物免疫的认识，并有助于海洋生态系统和水产养殖资源的管理。这项工作的更广泛的影响包括：1)通过与南卡罗来纳州自然资源部的协调，向专业人员和公众传播有关海洋生物和海洋环境的信息；2)将参与该项目的研究生的教育和培训。此外，通过参加暑期研究项目，本科生将有机会参与这个项目并获得研究经验。

This research is focused on understanding the immune response of a crustacean, the marine shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei to virus infections. Crustacea are essential components of the marine environment and marine shrimp are of commercial significance, especially since these animals are widely aquacultured. These animals are highly susceptible to numerous viruses, including the Taura Syndrome Virus and White Spot Syndrome Virus, and these have devastating impacts on aquaculture and possible unknown consequences for the health of the marine environment. This research addresses the hypothesis that 2 shrimp molecules (STAT and IkK, which are families of immune function proteins) are components of the molecular machinery by which shrimp recognize and respond to viral infection. There are two Specific Aims. 1) To reduce, by RNA interference methods, the expression of STAT and IkK, and establish the effect of this reduced expression on shrimp resistance to viral infection. 2) To identify the genes regulated by STAT and IkK that are important in viral immunity. "Functional genomics" approaches will be employed, using DNA microarrays to measure the levels of expression of approximately 3,000 shrimp genes simultaneously. Bioinformatic analyses of the resulting data will identify genes participating in the host response to viral infection, and the role of STAT and IkK.This research will increase our understanding of marine invertebrate immunity, and assist in the management of marine ecosystems and aquaculture resources. The broader impacts of this work include: 1) the dissemination of information on marine organisms and the marine environment to professionals and the public, through coordination with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and 2) the education and training of graduate students who will work on the project. In addition, through participation in summer research exposure programs, undergraduate students will have the opportunity to work on this project and to gain experience in research.