Collaborative Research: An Integrated Functional Genomics Investigation of Chitin Metabolism and its Role in Insect Growth and development

该项目是一个合作的，综合的生物化学/遗传学研究几丁质代谢的害虫物种（红粉甲虫），是经济上重要的，有一个完整的测序基因组，并有一个完善的遗传工具包功能基因组后续通过。 甲壳素是一种结构性碳水化合物聚合物，是昆虫表皮（相当于皮肤）的重要组成部分，也存在于中肠的衬里中。 由于甲壳素不存在于高等动物或植物中，甲壳素代谢代表了昆虫选择性靶标，其可用于害虫的特异性控制而不伤害那些被认为有益的害虫。最近由NSF-NHGRI资助的甲虫基因组测序的完成使得能够鉴定这种昆虫的大多数（如果不是全部的话）基因，这些基因对几丁质合成，修饰和周转很重要。 这些基因中的每一个的功能将通过RNA干扰（RNAi）技术进行分析，该技术导致所选基因的产物的特异性下调。 针对几丁质代谢的单个基因的RNAi实验的形态学、生理学和发育效应将被确定，并与商业上用于昆虫控制的所选“几丁质抑制剂”的效应进行比较。 这些靶基因编码的蛋白质也将被纯化，几丁质抑制剂对其活性的影响将得到证实。从这些研究中获得的知识将有助于确定新的目标害虫控制的生理过程。 该项目还将帮助在EPSCOR机构培训昆虫功能基因组学领域的研究生、研究生和本科生。 将鼓励来自代表性不足的少数民族和妇女的本科生在学年和夏季参加我们的研究。 特别是，将努力利用正在进行的SUROP、McNair和NSF-REU方案从少数民族机构招收学生。

This project is a collaborative, integrated biochemical/genetic study of chitin metabolism in a pest species (red flour beetle) that is economically important, has a completely sequenced genome, and has a well-developed genetic toolkit for functional genomic follow-through. Chitin, a structural carbohydrate polymer, is an essential component of the insect cuticle (the equivalent of the skin) and also found in the lining of the midgut. Since chitin is not present in higher animals or plants, chitin metabolism represents an insect-selective target that can be exploited for specific control of pest insects without harm to those that are deemed beneficial. The recent completion of the sequencing of the beetle genome funded by NSF-NHGRI has enabled the identification of most if not all of the genes from this insect, which are important for chitin synthesis, modification and turnover. The functions of each of these genes will be analyzed by the technique of RNA interference (RNAi), which results in specific down-regulation of the products of selected genes. The morphological, physiological and developmental effects of RNAi experiments targeted towards individual genes of chitin metabolism will be determined and compared with the effects of selected "chitin inhibitors," which are commercially utilized for insect control. The proteins encoded by these target genes will also be purified and the effects of chitin inhibitors on their activities will be confirmed. The knowledge obtained from these studies will help identify novel target physiological processes for insect pest control purposes. This project will also help train post-graduate, graduate and undergraduate students in the field of insect functional genomics at an EPSCOR institution. Undergraduate students from underrepresented minorities and women will be encouraged to participate in our research both during the academic year and summer months. In particular, attempts will be made to recruit students from minority institutions utilizing the ongoing SUROP, McNair and NSF-REU programs.