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

本项目是一项对害虫物种（红粉甲虫）几丁质代谢的协作、生化/遗传综合研究，具有重要的经济意义，具有完整的基因组测序，并具有完善的功能基因组后续遗传工具包。甲壳素是一种结构碳水化合物聚合物，是昆虫角质层（相当于皮肤）的重要组成部分，也存在于中肠的内壁中。由于几丁质不存在于高等动物或植物中，几丁质代谢代表了一种昆虫选择性靶标，可以用于特定的害虫控制，而不会伤害那些被认为有益的昆虫。最近由NSF-NHGRI资助的甲虫基因组测序的完成，使鉴定出这种昆虫的大部分基因（如果不是全部的话）成为可能，这些基因对几丁质合成、修饰和转换至关重要。这些基因的功能将通过RNA干扰（RNAi）技术进行分析，从而导致选定基因的产物特异性下调。将确定针对几丁质代谢单个基因的RNAi实验的形态，生理和发育影响，并与选定的“几丁质抑制剂”的效果进行比较，这些抑制剂已被商业用于昆虫控制。这些靶基因编码的蛋白也将被纯化，几丁质抑制剂对其活性的影响将被证实。从这些研究中获得的知识将有助于确定害虫防治目的的新的目标生理过程。该项目还将帮助EPSCOR机构培养昆虫功能基因组学领域的研究生、研究生和本科生。来自代表性不足的少数民族和女性的本科生将被鼓励在学年和夏季参加我们的研究。特别是，将尝试利用正在进行的SUROP， McNair和NSF-REU计划从少数民族大学招收学生。

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.