DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Bacterial-symbiont-mediated competitive interactions among entomopathogenic nematodes

个别种类的寄生虫对动物的负面影响已被深入研究，可能非常强烈。 许多动物都受到多种寄生虫的侵扰，其中一些寄生虫具有共生微生物，但我们对宿主内寄生虫及其共生体之间的相互作用如何减少或加剧寄生作用的影响知之甚少。 本计画将探讨两种寄生于昆虫的线虫与其中一种的细菌共生体之间的相互作用。 研究人员将用线虫、细菌或两者感染昆虫宿主，以测试细菌对线虫繁殖能力的影响。 为了研究潜在的机制，将比较不同处理中宿主内产生的化学物质诱导细菌反应和抑制寄生虫生长的能力。这些结果将拓宽我们对寄生虫在自然系统中的作用以及它们如何影响动物健康的认识。先前的研究表明，宿主体内的细菌可以影响寄生虫的表现，甚至阻止它们成功繁殖。该项目将为预防或控制寄生虫增加这一有前途的新途径。研究还将开发寄生虫-细菌系统，作为K-12学生的教学工具，并培养博士学位。学生.

The negative effects of individual species of parasites on animals have been intensively studied and can be very strong. Many animals are infested by multiple species of parasites, some of which have symbiotic microorganisms, but we know relatively little about how the interactions between parasites and their symbionts within a host may reduce or exacerbate the effects of parasitism. This project will investigate the interactions between two species of nematodes that parasitize insects and a bacterial symbiont of one of these species. Researchers will infect an insect host with nematodes, bacteria, or both to test the effect of the bacteria on the ability of the nematodes to reproduce. To investigate the underlying mechanisms, chemicals produced within the host in the different treatments will be compared for ability to induce responses in the bacteria and to inhibit the growth of the parasites. The results will broaden our knowledge of the role of parasites in natural systems and how they affect the health of animals. Previous studies have shown that bacteria within a host can influence the performance of parasites and even prevent them from successfully reproducing. This project will add to this promising new avenue for preventing or controlling parasitism. Research will also develop the parasite-bacteria system as a tool for teaching K-12 students, and train a Ph.D. student.