RII Track-4: Determining the Importance of Select Olfactory Proteins and Diapause-Related Protein in Aedes Albopictus Mosquitoes

非技术描述最近的基因组编辑技术提供了对几乎任何生物体的DNA进行改变的能力。当应用于昆虫时，它是研究昆虫生物学的有效手段，也是控制对人类健康和有助于国家粮食供应的作物有害的昆虫的潜在手段。在这个项目中，首席研究员(PI)和一名研究生将参观世界上最重要的昆虫基因组工程研究中心，即位于马里兰州罗克维尔的生物科学和生物技术研究所的昆虫转化设施，并通过实践培训和指导研究学习与基因组编辑技术相关的方法。私隐专员及见习毕业生亦会出席一个工作坊，学习如何了解及向公众传达有关基因改造昆虫技术及其安全使用的最新展望。由于PI和研究生学员位于一所拥有强大昆虫学和农业影响力的土地赠与大学，这一机会将使他们能够进行转基因昆虫的研究，交流该领域的最新思想趋势，并在未来几年与该地区的农业科学家合作。技术描述使用CRISPR/CAS9的昆虫基因组编辑技术最近被证明是研究昆虫发育、生理和生态学的有效手段，以及控制有害于人类健康和作为国家粮食供应的农作物的潜在手段。在生物科学和生物技术研究所的昆虫转化设施中，PI和他的学生将通过实践培训和指导研究来学习与这项技术相关的方法。主要的科学目标将是使用CRISPR/Cas9技术和胚胎显微注射来去除被认为与蚊子白纹伊蚊的血液摄食和寒冷天气导致的发育延迟或越冬有关的基因。了解白纹伊蚊如何寻找人类宿主觅血，可能会导致开发驱避剂的新方法，或更好地了解这一重要的媒介蚊子群体中人类寻找宿主的进化。了解该物种的越冬行为对于确定其将寄主范围扩大到更温和地区并改变其行为以应对生态变化的能力所涉及的机制非常重要。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Non-Technical Description Recent genome editing technology offers the ability to make changes to the DNA in almost any organism. When applied in insects, it is an effective means of studying insect biology, as well as a potential means of controlling insects that are harmful to human health and to the crops that contribute to the national food supply. In this project the Principal Investigator (PI) and one graduate trainee will visit the world's premier insect genome engineering research center, the Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology's Insect Transformation Facility in Rockville, MD, and learn the methods associated with genome-editing technology through hands-on training and guided research. The PI and graduate trainee would also attend a workshop to learn to understand and communicate the current outlook on genetically modified insect technology and its safe use to the public. As the PI and graduate trainee are located at a land grant university with a strong entomological and agricultural presence, this opportunity would allow them to conduct research on genetically modified insects, communicate the most current trends of thought in this field, and collaborate with agricultural scientists in the region for years to come. Technical Description Insect genome editing technology using CRISPR/Cas9 has recently been shown to be an effective means of studying insect development, physiology, and ecology, as well as a potential means of controlling insects that are harmful to human health and to crops that serve as the nation's food supply. At the Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology's Insect Transformation Facility, the PI and his student will learn the methods associated with this technology through hands-on training and guided research. The primary scientific goals will be to use CRISPR/Cas9 technology and embryonic microinjection to ablate the genes thought to be involved in blood feeding and cold weather-induced developmental delay, or overwintering, in the mosquito, Aedes albopictus. Understanding how Aedes albopictus mosquitoes seek human hosts for blood feeding could potentially lead to novel means of repellent development or towards a better understanding of the evolution of human host-seeking in this important group of vector mosquitoes. Understanding overwintering behavior of this species is important for identifying the mechanisms involved in its ability to expand its host range into more temperate areas and to change behaviors in response to ecological change.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.