NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2021: Characterizing the role of Wolbachia in an insect vector-virus pathosystem

这一行动为NSF 2021财年生物学博士后研究奖学金提供了资金，综合研究调查了支配基因组、环境和表型之间相互作用的生命规则。该奖学金支持研究员的研究和培训，这些研究员将以创新的方式为生活规则领域做出贡献。以树液为食的昆虫藏匿着一系列可遗传的共生体，这些共生体提供了重要的生态效益，包括获取营养或防御天敌。以树液为食的昆虫还可以传播植物病原体，这有时会帮助它们的昆虫媒介克服植物的免疫反应，并进一步降低植物的适应性。越来越多的研究表明，昆虫共生体影响昆虫携带的植物病毒的传播。利用一个易驯服的蚜虫模型，这位研究员试图调查共生菌Wolbachia如何影响香蕉蚜虫的生物学及其传播植物病原体香蕉束顶病毒的能力。这位研究员将使用跨学科的方法来确定沃尔巴克氏菌如何影响媒介生态和香蕉束顶病毒的传播动力学。这项工作将拓宽我们对无处不在的、多方面的沃尔巴克氏菌的理解，但它也可能为疾病的缓解提供见解。这位研究员将接受荧光和电子显微镜、下一代测序、比较基因组学、转录组学和相关的生物信息学分析方面的培训；该项目还创造机会，增加来自代表性不足群体的个人参与STEM的机会。这项工作旨在了解共生体和载体植物病原体可能重叠的界面，以及影响多营养群落的动态相互作用可能发展的结果。一种提供了弥合这一知识鸿沟的独特机会的系统是完全无性的香蕉蚜虫，其中大多数个体携带HFS Wolbachia，并且是一种名为香蕉束顶病毒(BBTV)的经济重要植物病原体的唯一媒介。尽管沃尔巴克氏菌是分布最广、研究最深入的共生菌，但很少有人研究沃尔巴克氏菌在蚜虫中的作用。该研究员将进行操纵性实验，使用基因工程的蚜虫株系，以首先了解沃尔巴克氏菌在香蕉蚜虫中的功能作用，并明确检测沃尔巴克氏菌是否影响媒介能力和BBTV传播动力学。为了将模式与过程联系起来，将使用显微镜技术来定位Wolbachia和BBTV，并使用分子分析来量化对这种相互作用的蚜虫内部生态至关重要的组织特异性丰度。这位研究员将使用组学方法将沃尔巴克氏菌的不同表型与潜在的管理机制联系起来；接触不同背景的高中生和小学生(包括来自国际场所的学生)将为未来的科学家创造道路。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。

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2021, Integrative Research Investigating the Rules of Life Governing Interactions Between Genomes, Environment and Phenotypes. The fellowship supports research and training of the Fellow that will contribute to the area of Rules of Life in innovative ways. Sap-feeding insects harbor an array of heritable symbionts that provide important ecological benefits including nutrient acquisition or defense against natural enemies. Sap-feeding insects can also vector plant pathogens, which sometimes help their insect vector overcome plant immune responses, and further depress plant fitness. A growing number of studies indicate that insect symbionts influence transmission of insect-vectored plant viruses. Using a tractable aphid model, the Fellow seeks to investigate how the symbiont, Wolbachia, impacts the biology of the banana aphid, Pentalonia nigronervosa, and its ability to vector the plant pathogen banana bunchy top virus. The Fellow will use an interdisciplinary approach to determine how Wolbachia impacts vector ecology and banana bunchy top virus transmission dynamics. This work will broaden our understanding of the ubiquitous and multifaceted Wolbachia, but it may also provide insights into disease mitigation. The Fellow will receive training in fluorescent and electron microscopy, next-generation sequencing, comparative genomics, transcriptomics, and associated bioinformatic analyses; the project also creates opportunities to increase STEM participation by individuals from underrepresented groups.This work seeks to understand the interface where symbionts and vectored plant pathogens may overlap and where dynamic interactions may develop with outcomes affecting multi-trophic communities. A system that provides a unique opportunity to bridge this knowledge gap is the entirely asexual banana aphid, Pentalonia, in which most individuals harbor the HFS Wolbachia, and is the sole vector of an economically important plant pathogen called banana bunchy top virus (BBTV). Despite being the most widespread and best-studied symbiont, Wolbachia’s role in aphids has rarely been investigated. The Fellow will conduct manipulative experiments using engineered aphid lines to first understand the functional role of Wolbachia in banana aphids, and to explicitly examine whether Wolbachia impacts vector competency and BBTV transmission dynamics. To link pattern with process, microscopy techniques will be used to localize Wolbachia and BBTV, and molecular assays to quantify tissue-specific abundances vital to the within-aphid ecology of this interaction. The Fellow will use ‘omics approaches to link Wolbachia’s diverse phenotypes with potential governing mechanisms; outreach to high school and elementary school students of diverse backgrounds (including from international venues) will create pathways for future scientists.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.