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

该行动资助2021财年NSF生物学博士后研究奖学金，研究基因组，环境和表型之间相互作用的生命规则的综合研究。该奖学金支持将以创新方式为《生活规则》领域作出贡献的研究员的研究和培训。以汁液为食的昆虫拥有一系列可遗传的共生体，这些共生体提供重要的生态效益，包括营养获取或防御天敌。取食汁液的昆虫也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媒介植物病毒的传播。利用一种可处理的蚜虫模型，该研究员试图调查共生体沃尔巴克氏体如何影响香蕉蚜虫的生物学特性，以及它传播植物病原体香蕉束顶病毒的能力。该研究员将使用跨学科的方法来确定沃尔巴克氏体如何影响媒介生态学和香蕉束顶病毒传播动力学。这项工作将扩大我们对沃尔巴克氏体无处不在和多方面的理解，但它也可能为疾病缓解提供见解。该研究员将接受荧光显微镜和电子显微镜、下一代测序、比较基因组学、转录组学和相关生物信息学分析方面的培训；该项目还为来自代表性不足群体的个人增加STEM参与创造了机会。这项工作旨在了解共生体和病媒植物病原体可能重叠的界面，以及影响多营养群落结果的动态相互作用可能发展的界面。一种完全无性的香蕉蚜虫（Pentalonia）系统为弥合这一知识鸿沟提供了独特的机会，它的大多数个体携带HFS沃尔巴克氏体，并且是一种具有重要经济意义的植物病原体——香蕉束顶病毒（BBTV）的唯一载体。尽管沃尔巴克氏体是分布最广、研究最多的共生体，但它在蚜虫中的作用却很少被研究。该研究员将利用工程蚜虫系进行操纵实验，首先了解沃尔巴克氏体在香蕉蚜虫中的功能作用，并明确研究沃尔巴克氏体是否影响媒介能力和BBTV传播动态。为了将模式与过程联系起来，将使用显微镜技术来定位沃尔巴克氏体和BBTV，并使用分子分析来量化对这种相互作用的蚜虫生态学至关重要的组织特异性丰度。该研究员将使用组学方法将沃尔巴克氏体的多种表型与潜在的控制机制联系起来；向不同背景的高中生和小学生（包括来自国际场所的学生）伸出援手，将为未来的科学家创造途径。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值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.