Increased pest resistance in oilseed rape mediated by an enhanced UV-B response

昆虫、软体动物和微生物病原体的侵害给油菜作物造成了重大损失，试图通过使用杀虫剂来解决这个问题需要花费相当大的费用。该项目的目的是开展研究，以支持新的油菜品种的发展，提高抗虫性食草。植物暴露在紫外线b波长下，这是阳光的自然组成部分，已被证明通过改变植物的化学成分来降低植物对昆虫食草动物的吸引力。几种植物对UV-B的反应是由一种名为UVR8的蛋白质介导的，而对草食的防御反应涉及调节分子茉莉酸。在本项目中，我们将研究UVR8和介导茉莉酸反应的MYC2蛋白在提高油菜抗虫性方面的潜力。我们将测试特定基因的转基因过表达是否会增加对昆虫食草性的抗性，作为“概念证明”，即操纵UV-B反应可用于开发新品种。

Attack by insects, molluscs and microbial pathogens causes significant losses to the oilseed rape crop and considerable expense is incurred in trying to counter this problem by using pesticides. The aim of this project is to undertake research to underpin the development of new oilseed rape varieties with increased resistance to insect herbivory. Exposure of plants to UV-B wavelengths, which are a natural component of sunlight, has been shown to reduce the attractiveness of plants to insect herbivores by altering plant chemical composition. Several plant responses to UV-B are mediated by a protein called UVR8 and the defence response to herbivory involves the regulatory molecule jasmonic acid. In this project, we will examine the potential of UVR8 and a protein called MYC2 that mediates the response to jasmonic acid to increase resistance to insect herbivory in oilseed rape. We will test whether transgenic over-expression of specific genes increases resistance to insect herbivory as 'proof of concept' that manipulation of the UV-B response could be used to develop new varieties.