Developing genetic control methods for the silverleaf whitefly

开发银叶粉虱的遗传控制方法

• 批准号: 1654669
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of East Anglia
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Studentship
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2015 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=studentship-1654669
• 关键词: Developing; genetic; control; methods; silverleaf

The silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia tabaci, is a species complex comprising several biotypes/cryptic species. It has over 500 host plants, to which damage is caused by the adult flies feeding, but they also vector a range of plant viruses. Control of the whitefly is principally by insecticide spraying, which can be of limited effectiveness as the pest develops resistance, and chemical modes-of-action or withdrawn from use. This project will seek to develop genetic tools for new management strategies against this pest. Current genetic control approaches involve development of transgenic strains showing a self-limiting trait. For instance, engineered genetic sexing allows the production of male-only cohorts, which after release in the field will mate with wild counterparts, producing no female adult progeny and thereby reducing the pest population. This approach relies on mating, so is therefore highly species-specific with a low ecological impact. A transgenic self-limiting strain of the dengue mosquito, Aedes aegypti, has been used to successfully control wild populations of the mosquito, and similar fruit fly and lepidopteran strains are nearing field trial testing. With the technology developed in Diptera and Lepidoptera, we are seeking to apply a similar approach to management of whitefly (a hemipteran). Working with Bemisia tabaci, the student will develop transformation methods and test construct components. The project will require investigation by molecular biology and bioinformatics to identify, characterize and clone whitefly regulatory sequences of interest for engineering new genetic pest management traits. At project end, we propose to have established the genetic toolkit and methods that will enable the development of new genetic methods of controlling this pest, and other Hemiptera.

银叶粉虱（Bemisia tabaci）是一种由多种生物型/隐种组成的物种复合体。它有超过500种寄主植物，这些植物的损害是由成年苍蝇捕食造成的，但它们也传播了一系列植物病毒。控制粉虱的主要方法是喷洒杀虫剂，但由于害虫产生抗药性，这种方法的效果有限，而且采用化学方法或停止使用。该项目将寻求开发遗传工具，用于对付这种害虫的新管理战略。目前的遗传控制方法包括开发具有自我限制特性的转基因菌株。例如，通过基因工程进行的性别鉴定可以培育出雄性种群，这些种群在野外释放后将与野生同类交配，不产生雌性成年后代，从而减少害虫的数量。这种方法依赖于交配，因此具有高度的物种特异性和低生态影响。一种转基因的登革热蚊子，埃及伊蚊，已经被用来成功地控制蚊子的野生种群，类似的果蝇和鳞翅目菌株也即将进行现场试验。随着双翅目和鳞翅目技术的发展，我们正在寻求将类似的方法应用于白蝇（半翅目）的管理。与烟粉虱一起工作，学生将开发转化方法并测试构建组件。该项目将需要通过分子生物学和生物信息学的研究来鉴定、表征和克隆白蝇的调控序列，以用于工程新的遗传虫害管理性状。在项目结束时，我们建议建立遗传工具包和方法，以便开发新的遗传方法来控制这种害虫，以及其他半翅目昆虫。