Gene expression in commensal tsetse symbionts

描述(申请人提供)：人类的非洲昏睡病是由锥虫引起的一种潜在的致命疾病。抑制这种迅速复发的疾病传播的核心是对节肢动物媒介采采蝇(Glossina属)的控制。采采物中含有一种共生内共生微生物(Sodalis Glossinidius)，该微生物生活在靠近锥虫的中肠内。这项研究的目的是开发这种共生菌群，以降低采采赛传播锥虫的能力。为了实现这一目标，我计划改进现有的基于染色体外质粒的转化程序，使用同源重组将“效应分子”基因整合到Sodalis的染色体中。有两个具有胰酶溶解活性的候选分子可用于此目的：采采素和脊椎动物BMAP-27。重组苏打将被重新引入采采赛。然后将监测这些“副转基因”果蝇及其后代的适合性、重组蛋白表达的稳定性和锥虫载体能力的变化。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): African sleeping sickness in humans is a potentially deadly disease caused by trypanosomes (Trypanosoma brucei spp.). Central to inhibiting the spread of this rapidly re-emerging disease is control of the arthropod vector, the tsetse fly (genus Glossina). Tsetse harbors a commensal endosymbiotic microorganism (Sodalis glossinidius) that lives in the midgut in close proximity to the trypanosomes. The goal of this research is to exploit this symbiotic flora for the purpose of decreasing tsetse's capacity to transmit trypanosomes. To accomplish this goal, I plan to improve upon an existing extra-chromosomal plasmid-based transformation procedure by using homologous recombination to incorporate 'effector molecule' genes into Sodalis' chromosome. 2 candidate molecules, with demonstrated trypanolytic activity, are available for this purpose: tsetse attacin and vertebrate BMAP-27. Recombinant Sodalis will be reintroduced to tsetse. These 'paratransgenic' flies and their offspring will then be monitored for changes in fitness, stability of recombinant protein expression and trypanosome vectorial capacity.