Gene expression in commensal tsetse symbionts

描述（由申请人提供）：人类非洲昏睡病是一种由锥虫（布氏锥虫属）引起的潜在致命疾病。抑制这种迅速重新出现的疾病传播的核心是控制节肢动物媒介采采蝇（舌蝇属）。采采蝇体内有一种内共生微生物（Sodalis glossinidius），生活在中肠中，靠近锥虫。本研究的目的是利用这种共生植物群来降低采采蝇传播锥虫的能力。为了实现这一目标，我计划改进现有的染色体外质粒为基础的转化程序，通过使用同源重组纳入'效应分子'基因到Sodalis'染色体。2个候选分子，具有已证实的锥虫分解活性，可用于此目的：舌蝇Attacin和脊椎动物BMAP-27。重组索达利斯将重新引入采采蝇。然后将监测这些“副转基因”果蝇及其后代的适应性、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.