Molecular basis of insect attraction to human odorants

描述（由申请人提供）：传播疾病的昆虫通常通过嗅觉线索来检测人类，因此必须更好地了解气味是如何编码并引发昆虫行为的。该提案的长期目标是阐明昆虫嗅觉信号传导的基本过程，特别关注嗅觉神经元的子集，已知用于检测人类气味的腔锥神经元。鉴于昆虫嗅觉系统的进化保守性，我们建议利用果蝇中的遗传和行为工具来了解吸引这些气味的分子基础。在我的第一个目标中，我将扩大已知的气味激活腔锥神经元的范围，通过使用电生理记录来表征它们对其他气味的反应。特别是，我将集中在胺和羧酸，有吸引力的气味中发现的人类散发。在我的第二个目标中，我将通过利用遗传操作和成年果蝇的良好特征行为测定来剖析腔锥神经元信号传导的行为意义。最后，我将确定额外的信号成分丰富的coeloconic ORN是必要的嗅觉受体活性，通过探测从RNA测序屏幕获得的候选基因的功能和定位。这些实验旨在阐明嗅觉信号的分子机制以及环境信号转化为昆虫行为的方式。 公共卫生相关性：包括疟疾在内的虫媒疾病每年造成100多万人死亡。昆虫，如蚊子，主要依靠它们的嗅觉系统来检测人类。该项目旨在阐明人类气味是如何编码并引发昆虫行为的。研究结果可能会导致改进的驱虫剂和陷阱的发展。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Insects that transmit disease often detect humans through olfactory cues, making it imperative to better understand how odors are encoded and elicit behavior in insects. The long term goal of this proposal is to illuminate fundamental processes in insect olfactory signaling, with particular focus on a subset of olfactory neurons, coeloconic neurons, known to detect human odorants. Given the evolutionary conservation of olfactory systems amongst insects, we propose to make use of the genetic and behavioral tools available in Drosophila to understand the molecular basis of attraction to these odorants. In my first aim, I will expand the range of odors known to activate coeloconic neurons by characterizing their responses to additional odorants using electrophysiological recordings. In particular, I will focus on amines and carboxylic acids, attractive odors found in human emanations. In my second aim, I will dissect the behavioral significance of coeloconic neuron signaling by utilizing genetic manipulations and a well-characterized behavioral assay with adult flies. Finally, I will identify additional signaling components enriched in coeloconic ORNs that are necessary for olfactory receptor activity by probing the function and localization of candidate genes obtained from an RNA Sequencing screen. Together, these experiments are designed to elucidate molecular mechanisms of olfactory signaling and the means by which environmental signals are transformed into behavior in insects. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Insect-borne diseases, including malaria, kill more than a million people each year. Insects such as mosquitoes primarily rely upon their olfactory system to detect humans. This project is designed to shed light on how human odorants are encoded and elicit behavior in insects. The results could lead to the development of improved insect repellents and traps.