Genomics of ash-emerald ash borer interactions

翡翠白蜡虫(EAB)是一种入侵的钻木甲虫，其幼虫在白蜡树树皮下挖掘隧道，可以在几年内杀死被侵扰的树木。EAB在20世纪90年代意外地从亚洲传入，自2002年在底特律-温莎地区发现以来，这种昆虫已经蔓延到安大略省和魁北克(以及美国的大部分地区)，杀死了森林、公园和大都市地区的数百万棵白蜡树。白蜡树是城市林业的关键树种，在加拿大各城市的城市树木中占有相当大的比例(高达40%)。在灰烬侵染期间，EAB以树木的韧皮部为食，导致树木维管系统的逐渐破坏。迫切需要探索现有的树木基因组学工具，以更好地了解灰分对EAB的反应，以便改进其管理，并为树木改良提供遗传标记。 目前对EAB攻击的抗性机制尚不清楚，但是，有可能研究在敏感树木(即。白蜡树)。亚洲白蜡树物种表现出比北美物种更大的抵抗力，因为它们与这种昆虫共同进化。对幼虫取食后抗感白蜡树维管形成层的研究揭示了一组重叠的防御相关基因，这些基因在抗EAB树中表现为基因表达增加。这项研究计划将集中于使用集成系统的方法来识别在对EAB的防御反应中被激活的基因，以确定控制这种诱导的关键调控元件。通过确定防御反应的分子开关的主要成分，我们应该能够通过遗传或生理手段改善刺激反应，以获得更快和/或更强的应激反应，以防止EAB的传播。

The emerald ash borer (EAB) is an invasive wood-boring beetle whose larvae tunnel under the bark of ash trees and can kill an infested tree within a few years. The EAB was introduced accidentally from Asia in the 1990s, and since its discovery in the Detroit-Windsor area in 2002, the insect has spread across Ontario and into Quebec (as well as to large parts of the USA), killing millions of ash trees in forests, parks and metropolitan areas. Ash is a key species in urban forestry, making up a significant proportion (up to 40%) of urban trees in municipalities across Canada. During ash infestation, the EAB feeds on the tree's phloem, resulting in the progressive destruction of the vascular system of the tree. There is a pressing need to explore current tree genomics tools to better understand ash response to the EAB in order to improve its management and provide genetic markers for tree improvement. The mechanisms of resistance to EAB attack are currently unknown; however, it is possible to investigate the biochemical processes that underlie the ash defense response in susceptible trees (ie. Green Ash). Asian species of ash show greater resistance than North American species because they have coevolved with the insect. Studies focusing on the vascular cambium of resistant vs susceptible ash trees after larval feeding have revealed an overlapping set of defense related genes that display increased gene expression in EAB resistant trees. This research program will focus on the use of an integrated systems approach to identify the genes that are activated during the defense response to EAB, in order to identify the key regulatory elements governing this induction. By identifying the main components of the molecular switch of the defense response we should be able to improve stimuli response either by genetic or physiological means for a swifter and/or stronger stress response to prevent the spread of the EAB.