揭示昆虫与寄主植物间互作关系对于阐明害虫种群暴发危害机制，开发有效的害虫防治技术意义重大。酚糖是植物产生的一种重要次生代谢产物，其能有效抑制昆虫对寄主植物的危害。申请者前期研究发现，烟粉虱基因组中存在从植物基因组水平转移而来的酚糖代谢酶（PMAT）基因。本项目拟通过PMAT编码基因的异源表达、蛋白分离纯化以及生物活性测定，明确其对植物酚糖的降解特性；并进一步通过病毒诱导的基因沉默（VIGS）技术阐明其对烟粉虱生长、发育和繁殖等生物学特性的影响；最后结合VIGS 技术和EPG技术阐明该基因对烟粉虱取食习性与取食行为的作用。相关研究结果将揭示水平转移基因PMAT介导的烟粉虱—寄主植物间的互作特性，揭示昆虫与寄主植物长期进化过程中的协同进化的机制和害虫种群扩散、暴发危害机制。

It is of great significance to elucidate the mechanism of pest outbreaks and develop effective pest control technologies by revealing the interactions between insects and host plants. Phenolic glycosides are important plant secondary metabolites, which can effectively inhibit the harm of insects to host plants. Our previous studies have found that there was a phenolic glucoside malonyltransferase (PMAT) gene in the genome of Bemisia tabaci horizontal transferred from the plant genome. This project intends to use heterologous expression, protein purification and bioactivity determination to make clear the degradation characteristics of PMAT to plant phenolic glycosides; and further clarify the effects of PMAT gene on B. tabaci feeding, growth, reproduction and other biological characteristics by virus induced gene silencing (VIGS) technology; finally, elucidate the gene affects whitefly feeding habits and feeding behavior combined with the technology of VIGS and EPG. The related research results will reveal the interaction between B. tabaci and host plants mediated by horizontal transfer gene PMAT, the mechanism of co-evolution between insects and host plants, and the mechanism of pest population dispersal and outbreak.