蜜蜂和狄斯瓦螨新病毒的发现、起源和致病性研究

新发传染病是人类也是蜜蜂健康的重大威胁。RNA病毒变异快、易发生跨种传播，是一类促发新发传染病的最常见病原。蜜蜂通过食物链与蜂巢内外的生物密切联系，从而产生病原传播的各种可能性。其中与蜜蜂关系最为紧密的生物当属蜜蜂的外寄生虫狄斯瓦螨。本项目围绕蜜蜂和狄斯瓦螨新病毒，开展其发现、起源和致病性的研究：（1）通过RNA测序和病毒组分析，全面了解我国蜜蜂和狄斯瓦螨的RNA病毒谱，发现新病毒；（2）通过与同域分布的其它授粉昆虫、主要蜜粉源植物及其它蜂箱相关生物的RNA病毒谱进行比较，并开展进化分析，揭示蜜蜂及蜂螨与相关生物间病毒传播的现象与规律，探究蜜蜂和蜂螨新病毒的起源；（3）结合流行病学调查和人工接种实验，研究蜜蜂和蜂螨新病毒对蜜蜂的致病性，探析其对蜜蜂健康的威胁。本项目不仅可以揭示RNA病毒在以蜜蜂和狄斯瓦螨为核心的生物群落中的传播路径和进化关系，也将有助于蜜蜂病毒性新发传染病的预防和控制。

Emerging infectious diseases are a major threat to human and bee health. RNA viruses are a kind of pathogen that are involved in a large fraction of emerging infectious diseases because of their high mutation and frequent cross-species infection. Honeybees keep close contact with the organisms in the inner and outer environment of the nest through food chains, thus producing various possibilities of pathogen transmission. One of the most closely related organisms to honeybee is an ectoparasite, Varroa destructor mite. In this proposal, we focus on the discovery, origin and pathogenicity of novel RNA viruses associated with honeybees and V. destructor mite. Firstly, through RNA sequencing and virome analysis, we aim to fully uncover the RNA virus spectrum of honeybees and V. destructor mite in China and discover novel RNA viruses. Secondly, by comparing to the virus spectrum of other hive-related organisms, e.g. other insect pollinator and nectar plants, we aim to reveal the transmission path of RNA viruses among honeybees, V. destructor and the related organisms and uncover the origin of the novel viruses. Thirdly, combining the results of epidemiology investigation and artificial inoculation experiments, the pathogenicity of the novel viruses of honeybees and mites will be studied and the risks to bee health caused by these viruses will be evaluated. The results of this project will not only reveal the cross-species transmission of RNA viruses among honeybees, V. destructor and the related organisms, but also contribute to the early response of potential emerging infectious diseases of honeybees caused by RNA viruses.