U.S.-Argentina Cooperative Research: Infection of Mosquitoes and Other Diptera by Gut Fungi (Trichomycetes) in Argentina

9802408Lichtwardt该美洲计划奖将资助堪萨斯大学的Robert Lichtwardt博士与阿根廷拉普拉塔国立大学的Juan J. Garcia博士和Claudia洛佩斯Lastra博士之间的合作研究项目，研究肠道真菌（毛霉菌）对蚊子和其他双翅目昆虫的感染。 毛霉菌与昆虫的共生关系复杂多样，包括共生、互惠和寄生。本项目的目的是了解这些关系。合作者打算研究真菌如何从宿主传播到宿主，其生殖单位的持久性和活力，宿主范围和感染率，以及如何操纵它们来开发昆虫的生物控制剂。 由于昆虫是已知的人类和家养动物几种重要疾病的载体，这项研究可能具有潜在的深远的实际应用。

9802408LichtwardtThis Americas Program award will fund a cooperative research project between Dr. Robert Lichtwardt, University of Kansas, and Drs. Juan J. Garcia and Claudia Lopez Lastra, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Argentina, on a study of infection of mosquitoes and other diptera by gut fungi (Trichomycetes). The Trichomycetes have various and complicated symbiotic relations with insects, including commensalism, mutualism and parasitism. The objective of the project is to understand these relationships. The collaborators intend to study how the fungi are transmitted from host to host, the persistence and viability of their reproductive units, host ranges and rates of infection, and how they might be manipulated for developing a biological control agent for the insects. Since the insects are known vectors of several important diseases of humans and domesticated animals, this research could have potentially far-reaching practical applications.***