Collaborative Research: Vector-Enabled Discovery: Exploiting whiteflies to investigate the diversity, evolution, and biogeography of begomoviruses.

粉虱传播的单链DNA秋病毒是世界上最严重的新兴作物病原体之一。为了加强对粉虱病毒多样性、进化和生物地理学的现有知识，该项目利用了一种新的方法，直接从烟粉虱媒介中识别秋病毒。这种方法利用粉虱的天然能力，从它们赖以生存的许多植物中浓缩病毒，并利用元基因组学工具发现新病毒的能力。粉虱样本将从六大洲八个国家的西红柿和南瓜田中采集。元基因组测序将产生大量完整的巨细胞病毒基因组序列，这将被用来提高我们对巨细胞病毒系统发育和进化的了解。对巨细胞病毒核心外壳蛋白区域的深度测序将使人们能够直接比较作物和地理位置之间的巨细胞病毒多样性。这项以媒介为基础的全球调查将大大增加我们对巨细胞病毒多样性、重组、生物地理学和出现的了解。由于秋海棠病毒是危险的植物病原体，对全球食品生物安全构成重大威胁，该项目对农业具有重大影响。一名研究生和一名博士后研究员将通过这个项目接受尖端分子生物学和生物信息学技术方面的培训。此外，还将开发一个女童子军“病毒猎人”补丁程序，向年轻女性介绍检测和控制新兴病毒的研究。

The single-stranded DNA, whitefly-transmitted begomoviruses are among the most serious emerging crop pathogens worldwide. To enhance current knowledge of begomovirus diversity, evolution, and biogeography, this project utilizes a novel approach of identifying begomoviruses directly from the Bemisia tabaci whitefly vector. This approach exploits the natural ability of whiteflies to concentrate viruses from the many plants they feed upon, and leverages the capability of metagenomic tools for discovering new viruses. Whitefly samples will be collected from tomato and squash fields from eight countries on six continents. Metagenomic sequencing will yield numerous complete begomovirus genome sequences, which will be used to improve our knowledge of begomovirus phylogeny and evolution. Deep sequencing of the begomovirus core coat protein region will enable direct comparisons of begomovirus diversity between crops and geographic locations. This global vector-based survey will substantially increase our understanding of begomovirus diversity, recombination, biogeography, and emergence. Since begomoviruses are dangerous plant pathogens that pose a significant threat to global food biosecurity, this project has significant implications for agriculture. A graduate student and a postdoctoral researcher will be trained in cutting-edge molecular biology and bioinformatics techniques through this project. In addition, a Girl Scout "Virus Hunter" patch program will be developed to introduce young women to research in the detection and control of emerging viruses.