DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Transmission biology and gametocyte gender ratio of a malaria parasite

疟疾寄生虫在其脊椎动物宿主（如人类、鸟类或蜥蜴）的血液中产生雄性和雌性细胞，这些细胞感染传播它们的吸血昆虫。雄性和雌性细胞的比例影响交配后产生的新寄生虫的数量，性别比例理论预测了将寄生虫传播成功率最大化的最佳比例。这名研究生根据寄生虫对最佳性别比例做出了新的预测。S传播，即在昆虫发育过程中存活的寄生虫按比例减少，应该有利于性比接近1:1。昆虫会被多种蜥蜴疟疾寄生虫感染。寄生虫数量和不同菌株的丰度将在整个开发过程中使用新开发的分子遗传学技术进行监测。这项研究不仅对了解疟疾寄生虫的性别比例，而且对了解疟疾的一般传播具有重要意义。这种蜥蜴寄生虫特别令人感兴趣，因为它在昆虫体内的发育速度最快。监测菌株的比例可能有助于了解与耐药性和毒力有关的遗传多样性模式。该项目将为本科生和较年轻的学生提供获得研究经验的机会，包括直接资助一名本科生实地助理。数据、动画和研究描述将在网上提供（www.uvm.edu/~aneal/homepage.html）。

Malaria parasites produce male and female cells within the blood of their vertebrate host (e.g. humans, birds, or lizards) that infect the blood-feeding insects that transmit them. The proportion of male vs. female cells influences the number of new parasites produced following mating, and Sex Ratio Theory predicts the best ratio that will maximize parasite transmission success. The graduate student developed new predictions for the optimal sex ratio based on the parasite?s transmission, which is that proportionally fewer parasites surviving within-insect development should favor sex ratios nearer 1:1. Insects will be infected with multiple strains of a lizard malaria parasite. Parasite numbers and the abundance of different strains will be monitored throughout development using newly-developed techniques in molecular genetics.This study is important for understanding not only the sex ratio of malaria parasites, but also malaria transmission in general. This lizard parasite is of particular interest because it has the fastest known within-insect development. Monitoring proportions of strains may help understand patterns of genetic diversity, which relate to drug resistance and virulence. This project will provide opportunities for undergraduates and younger students to gain research experience, including directly funding one undergraduate field assistant. Data, animations, and research descriptions will be available online (www.uvm.edu/~aneal/homepage.html).