Increased pest resistance in oilseed rape mediated by an enhanced UV-B response

昆虫、软体动物和微生物病原体的攻击对油菜作物造成重大损失，并且在试图通过使用杀虫剂来解决这个问题时花费了相当大的费用。该项目的目的是进行研究，以支持开发新的油菜品种，提高对昆虫植食性的抗性。植物暴露于紫外线B波长，这是阳光的自然组成部分，已被证明可以通过改变植物的化学成分来降低植物对食草昆虫的吸引力。几种植物对UV-B的反应是由一种称为UVR 8的蛋白质介导的，而对草食动物的防御反应涉及调节分子茉莉酸。在这个项目中，我们将研究UVR 8和一种名为MYC 2的蛋白质的潜力，该蛋白质介导对茉莉酸的反应，以增加油菜对昆虫植食性的抗性。我们将测试特定基因的转基因过度表达是否会增加对昆虫植食性的抗性，作为UV-B反应的操纵可用于开发新品种的“概念证明”。

Attack by insects, molluscs and microbial pathogens causes significant losses to the oilseed rape crop and considerable expense is incurred in trying to counter this problem by using pesticides. The aim of this project is to undertake research to underpin the development of new oilseed rape varieties with increased resistance to insect herbivory. Exposure of plants to UV-B wavelengths, which are a natural component of sunlight, has been shown to reduce the attractiveness of plants to insect herbivores by altering plant chemical composition. Several plant responses to UV-B are mediated by a protein called UVR8 and the defence response to herbivory involves the regulatory molecule jasmonic acid. In this project, we will examine the potential of UVR8 and a protein called MYC2 that mediates the response to jasmonic acid to increase resistance to insect herbivory in oilseed rape. We will test whether transgenic over-expression of specific genes increases resistance to insect herbivory as 'proof of concept' that manipulation of the UV-B response could be used to develop new varieties.