tRNA modifications as critical components of insect blood feeding and reproduction

项目摘要 转运RNA（tRNA）是RNA中最丰富的形式之一，是蛋白质合成所必需的。 tRNA中的化学修饰的核糖核苷在从解码密码子到 抗逆性有限的研究后生动物，特别是在血液喂养节肢动物，已进行 对tRNA及其修饰的影响。这些研究的目的是提供tRNA库的表征， 吸血昆虫的变化。这些变化将在血液喂养，生殖和 在整个生物体和组织水平上进行交配。我们的研究得到以下支持：1）初步结果 从有限的样本，确定和量化tRNA修饰，这表明有差异， 吸血与性别之间的关系;和2）对之前发布的数据集的重新分析表明表达 与tRNA修饰相关的基因模式在血液餐后和性别之间变化。 这项研究有两个具体目标： 具体目标1。表征昆虫在性别之间和吸血期间的转移RNA修饰。 具体目标2。研究转运RNA修饰在血液喂养和生殖过程中的作用。 在完成这项拟议的研究后，我们将建立tRNA表达和修饰谱， 与繁殖和吸血有关的多种吸血物种。几个修改的作用 将通过使用特异性tRNA修饰酶的靶向还原来阐明。这些研究建议 将是第一个广泛研究血液喂养昆虫中tRNA表达和修饰模式的人。我们 这些结果将为未来基于新型tRNA的吸血昆虫研究奠定基础， 随着气候变化的发展，确定对媒介生存至关重要的tRNA修饰， 病原体传播过程中的tRNA表达和修饰。

Project summary Transfer RNAs (tRNA) represent one of the most abundant forms of RNA and are required for protein synthesis. Chemically modified ribonucleosides in tRNAs play critical roles in aspects that range from decoding codons to stress tolerance. Limited studies for metazoans, specifically in blood feeding arthropods, have been conducted on tRNAs and their modifications. The goal of these studies is to provide a characterization of the tRNA pool and modifications in blood feeding insects. These changes will be examined during blood feeding, reproduction, and mating at the whole organism and tissue levels. Our studies are supported by the following: 1) preliminary results from limited samples, which identified and quantified tRNA modifications, that suggest there are differences between blood feeding and sexes; and 2) Re-analysis of previously published data sets indicate expression patterns of genes associated with tRNA modification vary following a blood meal and between sexes. This study has two specific aims: Specific Aim 1. Characterize transfer RNA modifications in insects between sexes and during blood feeding. Specific Aim 2. Investigate the role of transfer RNA modifications during blood feeding and reproduction. Upon completion of this proposed research, we will establish tRNA expression and modification profiles for multiple blood feeding species in relation to reproduction and blood feeding. The role of several modifications will be elucidated by the use of targeted reduction of specific tRNA modifying enzymes. These proposed studies will be the first to extensively examine tRNA expression and modification patterns in blood feeding insects. Our results will provide the groundwork for future, novel tRNA-based studies of blood feeding insects such as identifying tRNA modifications critical to vector survival as climate change progresses and the dynamics between tRNA expression and modifications during pathogen transmission.