胞内寄生菌Wolbachia调控稻飞虱生殖和免疫的分子机制研究

Wolbachia as one of the most widely distributed endosymbionts of arthropods can cause a variety of abnormal reproductive phenomena of its hosts. Cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) is the most important one that is the current international research frontier and hot topic of endosymbionts in arthropods. However, the molecular mechanism of CI is still unclear at present. Combining with previous work of our laboratory, in order to take the lead in revealing the molecular mechanism of CI and immune regulation of host induced by Wolbachia at home and abroad, this project will choose domestic serious destructive rice planthoppers as research object and make a deep and intensive study on the differences in genome and transcriptome between CI-induced and not CI-induced Wolbachia and the differences in gene expression between Wolbachia-infected and not infected rice planthoppers using high-throughput RNA sequencing and qRT-PCR technology. To carry out this project would help to not only explore the molecular mechanisms of interaction between endosymbionts and its hosts, but also provide a solid theoretical foundation for further research of the biological control of planthoppers using endosymbionts. Implementation of this project would have a great significance for research on effective control of rice planthoppers and other pests.

Wolbachia作为节肢动物中分布最广泛的一种细胞内寄生菌能引起寄主的多种生殖异常现象。细胞质不亲和（cytoplasmic incompatibility，CI）是其中最为重要的一种，也是目前国际上节肢动物胞内寄生菌研究领域的前沿和热点问题。然而，目前CI的分子机理仍不清楚。本项目将以国内危害严重的稻飞虱作为研究对象，结合实验室已有的工作基础，通过RNA高通量测序和qRT-PCR验证的方法，深入细致地分析诱导和不诱导CI的Wolbachia在基因组和转录组上的差异以及感染和不感染稻飞虱基因表达的差异，以期在国内外率先揭示Wolbachia诱导寄主CI及免疫调控的分子机制。本项目的开展不仅将有助于揭示胞内寄生菌与寄主互作的分子机制，而且也有助于为胞内寄生菌在稻飞虱中进一步的生物防治研究提供扎实的理论基础。项目的实施将对有效控制稻飞虱及其它害虫的研究有着重要的指导意义。