飞蝗两型转变的翻译水平动态调控

The locusts exhibit striking phenotypic plasticity. The transition from the solitarious phase to the gregarious phase, is the key step for locust plague outbreaks. Therefore, the regulatory mechanisms underlying locust plague outbreaks is one of major scientific questions concerned by entomologist. Previous studies reveal that several ribosome genes for translation display strongly phase-dependent expression patterns by muti-omics approaches, indicating that the locust phase transition may be regulated at translational level. However, little is known about the mechanism referred to translational regulation of phase transition..Based on the in-depth analysis of transcriptome data, we will combine using of molecular biology, ribosome profiling and gene manipulation to answer the following questions: What are the ribosome genes that participate in dynamic translational regulation of locust phase transition? What phase-related traits are controlled by dynamic translational regulation? How the expression levels of ribosome genes respond to population density change? Through these studies, we aim to uncover the regulatory roles of dynamic translation during locust phase transition. Our study may not only provides insights into locust phase transition, aggregation and plague outbreaks, but also extends our understanding on phenotypic plasticity. Moreover, this study may also provide new clue for elucidating the biological significance of dynamic translational regulation.

蝗虫具有典型的表型可塑性，其散居型向群居型转变是蝗灾爆发的重要生物学基础。爆发机制的研究一直是国际昆虫学界高度关注的重大科学问题。在飞蝗型变的调控机制研究中，已运用多种组学手段发现负责翻译的核糖体基因在型变过程中表现出极大差异，暗示两型转变这一动态过程可能存在翻译水平的动态调控。但是，有关飞蝗型变的翻译水平调控研究极少，翻译水平调控的具体分子功能更不清楚。.本项目基于转录组数据的深入分析，拟采用传统分子生物学方法、核糖体展示、基因操作等技术来回答：具体是哪些关键核糖体基因参与飞蝗型变中翻译水平的动态调控；这种翻译水平动态变化，具体影响型变哪种表型特征；哪种因子响应种群密度进而调控核糖体基因表达等问题。最终，阐明飞蝗型变中翻译水平动态调控的功能。上述研究不仅为理解飞蝗型变、聚群和成灾机制提供新线索，对认识昆虫表型可塑性的本质具有重要意义，还为揭示翻译水平动态调控的生物学意义提供全新的视角。

近期，一场大范围的蝗灾已席卷了全球20多个国家，对粮食安全造成了严重后果。为了更加有效地预防和控制蝗灾，我们需要科学地认识蝗虫与蝗灾暴发的自然规律。蝗灾暴发的重要生物学基础是低密度散居型蝗虫向高密度群居型蝗虫的动态转变。已有飞蝗型变的调控机制研究结果发现负责翻译的核糖体基因在型变过程中表现出极大差异，暗示两型转变这一动态过程可能存在翻译水平的动态调控。但有关飞蝗型变的翻译水平调控研究极少，翻译水平调控的具体分子功能更不清楚。.本项目首次成功建立了飞蝗核糖体展示技术实验体系，并构建了飞蝗群散两型转变的核糖体动态图谱。运用Ribo-seq，mRNA-seq以及蛋白组多组学方法综合分析了飞蝗型变中翻译水平动态变化，筛选出翻译水平存在差异的基因位点4217个。筛选到参与飞蝗型变中翻译水平动态调控的关键核糖体蛋白基因RPL44。另外，采用生物信息学方法，优化了二代测序的飞蝗基因组基因注释，为后续分析挖掘翻译效率发生改变的调控元件提供了重要数据基础。这将深入阐明飞蝗型变过程中翻译水平的动态调控及分子功能，为理解飞蝗型变、聚群和成灾机制提供新线索。.