昆虫种群遗传控制技术中启动子的研究

利用昆虫遗传转化技术对害虫进行遗传控制是害虫防治研究的新方向,该技术具有物种特异、防效高且对环境友好的特点。启动子是基因表达调控的重要元件,选择合适的启动子是外源基因高效、准确表达的关键,对获得高效、稳定的遗传修饰昆虫品系至关重要。本文简要介绍了昆虫基因启动子的结构特征,重点描述了昆虫种群遗传防治中组成型启动子、性别和组织特异型启动子、特定发育时期启动子和诱导型启动子的研究和应用概况,并对这几类启动子在害虫遗传控制中的应用前景进行了展望。     

遗传不育技术在蚊媒疾病防控中的应用

疟疾、登革热等重大传染性蚊媒疾病严重危害人类健康,且目前缺乏有效的药物和疫苗,防治埃及伊蚊、冈比亚按蚊等媒介昆虫是控制和消除这些疾病的有效手段。化学杀虫剂的大规模使用在一定程度上控制了疾病的传播,但其抗药性和环境污染等问题也随之而来。分子生物学的飞速发展为昆虫不育技术(SIT)的更新及害虫防治提供了新的策略,由此发展起来的以释放携带显性致死基因昆虫(RIDL)为代表的一系列遗传不育技术为蚊虫种群防控提供了更加有效的选择。本文概述了遗传技术在蚊虫防控中的应用进展,包括蚊虫遗传防治的历史和策略,阐述了RIDL技术体系的原理,同时介绍了相关遗传控制品系和已经开展的田间释放研究,展示了遗传修饰不育技术在蚊媒疾病防治中的巨大潜力。     

害虫遗传防治的研究历史与现状

作为防治或根除重大害虫最为有效的手段之一,害虫遗传防治在世界范围内被广泛采用并取得了巨大成功。本文综述了不育昆虫技术、雌性致死系统和昆虫显性致死技术等经典害虫遗传防治策略的发展历史、技术特点和应用情况。近年来,许多新的分子生物手段被不断提出并整合到害虫遗传防治策略中,包括归巢核酸内切酶基因、锌指核酸酶、转录激活因子样效应因子核酸酶、CRISPR/Cas9系统、Medea元件、Killer-Rescue系统、Wolbachia-细胞质不亲和性系统等。基于这些新的工具手段,许多国家已经在不同程度上启动了下一代害虫遗传防治项目。而我国在该领域的研究相对薄弱,需要在借鉴国外成功经验的同时,进一步加强害虫遗传防治的基础和应用研究,从而实现本地有害生物的可持续治理和外来入侵生物的有效狙击,确保我国未来的粮食和生态安全。     

The effect of insertion of the maize transposable elementMutator is dependent on genetic background

A secondary mutant, derived from an allele of maize alcohol dehydrogenase 1 (Adh1) carrying a Mutator transposable element (Mu1) in its first intron, was reported to exhibit a threefold decrease in ADH enzymatic activity and steady-state RNA levels compared to the original mutant. The original mutant,Adh1-S3034 (abbreviatedS3034), was previously characterized at the molecular level. The derivative, abbreviatedS3034b, has now been cloned; at the DNA sequence level the insertion and surroundingAdh1 sequences are indistinguishable fromS3034. Furthermore, in our lines there is no difference in relative ADH activities between products of the two putative alleles. A comparison of gene expression in heterozygotes obtained by crossing to different tester lines reveals a correlation between the measured decrease in levels of ADH polypeptide produced by the mutant allele and the background in which it is measured; this effect is distinct from any background-related variation in the expression of the progenitor allele. It does not appear to be attributable to alternative patterns of DNA modification. It appears to reflect a background-associated difference in the level of normalAdh1-RNA produced. Thus the previously reported distinction betweenS3034 andS3034b may be due to differences in the extent to which the mutant allele and a given genetic background interact to produce functionalAdh1-RNA.This research was supported by United States Public Health Service Grant GM38616 and United States Department of Agriculture Grant 87-CRCR-1-2500 to J.S. D.O. was supported by an NIH predoctoral training grant to the Department of Genetics.     

Novel strategies targeting pathogen transmission reduction in insect vectors: Tsetse-transmitted trypanosomiasis control

Insect vectors are essential for the transmission of important human diseases such as malaria, leishmaniasis, Chagas and sleeping sickness. Insects are also responsible for the transmission of agricultural diseases that affect livestock and crops. Traditionally, control of the vector populations has been an effective disease management strategy. Recently, vector control strategies have been fortified by research in insect biology and in insect–pathogen interactions as well as by the development of transgenic technologies. In addition to insect population reduction methods, disease control via selective elimination of pathogens in insects can now be explored. Here we explore the tsetse vectors of African trypanosomes and describe the application of recent knowledge gained in their symbiotic, reproductive and vectorial biology to develop novel disease control strategies.     

枇杷害虫发生与防治技术研究

调查研究结果表明,福建枇杷发生常见害虫约35种。叶部主要害虫有枇杷瘤蛾、苹掌舟蛾,在6-8月份发生为害叶片;果实主要害虫有燕灰蝶、长卷蛾,在3-5月份发生为害果实。研究应用90％万灵WP和10％吡虫灵WP防治低龄瘤蛾幼虫,效果分别为92.61％和90.34％;采用喷5％齐螨素结合套袋（牛皮纸）保果能有效控制果蛀虫的为害,防效为96.5％。     

Quetzal: a transposon of the Tc1 family in the mosquito Anopheles albimanus

A member of the Tc1 family of transposable elements has been identified in the Central and South American mosquito Anopheles albimanus. The full-length Quetzal element is 1680 base pairs (bp) in length, possesses 236 bp inverted terminal repeats (ITRs), and has a single open reading frame (ORF) with the potential of encoding a 341-amino-acid (aa) protein that is similar to the transposases of other members of the Tc1 family, particularly elements described from three different Drosophila species. The approximately 10–12 copies per genome of Quetzal are found in the euchromatin of all three chromosomes of A. albimanus. One full-length clone, Que27, appears capable of encoding a complete transposase and may represent a functional copy of this element.     

遗传控制技术在实蝇类害虫中的研究进展

实蝇类害虫严重危害多种水果和蔬菜,是世界果蔬产业最重要的害虫类群之一,严重影响了发生地的果蔬生产和出口贸易活动。昆虫不育技术(SIT)是一种物种特异和环境友好型防治措施,在多种实蝇类害虫的防治、阻截和根除中起到了不可替代的重要作用。通过分子生物学技术对昆虫的基因组进行遗传修饰,可对SIT进行改进,提高其防控效果并扩大应用的物种范围,近年来相关方面的研究已取得重要进展,成为害虫遗传控制的研究热点。本文阐述了通过受四环素调控的tet-off基因表达系统来实现昆虫"不育"的基本原理和在果蝇及其他几种主要实蝇类害虫中建立的不同类型的遗传控制体系,以及类似体系在其他农业昆虫中的应用情况。简要介绍了在橘小实蝇遗传控制技术体系构建方面的工作进展,并对该技术的在害虫综合治理(IPM)尤其是实蝇类害虫防治中的应用前景进行了讨论和展望。     

Genetic sexing strains for the population suppression of the mosquito vector Aedes aegypti

Aedes aegypti is the primary vector of arthropod-borne viruses including dengue, chikungunya and Zika. Vector population control methods are reviving to impede disease transmission. An efficient sex separation for male-only releases is crucial for area-wide mosquito population suppression strategies. Here, we report on the construction of two genetic sexing strains using red- and white-eye colour mutations as selectable markers. Quality control analysis showed that the Red-eye genetic sexing strains (GSS) is better and more genetically stable than the White-eye GSS. The introduction of an irradiation-induced inversion (Inv35) increases genetic stability and reduces the probability of female contamination of the male release batches. Bi-weekly releases of irradiated males of both the Red-eye GSS and the Red-eye GSS/Inv35 fully suppressed target laboratory cage populations within six and nine weeks, respectively. An image analysis algorithm allowing sex determination based on eye colour identification at the pupal stage was developed. The next step is to automate the Red-eye-based genetic sexing and validate it in pilot trials prior to its integration in large-scale population suppression programmes.This article is part of the theme issue ‘Novel control strategies for mosquito-borne diseases’.     

Impact of lek mating on the sterile insect technique: A modeling study

Modelling studies are presented which describe the effect of lek mating on the control of a wild population by sterile male release. The mixed leks are assumed to follow a Poisson-binomial distribution and the system includes three parts: territory defense, matings inside a lek and matings outside a lek. The effects of parameters on the hatchability are discussed. Among the parameters, sterile type effect (W_s), female choice (f_s) and mating competitiveness (C_m) are the most important. The application to determining the effects of sterile male release and on the proportion of sterile males required for eradication are also discussed.     

Advancements in molecular design and bioprocessing of recombinant adeno-associated virus gene delivery vectors using the insect-cell baculovirus expression platform

Despite rapid progress in the field, scalable high-yield production of adeno-associated virus (AAV) is still one of the critical bottlenecks the manufacturing sector is facing. The insect cell-baculovirus expression vector system (IC-BEVS) has emerged as a mainstream platform for the scalable production of recombinant proteins with clinically approved products for human use. In this review, we provide a detailed overview of the advancements in IC-BEVS for rAAV production. Since the first report of baculovirus-induced production of rAAV vector in insect cells in 2002, this platform has undergone significant improvements, including enhanced stability of Bac-vector expression and a reduced number of baculovirus-coinfections. The latter streamlining strategy led to the eventual development of the Two-Bac, One-Bac, and Mono-Bac systems. The one baculovirus system consisting of an inducible packaging insect cell line was further improved to enhance the AAV vector quality and potency. In parallel, the implementation of advanced manufacturing approaches and control of critical processing parameters have demonstrated promising results with process validation in large-scale bioreactor runs. Moreover, optimization of the molecular design of vectors to enable higher cell-specific yields of functional AAV particles combined with bioprocess intensification strategies may also contribute to addressing current and future manufacturing challenges.     

转基因在苹果蠹蛾不育昆虫释放技术中的应用

使用不育昆虫释放技术是一项新兴的苹果蠹蛾Cydia pomonella(L.)防治方法,使用转基因得到不育雄蛾具有比传统辐射方法更多的优点。转基因技术通过使用基于piggyBac等转座子的质粒载体,并插入显性条件致死基因以培育遗传性别品系,同时插入荧光蛋白等标记基因来显示转基因的效果;在人工控制的发育条件,建立成熟的稳定苹果蠹蛾品系,用以最终的田间释放以达到防治的目的。     

Aphid wing dimorphisms: linking environmental and genetic control of trait variation

Both genetic and environmental factors underlie phenotypic variation. While research at the interface of evolutionary and developmental biology has made excellent advances in understanding the contribution of genes to morphology, less well understood is the manner in which environmental cues are incorporated during development to influence the phenotype. Also virtually unexplored is how evolutionary transitions between environmental and genetic control of trait variation are achieved. Here, I review investigations into molecular mechanisms underlying phenotypic plasticity in the aphid wing dimorphism system. Among aphids, some species alternate between environmentally sensitive (polyphenic) and genetic (polymorphic) control of wing morph determination in their life cycle. Therefore, a traditional molecular genetic approach into understanding the genetically controlled polymorphism may provide a unique avenue into not only understanding the molecular basis of polyphenic variation in this group, but also the opportunity to compare and contrast the mechanistic basis of environmental and genetic control of similar dimorphisms.     

Combining methods of insect pest control: Partitioning mortality and predicting complementarity

An age-structured population model is used as a vehicle for presenting a method for the analysis of interactions between pairs of insect pest control methods. This analysis is based on partitioning the total mortality acting on a population into its constituent components from all known sources. Pairwise critical mortality curves are then constructed which represent the combined mortality required for eradicating the pest population. Effort curves are then constructed from computing the mortality resulting from a given amount of control effort. The convolution of the critical mortality curves and the effort curves then yields the isoclines formed by the effort required of two control methods in combination to achieve eradication. This analysis allows the prediction of either synergism or interference between the control methods and also helps explain patterns observed in previous modelling of such combinations of pest control methods.     

Modelling the effects of population aggregation on the efficiency of insect pest control

A methodology is developed to assess the effects of spatial distribution on the efficiency of insect pest control. This methodology is especially applicable to pest control methods whose efficiency of action depends either positively or negatively on pest density It is applied here to the sterile insect technique and pheromone trapping for male annihilation, which both depend negatively on density. This methodology relies on quantifying clumps of various size and then relating this to efficiency of control and predicting the total pest production given the information on clump sizes and efficiency of control for each clump size. It is found that control is about four times as difficult for a population that is highly clumped (k of the negative binomial distribution=0.25) as for a regularly dispersed population.