Performing Department
Entomology
Non Technical Summary
Our research focus ison plant growth promoting insect pathogenic fungi, particularly Metarhizium spp,that include the best studied insect killing fungi at the molecular and biochemical level. Metarhizium spp are already deployed as biological insecticides, and by identifying how they work as plant symbionts, and when and why they do not, we can greatly expand theirrole as comprehensive plant growth promoters. Maximizing this potential requires usingvarious genomictechnologies that candetermine the role of all genes involved in a plant growth promotersresponse to its environments. The current project will conduct the significant preliminary research required to producegenetic evaluation systems and identify the genes that can predict and explain the "fit" between the fungus and its environment in the plant or insect or soil. This "fit" will be required todirect engineering efforts that develop novel insecticidal or other beneficial properties with plants, and to determine side-effects of genetic alterations on the function and safetyofproducts, and their survival in soil.This work couldlead to production ofsynthetic genomes that can bedesigned upfront for efficacy and safety.
Animal Health Component
0%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
50%
Applied
50%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
Our research focus has been on plant growth promoting insect pathogenic fungi, particularly Metarhizium spp, a genus of Ascomycetes that include the best studied entomopathogenic fungi at the molecular and biochemical level. We will study eight genome sequenced GFP and Cherry tagged Metarhiziumrobertsii (Mr) strains representing a mosaic of predicted ecological interactions (as entomopathogens and plant endophytes) that on a case-by-case basis would affect how an environmental risk assessment was constructed. We propose to investigate each strains invasion ecology (including persistence, propagation, potential horizontal gene transfer and biogeochemical impacts), potential adaptation in the field (e.g., divergence in insect and plant associations), mutational capacity (using genomic sequencing) and transgene stability. We will also investigate genetic containment possibilities, based on enforced sterility and site-specific recombinases. The results will: 1) enhance efforts to optimize application strategies; 2) tell us how closely laboratory experiments approximate to the field; 3) confirm the underlying ecosystem characteristics that contribute to efficacy and persistence, and therefore the particular genetic safeguards that would be appropriate to limit a particular GE strain, and 4) provide training in using genomes as predictive tools for estimating field properties as a prelude to producing synthetic genomes designed upfront for efficacy and safety. The impact of this research will extend far beyond M. robertsii in providing a model for analyzing the impact of transgenic organisms, permit informed risk assessment and testing of containment methods, and establish what might happen if/when containment fails.
Project Methods
Aim 1. Test genome-based/laboratory predictions of the field properties of eight sequenced strains of GFP or Cherry tagged M. robertsi strains. We propose to screen mycelial growth, plant growth promoting effects, virulence and transgene stability of 8 strains of M. robertsiito identify which differences in life history traits of a GE vehicle are key factors impacting persistence, potential dispersal and transgene stability, and are thus important for risk assessment.Aim 2. We will use genomic sequencing to characterize at single-nucleotide resolution the modes of rapid genetic change in fungi with different life history traits in natural conditions. By focusing on recent adaptive changes, we will provide a much-needed model for addressing the uncertainty of how invasive or GM strains could interplay with the existing biological world, and adapt to a new natural environment.Aim 3. We will determine whether strategies utilizing enforced sterility or site-specific recombinases can be relied on to prevent recombination of transgenes, as well as reduce their persistence and dispersal without disabling their beneficial properties.