Analyzing the Developmental and Transcriptomic response of Callosobruchus maculatus to Alternative Bean Hosts Pubblico

Abstract

Co-evolution between insects and their host plants has resulted in the development of a multitude of defense mechanisms in plants to protect themselves from herbivory and in insects to ameliorate the negative impacts of plant defenses. Transcriptomic analysis allows for the exploration of these relationships at the molecular level. This study aims to explore the transcriptional profile of adult Callosobruchus maculatus reared on alternative bean hosts. I couple this molecular investigation with the study of the development of these insects on the same alternative hosts. Significant differences in critical life history metrics of beetles reared on the alternative hosts indicate that plant defense strategies significantly delay larval development, and that the seed coat of the adzuki bean serves as an important barrier to herbivory. Transcriptionally, there was a relatively low number of differentially expressed genes across bean hosts. The overexpression of genes related to metabolism in adzuki reared beetles compared to black-eyed pea indicates that the unique amino acid composition of the beans could be influencing larval development, while the upregulation of transporters suggests that the bean beetle be transporting and sequestering toxic legume storage proteins. 

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Introduction ...................................................................................................................................2

Insect-Plant Host Coevolution.....................................................................................................2

Bean Beetle Ecology......................................................................................................................3

Bean Beetle Transcriptome..........................................................................................................5

Experimental Design.....................................................................................................................5

Methods .........................................................................................................................................7

Life History Analyses...........................................................................................................7

RNA Extraction..............................................................................................................................8

Differential Gene Expression Analysis........................................................................................8

Results.......................................................................................................................................... 10

Life History...................................................................................................................................10

Differential Gene Expression Analysis......................................................................................14

Functional Enrichment Analysis........................................................................................19 Discussion.................................................................................................................................... 22

Life History........................................................................................................................22

Differential Gene Expression Analysis..............................................................................24

Future Directions..............................................................................................................26

References .................................................................................................................................. 29 

About this Honors Thesis

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School	Emory College
Department	Biology
Degree	B.S.
Submission	Honors Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Biology, Genetics Biology, Bioinformatics Biology, Ecology
Parola chiave	differential gene expression host plant breath
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Nicole Gerardo, Emory University
Committee Members	Chris Beck, Emory University Anna Zelaya, Emory University Timothy Read, Emory University

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