Symbiont-induced body color change of insect host: elucidation of molecular mechanisms underpinning symbiosis-mediated crypsis

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project Area: Genetic bases for the evolution of complex adaptive traits
• Project/Area Number: 22128007
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas (Research in a proposed research area)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Review Section: Biological Sciences
• Research Institution: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: FUKATSU Takema 独立行政法人産業技術総合研究所, 生物プロセス研究部門, 首席研究員 (00357881)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): TSUCHIDA Tsutomu 富山大学, 理工学研究部(理学), 准教授 (60513398) ; NIKOH Naruo 放送大学, 教養学部, 教授 (70364916)
• Project Period (FY): 2010-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 共生 / 体色変化 / 隠蔽色 / 擬態 / ゲノム / 昆虫 / 微生物

Outline of Final Research Achievements

† Species, structure and quantity of green pigments induced by Rickettsiella infection were identified. † Genome sequence of the Rickettsiella symbiont was determined. † Genes expressed in uninfected red insects and Rickettsiella-infected green insects were comprehensively identified, thereby analyzing host genes up- or down-regulated with Rickettsiella infection. † Candidate genes involved in pigment symthesis and body color change were surveyed for the symbiont’s genome data and host’s transcriptomic data, and their expression patterns and potential biological functions were analyzed. † Genomic, transcriptomic and functional analyses on other diverse and unexplored insect-microbe symbiotic systems were promoted.

Free Research Field

進化生物学