Unraveling the molecular mechanism of host web manipulation by ichneumonid parasitoids and seeking for gene for spider silk

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K18620
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Ecology/Environment
• Research Institution: Keio University (2017); Kobe University (2016)
• Principal Investigator: TAKASUKA Keizo 慶應義塾大学, 環境情報学部(藤沢), 特別研究員(RPD) (00726028)
• Research Collaborator: ARAKAWA Kazuharu ; KONO Nobuaki ; TOMITA Masaru ; Stanislav Korenko
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 造網行動操作 / 寄主操作 / クモ / 網 / クモヒメバチ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

"Host web manipulation" is one of host behavioral manipulations performed by spider-ectoparasitoids. I undertook a project to elucidate the molecular mechanism of this phenomenon by means of RNA-seq analysis using a parasitoid known to exploit an innate "resting-web" building behavior of its host spider for manipulation.
I compared gene expression dynamics of manipulated spiders with normal orb-web building individuals and resting-web building individuals. As a result, I discovered a certain isoform of spider silk that was highly expressed in the phases of both resting-web building and being manipulated. This isoform is expected to be a key-gene directly getting involved with host web manipulation that induced by physiological interference of the parasitoid.

Free Research Field

昆虫生態学