Identification and functional analysis of viral factors involved in inhibition of anti-viral reaction in agricultural pests

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K08159
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Insect science
• Research Institution: National Agriculture and Food Research Organization
• Principal Investigator: TANAKA Hiromitsu 国立研究開発法人農業・食品産業技術総合研究機構, 生物機能利用研究部門, 主席研究員 (30391577)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 村上 理都子 国立研究開発法人農業・食品産業技術総合研究機構, 生物機能利用研究部門, 上級研究員 (10414947)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 昆虫媒介性植物病原ウイルス / RNA干渉

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The viruses that infect and propagate in the insect body protect themselves from the host RNA interference-mediated antiviral response by producing factors (VSR). If the technology that inhibits VSR functions could be developed, it could become an innovative virus-transmission inhibiting technology. In this research, in order to obtain the basic knowledge indispensable for such technological development, we identified and characterized viral VSRs that functions in the host insects. First, we constructed the VSR assay system using Drosophila cell line that can identify VSR functions. Next, we found that nucleic acids derived from several phytopathogenic viruses have VSR activity using this assay system. Currently, we are in the process of analyzing which step of RNA interference reaction these VSRs inhibit. Currently, we are in the process of analyzing which step of RNA interference reaction these VSRs inhibit.

Free Research Field

昆虫科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

現在、昆虫媒介性の植物病原ウイルス病による作物被害を食い止める新規技術開発が求められている。本成果をもとに、媒介昆虫体内でのウイルスVSRの機能阻害技術が確立できれば、媒介昆虫段階でのウイルス増殖が阻害でき、その結果、媒介昆虫からの農作物へのウイルス伝播が阻止され、農作物ウイルス病の発症・まん延を効果的に食い止めることが可能となると考えられる。植物病原ウイルスを媒介する昆虫の抗ウイルス機構解明研究はまだ創成期の段階であることから、本研究成果は当該研究分野の進展にも貢献できると考えられる。