Location: Horticultural Crops Disease and Pest Management Research Unit
Project Number: 2072-22000-044-041-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Jul 1, 2024
End Date: Jun 30, 2025
Objective:
Objective 1: Identify biological targets from slugs, thrips, spotted wing drosophila, and moths.
Objective 2: Design and synthesize bioactive peptides against target pests.
Objective 3: Evaluate peptides using various in vivo assays, including feeding.
Approach:
Neuropeptides and their receptors, mainly G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), are involved in almost all physiological processes including response to light, odorants, peptides, lipids, neurotransmitters, hormones, etc. The GPCRs provide great potential for developing new control methods. Advanced genomics/proteomics tools allow us to develop biologically-based molecular approaches, that offer new strategies for pest management.
The first proof-of-concept for the technology was successfully developed using an insect GPCR to screen short bioactive peptides that strongly bind to the target receptor and block the specific physiological function triggered when the natural NP binds to its specific GPCR. We refer to this mode of action as receptor interference (Receptor-i). Some bioactive peptides have significantly reduced insect survival in laboratory tests. The goals of the project are to identify bioactive peptides from target genes, to evaluate their effects using molecular and behavioral approaches, and to develop non-toxic control options for existing and invasive crop pests.
