Location: Biological Control of Pests Research
Project Number: 6066-22320-010-010-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Mar 15, 2024
End Date: Mar 14, 2026
Objective:
1. Determine the distribution and prevalence of honey bee viruses in imported fire ants.
2. Utilize virus-like particles from insect viruses in ant pest management.
Approach:
1) Honeybee-related viruses have been discovered in fire ant colonies. It's possible that ants commonly host honeybee-related viruses due to their shared food sources with honeybees and other pollinators. Understanding the extent of these viruses' spread in ants has become crucial, not only because they may act as reservoirs of pathogens for pollinators but also because they could prove lethal to ant colonies. We plan to conduct extensive surveys on the presence of seven honeybee viruses in fire ants and tawny crazy ants, including deformed wing virus (DWV), chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV), Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV), Lake Sinai virus (LSV), acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV), black queen cell virus (BQCV), and sacbrood virus (SBV). We will also determine the replicative forms of viruses with positive results in the survey. Samples of worker ants will be collected from each of the 82 counties in Mississippi.
2) Viruses have developed various mechanisms to infect their hosts, with viral coats playing a pivotal role in virus infection by interacting with host cell receptors. Given the significance of viral coats, researchers have been drawn to exploring their potential use in developing strategies for biological delivery systems, known as virus-like particles (VLPs). These VLPs, resembling empty shells, can enter target cells and are believed to be released from infected cells to stimulate host immune responses against infectious viral offspring. The expanding knowledge of VLP functions and structures, combined with advancements in genetic engineering, has opened up opportunities to utilize VLPs across various fields. VLPs can serve as carriers to transport double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), which can trigger specific gene silencing, leading to toxicity and insect death. They can also deliver insecticidal toxins for insect pest control without environmental contamination. Additionally, VLPs can significantly upregulate insect immune genes and trigger antiviral responses. In this project, we aim to exploit virus-like particles (VLPs) as carriers for delivering active ingredients and synergists for conventional insecticides to manage invasive ants such as imported fire ants and tawny crazy ants, or as immune stimulators for honey bees against viruses.
