共生菌调控红火蚁弃尸行为的研究

The behavior that death or infected individuals of social insects are moved out the nest by the healthy individuals is termed necrophoric behavior. Necrophoric behavior plays a very important role in social immunity of social insects and the pheromone is the key factor eliciting this behavior. However, how the pheromone is synthesized is still unknown. Our preliminary research indicated that the synthesis of the pheromone eliciting the necrophoric behavior in Solenopsis invicta workers may be regulated by the symbiotic bacteria. Combining the methods of insect ethology, microbiology and molecular biology, this study will uncover the regulation effect of symbiotic bacteria to necrophoric behavior of S.invicta, identify the symbiotic bacteria types and elucidate the effect on the pheromone synthesis. The study will illuminate the regulation mechanism of symbiotic bacteria to necrophoric behavior of S.invicta and provide a theoretical basis for improving S.invicta control methods by regulating the necrophoric behavior with biotechnological means.

社会性昆虫中健康个体把死亡个体或染病个体搬出巢穴之外的行为被称为弃尸行为。弃尸行为在社会性昆虫的社会免疫体系中发挥着至关重要的作用,相关信息化合物是社会性昆虫弃尸行为的识别因子。然而，这些信息化合物是如何合成的仍然是有待研究的问题。我们在前期研究中发现，引起红火蚁工蚁弃尸行为的信息化合物的合成可能受工蚁体内共生菌的调控。本研究将采用昆虫行为学、微生物学和分子生物学相结合的研究方法，揭示共生菌对红火蚁工蚁弃尸行为的调控作用，鉴定调控红火蚁弃尸行为的共生菌类型并证实其对相关信息化合物合成的影响。最终阐明共生菌对红火蚁工蚁弃尸行为的调控机制，为通过生物技术手段调控红火蚁弃尸行为，以促进对其防治方法的改进提供理论依据。

弃尸行为在社会性昆虫的社会免疫体系中发挥着至关重要的作用,相关信息化合物是社会性昆虫弃尸行为的识别因子。通过本项目的研究我们明确了相关信息化合物的来源，明确了红火蚁弃尸行为与红火蚁体表微生物之间的关系。同时在研究过程中发现了多种具有抗菌活性的微生物菌株。相应研究对防控红火蚁扩散具有一定的价值。