Phase II IUCRC at UF: Center for Arthropod Management Technologies - Single Cell Sequencing of Nervous System from Pest Insects

Grants and Contracts Details

Description

Recent advances in RNA sequencing at the single-cell level allow profiling of gene expression of individual cells to identify and determine distinct effects of varying conditions on different cell types in complex tissues. The central nervous system (CNS) is a complex organ containing many cell types with unique gene expression profiles and functions. Because many insecticides target the nervous system, this project will focus on transcriptional profiling of the cells of pest insect CNS. The single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) approach will be used to identify neuronal stem cells, progenitors and different neuron types. Identifying differentially expressed genes in these cell types may be used to discover potential gene targets and develop insecticides, as well as manage resistance development by target pests. Single cell RNA sequencing of Drosophila melanogaster larval brain identified multiple subtypes of neural progenitors, differentiated neurons, glia, undifferentiated neurons and non-neural cells. In the adult ventral nerve cord, 100 clusters of cells were identified. We will use these recent advances in scRNA-seq approaches to identify cell types and determine gene expression profiles in the larval nervous systems from a lepidopteran pest and adult nervous system of a hemipteran insect. To study similarities and differences in cell types and their gene expression patterns among nervous systems between insects and humans, the gene expression signatures identified in the pest insect nervous system will be compared with those in the fruit fly and humans.
StatusActive
Effective start/end date1/1/235/31/25

Funding

  • University of Florida: $80,000.00

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