Research

My research interests center on insect/bacteria, insect/plant interactions, and agricultural pest control. My research program is a marriage between basic and applied research using integrated computational and experimental approaches. In my lab, we aim to uncover the cellular and molecular mechanisms of miRNAs in regulating insect/bacterial symbioses and insect/plant interactions; and the application of miRNAs (and their target genes and/or metabolites) for integrated pest management.

Research Model Systems

We work on sap-feeding insects (e.g. aphids, whiteflies, psyllids, and mealybugs), the most serious world-wide agricultural and forestry pests, damage crops, vegetables, and fruits by direct feeding, promoting sooty molds, and vectoring plant diseases. The success of those sap-feeding insects depends on their obligate (essential) bacterial endosymbionts, which are housed in the specialized insect bacteriocyte cells. Bacteriocytes display distinct gene expression to facilitate the symbiotic interactions, however, the gene expression regulation remains unknown.

microRNAs (miRNAs), as post-transcriptional gene expression regulators, are involved in different kinds of host/microbe interactions. Our lab is among the first to investigate miRNAs in regulating host/endosymbiont interactions. Using comparative transcriptomic analyses followed by functional experiments, we have identified a list of bacteriocyte miRNAs in aphids, many of which were predicted to target genes that are important to the interaction of aphids and their endosymbiont, Buchnera.

Similar to aphid/Buchnera symbiosis system, the Asian citrus psyllid, citrus mealybug and whitefly also have bacteriocytes harboring obligate nutritional endosymbionts. Using small RNAseq, we have profiled the miRNAs from the psyllid and mealybug genomes, and identified a list of bacteriocyte miRNAs. While our previous data suggested that miRNAs are crucial regulators of the insect/bacterial endosymbiosis, their exact functions and potential as targets for pest control await to be explored.

Specific projects coming soon...