Biopesticide: harnessing RNAi and viral proteins for targeted insect control
- Beschreibung
Many chemical pesticides used in agriculture are having a severe impact on biodiversity and human health due to their broad-spectrum toxicity. These chemicals harm many non-target organisms when applied in agriculture fields. Therefore, it's essential to develop eco-friendly alternatives for pest control. One promising technology is RNA interference (RNAi), which is derived from nature and can be designed to specifically target pest species without affecting beneficial organisms like honeybees. This technology can also be used as a non-GMO pesticide by spraying RNA on the plant. This video explains RNAi in more detail: https://youtu.be/cK-OGB1_ELE?si=CH6bFus4mPkdZ6m2.
However, there are challenges in applying RNAi in the field. The main issue is that double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), the active ingredient, degrades easily in nature, and pests can resist its entry into their cells.
Our research aims to develop nature-friendly formulations that can effectively deliver dsRNA into pest cells via ingestion. One approach we're exploring is using coat-proteins/capsids of insect viruses, similar to how the coronavirus enters human cells. These viral proteins will act as a "Trojan horse" to deliver dsRNA into the pest cells. As part of this project, you will help establish a method for producing these viral coat proteins using different protein expression systems and characterize the structure, stability, and dsRNA loading capacity of these virus-like particles (VLPs). Further details will be shared in a personal meeting.
- Beschreibung des interdisziplinären Teils des Projekts
- To develop RNAi based pesticides, we integrate several disciplines, including molecular biology (for RNAi design and dsRNA synthesis), microbiology (cloning, transformation, and protein production), virology (for viral coat protein selection and engineering), protein chemistry (for production, purification, and characterisation of viral coat proteins), biochemistry (for development of dsRNA delivery systems), and microscopy (for visualisation of virus like particle structure).
- Projektzeitraum
- Wintersemester 2024/2025
- Bewerbungszeitraum
- 14. bis 28.10.2024
- Durchführung
- nach Absprache
- Details zu Projektzeitraum und Durchführung
The implementation of the project is flexible and can be adapted to suit the student's schedule and to allow for waiting periods to obtain the necessary materials. It can be carried out throughout the semester or in a block format, depending on the agreement. Once the necessary materials are available, work can begin immediately.
- Studienfach
-
Agrarbiologie
Agrarwissenschaften
Biologie
Biologie - Lehramt
Lebensmittelwissenschaft und Biotechnologie - Betreuende
- Venkata Partha Sarathi Amineni
- Institut
- Institut für Phytomedizin (360) (360a)
- Sprache
- englisch
- Teilnehmendenanzahl
- min. 1, max. 3
- Arbeitsaufwand
-
ca. 150 Stunden pro Teilnehmende:r
| 5
ECTS-Punkte
Arbeitsaufwand (Stunden und ggf. ECTS) sind ungefähre Angaben. Die tatsächlich vergebenen ECTS-Punkte ergeben sich aus der tatsächlich geleisteten Arbeit.
- Für dieses Projekt ist kein Motivationsschreiben des Studierenden erforderlich
- Projektart
- experimentell
- Lernziele
-
Die Teilnehmende lernen in diesem Projekt:
By participating in this project, the student will gain hands-on experience with RNAi technology as an innovative and environmentally friendly pest management tool. They will learn how to handle bacterial and yeast cultures, produce proteins using bacterial expression systems, and purify these proteins using affinity tags. In addition, the student will gain both theoretical and practical knowledge of virus capsid assembly and disassembly using various buffers and chemicals. Ultimately, by the end of the project, the student will have developed key interdisciplinary skills and contributed to the development of a sustainable method of targeted pest control.
- Anmerkungen für Studierende
Please feel free to contact me in advance if you are interested and willing to clarify your doubts on the project that help to make your decision. It would also be better if you already knew how to work in a molecular biology lab, for example, using a pipette, but this is not mandatory. Training will be provided.
- Schlagworte
- RNAi, virus like particle, biopesticide, sustainable plant protection, dsRNA delivery