EAGER: Predicting the impact of microplastics on the microbiota and viral transmission by mosquitoes

Texas Tech University, Lubbock TX

Investigators

Abstract

Plastic pollution has become one of the most pressing environmental issues. While larger plastic pollution cause concerns when ingested by animals, little is known about the effects of much smaller microplastics, which can be formed by the degradation of larger pieces of plastic. Microplastics of a few microns in size are common, are difficult to remove from the environment, and are easily ingested by animals particularly invertebrates, yet their biological effects are unclear. This project will investigate the effects of microplastics on the microbiota of mosquitoes and examine if any alterations of the microbiota will affect the ability of the mosquito to transmit disease causing viruses. This project will also have broader impacts by developing discovery kits and classroom learning exercises targeting underrepresented students in local high schools in Lubbock, TX to help educate the next generation of microbiologists and entomologists, and inform society about the risks of microplastic pollution. Additional broad impacts and societal benefits will include scientific training of undergraduate students and graduate students to be the next scientific leaders. This research project will use interdisciplinary approaches and the combined expertise of the PI and Co-PI in their respective areas of microbiology and entomology, and effects of nanomaterials, to determine the impact of microplastics on the microbiomes, immune response, fitness, and pathogen transmission in mosquitoes. In this project, Aedes mosquitoes will be used as a model to investigate interactions between microbial communities, microplastic pollution, insect immunology, and arbovirus infection. This project will use novel metagenomic sequencing approaches and advanced microscopy. With the proposed creative, high-risk approaches to test how microplastics may change microbiome diversity at the microscale, this project may result in fundamental changes of our understanding of microplastic pollution impacts on insect microbiomes and the ecology of pathogen transmission. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.