CAREER: Molecular mechanisms behind the venom phenotype of ectoparasitoid wasps

University Of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM

Investigators

Abstract

This project explores the role of parasitoid wasp venom in manipulating insect hosts. Parasitoid wasps are vital to ecosystems, controlling agricultural pests and preserving biodiversity, yet their venom—a complex cocktail of proteins—remains largely understudied. Venom does not kill the host but induces changes in lipids, sugars, respiration, and the immune response, creating an ideal environment for development of wasp offspring. By investigating how venom affects host metabolism and development across multiple wasp and host species, this research will provide critical insights into the function of hundreds of venom proteins. These discoveries have the potential for the development of new pest control methods and could also lead to breakthroughs in drug development and biotechnology by revealing novel bioactive compounds on a diversity of different metabolic pathways. This project also prioritizes education, through a newly developed course in venom bioinformatics, which aims to enhance students' understanding and excitement for research. Moreover, undergraduate students from this course will take the lead in conducting a venom activity at local high schools to enhance awareness and reduce barriers to STEM research opportunities for incoming undergraduate populations. This project addresses critical gaps in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying host manipulation by ectoparasitoid wasps, focusing on the functional roles of venom proteins. Despite the immense diversity of parasitoid wasps, with over one million estimated species, venom phenotypes and their underlying mechanisms have been characterized in only a few systems. The central hypothesis for this project is that individual venom proteins perform distinct, task-specific roles, and that the extended phenotype in the host is determined by the unique composition of the venom repertoire for each wasp-host system. This hypothesis will be tested using a comparative framework involving six ectoparasitoid wasp species with varying ecological strategies (specialists vs. generalists). The study integrates proteomics, genomics, and functional assays to elucidate venom-induced changes in host physiology. First, we will focus on identifying conserved and species-specific effects of venom from multiple wasp species on a shared host, Sarcophaga bullata. Functional hypotheses generated from these analyses will be tested through functional validation using recombinant venom proteins and RNA interference. We will incorporate these findings into a Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE), where students will develop and test hypotheses on venom function and evolution. By leveraging natural variation in venom composition, this study will advance our understanding of parasitoid-host interactions, generate novel insights into venom biology, and lay the groundwork for translational applications in pest control and pharmaceuticals. 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.