Project description DEENESFRITPL Molecular insight into bee parasites Honeybees pollinate many agricultural crops, so their health has far-reaching ecological and economic implications. Parasites like Lotmaria passim, along with other stressors like pesticides and habitat loss, are contributing to declining honeybee populations. Despite its significance, the molecular survival mechanisms of Lotmaria passim inside and outside its host remain elusive. Funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the ROLEPS project aims to delineate the role of the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) secreted by Lotmaria passim in parasite resilience and bee health. Researchers will identify genes implicated in EPS secretion and the role of biofilm formation on bees. Project findings will advance bee parasitology and pave the way for novel targeted anti-parasitic treatments. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective Lotmaria passim is a trypanosomatid parasite of bees, highly prevalent in honeybee colonies, considered a major factor in colony loss. Yet, the molecular mechanisms it uses to survive both inside and outside its host are unknown. Preliminary studies showed that L.passim secretes extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and differentiates into surface attached colonies mimicking the mechanism of bacterial biofilm formation. EPS provides environmental resistance to changing and extreme physicochemical conditions (e.g. in bacteria). Thus, I hypothesise that EPS confers resistance to L.passim and have an active role in the bee gut. In ROLEPS I aim to explore the role of EPS secretion and the mechanisms of biofilm formation in the prevalence and resilience of L.passim chasing three objectives: i) study the response of L.passim biofilms to biotic and abiotic stressors, ii) identify the genes involved in EPS secretion and the developmental differentiation into biofilms using CRISPR/Cas9, and iii) explore the function of EPS in honey bee health. ROLEPS will be developed at the University of Granada (Spain), within the Biochemistry and Molecular Parasitology group lead by Prof. de Pablos, who has developed a protocol to isolate trypanosomatid strains from field isolates, optimized the isolation of the secretome of trypanosomatids and settled all the facilities for genetic engineering assays. A secondment is planned at the Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental (CIAPA) in Marchamalo (Spain), supervised by Dr. Higes, expert on bee health. ROLEPS is an innovative project as it will analyse for the first time the role of EPS and biofilms in a trypanosomatid parasite of bees, it will integrate genetic engineering in the field of bee parasitology and test parasite-secreting substances as protection against contaminants in bees. ROLEPS is fully achievable due to the easy handling of the model organisms. Thus, I expect ROLEPS has important repercussions in bee health. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrynatural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologybacteriologymedical and health scienceshealth sciencesparasitologymedical and health sciencesmedical biotechnologygenetic engineeringnatural sciencesbiological scienceszoologyentomologyapidology Keywords CRISPR Cas9 Trypanosomatids Biofilm EPS honey bees beekeeping animal health Programme(s) HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Main Programme Topic(s) HORIZON-MSCA-2022-PF-01-01 - MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2022 Call for proposal HORIZON-MSCA-2022-PF-01 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships Coordinator UNIVERSIDAD DE GRANADA Net EU contribution € 165 312,96 Address CUESTA DEL HOSPICIO SN 18071 Granada Spain See on map Region Sur Andalucía Granada Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost No data Partners (1) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all INSTITUTO REGIONAL DE INVESTIGACION Y DESARROLLO AGROALIMENTARIO Y FORESTAL DE CASTILLA-LA MANCHA Spain Net EU contribution € 0,00 Address CTRA TOLEDO-ALBACETE, S/N 13700 Tomelloso See on map Region Centro (ES) Castilla-La Mancha Ciudad Real Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost No data
