Endo-parasitoid wasps are used as bio-control agents of agricultural pests as they lay their eggs in caterpillars. When eggs hatch the wasp larvae feed on the caterpillar killing it. Parasitoids are extremely diverse and prevalent in nature and provide excellent models for research. For example, some wasps engage in a symbiosis with polydnaviruses (PDVs) depicting a novel interdependence between a virus and its host. Within the wasp, the PDVs exist in a dormant state as a provirus and virus particles are produced only by female wasps that are co-injected into caterpillars at the time of laying eggs. PDVs do not replicate in the infected caterpillars but are needed as they suppress caterpillar immunity and/or alter its physiology in a manner that favors survival of the parasitoid wasp larvae. Thus, PDVs are only pathogenic in caterpillars. Their unique life cycle and critical role in the evolution of the ability of the wasp to manipulate caterpillar biology have challenged our concepts of the scope of virus-host interactions. In order to facilitate research on PDVs, viral and/or proviral sequences will be determined from different wasp species by The Institute for Genomic Research in collaboration with scientists from the US Department of Agriculture-Animal Research Services, Kenya, and France. An important component of the project involves training for students as well as building capacity of a research institute in Kenya. The sequence data will provide fundamental knowledge on PDVs to the general scientific community and this may be used to improve integrated pest management technologies.
