Lecture 15 Flashcards
What is biocontrol?
the use of one microbe to control another
What is phage therapy?
aim to treat infectious disease with a phage targeted to the pathogen
What is myxomatosis and myxoma virus?
an enveloped virion with non-segmented, linear dsDNA genome, causes quick death
What is the mechanism of the Cry toxin?
- insect ingests toxin
- protoxin is released
- pro toxin binds to CAD receptor and is activated by further protease activity
- activated toxin monomers are released
- activated toxin oligomerizes with the help of APN and ALP
- toxin complex forms in cell membrane
- membrane is disrupted and holes form
- insect dies
What is the benefits of having a specific viral/bacterial biocontrol agent?
the more specific the agent, the more controlled the intervention and the fewer unintended consequences
How are bacteriophages used in biocontrol?
detection, biofilm control, and medicine
How can bacteriophage destroy biofilms?
destroy EPS and kill single cells
What are the risks of biocontrol?
unintentional targeting of non-pest species, provides competition with existing predators, spreading of parasites, harm ecosystems, pest can develop resistance, and non-pest species can invade after pest is gone
How can we prevent the unintentional targeting of non-pest species and predator competition?
make the biocontrol specific by studying the biology of the predators and prey
How can we measure the rick new biocontrol species may have on an ecosystem?
host-range testing, plan for the worst, and monitoring
What is classical biocontrol?
control of pest introduced from another region for importing predators from their native range
What is conservation biocontrol?
manipulation of the environment to favour natural enemies of the pests
What is augmentation biocontrol?
the number of biocontrol agents is supplemented, used when agent cannot survive long-term in new environment
