Sibao Wang
Personal Profile
2013-present: Principle investigator, Professor, CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)
2009-2013: Postdoctoral Researcher Fellow, Department of Molecular and Immunology, School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University
2007-2009: Postdoctoral Researcher Fellow, Department of Entomology, University of Maryland
2003-2007: PhD, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Dr. Wang currently serves as Director of CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Chairman of the Shanghai Society for Entomology, Deputy Secretary-General of Mycological Society of China, Director of mycological Omics Committee of Mycological Society of China. He also serves as Deputy Director of Insect Microbiome Committee of the Entomological Society of China; Deputy Director of Insect Comparative Immunity and Bio-interaction Committee of the Entomological Society of China.
Research Work
Insect host and microbes have formed complex associations, such as symbiotic or parasitic relationships, as well as immune defense and evasion over the long-term cooperative and competitive coevolution. Mosquitoes are vectors for many pathogens that cause human diseases including malaria, dengue, yellow fever, and Zika. Vector control represents the front-line intervention tool for controlling mosquito-borne diseases. Understanding the relationship and interaction mechanisms between mosquito and microbes will provide theoretical basis and technical support for the development of new disease control strategies. We employ a multidisciplinary approach including molecular biology, epigenetics, cell biology, immunology, chemical ecology, microbiome and genome-editing technology to elucidate the molecular interplay between the mosquito, gut microbiome and pathogens, and develop novel strategies to contain the spread of vector-borne diseases.
Our research covers the following aspects: 1) Mechanisms of mosquito immune defenses and pathogen infection and transmission; 2) Molecular interactions between the mosquito, gut microbiome and pathogens; 3) Regulatory roles of small RNAs and epigenetics in insect-microbe interactions; 4) Understanding regulatory mechanisms that modulate mosquito mating behaviors, chemical communication, and sensory biology; 5) Development of innovative strategies for the control of mosquito-borne diseases and insect pests.
Main Achievements
1. Revealed that clock genes together with environmental cues like light and temperature coordinate Anopheles pheromone synthesis, mosquito swarming, and mating behavior (Science, 2021).
2. Developed an innovative strategy (paratransgenesis) to block transmission of malaria parasites from mosquito to humans. This strategy provides a powerful tool for rendering mosquito refractoriness to Plasmodium infection (Science, 2017).
3. Identified a natural Plasmodium-blocking symbiotic bacterium, Serratia ureilytica Su_YN1, isolated from the wild Anopheles sinensis in China that inhibits malaria parasites via secretion of an antimalarial lipase. Importantly, Su_YN1 can rapidly disseminate through mosquito populations, providing a powerful tool for driving mosquitoes resistant to parasite infection and thus blocking malaria transmission in the field (Nature Microbiology, 2021).
4. Discovered that an insect fungal pathogen exports a miRNA-like RNA to the host mosquito, which induces cross-kingdom RNAi to silence host defense genes (Nature Communications, 2019). Conversely, we recently uncovered a novel insect defense strategy that delivers host miRNAs into fungal cells to suppress virulence-related genes, conferring resistance to infection (PNAS, 2021).
5. Revealed that the KMT2-Cre1-Hyd4 epigenetic regulatory pathway modulates infection-related morphogenesis and pathogenicity in the fungal pathogen (Science Advances, 2020).
6. Discovered that an insect fungal pathogen manipulates the gut microbiota to accelerate mosquito death (PNAS, 2017).
Publications
1. Wang GD#, Vega-Rodríguez J#, Diabate A#, Liu JL#, Cui CL, Nignan C, Dong L, Li F, Ouedrago CO, Bandaogo AM, Sawadogo PS, Maiga H, Alves E Silva TL, Pascini TV, Wang SB+*(Lead Contact), Jacobs-Lorena M+* (2021). Clock genes and environmental cues coordinate Anopheles pheromone synthesis, swarming, and mating. Science 371(6527):411-415. (+These authors contributed equally to this work) https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abd4359.
2. Gao H#, Bai L#, Jiang YM, Huang W, Wang LL, Li SG, Zhu GD, Wang DQ, Huang ZH, Li XS, Cao J, Jiang LB, Jacobs-Lorena M, Zhan S, Wang SB* (2021). A natural symbiotic bacterium drives mosquito refractoriness to Plasmodium infection via secretion of an antimalarial lipase. Nature Microbiology 6: 806-817. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41564-021-00899-8.
3. Wang Y#, Cui CL#, Wang GD, Li YF, Wang SB* (2021). Insects defend against fungal infection by employing microRNAs to silence virulence-related genes. PNAS 118(19):e2023802118. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2023802118.
4. Lai YL, Cao X ,Chen JJ, Wang LL, Wei G*, Wang SB* (2020). Coordinated regulation of infection-related morphogenesis by the KMT2-Cre1-Hyd4 regulatory pathway to facilitate fungal infection. Science Advances. 6, eaaz1659. https://doi:10.1126/sciadv.aaz1659
5. Gao H, Cui CL, Wang LL, Jacobs-Lorena M*, Wang SB*. (2020). Mosquito microbiota and implications for disease control. Trends in Parasitology 36(2):98-111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pt.2019.12.001
6. Huang W. Wang SB, Jacobs-Lorena M*. (2020). Use of microbiota to fight mosquito-borne disease. Frontiers in Genetics. Front. Genet. 11:196. https://doi:10.3389/fgene.2020.00196
7. Cui CL, Wang Y, Liu JN, Zhao J, Sun PL, Wang SB* (2019) A fungal pathogen deploys a small RNA to attenuate mosquito immunity and facilitate infection. Nature Communications (2019) 10:4298. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-12323-1
8. Bai L, Wang L, Vega-Rodríguez J, Wang G, Wang SB*. 2019. A gut symbiotic bacterium Serratia marcescens renders mosquito resistance to Plasmodium infection through activation of mosquito immune responses. Frontiers in Microbiology 10:1580. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2019.01580
9. Zhan S*, Fang GQ, Cai MM, Kou ZQ, Xu J, Cao YH, Bai L, Zhang YX, Jiang YM, Luo XY, Xu J, Xu X, Zheng LY, Yu ZN, Yang H, Zhang ZJ, Wang SB, Tomberlin JK*, Zhang JB* & Huang YP*. (2019). Genomic landscape and genetic manipulation of the black soldier fly Hermetia illucens, a natural waste recycler. Cell Research https://doi:10.1038/s41422-019-0252-6
10. Qu S, Wang SB*. (2018) Interaction of entomopathogenic fungi with the host immune system. Developmental and Comparative Immunology 83(2018) 96-103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dci.2018.01.010
11. Wang SB*, Dos-Santos A, Huang W, Liu K, Oshaghi M, Wei G, Agre P and Jacobs-Lorena M*. (2017) Driving mosquito refractoriness to Plasmodium falciparum with engineered symbiotic bacteria. Science. 357(6358):1399-1402. https://doi:10.1126/science.aan5478
12. Wei G, Lai YL, Wang GD, Chen H, Li F, Wang SB* (2017) Insect pathogenic fungus interacts with the gut microbiota to accelerate mosquito mortality. PNAS 114 (23):5994-5999. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1703546114
13. Wang CS, Wang SB (2017). Insect pathogenic fungi: genomics, molecular interactions, and genetic improvements. Annual Review of Entomology 62:73-90. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-ento-031616-035509
14. Lai YN, Chen H, Wei G, Wang GD, Li F, Wang SB* (2017) In vivo gene expression profiling of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana elucidates its infection stratagems in mosquito. Science China Life Science 60(8):839-851. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11427-017-9101-3
15. Chen JJ, Lai YL, Wang LL, Zhai SZ, Zou G, Zhou ZH, Cui CL, Wang SB*. 2017. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated efficient genome editing via blastospore-based transformation in entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana. Scientific Reports 7:45763. https://doi:10.1038/srep45763
16. Wang SB*, Jacobs-Lorena M*. 2017. Book Chapter 13: Paratransgenesis applications: fighting malaria with engineered mosquito symbiotic bacteria. In: Stephen K. Wikel, Serap Aksoy, Dimopoulos George (Eds), Arthropod Vector: Vol 1/Vector Microbiome and Innate Immunity of Arthropods. Academic Press, pp.219-234. ISBN-13: 978-0128053508 2017/5/11 https://DOI:10.1016/B978-0-12-805350-8.00013-1
17. Wang D, Li S, Cheng Z, Xiao N, Cotter C, Hwang J, Li X, Yin S, Wang J, Bai L, Zheng Z, Wang SB (2015). Transmission Risk from Imported Plasmodium vivax Malaria in the China-Myanmar Border Region. Emerging Infectious Disease 21(10):1861-4. https://doi:10.3201/eid2110.150679
18. Wang YL, Wang ZX, Liu C, Wang SB*, Huang B*. 2015. Genome-wide analysis of DNA methylation in the sexual stage of the insect pathogenic fungus Cordyceps militaris. Fungal Biol 119(12):1246-54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.funbio.2015.08.017
19. Vega-Rodríguez J, Ghosh AK, Kanzok SM, Dinglasan RR, Wang SB, Bongio NJ, Kalume DE, Miura K, Long CA, Pandey A, Jacobs-Lorena M* (2014). Multiple pathways for Plasmodium ookinete invasion of the mosquito midgut. PNAS 111(4):E492-500. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1315517111
20. Wang SB*, Jacobs-Lorena M* (2013) Genetic approaches to interfere with malaria transmission by vector mosquito. Trends in Biotechnology 31(3): 185-193. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2013.01.001
21. Wang SB, Ghosh AK, Bongio N, Stebbings K, Lampe D, Jacobs-Lorena M (2012) Fighting malaria with engineered symbiotic bacteria from vector mosquitoes. PNAS 109(31):12734-12739. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1204158109
22. Wang SB, O′ Brien TR, Pava-Ripoll M, and St Leger RJ (2011) Local adaptation of an introduced transgenic insect fungal pathogen due to new beneficial mutations. PNAS 108(51):20449-54. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1113824108
23. Wang SB, Fang W, Wang C, St Leger RJ (2011) Insertion of an esterase gene into a specific locust pathogen (Metarhizium acridum) enables it to infect caterpillars. PLoS Pathogens, 7(6):e1002097. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1002097
24. Liu F#, Wang SB#, Zhang J, Zhang J, Yan X, Zhou H, Zhao G, Zhou Z (2009). The structure of the bacterial and archaeal community in a biogas digester as revealed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and 16S rDNA sequencing analysis. Journal of Applied Microbiology 106(3):952-66. http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2672.2008.04064.x
25. Fang W, Pava-Ripoll M, Wang SB, St Leger RL (2009) Protein kinase A regulates production of virulence determinants by the entomopathogenic fungus, Metarhizium anisopliae. Fungal Genetic and Biology 46 (3): 277-285. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fgb.2008.12.001
26. Wang SB, Zhu X, Huang Y (2009). The use of semiochemicals and the fungus Beauveria bassiana to control the vector beetle Monochamus alternatus of pine wilt disease. In Kiyoshi Nakamuta, Jocelyn G. Millar (Ed). Chemical ecology of wood-boring insects (pp.80-98). Tsukuba: The Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute.
27. Wang SB, Leclerque A, Pava-Ripoll M, Fang W, St Leger RJ (2009) Comparative genomics using microarrays reveals divergence and loss of virulence associated genes in host specific strains of the insect pathogen Metarhizium anisopliae. Eukaryotic Cell 8(6):888-898. https://doi.org/10.1128/EC.00058-09
28. Wang SB, Miao X, Zhao W, Huang B, Fan M, Li Z, Huang Y (2005) Genetic diversity and population structure among strains of the entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana, as revealed by inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR). Mycological Research 109 (12): 1364-1372. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0953756205003709
