Host Manipulation, Gene Editing, and Non-Traditional Model Organisms: A New Frontier for Behavioral Research?

Insects and parasites dominate the biosphere, in terms of known biodiversity mode life, respectively. Consequently, insects play a part many host-parasite systems, either as parasite, host, or both. Moreover, lot these systems involve adaptive parasite-induced changes host phenotype (typically behavior morphology), which is commonly manipulation. While manipulation have been described within last few decades, proximate mechanisms that underpin phenotypic change are still largely unknown. Given intimate co-evolutionary history teasing apart intricate network biochemical reactions involved requires integration various complementary technologies. In this perspective, we stress importance multidisciplinary research on manipulation, such high-throughput sequencing methods (genomics transcriptomics) to search for candidate activated during event. Then, argue gene editing technologies, specifically CRISPR-Cas9 system, powerful way test functional roles mechanisms, both parasite host. Finally, given sheer diversity unique discovered date, there indeed tremendous potential create novel non-traditional model could greatly expand our capacity fundamental aspects behavioral regulation.