Collaborative Research: Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology of the Stress Response and Stress Proteins

Dybas 9727681 生态和进化生理学的一个主要问题是复杂生物体的特征之间的关系，生物体利用不同环境的能力，以及物种在时间上的持久性。拟议的调查研究果蝇中的热休克蛋白Hsp 70来解决这个问题。 几乎所有的生物体都表达热休克蛋白（Hsps），这是一种高度保守的蛋白质，通过分子伴侣的作用来促进胁迫耐受性。由美国国家科学基金会（NSF）资助的一项研究已经证实，对果蝇hsp 70基因（编码Hsp 70）拷贝数的实验操作足以引起耐热性的变化。拟议的研究将建立在这一发现的基础上，以研究Hsp 70功能的生理机制;即，热应激如何破坏功能，热休克蛋白70如何保护免受热损伤或帮助恢复。2这个问题将在果蝇幼虫肠道中进行研究，果蝇幼虫肠道对热损伤特别敏感。电子显微镜将用于确定哪些特定的组织和细胞最容易受到热损伤，并记录热休克蛋白Hsp 70对这些组织和细胞的保护。将检查Hsp 70表达不同的果蝇幼虫。拟议研究的预期成果具有整合分子、遗传、功能和进化观点以促进对适应的理解的巨大潜力。

Dybas 9727681 A major issue in ecological and evolutionary physiology is the relationship among the traits of complex organisms, organisms' ability to exploit diverse environments, and species' persistence in time. The proposed investigation examines the heat-shock protein Hsp70 in Drosophila to address this issue. In response to heat or other stresses, nearly all organisms express heat-shock proteins (Hsps), highly-conserved proteins that contribute to stress tolerance by functioning as molecular chaperones. Research supported by a previous NSF award has established that experimental manipulation of copy number of the hsp70 gene of Drosophila, which encodes Hsp70, is sufficient to cause changes in thermotolerance. The proposed research will build upon this finding to examine the physiological mechanism of Hsp70 function; i.e., how thermal stress disrupts function and how Hsp70 protects against heat damage or aids recovery from it. This issue will be examined in the larval gut of Drosophila, which is especially susceptible to heat damage. Electron microscopy will be used to determine which particular tissues and cells are most vulnerable to heat damage, and to document protection of these tissues and cells by the heat-shock protein Hsp70. Larval Drosophila that differ in Hsp70 expression will be examined. The projected outcome of the proposed research has immense potential to integrate molecular, genetic, functional, and evolutionary perspectives to advance understanding of adaptation.