Examination of the Biochemical and Molecular Mechanisms Underlying the Establishment of Cnidarian-Algal Symbioses

刺胞动物-藻类共生关系建立的生化和分子机制研究

• 批准号: 9728405
• 负责人: Virginia Weis
• 金额: $ 25.5万
• 依托单位: Oregon State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 1998
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1998-04-01 至 2001-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9728405&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Examination; Biochemical; Molecular; Mechanisms; Underlying

Weis 9728405 Symbiotic associations between two or more unrelated organisms are found throughout every ecosystem. These relationships encompass a spectrum of lifestyles, from mutualistic to parasitic, and from extracellular to intracellular. Among the most significant marine mutualisms are those between corals and their algal symbionts, which together form the foundation of the entire coral reef ecosystem. A great deal is known about corals on a macroscale level, such as their global distribution and ecology. However, microscale processes of inter-partner communication and regulation that occur during the initiation, establishment and maintenance of these symbioses remain largely unexplored. A lack of basic knowledge of these processes has hampered efforts to understand the global phenomenon of coral bleaching, which is the result of the breakdown of the symbiosis. Widespread bleaching, which leads to coral death and reef degradation, is considered a serious environmental threat. This study will take a multileveled approach to the examination of the initial events surrounding the onset of symbiosis between corals and their symbiotic algae. The PIs will examine when and how the symbiosis is established during the natural life cycle of corals. Secondly, the PIs will investigate the effects that the establishment of the partnership has on the biochemistry and molecular biology of the host coral.

在每个生态系统中都可以发现两个或多个不相关的生物之间的共生关系。这些关系包含了一系列的生活方式，从共生到寄生，从细胞外到细胞内。最重要的海洋共生关系是珊瑚与其共生藻类之间的共生关系，它们共同构成了整个珊瑚礁生态系统的基础。在宏观层面上，我们对珊瑚有很多了解，比如它们的全球分布和生态。然而，在这些共生关系的启动、建立和维持过程中发生的伙伴间交流和调节的微观过程在很大程度上仍未被探索。由于缺乏对这些过程的基本知识，对了解珊瑚白化的全球现象的努力受到了阻碍，珊瑚白化是共生关系破裂的结果。广泛的白化导致珊瑚死亡和珊瑚礁退化，被认为是严重的环境威胁。这项研究将采取多层次的方法来检查珊瑚与其共生藻类之间共生的初始事件。pi将研究在珊瑚的自然生命周期中，何时及如何建立共生关系。其次，pi将调查伙伴关系的建立对宿主珊瑚的生物化学和分子生物学的影响。