NSF-CGP Fellowship: Endocrine Regulation of Seasonal Polymorphisms in Japanese Butterflies

9819949 Rountree该奖项提供资金支持多萝西B博士进行两次为期三个月的研究访问。路易斯维尔大学生物系Rountree教授与东京大学应用生物化学系Shin-Ichiro Takahashi博士和日本山口大学生物研究所Katsuhiko Endo博士合作，研究蝴蝶物种的季节性多态性。 他们的研究目标之一是为这些蝴蝶物种的季节性多态性的内分泌调节开发一种新的综合模型。许多蝴蝶物种根据季节表现出不同的翅膀颜色或形态。 对季节性表型的控制是发育生物学家感兴趣的，因为外部环境线索，特别是光周期，被昆虫改变为改变内部发育途径的激素信号。 两种不同的激素调节蝴蝶的季节性多态性：神经肽夏季形态产生激素（SMPH）和类固醇蜕皮激素（蜕皮激素）。 直到最近，蝴蝶被认为使用一种激素或另一种激素来确定发展哪种表型，但在蜕皮激素调节的蝴蝶中发现了SMPH，并且蜕皮激素可以改变SMPH调节的蝴蝶的表型。 因此，需要建立一个新的，综合模型的内分泌调节的季节性多态性。 在这个项目中，SMPH影响蜕皮激素受体复合物蛋白的假设将在SMPH调节的日本蝴蝶Polygonia c-aureum（亚洲逗号）中进行测试。 拟议的研究的一部分将在日本山口大学与发现SMPH的Endo博士合作进行，而另一部分将在东京大学Takahashi博士的实验室进行，其在脊椎动物细胞上开发的技术将用于昆虫肽信号系统。 这项研究将是互惠互利的，因为主要研究者的专业知识，在研究的不同分子形式的蛋白质在蜕皮激素核受体复合物。 该项目由国家科学基金会和日本基金会全球伙伴关系中心之间的科学奖学金计划提供支持。

9819949RountreeThis award provides funds to support two three-month research visits by Dr. Dorothy B. Rountree, Department of Biology, University of Louisville, for collaboration with Dr. Shin-Ichiro Takahashi, Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, University of Tokyo, and Dr. Katsuhiko Endo, Biological Institute, Yamaguchi University, Japan, on seasonal polymorphism in butterfly species. A goal of their research is developing a new, integrative model for endocrine regulation of seasonal polymorphism in these butterfly species.Many butterfly species show different wing coloration or morphology depending on the season. The control of alternative seasonal phenotypes is interesting to developmental biologists, because external environmental cues, especially photoperiod, are changed by the insect into hormonal signals that alter internal developmental pathways. Two different kinds of hormones regulate butterfly seasonal polymorphisms: the neuropeptide Summer Morph Producing Hormone (SMPH) and the steroid molting hormones (ecdysteroids). Until recently, butterflies were thought to use either one hormone or the other to determine which phenotype to develop, but SMPH has been found in ecdysteroid-regulated butterflies and ecdysteroids can change phenotype in SMPH-regulated butterflies. Thus, the need for creating a new, integrative model for endocrine regulation of seasonal polymorphisms. In this project, the hypothesis that SMPH influences ecdysteroid receptor complex proteins will be tested in an SMPH-regulated Japanese butterfly, Polygonia c-aureum (the Asian comma). Part of the proposed research will take place at Yamaguchi University, Japan, in collaboration with Dr. Endo, who discovered SMPH, while another part will be conducted at Tokyo University, in the laboratory of Dr. Takahashi, whose techniques developed on vertebrate cells will be used on an insect peptide signaling system. This research will be mutually beneficial because of the principal investigator's expertise in the study of the different molecular forms of proteins in the ecdysteroid nuclear receptor complex. This project is supported under the Science Fellowship Program between the National Science Foundation and the Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership.***