Coevolution of Marine Sponges and Symbiotic Cyanobacteria and Eubacteria

摘要DEB-0209329 Dr. Robert W.位于伯明翰的亚拉巴马大学的Thacker获得了一笔拨款，用于研究Dysideidae家族的海绵与生活在这些海绵中的微生物共生体[蓝细菌（“蓝绿藻”）]和其他细菌]之间的进化关系。 许多种类在家庭Dysideidae生产化学化合物与抗病毒和抗癌特性。 虽然这些海绵的多孔体可以容纳不同的微生物群落，但微生物共生体在药物活性化合物生产中的作用仍不清楚。 Thacker博士的一项初步研究表明，随着海绵进化并分裂成不同的物种，它们的微生物群落也随之进化，并且对每种海绵都有特异性。 本研究将研究几种Dysidea和相关属来自西太平洋，加勒比海和地中海地区。 海绵DNA序列和微生物DNA序列将进行比较，以测试海绵和它们的共生体共享平行进化历史的假设。 本研究还将通过比较Dysideidae成员和两个目中选定海绵的DNA序列，调查Dysideidae家族在Dendroceratida或Dictyoceratida中的位置。 此外，本研究将测试药物活性化合物的产生是否与特定共生体的存在或不存在相关。该研究项目将提供海绵及其共生体进化历史的罕见，直接比较，对海绵分类学，药物发现和宿主共生体共同进化领域产生直接影响。 该项目还将更好地了解海绵及其共生体的进化历史，这将加速和丰富新的抗病毒和抗癌药物的研究。 增加对这些宿主-微生物相互作用的了解将直接影响我们对所有类型的动物-微生物相互作用的理解，包括涉及人类的相互作用。

ABSTRACTDEB-0209329Dr. Robert W. Thacker of the University of Alabama at Birmingham has been awarded a grant to investigate evolutionary relationships between marine sponges in the family Dysideidae and the microbial symbionts [cyanobacteria ("blue-green algae")] and other bacteria] that live inside these sponges. Many species in the Family Dysideidae produce chemical compounds with anti-viral and anti-cancer properties. Although the porous bodies of these marine sponges can host diverse microbial communities, the role of microbial symbionts in the production of pharmaceutically active compounds remains unclear. A preliminary study by Dr. Thacker suggests that as sponges have evolved and split into distinct species, their microbial communities have evolved in tandem and are specific to each species of sponge. This study will examine several species of Dysidea and related genera from the Western Pacific, Caribbean, and Mediterranean regions. Sponge DNA sequences and microbial DNA sequences will be compared to test the hypothesis that sponges and their symbionts share parallel evolutionary histories. This study will also investigate the placement of the Family Dysideidae into either Order Dendroceratida or Order Dictyoceratida by comparing DNA sequences among members of the Dysideidae and selected sponges from the two orders. In addition, this study will test whether the production of pharmaceutically active compounds is associated with the presence or absence of specific symbionts. This research project will provide a rare, direct comparison of the evolutionary histories of sponges and their symbionts, with an immediate impact on the fields of sponge taxonomy, drug discovery, and host-symbiont coevolution. The project will also provide a greater understanding of the evolutionary histories of sponges and their symbionts, which will accelerate and enrich the search for new anti-viral and anti-cancer drugs. Increased knowledge of these host-microbe interactions will directly impact our understanding of all types of animal-microbe interactions, including those involving humans.