Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms Governing Cnidarian/Dinoflagellate Mutualisms: Cell Biology, Innate Immunity, Functional Genomics

俄勒冈州立大学，弗吉尼亚·M·韦斯俄勒冈州立大学授予俄勒冈州立大学的弗吉尼亚·韦斯博士一项拨款，用于研究珊瑚等捕食动物与其组织中的单细胞共生甲藻之间的细胞和分子相互作用。Weis的团队将在宿主珊瑚和密切相关的海葵中识别和表征基因和细胞路径，这些基因和细胞路径在建立和维持这些重要的互惠关系方面发挥作用。这些越来越多的证据表明，在微生物寄生虫和动物宿主病原体入侵中发挥作用的细胞途径与用于建立有益共生环境(如珊瑚)的途径是相同的。该奖项将：1)研究从周围环境中获取共生体的微小幼虫珊瑚在共生开始期间的伙伴间分子信号；2)使用最先进的基因组学技术在世界数据库中搜索对抵御入侵者至关重要的线虫基因，然后确定这些相同的基因是否在这种有益的共生过程中发挥作用；3)研究细胞信号通路在共生控制中的功能，这是已知在其他系统中对细胞生长起作用的。在每个生态系统中都可以发现两个或更多无关生物之间的共生关系。这些关系涵盖了一系列的生活方式，从互惠到寄生，从胞外到胞内。其中最重要的海洋互惠关系是珊瑚和它们的藻类共生体之间的共生关系，它们共同构成了整个珊瑚礁生态系统的营养和结构基础。在宏观层面上，人们对珊瑚有很多了解，比如它们的全球分布和生态。然而，在这些共生体的启动、建立和维持期间发生的伙伴间沟通和调节的微尺度过程在很大程度上仍未被探索。缺乏对这些过程的基本知识，阻碍了理解珊瑚白化这一全球现象的努力，这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，被认为是一个严重的环境威胁。这项研究将采用多层次的方法来审查围绕珊瑚与其共生藻类之间共生的启动、建立和维持的事件。

Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms Governing Cnidarian/Dinoflagellate Mutualisms: Cell Biology, Innate Immunity, Functional GenomicsVirginia M. Weis, Oregon State UniversityA grant has been awarded to Dr. Virginia Weis of Oregon State University to examine the cellular and molecular interactions between cnidarians, such as reef-building corals, and their single-celled symbiotic dinoflagellate algae resident within their tissues. Weis' group will identify and characterize genes and cellular pathways in host corals and closely related anemones that function in the establishment and maintenance of these important mutualistic interactions. These is increasing evidence that the cellular pathways that function in the invasion by microbial parasites and pathogens of animals hosts are the same ones used in the establishment of beneficial symbioses such as corals. This award will: 1) examine inter-partner molecular signaling during the onset of symbiosis in microscopic larval corals that acquire their symbionts from their surroundings, 2) use state-of-the-art genomics techniques to search the world's databases for cnidarian genes important in fighting off invaders and then determine if these same genes are at play during this beneficial symbiosis, 3) examine the function of a cellular signaling pathway, that is known to function in cell growth in other systems, in the control of the symbiosis.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 both the trophic and structural 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 events surrounding the initiation, establishment and maintenance of symbioses between corals and their symbiotic algae.