Molecular and Ecological Adaptations: Evolution of Venoms and Feeding Specializations of Predatory Marine Gastropods

生态适应使物种能够以新的或不同的方式利用或获取资源，并与生物多样性的起源密切相关，但对这些适应起源的遗传基础了解甚少。掠食性海洋腹足纲蜗牛属是一种极其多样化的热带蜗牛，有500多种，饮食差异巨大。这些专门的猎人使用一种含有神经毒素的毒液来捕获猎物，这种毒液被称为conotoxins。圆锥蛇毒在物种内部和物种之间都具有惊人的多样性，圆锥蛇毒已被证明是治疗各种人类神经肌肉疾病的新型药物的来源。由于毒液与征服猎物的能力有着复杂的关系，圆锥蛇毒液的进化很可能受到饮食特殊化的强烈影响。本研究的主要目的是检验关于蛇毒成分与蛇毒食性之间联系的假设，并检验蛇毒种群间遗传和生态差异与蛇毒成分之间的相关性。该项目包括实地和实验室工作，以检查和比较三种密切相关的圆锥蛇不同种群的个体的饮食和毒液。来自热带太平洋研究地点附近的学院和大学的历史上代表性不足的群体的本科生以及密歇根大学的学生将参加实地和实验室研究。这项工作将极大地促进我们对生态适应、物种相互作用以及分子和生物进化的理解和欣赏。此外，对圆锥虫毒液进化的了解应该会加速圆锥虫药物的开发。

Ecological adaptations enable species to utilize or acquire resources in new or different manners and are tightly linked to the origins of biodiversity, yet the genetic basis of the origins of these adaptations is poorly understood. The predatory marine gastropod genus Conus is an extremely diverse group of tropical snails with over 500 species, with tremendous differences in diets. These specialized hunters use a venom with neurotoxins, termed conotoxins, to capture prey. Conus venoms are amazingly diverse both within and between species and conotoxins are proven sources of novel pharmaceuticals for the treatment of various human neuromuscular disorders. Because venoms are intricately related to the ability to subdue prey, the evolution of Conus venoms is likely to be strongly influenced by dietary specializations. The main objective of this research is to test hypotheses about the link between venom composition and dietary specializations of Conus and to examine the correlations between genetic and ecological differences and venom composition among populations of Conus species. This project includes field and laboratory work to examine and compare diets and venoms of individuals of different populations of three closely related Conus species. Undergraduate students of historically underrepresented groups from colleges and universities near study sites in the tropical Pacific as well as students from the University of Michigan will participate in field and laboratory studies. This work will greatly boost our understanding and appreciation of ecological adaptations, species interactions and molecular and organismal evolution. Moreover, knowledge of the evolution of Conus venoms should speed the development of pharmaceuticals from Conus.