CAREER: Identification and Characterization of Genes Involved in Asexual Reproduction in Filamentous Fungi

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。绝大多数丝状真菌通过形成无性孢子（分生孢子）进行克隆繁殖。 为了产生分生孢子，真菌必须经历明确的形态发育程序，这可能需要许多单个基因和信号转导途径的协调努力。 值得注意的是，在丝状真菌中对无性发育的遗传基础知之甚少。 该项目的科学目标是确定和表征禾谷镰刀菌无性繁殖的关键基因，禾谷镰刀菌是一种具有全球意义的真菌植物病原体，因为它能够导致谷类作物的毁灭性疾病，然后受到有害真菌毒素的污染。 广泛的基因组资源，再加上其易处理性，这种生物体的实验设计，以调查了解甚少的机制，一个现实的和令人信服的选择整合到本科教育。 基因组工具的进步已经允许在全基因组水平上分析基因表达。 在科克学院建立真菌基因组学计划将加强现有的合作，并促进新的合作伙伴关系的持续发展。 这个项目将为科克学院的学生提供机会：（1）开发创新的筛选方法来鉴定F。（2）在分子水平上鉴定已鉴定的突变体，（3）应用比较基因组学工具鉴定其他生物中靶基因的潜在直系同源物，（4）设计实验以验证已鉴定的影响丝状真菌无性发育的基因的参与。 为了更好地了解突变体中受影响的基因，将分离RNA并用于询问F。禾谷早熟禾基因芯片Coker的学生将编制一个全面的数据集，用于了解无性发育过程中的基因表达，并比较发育突变体与对照菌株之间的基因表达模式。 从基因表达数据推断可能导致发现参与调节控制真菌发育的发育途径的特定基因。 更广泛的影响：该项目的长期目标是开发一个基于本科生参与的真菌基因组学研究计划。 为了实现这一目标，将与研究密集型机构的教师建立广泛的合作关系，这将有助于提高科克学院学生的教育经验，并增加研究成果。 独立的实验室研究对于有志成为科学家，医生和科学教育家的学生至关重要。 科克学院开发的研究项目侧重于丝状真菌中的基因发现，特别强调阐明控制重要植物病原体发育的遗传机制。 多种真菌模型系统的出现结合真菌基因组学的最新进展，大大提高了将这些生物纳入本科研究计划的可行性和效益。 参与研究激发了本科生对科学的热情，并为他们未来的研究和教育事业提供了知识和技术的基础。 该项目将为本科生参与研究创造新的角色，同时拆除阻碍本科院校和主要研究型大学之间合作的障碍。 研究目标的实现将涉及一个创新的方法来指导本科生承担独立的项目。 为此，将制定一个多机构的导师计划，其中包括一个教师团队，以指导每个学生的研究项目。 促进导师计划所需的技术和协调的逻辑应用涉及到在科克学院的课程中实施客座讲座。 来自研究机构的合作者在分子生物学，生物化学，基因组学和宿主-寄生虫相互作用的各个学科的具体专业知识将被安排在一个相关的主题发言，并通过视频会议平台传输到科克教室。 该项目将加强生物学课程在科克学院，使研究经验提供给学生谁本来不会有机会，并提供扩大的机会，为本科生获得宝贵的经验与研究生，博士后研究人员和教师在合作机构工作。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). The vast majority of filamentous fungi propagate clonally through the formation of asexual spores (conidia). To produce conidia, fungi must undergo a defined program of morphological development, which presumably requires the coordinated efforts of many individual genes and signal transduction pathways. Remarkably, the genetic underpinnings of asexual development are poorly understood in filamentous fungi. The scientific objective of this project is to identify and characterize genes critical for asexual reproduction in Fusarium graminearum, a fungal plant pathogen with global significance due to its ability to cause devastating diseases of cereal crops followed by contamination with harmful mycotoxins. The extensive genomic resources available for this organism coupled with its tractability have made experiments designed to investigate poorly understood mechanisms a realistic and compelling choice for integration into undergraduate education. Advances in genomic tools have permitted analysis of gene expression at the whole-genome level. Instituting a fungal genomics program at Coker College will strengthen existing collaborations and foster the continued development of new partnerships. This project will provide students at Coker College the opportunity to (1) Develop innovative screens to identify developmental mutants of F. graminearum, (2) Characterize identified mutants at the molecular level, (3) Apply comparative genomics tools to identify potential orthologs of target genes in other organisms, and (4) Design experiments to validate the involvement of genes identified that impact asexual development in filamentous fungi. To better understand the genes affected in the mutants identified, RNA will be isolated and used to interrogate the F. graminearum Affymetrix GeneChip. Students at Coker will compile a comprehensive data set for understanding gene expression during asexual development and compare gene expression patterns between developmental mutants identified to control strains. Inference from gene expression data may lead to the discovery of specific genes involved in regulating developmental pathways controlling fungal development. Broader Impacts: The long-term goal of this project is to develop a research program in fungal genomics built on undergraduate participation. To reach this goal, extensive collaborations will be formed with faculty at research-intensive institutions that will serve to enhance educational experiences for Coker College students and to increase research output. Independent laboratory research is essential for students aspiring to become scientists, medical doctors and science educators. The research project developed at Coker College focuses on gene discovery in filamentous fungi, with particular emphasis on elucidating the genetic mechanisms controlling development of important plant pathogens. The emergence of multiple fungal model systems combined with recent advances in fungal genomics has greatly enhanced the feasibility and benefits of incorporating these organisms into undergraduate research programs. Participation in research stimulates enthusiasm for science in undergraduates, and provides them a foundation of knowledge and techniques for future careers in research and education. This project will forge new roles for undergraduate involvement in research while tearing down barriers that inhibit collaborations between undergraduate institutions and major research universities. Achievement of research goals will involve an innovative approach to mentor undergraduate students undertaking independent projects. To this end, a multi-institutional mentorship program will be developed involving a team of faculty members formed to guide each student's research project. A logical application of the technology and coordination required to facilitate the mentorship program involves implementing a guest lecture component to the curriculum at Coker College. Collaborators from research institutions with specific expertise in various disciplines of molecular biology, biochemistry, genomics, and host-parasite interactions will be scheduled to speak on a relevant topic and transmitted to the Coker classroom through a video-conferencing platform. The project will enhance the biology curriculum at Coker College, make research experiences available to students who would not otherwise have the opportunity, and provide expanded opportunities for undergraduate students to gain valuable experience working with graduate students, post-doctoral researchers, and faculty members at collaborating institutions.