Collaborative Proposal: De Novo Genes in Drosophila: Functions, Origins, and Polymorphisms

合作提案：果蝇中的从头基因：功能、起源和多态性

• 批准号: 0920090
• 负责人: David Begun
• 金额: $ 20.49万
• 依托单位: University of California-Davis
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2009-09-01 至 2012-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0920090&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Proposal; De; Novo; Genes

"This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5)." Intellectual merit: At the molecular level, new proteins have typically been thought to evolve by subtle tweaks of existing proteins, not by radical changes. New genomic data, however, are challenging this traditional view. Genomes are, in fact, dynamic and saltational; genes arise, evolve, and die much more rapidly than previously thought. Making sense of how and why genes are formed or destroyed is critical to understanding how and why organisms adapt to natural and man-made environmental change. Drosophila (fruit flies) are uniquely suited for studies to determine the biological processes shaping the functions and origins of new genes. Scientists have a deep understanding of Drosophila biology, sophisticated molecular genetic tools, and a wealth of Drosophila genomic data. Using these tools, these collaborators will determine how new genes are formed and the genetic mechanisms underlying their origination. Broader Impacts of Study: Improving our understanding of what new genes do, how they arose, or why they emerged will give insight into how organisms genetically respond to environmental pressures. It is increasingly clear that man-made environmental change presents a challenge to all living things, including humans. New genes may be one type of solution to overcoming these challenges. As some of these new genes arise from DNA sequence that ancestrally did not code for a gene, this suggests that hidden within the genomes of all living things is an unanticipated wealth of genetic potential. This research will help science understand how this genetic potential has been and can be realized. Both investigators are actively involved in broadening the participation of underrepresented groups in science. Additionally, this project will support a program to both familiarize graduate students and postdoctoral fellows with the opportunities available to the faculty of community colleges, and to provide pedagogical training for such an endeavor.

“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。“智力优点：在分子水平上，新的蛋白质通常被认为是通过对现有蛋白质的细微调整而进化出来的，而不是通过根本性的改变。然而，新的基因组数据正在挑战这一传统观点。事实上，基因组是动态的、跳跃的;基因的产生、进化和死亡比以前想象的要快得多。了解基因是如何形成或破坏的，以及为什么会形成或破坏，对于理解生物体如何以及为什么会适应自然和人为的环境变化至关重要。果蝇（果蝇）是唯一适合研究，以确定生物过程塑造新基因的功能和起源。科学家们对果蝇生物学有着深刻的理解，拥有先进的分子遗传学工具和丰富的果蝇基因组数据。利用这些工具，这些合作者将确定新基因是如何形成的，以及它们起源的遗传机制。研究的更广泛影响：提高我们对新基因的作用、它们是如何产生的，以及它们为什么会出现的理解，将使我们深入了解生物体在遗传上是如何对环境压力做出反应的。越来越清楚的是，人为的环境变化对包括人类在内的所有生物都提出了挑战。新基因可能是克服这些挑战的一种解决方案。由于这些新基因中的一些来自祖先没有编码基因的DNA序列，这表明隐藏在所有生物的基因组中的是一个意想不到的遗传潜力财富。这项研究将有助于科学界了解这种遗传潜力是如何实现的。两位研究人员都积极参与扩大科学中代表性不足的群体的参与。此外，该项目还将支持一项计划，使研究生和博士后研究员熟悉社区学院教师的机会，并为这一奋进提供教学培训。