Floral development, conservation genetics, and horizontal gene transfer in the world's largest flowers, Rafflesiaceae

全寄生植物莱佛兰科拥有世界上最大的花，直径可达1米。进化研究表明，这个神秘的类群起源于大戟科(Malighiales)大戟科，它们开出微小的花朵。让它们更加神秘的是，通过寄主到寄生虫的基因转移，Rafflesiaceae的一些基因组已经从它们专属的葡萄寄主那里获得。该项目的目的是：1)利用传统的和前沿的成像技术，结合比较功能基因组数据，阐明莱佛兰科植物花形态和发育的进化；2)采用保守的遗传学技术，评估寄主-寄生虫共生中的遗传多样性；3)利用下一代测序技术，确定水平基因转移在莱佛兰科植物中的重要性。该项目的学术价值包括：i)开发新的方法，通过使用整合了系统发育学、比较发育形态学和功能基因组学的方法来评估困难群体中的形态突触和同源性；ii)为显示高度专门化共生的物种制定适当的保护管理策略设定新的优先事项；以及iii)建立一个进行系统基因组研究的范例，使我们能够评估基因转移的规模和转移的基因座的功能。这笔赠款的一个主要推广部分将是与剑桥公立学校合作，将系统发育学思维纳入他们的生命科学课程。

The holoparasitic plant clade Rafflesiaceae possesses the world's largest flowers, which are up to 1 meter in diameter. Evolutionary investigations have indicated that this enigmatic group is derived from within the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae (Malpighiales), which produce minute flowers. To add to their mystery, some of the Rafflesiaceae genome has been acquired from their obligate grapevine hosts by host-to-parasite gene transfer. The aims of this project are to i) elucidate the evolution of floral morphology and development in Rafflesiaceae using traditional and cutting edge imaging technologies combined with comparative functional genomic data; ii) implement conservation genetic techniques to assess genetic diversity in this host-parasite symbiosis; and iii) establish the importance of horizontal gene transfer in Rafflesiaceae using next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies. The intellectual merits of this project include: i) develop new methods to assess morphological synapomorphies and homologies in difficult groups via the use of approaches that integrate phylogeny, comparative developmental morphology, and functional genomics; ii) set new priorities for developing proper conservation management strategies of species that exhibit highly specialized symbioses; and iii) establish a paradigm for conducting phylogenomic studies that will allow us to assess both the magnitude of gene transfer and the functions of transferred loci. A major outreach component of this grant will be to partner with Cambridge Public Schools to integrate phylogenetic thinking into their life sciences curriculum.