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

世界上最大的花莱佛士科的花发育、保护遗传学和水平基因转移

• 批准号: 1120243
• 负责人: Charles Davis
• 金额: $ 46.5万
• 依托单位: Harvard University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-08-01 至 2016-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1120243&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Floral; development; conservation; genetics; horizontal

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.

全寄生植物枝莱佛士科拥有世界上最大的花朵，其直径可达1米。进化研究表明，这个神秘的群体来自于大戟科（Malpighiales），它产生微小的花朵。为了增加它们的神秘性，一些莱佛士科的基因组是通过宿主到寄生虫的基因转移从它们的专性葡萄宿主获得的。本项目的目的是：(1)利用传统和前沿成像技术结合比较功能基因组数据阐明莱佛士科植物的花形态和发育演变；Ii)实施保护遗传技术以评估这种寄主-寄生虫共生关系的遗传多样性；iii)利用下一代测序（NGS）技术确立了Rafflesiaceae植物水平基因转移的重要性。该项目的智力优势包括：i)通过使用整合系统发育、比较发育形态学和功能基因组学的方法，开发新的方法来评估困难群体的形态学突触和同源性；Ii)为高度专门化共生的物种制定适当的保护管理策略制定新的优先事项；iii)建立进行系统基因组研究的范例，使我们能够评估基因转移的大小和转移位点的功能。这项拨款的一个主要外展部分将是与剑桥公立学校合作，将系统发育思想纳入他们的生命科学课程。