Dimensions: Collaborative Research: Diversity and Symbiosis: Examining the Taxonomic, Genetic, and Functional Diversity of Amphibian Skin Microbiota

维度：合作研究：多样性与共生：检查两栖动物皮肤微生物群的分类、遗传和功能多样性

• 批准号: 1136662
• 负责人: Kevin Minbiole
• 金额: $ 26.2万
• 依托单位: Villanova University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-09-01 至 2015-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1136662&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Dimensions; Collaborative; Research; Diversity; Symbiosis

In adult humans, symbiotic microbes outnumber human cells ten to one. The composition of these microbial communities can influence whether individuals are lean or obese and the likelihood that pathogens are able to successfully establish themselves in the body. Amphibians also possess a diverse symbiotic microbiota, and these bacterial symbionts may limit infection by pathogens, such as the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) that has decimated many natural amphibian populations. This research will examine links between three critical diversity components of the symbiotic microbial communities that reside on amphibian skin: taxonomic diversity (number and relative abundance of species), genetic diversity (which genes are turned on), and functional diversity (disease resistance). Using focused field surveys and manipulative experiments, three objectives will be addressed: (1) establish the range of taxonomic, genetic, and functional diversity within the microbial community on five species of host amphibians in Panama, (2) examine how the presence of a pathogen (Bd) impacts diversity components, and (3) examine the relationship between microbial diversity and resistance to disease. As all animals host symbiotic microbes, these results will have broad applicability to other systems, including humans. In addition, new statistical methods for these complex datasets will be developed, which will rapidly expand the ability to integrate these diversity components in a wide array of systems. Undergraduate students will be trained in research. In addition, in Panama, a partnership with the Panama Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Project (PARC) will be established. A PARC intern will be supported to work with school groups to stress the importance of conservation, beneficial microbes and biodiversity. The partnership with PARC will extend to working with them on novel probiotic solutions, based on antifungal skin bacteria, that will allow successful reintroductions of threatened frogs, thereby helping to restore biodiversity to the Neotropics.

在成年人中，共生微生物人数超过人类细胞十分之一。这些微生物群落的组成可以影响个人是瘦还是肥胖，并且病原体能够成功地在体内建立自己的可能性。两栖动物也具有多样的共生微生物群，这些细菌共生体可能会限制病原体的感染，例如真菌batrachochytrium dendrobatidis（BD），这使许多天然的两栖群体破坏了。这项研究将研究存在于两栖皮肤的共生微生物群落的三个关键多样性组成部分：分类学多样性（物种数量和相对丰度），遗传多样性（基因开启）和功能多样性（抗病性）。使用集中的现场调查和操纵实验，将解决三个目标：（1）在微生物群落中建立在巴拿马五种宿主两种物种中的分类学，遗传和功能多样性的范围，（2）病原体（BD）的存在如何影响多样性的多样性，以及（3）对微生物的多样性和抵抗力之间的关系和抵抗力之间的关系。由于所有动物都有共生微生物，这些结果将对包括人类在内的其他系统具有广泛的适用性。此外，将开发针对这些复杂数据集的新统计方法，该方法将迅速扩大将这些多样性组件集成到各种系统中的能力。本科生将接受研究培训。此外，将在巴拿马建立与巴拿马两栖动物救援计划（PARC）建立合作伙伴关系。 PARC实习生将得到与学校团体合作，以强调保护，有益的微生物和生物多样性的重要性。 与PARC的合作伙伴关系将扩展到基于抗真菌皮肤细菌的新型益生菌解决方案的合作，这将允许成功重新引入受威胁的青蛙，从而有助于将生物多样性恢复为新型新型。