OCE-PRF: Carbon dioxide, pH and bicarbonate sensing pathways in reef-building corals and regulation of homeostasis in response to ocean acidification

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The investigator will study the cellular mechanisms of how reef-building corals sense changes in pH in the surrounding seawater and how the regulation of this pathway affects coral physiological responses to ocean acidification (OA). This project builds on the recent discovery that a bicarbonate (HCO3-) sensing enzyme (soluble adenylyl cyclase [sAC]) involved in the regulation of pH homeostasis in vertebrates is expressed in corals. This enzyme produces cAMP, a universal messenger molecule used in organisms from bacteria to mammals. The investigator's hypothesis is that the sAC pathway is involved in coral pH sensing and regulation of pH homeostasis through the production of cAMP. Coral sAC is stimulated in response to HCO3- concentrations relevant to coral physiology, and differences in sAC activity and regulation will affect coral physiological responses to OA. To test her hypothesis, the investigator will: 1. Characterize the activity and expression of the sAC pathway and its response to CO2, HCO3- and pH in multiple coral species, 2. Determine how the sAC pathway affects coral physiology, including maintenance of pH homeostasis, respiration, photosynthesis, and calcification, 3. Determine how chronic exposure to projected OA conditions affect the regulation of the sAC pathway in corals and how these differences affect coral physiology. The broader impacts of the project include developing a bilingual, multimedia exhibit showcasing the significance of ocean acidification and its effects on the marine environment at the Birch Aquarium in San Diego, reaching a large Latino population, and mentoring two female doctoral students and undergraduates. This project is supported under the NSF Ocean Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (OCE PRF) program, with goals to support novel research by early career scientists and increase the diversity of the U.S. ocean sciences workforce and research community. With OCE-PRF support, this project will enable a promising early career researcher to establish themselves in an independent research career related to ocean sciences and broaden participation of under-represented groups in the ocean sciences.