IOS : Uncovering the Origins of Arthropod Body Plan Patterning

节肢动物是物种最丰富的动物门，占据了广泛的独特生态位，约占所有动物物种的80%。节肢动物多样性的核心是各种模块化的、分节的身体形式，以及模块化的、分节的附属物形式。像这样的特征是主要动物身体计划的核心。这些特征是如何通过特定的发育模式机制的进化而产生和多样化的，这是一个尚未很好理解的基本问题。水熊（缓步动物）可以作为独特的有价值的研究对象，以解决如何模块化，分段的身体形式和附属物多样化的节肢动物的祖先。在这个项目中，缓步动物将被用作一个外群体来解决这个问题，使用基因组学，基因表达分析和反向遗传方法。将完成一个缓步动物基因组项目，并用于建立一个公开共享的数据库。将使用水熊基因表达和基因功能研究来研究身体区域沿着前后轴和沿着四肢的近远轴的多样性。该项目的成果将包括未来研究这一动物门的基础设施，并将回答有关主要动物身体计划演变的基本问题。这项工作还将培养学生和博士后研究生。

The arthropods comprise the most species-rich animal phylum, filling a broad range of distinct ecological niches and comprising about 80% of all animal species. Central to the arthropods' diversity is a variety of modular, segmented body forms, as well as modular, segmented appendage forms. Features such as these are central to major animal body plans. How such features arise and diversify by the evolution of specific developmental patterning mechanisms is a fundamental issue that is not yet well understood. Water bears (tardigrades) can serve as uniquely valuable research subjects for addressing how modular, segmented body forms and appendages diversified among ancestors of the arthropods. In this project, tardigrades will be used as an outgroup to address this issue, using genomics, gene expression analysis, and reverse genetic methods. A tardigrade genome project will be completed and used to generate a publicly shared database. Diversification of body regions along the anteroposterior axis and along the proximodistal axis of the limbs will be studied using water bear gene expression and gene function studies. The project outcomes will include infrastructure for future studies of this animal phylum and will answer fundamental questions about the evolution of major animal body plans. The work will also train students and postdoctoral trainees in scientific research.