OCE-PRF: Quantifying the genetic and epigenetic contribution to stress response in corals

OCE-PRF：量化遗传和表观遗传对珊瑚应激反应的贡献

• 批准号: 1323822
• 金额: $ 17万
• 依托单位: Putnam Hollie M
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Fellowship Award
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2014-07-01 至 2016-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1323822&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: OCE; PRF; Quantifying; genetic; epigenetic

Overview: A combination of global and local stressors threaten the persistence of coral reef ecosystems. Atmospheric CO2 and global mean temperatures are expected to increase significantly. The rapid influx of atmospheric CO2 into the oceans will result in ocean acidification (OA), or a shift in the buffering capacity and chemistry of seawater leading to declines in pH and carbonate ions. Together, these stressors are predicted to result in mass coral bleaching, declines in coral calcification of more than 40%, and even extinction. It is thought that the current rate of climate change will outpace the potential for coral reefs to undergo necessary evolutionary adaptation. There is, however, enormous variability in the response of corals to stress and differential survival of species, suggesting that some corals possess mechanisms to better respond to climate change. These mechanisms include innovations related to genetic adaptation, rapid acclimatization through epigenetic mechanisms via parental effects, and the associated symbiotic communities (Symbiodinium, bacteria, fungi, and viruses). In corals, the overall contribution of these factors to resilience is understudied. The fellow's PhD research was the first to identify positive responses of coral offspring to OA and increasing temperature via trans-generational acclimatization (i.e., an epigenetic process). The fellow will employ novel experimental approaches to test hypotheses suggesting that there is a greater genetic, epigenetic, and symbiotic potential for corals to respond to and resist the adverse effects of increased temperature and OA than was previously thought. If true, the outcome of this research will have the potential to transform our understanding of coral response to environmental stress and to develop well-parameterized predictions of the future of coral reef ecosystems. The objectives of this research are to quantify the genetic, epigenetic, and symbiotic contributions to stress response in reef-building corals. Intellectual Merit: The oceans play an important role in human health through factors such as food production, economics, and regulation of atmospheric gases, climate, water supply, and protection from physical disturbances. Although coral reefs cover a small proportion of the ocean (1%), they generate vast revenue, valued in the hundreds of billions of dollars annually. By describing and quantifying potential genetic, epigenetic, and symbiotic processes of resilience and resistance this research will advance our understanding of the genuine threats that changing climate poses to coral reefs and the resulting economic, physical, and cultural consequences of the coral reef ecosystem resource loss. Broader Impacts: The fellow will be responsible for shared mentoring of PhD, MS, and undergraduate students. The proposed research will be disseminated broadly to the university and public community in Hawaii through existing connections to the public tour and education department at the University of Hawaii and the Waikiki Aquarium, and internationally through scientific conferences and publication in peer-reviewed journals, in addition to online video tutorials of experimental research and analyses. The host organizations are the University of Hawaii at Manoa's Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB)and the James Cook University's (JCU)Australian Research Council Center of Excellence. Together they provide the ideal organizations located on coral reefs to perform the research, to broaden scientific participation, and to provide diverse international mentoring and prolific networking opportunities with world experts. The mentors include: (1) primary mentor and expert coral biologist Ruth D. Gates, PhD at HIMB; (2) expert in larval biology and quantitative genetics Robert J. Toonen, PhD at HIMB; and (3) international mentor and Super Science Fellow at JCU and expert in coral stress response and coral microbial associations, Tracy D. Ainsworth, PhD. Together these mentors provide world-class expertise in coral biology, genetics, symbiosis, and experimental design.

概述：全球和地方压力的结合威胁着珊瑚礁生态系统的持久性。大气中的二氧化碳和全球平均气温预计将大幅上升。大气中的二氧化碳迅速流入海洋将导致海洋酸化，或海水的缓冲能力和化学性质发生变化，导致pH值和碳酸根离子下降。这些压力因素预计将导致大规模珊瑚白化，珊瑚钙化下降40%以上，甚至灭绝。人们认为，目前的气候变化速度将超过珊瑚礁进行必要的进化适应的潜力。然而，珊瑚对压力的反应和物种生存的差异存在巨大的差异，这表明一些珊瑚拥有更好地应对气候变化的机制。这些机制包括与遗传适应有关的创新，通过表观遗传机制通过亲本效应的快速适应，以及相关的共生群落（共生藻，细菌，真菌和病毒）。在珊瑚中，这些因素对复原力的总体贡献研究不足。该研究员的博士研究是第一个通过跨代适应（即，表观遗传过程）。该研究员将采用新的实验方法来测试假设，这表明珊瑚有更大的遗传，表观遗传和共生潜力来应对和抵抗温度升高和OA的不利影响。如果是真的，这项研究的结果将有可能改变我们对珊瑚对环境压力的反应的理解，并对珊瑚礁生态系统的未来进行参数化预测。本研究的目的是量化的遗传，后生和共生的贡献，在造礁珊瑚的压力反应。智力优势：海洋通过粮食生产、经济、大气气体调节、气候、供水和免受物理干扰等因素对人类健康发挥重要作用。虽然珊瑚礁只占海洋的一小部分（1%），但它们每年产生的收入高达数千亿美元。通过描述和量化潜在的遗传，表观遗传和共生过程的弹性和阻力，这项研究将促进我们对气候变化对珊瑚礁构成的真正威胁的理解，以及珊瑚礁生态系统资源损失所造成的经济，物理和文化后果。更广泛的影响：该研究员将负责博士，硕士和本科生的共享辅导。拟议的研究将通过与夏威夷大学和威基基水族馆的公共旅游和教育部门的现有联系，广泛传播到夏威夷的大学和公共社区，并通过科学会议和同行评审期刊上的出版物以及实验研究和分析的在线视频教程在国际上传播。主办组织是位于马诺阿的夏威夷大学夏威夷海洋生物研究所和詹姆斯·库克大学澳大利亚研究理事会英才中心。它们共同提供了位于珊瑚礁的理想组织，以进行研究，扩大科学参与，并提供与世界专家的多样化国际指导和多产网络机会。导师包括：（1）初级导师和专家珊瑚生物学家露丝D。盖茨，博士在HIMB;（2）HIMB的幼虫生物学和数量遗传学专家Robert J. Toonen博士;以及（3）JCU的国际导师和超级科学研究员以及珊瑚应激反应和珊瑚微生物协会专家Tracy D. Ainsworth博士这些导师共同提供珊瑚生物学，遗传学，共生和实验设计方面的世界级专业知识。