Collaborative Research: RUI: Molecular mechanisms and physiological triggers underlying neuromodulator plasticity in a lobster pattern generator

合作研究：RUI：龙虾模式发生器中神经调节剂可塑性的分子机制和生理触发因素

• 批准号: 1353023
• 负责人: Andrew Christie
• 金额: $ 40万
• 依托单位: University of Hawaii
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2014-08-15 至 2018-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1353023&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; RUI; Molecular; mechanisms

The overarching goal of this project is to understand the processes that underlie variability in behavior. Specifically, the project will focus on variability in the responses of neuronal networks generating the activity that controls rhythmic movements to one hormone. This project will utilize the lobster cardiac neuromuscular system, a simple model for understanding this phenomenon. In this system, some hearts respond to the hormone allatostatin-C with increased contraction force, while others respond by decreasing contraction force. The project is multi-disciplinary, using physiological, molecular and biochemical approaches. Experiments will include recording changes in activity of the lobster heart when exposed to the hormone, using molecular biological techniques to determine the genes that contribute to the differential responses to the hormone in different animals, and analyzing proteins within the heart to determine how they differ among animals that respond differently to the hormone. This project is a collaboration between researchers at Bowdoin College (Brunswick, Maine) and the University of Hawaii at Manoa (Honolulu). It will train undergraduates, including underrepresented minority students, at both institutions in a wide variety of chemical, molecular and physiological techniques. It will provide interdisciplinary training and will introduce undergraduates to the importance of examining scientific questions from multiple perspectives. The molecular components of the project will also provide resources that can be used by other scientists to address additional issues in lobster biology, including the origin and physiological consequences of shell disease.To determine the mechanisms and triggers that underlie the variability in the responses of neuronal networks to modulators, this project will examine a simple pattern generator, the lobster cardiac ganglion. This project will combine transcriptomics and physiology to look for differences in gene expression that correlate with differential responses to the peptide hormone, allatostatin-C. At the same time, the project will ask whether these differences may be triggered by changes related to the molt cycle. The project, which will use Illumina sequencing, will assemble de novo transcriptomes from lobster tissues. These transcriptomes will provide references onto which RNA-Seq data from lobsters that respond differentially to allatostatin-C in physiological experiments will be mapped to determine changes in gene expression. The investigation will target specific genes and will use a genome-wide assessment to look for additional changes. The project will also use mass spectrometry to ask whether specific proteins show different post-translational modifications in lobster hearts that respond differentially to the neuropeptide.

这个项目的首要目标是了解行为可变性的基础过程。 具体来说，该项目将重点关注神经元网络响应的可变性，这些神经元网络产生控制一种激素的节律运动的活动。这个项目将利用龙虾心脏神经肌肉系统，一个简单的模型来理解这种现象。在这个系统中，一些心脏对激素allatostatin-C的反应是增加收缩力，而另一些心脏则是减少收缩力。该项目是多学科的，使用生理学，分子和生物化学方法。 实验将包括记录暴露于激素时龙虾心脏活动的变化，使用分子生物学技术来确定导致不同动物对激素的差异反应的基因，并分析心脏内的蛋白质以确定它们在对激素反应不同的动物之间的差异。 该项目是鲍登学院（缅因州布伦瑞克）和马诺阿的夏威夷大学（檀香山）的研究人员之间的合作。它将在这两个机构培训本科生，包括代表性不足的少数民族学生，掌握各种化学、分子和生理技术。它将提供跨学科的培训，并将向本科生介绍从多个角度研究科学问题的重要性。该项目的分子组成部分也将提供资源，可用于其他科学家来解决龙虾生物学的其他问题，包括壳病的起源和生理后果。为了确定神经元网络对调制器的反应的可变性的机制和触发因素，该项目将研究一个简单的模式发生器，龙虾心脏神经节。 这个项目将联合收割机转录组学和生理学相结合，寻找与肽激素allatostatin-C的不同反应相关的基因表达差异。与此同时，该项目将询问这些差异是否可能是由与蜕皮周期相关的变化引发的。该项目将使用Illumina测序，将从龙虾组织中组装从头转录组。这些转录组将提供参考，在生理实验中对allatostatin-C有差异反应的龙虾的RNA-Seq数据将被映射以确定基因表达的变化。这项研究将针对特定基因，并将使用全基因组评估来寻找其他变化。该项目还将使用质谱法来研究特定蛋白质是否在龙虾心脏中显示出不同的翻译后修饰，这些蛋白质对神经肽有不同的反应。