Dissertation Research: The role of gene duplication and symbiont association in the evolution of sea anemone venom

一组生物体内毒液的多样性很大程度上是基因复制和随后的DNA序列多样化的产物。在大多数生物体中，这一过程的具体细节仍然不清楚。这项计划中的研究以海葵(海葵亚纲：珊瑚亚纲，猕猴桃亚纲)为模型，了解形成毒液谱系的基因复制等基因组水平的过程。通过对功能毒液基因两侧的序列和毒液特别常见的基因组区域的分析，可以推断基因复制的发生率以及复制的基因多样化或变得不起作用的过程。海葵是现存最古老和最大的有毒动物群体的一部分。它们的毒液表现出各种功能，包括扰乱离子通道的控制，破坏细胞膜的稳定，或抑制脂质的合成。毒液的功能和结构多样性得到了基因水平上更高程度的多样性的支持。这种对毒液多样性的更详细的描述因此有可能研究毒液的功能和结构，并可能在药理学或医学研究中具有重要的应用价值。对更广泛的社区的其他好处包括对研究生和本科生的培训，通过演讲向普通和技术受众宣传，以及发表关于基因多样性和进化的科学研究。

The diversity of venoms within a group of organisms is largely the product of gene duplication and subsequent DNA sequence diversification. The specifics of this process remain obscure in most organisms. The planned research uses sea anemones (Cnidaria: Anthozoa, Actiniaria) as a model to understand the genome-level processes like gene duplications in shaping venom repertoire. The incidence of gene duplication and the processes by which duplicated genes diversify or become non-functional can be inferred through the analysis of the sequences that flank functional venom genes and the regions of the genome in which venoms are particularly common.Sea anemones are part of the oldest and largest group of extant venomous animals. Their venoms exhibit a variety of functions, including disrupting the control of ion channels, destabilizing cellular membranes, or inhibiting synthesis of lipids. The functional and structural diversity of venoms is underpinned by an even greater degree of diversity at the genetic level. This more detailed account of venom diversity thus has potential for studies of function and structure of venom, and may have applications of interest to pharmacological or medical research. Additional benefits to the broader community include the training of graduate and undergraduate students, outreach to general and technical audiences through presentations, and published scientific studies of gene diversity and evolution.