NSF NPGI Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2014

本行动资助2014财年美国国家科学基金会国家植物基因组计划生物学博士后研究奖学金。该奖学金支持奖学金获得者在主办实验室的研究和培训计划，该奖学金获得者还提出了扩大生物学参与的计划。Michael A. Grillo的研究和培训计划的标题是“豆科植物-根瘤菌共生中由信号相互作用介导的特异性的自然变异：苜蓿的群体基因组方法”。该奖学金的主办机构是伊利诺伊大学厄巴纳-香槟分校，赞助科学家是凯蒂·希思博士。培训目标包括基因组学、植物-微生物相互作用、定量和进化遗传学、关联图谱和群体基因组学。更广泛的影响包括在芝加哥地区的高中生物课上推广苜蓿和豆类作为教学工具，这些课程为科学领域代表性不足的群体提供服务。豆科植物和根瘤菌（固氮细菌）之间的相互作用是地球上最重要的经济和生态相互作用之一。这种互惠关系的一个显著特征是伴侣特异性的高度变异，然而控制和维持这种特异性的机制仍然知之甚少。本研究旨在通过整合群体基因组的方法，阐明模式豆科植物——truncatula Medicago及其主要共生体——Sinorhizobium meliloti之间特异性的遗传基础，并解决以下问题：1)哪些信号基因显示了选择的基因组特征，表明在伴侣选择中起作用；2)信号基因的自然等位基因变异对伴侣选择的影响；3)哪些基因控制了紫花苜蓿和中华根瘤菌之间的不相容相互作用？这条研究路线将提供一个全面的自然变化的基础上的共生信号在紫花苜蓿与它的共生根瘤菌相互作用的检查。

This action funds an NSF National Plant Genome Initiative Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2014. The fellowship supports a research and training plan in a host laboratory for the Fellow who also presents a plan to broaden participation in biology. The title of the research and training plan for this fellowship to Michael A. Grillo is "Natural Variation for Specificity Mediated by Signaling Interactions in the Legume-rhizobium Mutualism: A Population Genomic Approach in Medicago truncatula". The host institution for the fellowship is the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the sponsoring scientist is Dr. Katy Heath.Training objectives include genomics, plant-microbe interactions, quantitative and evolutionary genetics, association mapping, and population genomics. Broader impacts include promoting Medicago and legumes as a teaching tool in high school biology classes in the Chicago area that serve underrepresented groups in the sciences.The mutualism between legumes (Fabaceae) and rhizobia (nitrogen-fixing bacteria) is one of the most economically and ecologically important interactions on the planet. A striking feature of this mutualism is the high level of variation for partner specificity, yet the mechanisms that control and maintain such specificity remain poorly understood. This research aims to elucidate the genetic basis of specificity between the model legume, Medicago truncatula, and its primary symbiont, Sinorhizobium meliloti, through an integrative population genomic approach that addresses the following questions: 1) Which signaling genes demonstrate a genomic signature of selection that suggests a role in partner choice, 2) What are the effects of natural allelic variation at signaling genes on partner choice, and 3) What genes control incompatible interactions between Medicago and Sinorhizobium? This line of research will provide a comprehensive examination of natural variation underlying symbiotic signaling in Medicago interactions with its mutualist rhizobia.