Collaborative Research: Evolutionary Origins of Chiton Shell-eyes: Integrating Structure, Function, and Gene Expression within a Phylogenetic Context

合作研究：石鳖贝眼的进化起源：在系统发育背景下整合结构、功能和基因表达

• 批准号: 1456859
• 负责人: Todd Oakley
• 金额: $ 16.3万
• 依托单位: University of California-Santa Barbara
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2015-09-01 至 2018-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1456859&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Evolutionary; Origins; Chiton

Fundamental questions in biology include: How do complex traits, such as eyes, evolve through changes in underlying sub-components? What are the transitional steps in function that link simple light-sensitive structures and complex image-forming eyes? The studies supported by this award use chitons (Mollusca: Polyplacophora) in an integrative research approach to ask how and why eyes evolve. Specifically, the proposal addresses: 1) changes in genotype associated with the origin of new light-interacting structures and 2) relationships between new light-interacting structures and new light-influenced behaviors. Integrative research on chitons will help advance the field of biomaterials. Studying the aragonite lenses of chitons will help researchers learn how animals build precisely shaped structures through the process of biomineralization. Studying the origin of eyes in chitons will also help counter popular misconceptions about evolution by demonstrating how complex traits evolve through stepwise processes. Undergraduate and graduate training, as well as public outreach efforts are also integrated into this project. The research objectives for this award follow the unique sensory organs (aesthetes) embedded in chiton shell plates: photoreceptors, eyespots, and eyes (with aragonite lenses). Specifically, the award supports studies to: (1) Identify the molecular components responsible for light-detection in eyeless chitons and establish the visually-influenced behaviors displayed by these animals; (2) Characterize the pigments and pigment-producing genes associated with the eyespots of certain chitons and establish the light-influenced behaviors unique to these species; and (3) Investigate the molecular components that confer spatial vision in chitons with eyes and identify genes that may be associated with the development of their aragonite lenses. Results from the studies will be published in peer-reviewed journals and disseminated at scientific meetings.

生物学中的基本问题包括：复杂的特征（例如眼睛）如何通过潜在的子组件的变化而发展？将简单的光敏结构和复杂图像形成眼睛连接起来的功能中的过渡步骤是什么？ 该奖项支持的研究使用Chiton（Mollusca：Polyplacophora）在综合研究方法中询问眼睛如何以及为什么进化。具体而言，提案解决了：1）与新的轻相互作用结构的起源相关的基因型的变化以及2）新的轻相互作用结构与新的光影响行为之间的关系。关于Chiton的综合研究将有助于推进生物材料领域。研究Chiton的后晶镜将帮助研究人员通过生物矿化过程学习动物如何建立精确形状的结构。 通过证明复杂的特征如何通过逐步过程演示，研究眼睛在Chiton中的起源还将有助于抵消对进化的普遍误解。 该项目也纳入了本科和研究生培训以及公共外展工作。该奖项的研究目标遵循嵌入Chiton壳板中的独特感官器官（审美）：光感受器，眼点和眼睛（带有aragonite镜头）。具体而言，该奖项支持研究：（1）确定负责无眼奇质光检测的分子成分，并确定这些动物所表现出的视觉影响行为； （2）表征与某些Chiton的眼点相关的色素和产生色素的基因，并建立这些物种独特的光性行为； （3）研究用眼睛赋予奇特族的空间视觉的分子成分，并鉴定可能与其后晶晶状体发展有关的基因。 研究的结果将在同行评审的期刊上发表，并在科学会议上发表。