Research Initiation Award: Next generation sequencing (NGS) of Freedom Giant Miscanthus (Miscanthus giganteus)-associated fungal communities

历史上的黑人学院和大学本科生计划（HBCU-UP）研究启动奖（RIAs）为HBCU的STEM初级教师提供支持，他们开始建立研究计划，以及职业生涯中期的教师，他们可能在担任行政职务后返回教师队伍，或者需要重新定向和重建研究计划。教师可以在他们的家乡机构，在NSF资助的中心，在研究密集型机构或在国家实验室进行研究。RIA项目预计将有助于进一步提高教师的研究能力和效率，改善他或她的家乡机构的研究和教学，并让本科生参与研究经验。在国家科学基金会的支持下，奥尔康州立大学将进行研究，检查与能源草（如巨型芒草）相关的真菌群落。该项目将提高主要研究者的研究能力以及奥尔康州立大学的教学和学习。本科生将受益于与大学和行业合作伙伴的合作，以及真菌生态学的研究经验和培训。这一经验将有助于培养本科生的能力，并支持国家在建立一支强大的STEM劳动力队伍方面的努力。本研究的目的是研究巨型芒草真菌群落和根内生菌在提高饲料产量中的作用。具体目标是：1）采用下一代测序（NGS）工具（位点靶向Illumina MiSeq测序）来检查芽、根和根际的真菌群落的组成、多样性和丰富度以及季节和时间变化;以及2）分离和鉴定根定殖真菌内生菌，并通过生长室研究选择互利共生和寄生/致病真菌内生菌。这项研究的结果将：1）提供与重要的C4能源草相关的真菌生物群系的蓝图; 2）确定真菌多样性和组成及其空间结构的非生物驱动因素; 3）为解剖丛枝菌根真菌对巨芒草高氮可持续性的贡献奠定基础; 4）确定根部真菌内生菌对宿主的影响。本研究将为未来大学与产业界合作进行更大规模的大芒草微生物共生研究奠定基础。该项目将与堪萨斯州立大学合作进行。

The Historically Black Colleges and Universities-Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) Research Initiation Awards (RIAs) provide support to STEM junior faculty at HBCUs who are starting to build a research program, as well as for mid-career faculty who may have returned to the faculty ranks after holding an administrative post or who needs to redirect and rebuild a research program. Faculty members may pursue research at their home institution, at an NSF-funded Center, at a research intensive institution or at a national laboratory. The RIA projects are expected to help further the faculty member's research capability and effectiveness, to improve research and teaching at his or her home institution, and to involve undergraduate students in research experiences. With support from the National Science Foundation, Alcorn State University will conduct research to examine the fungal communities associated with energy grasses such as the giant miscanthus. The project will enhance the research capabilities of the principle investigator as well as teaching and learning at Alcorn State University. Undergraduate students will benefit from the collaborations with university and industry partners and the research experiences and training in fungal ecology. This experience will help to build the competency of the undergraduate students and support the nation's efforts in building a robust STEM workforce. The aim of the proposed study is to examine the giant miscanthus fungal communities and the role of root endophytes in enhancing feedstock production. Specific objectives are: 1) to employ next generation sequencing (NGS) tools (locus targeted Illumina MiSeq sequencing) to examine the composition, diversity and richness, and the seasonal and temporal variation of fungal communities of the shoot, root and rhizosphere; and 2) to isolate and identify root colonizing fungal endophytes and to select mutualistic and parasitic/pathogenic fungal endophytes by growth chamber studies. Findings from this study will: 1) provide a blueprint of the fungal biome associated with an important C4 energy grass; 2) identify abiotic drivers of fungal diversity and composition and their spatial structuring; 3) lay the foundation for dissecting the contribution of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi towards high nitrogen sustainability of giant miscanthus; 4) identify the impact of root fungal endophytes on the host. This study will prepare the foundation for future university-industry partnership to conduct larger collaborative investigations on the microbial symbiosis of giant miscanthus. This project will be conducted in collaboration with Kansas State University.