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

历史黑人学院和大学-本科项目(HBCU-UP)研究启动奖(RIA)为HBCU的STEM初级教员提供支持，他们开始建立研究项目，以及职业生涯中期的教师，他们可能在担任行政职位后重返教职队伍，或者需要重新定向和重建研究项目。教职员工可以在他们的家乡机构、NSF资助的中心、研究密集型机构或国家实验室进行研究。RIA项目有望帮助教师进一步提高研究能力和效率，改善其所在机构的研究和教学，并让本科生参与研究体验。在国家科学基金会的支持下，阿尔康州立大学将进行研究，以检查与巨大的芒果等能源草相关的真菌群落。该项目将加强首席调查员的研究能力以及阿尔科恩州立大学的教与学。本科生将从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中受益。这一经历将有助于培养本科生的能力，并支持国家建设一支强大的STEM劳动力队伍的努力。这项拟议研究的目的是研究巨大的芒属真菌群落和根部内生真菌在提高饲料产量方面的作用。具体目标是：1)使用下一代测序(NGS)工具(定位于Illumina MiSeq测序)来检测地上部、根部和根际真菌群落的组成、多样性和丰富度，以及季节和时间变化；以及2)分离和鉴定根部定植真菌内生菌，并通过生长室研究筛选互生和寄生/病原真菌内生菌。本研究的结果将：1)提供与一种重要的C4能源草相关的真菌生物群的蓝图；2)确定真菌多样性和组成的非生物驱动因素及其空间结构；3)为解剖丛枝菌根真菌对巨大芒属植物高氮可持续性的贡献奠定基础；4)确定根真菌内生菌对寄主的影响。这项研究将为未来的校企合作伙伴关系奠定基础，以便对巨型芒属的微生物共生进行更大规模的合作调查。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.