Collaborative Research: RUI: Evaluating the Molecular Genetic Pathways Responsible for Stable Host: Symbiont Interactions in Sponge:Algal Associations

合作研究：RUI：评估负责稳定宿主的分子遗传途径：海绵：藻类关联中的共生体相互作用

• 批准号: 1555440
• 负责人: Malcolm Hill
• 金额: $ 31.01万
• 依托单位: University of Richmond
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2016-02-01 至 2018-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1555440&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; RUI; Evaluating; Molecular

Intracellular associations between animal hosts and algal symbionts support important ecosystems like coral reefs. Despite the importance of these associations, there is limited understanding of basic aspects about how stable interactions between host and algal partners is achieved. This inhibits our ability to make informed decisions about the management of vulnerable ecosystems. For example, coral reefs experience periodic bleaching events that involve the breakdown of the symbiosis and jeopardize reef health, but the process of bleaching and subsequent recovery of the host are poorly understood. To protect our valuable reef resources, greater understanding of the cellular and genetic cross-talk between symbiotic partners is required. This project will elucidate key components of the conserved genetic regulatory pathways important in host:symbiont exchanges. As changes to ocean environments occur (e.g., increasing average seawater temperatures), it is imperative that details about how hosts support symbiont populations at the cellular and genetic level are fully understood. The project has a diverse suite of planned broader impacts including training of STEM undergraduates, involvement in a pre-college summer bridge program to increase diversity in STEM, partnerships with national leaders in incorporating undergraduate research in community colleges, and high impact community based learning opportunities.The research will refine understanding of host:symbiont interactions through identification of major-effect symbiosis genes and genetic pathways. The proposed work takes advantage of unique properties of marine and freshwater sponge hosts and their algal partners to identify the molecular, genetic, cellular, and physiological interactions that occur. These properties allow control over the timing of symbiont infection, so that gene expression profiles can be correlated with events involved with symbiont contact, engulfment, recognition, intracellular migration, and repopulation. In a methodologically novel way, the research will create different combinations of hosts and algal partners to explore reasons why particular hosts become suitable habitat for particular symbionts while other hosts cannot support those symbionts. The project will explore how down-regulating gene expression can change dynamics of host:symbiont interactions, and combining field-based experiments, RNAseq, and advanced physiological, microscopic, and molecular tools, the research will identify common regulatory features of those interactions. The results will increase understanding of the habitat requirements of the symbiont, and the ability of the hosts to interact with different partners. The results will also help define the scope of change in the identity of symbiotic partners. In addition to intellectual contributions in the form of publications and presentations, this project will expand educational and research opportunities for pre-college, community college, and undergraduate students, particularly those from underserved backgrounds. The proposal will support high impact practices like course-based research and community-based learning in the context of an undergraduate curriculum, as well as community outreach through a multi-disciplinary faculty learning community and civic-engaged talks.

动物宿主和藻类共生体之间的细胞内联系支持着重要的生态系统，如珊瑚礁。尽管这些关联很重要，但人们对寄主和藻类伴侣之间如何实现稳定相互作用的基本方面了解有限。这阻碍了我们对脆弱生态系统的管理做出明智决策的能力。例如，珊瑚礁经历周期性的白化事件，这涉及到共生关系的破坏和危及珊瑚礁的健康，但人们对白化过程和随后宿主的恢复知之甚少。为了保护我们宝贵的珊瑚礁资源，我们需要更好地了解共生伙伴之间的细胞和基因串扰。本项目将阐明宿主共生体交换中重要的保守遗传调控途径的关键组成部分。随着海洋环境的变化（例如，海水平均温度的升高），必须充分了解宿主如何在细胞和遗传水平上支持共生种群的细节。该项目计划产生一系列更广泛的影响，包括培训STEM本科生，参与大学预科暑期桥梁项目以增加STEM的多样性，与国家领导人合作将本科研究纳入社区学院，以及高影响力的社区学习机会。该研究将通过鉴定主要效应共生基因和遗传途径来完善对宿主与共生体相互作用的理解。这项工作利用海洋和淡水海绵宿主及其藻类伙伴的独特特性来确定发生的分子，遗传，细胞和生理相互作用。这些特性允许控制共生体感染的时间，因此基因表达谱可以与共生体接触、吞噬、识别、细胞内迁移和再种群相关的事件相关联。该研究将以一种方法新颖的方式，创造不同的寄主和藻类伴侣的组合，以探索为什么特定寄主适合特定共生体的栖息地，而其他寄主却不能支持这些共生体。该项目将探索基因表达下调如何改变宿主：共生体相互作用的动力学，并结合野外实验、RNAseq和先进的生理、微观和分子工具，研究将确定这些相互作用的共同调节特征。这些结果将增加对共生体栖息地需求的理解，以及宿主与不同伙伴互动的能力。研究结果还将有助于确定共生伴侣身份变化的范围。除了以出版物和演讲的形式做出智力贡献外，该项目还将为大学预科生、社区学院学生和本科生，特别是那些来自教育不足背景的学生，扩大教育和研究机会。该提案将支持高影响力的实践，如本科课程背景下的课程研究和社区学习，以及通过多学科教师学习社区和公民参与的讲座进行社区外展。