NSF Postdoc Fellowship in Biology FY 2017: Convergent evolution of biotic pollination in wind-pollinated angiosperm linages: functional and genomic exploration of a rare transition

这是一个NSF博士后研究奖学金在生物学，根据程序研究使用生物收集。这位名叫埃利奥特·加德纳（Elliot Gardner）的研究员正在进行研究并接受培训，以创新的方式利用生物收藏品，并由两个主办机构的两位赞助科学家指导：莫顿植物园的安德鲁·希普（Andrew Hipp）和康奈尔大学的罗伯特·拉古索（Robert Raguso）。该研究员的研究项目使用实地研究，博物馆藏品的DNA测序和花香的化学分析来研究植物的动物授粉的趋同进化，特别是橡树，桑葚和棕榈科。从风到动物授粉的转变被认为是罕见的，但可能代表了显花植物进化的一种重要模式。虽然没有密切相关，这些不同的植物家族都进化出了类似的密集穗状小花，利用气味吸引小型昆虫授粉，这些昆虫经常使用花朵作为繁殖场所。该研究员的研究挑战了一些关于动物授粉进化的假设，为未来研究授粉过渡和更普遍的趋同进化提供了重要基础。该项目正在提高我们对各种热带树木生物学的认识-包括重要但利用不足的作物-并促进与发展中国家研究人员的国际合作。该研究员致力于公共教育和外展计划，以及为高中和本科生提供研究机会。该项目将产生一个多维的图片，从风到昆虫授粉在三个不同的谱系中的趋同过渡。从实地研究，植物标本，和化学（GC-MS）分析花香的数据将支持祖先的状态重建和系统发育的比较分析，以揭示与过渡模式。整个萜烯合成酶基因家族的靶向测序-参与花香的产生-将揭示基因的重复和丢失以及与授粉过渡相关的选择的分子特征。使用植物标本馆标本将能够在目标分支内进行密集采样，突出了博物馆藏品用于下一代定向测序的潜力。该项目将为数百个分类群建立性状数据库和基因组资源，并阐明三个重要分支的系统发育关系。结果将提供一个显着的收敛进化模式的洞察力，并可能揭示生物授粉的出现在古老的谱系，如苏铁，其香锥类似于这里描述的收敛模式。该研究员正在教授一门高级遗传学课程的一部分，并通过东道机构向公众和年轻学生开展外联活动。

This is an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology, under the program Research Using Biological Collections. The fellow, Elliot Gardner, is conducting research and receiving training that utilizes biological collections in innovative ways, and is being mentored by two sponsoring scientists at two host institutions: Andrew Hipp at The Morton Arboretum and Robert Raguso at Cornell University. The fellow's research project uses field studies, DNA sequencing of museum collections, and chemical analysis of floral scent to investigate convergent evolution of animal pollination of plants, specifically the oak, mulberry, and palm families. Transitions from wind to animal pollination are considered rare but likely represent an important pattern of flowering plant evolution. Although not closely related, these diverse plant families have all evolved similar dense spikes of tiny flowers that use scent to attract small insect pollinators, and these insects often use the flowers as brood sites. The fellow's research challenges some assumptions about the evolution of animal pollination, providing an important foundation for future studies on pollination transitions and, more generally, convergent evolution. The project is improving our understanding of the biology of diverse tropical trees - including important but underutilized crops - and promoting international cooperation with researchers in developing countries. The fellow is contributing to public education and outreach programs, as well as research opportunities for high-school and undergraduate students.This project will produce a multidimensional picture of convergent transitions from wind to insect pollination in three divergent lineages. Data from field studies, herbarium specimens, and chemical (GC-MS) analysis of floral scent will support ancestral state reconstructions and phylogenetic comparative analyses to reveal patterns associated with transitions. Targeted sequencing of the entire terpene synthase gene family - involved in floral scent production - will reveal gene duplication and loss as well as molecular signatures of selection associated with pollination transitions. Using herbarium specimens will enable dense sampling within the target clades, highlighting the potential of museum collections for targeted next-generation sequencing. The project will generate a trait data base and genomic resources for hundreds of taxa, and clarify phylogenetic relationships in three important clades. Results will provide insight into a remarkable pattern of convergent evolution, and may shed light on the emergence of biotic pollination in ancient lineages such as cycads, whose fragrant cones resemble the convergent pattern described here. The fellow is teaching a portion of an advanced phylogenetics course, and engaging in outreach to the public and younger students through the host institution.