NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2019: The role of RNA editing in thermal acclimation of the octopus nervous system.

该行动为2019财年美国国家科学基金会生物学博士后研究奖学金提供资金，扩大生物学中代表性不足群体的参与。该奖学金支持研究员的一项研究和培训计划，该计划将增加生物学中代表性不足的群体的参与。这项研究的目的是更好地了解神经元（在我们的神经系统中执行通信的细胞）如何适应环境温度的变化。正常的神经系统功能依赖于许多温度敏感过程。目前，冷血动物的神经系统是如何适应温度变化的还不是很清楚。关于这一主题的大多数研究都是研究蛋白质或DNA如何随着温度变化而变化。然而，这项研究将调查RNA如何响应温度变化，并将使用章鱼作为模型系统来进行研究。章鱼能够通过一种称为“RNA编辑”的过程编辑大部分RNA，以产生新的蛋白质。然而，目前尚不清楚这是如何实现的。在任何动物中，通过RNA编辑改变蛋白质功能的例子很少，而且没有一个是温度适应的结果。这项研究的发现将有助于确定RNA编辑是否是章鱼神经系统适应快速温度波动的重要机制。除了这项研究之外，该研究员还将促进在海洋生物实验室的研究中更多地纳入代表性不足的群体，并在波多黎各大学主持方法讲习班。这项研究将确定章鱼中温度敏感RNA编辑的幅度和时间动态。拟议的实验研究了在RNA和蛋白质水平上，随着温度的急剧波动，重新编码事件的变化速度有多快。另外的实验将检查激酶蛋白和突触蛋白中温度敏感的氨基酸替换，这两种重要的神经元功能蛋白质，并询问它们是否改变蛋白质功能以提供温度补偿。他提出了一个三点计划，旨在扩大海洋生物实验室中代表性不足的群体对生物学的参与。通过在MBL多样性委员会的角色，该研究员将1)拓宽MBL现有少数民族的职业发展机会，2)促进少数民族服务机构注册和资助世界知名MBL课程的机会，3)培养少数民族本科生分子生物学和全生物生理学方法。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2019, Broadening Participation of Groups Under-represented in Biology. The fellowship supports a research and training plan for the Fellow that will increase the participation of groups underrepresented in biology. The objective of this study is to better understand how neurons (the cells that perform the communication in our nervous system) acclimate to changes in environmental temperature. Proper nervous system function is dependent on many temperature-sensitive processes. Currently, it is not well understood how the nervous system of cold-blooded animals acclimates to temperature changes. Most studies on this topic have examined either how proteins or DNA changes in response to temperature change. However, this study will investigate how RNA changes in response to temperature, and will use the octopus as a model system to do so. Octopuses are able to edit a large proportion of their RNAs via a process called "RNA editing" to produce new proteins. However, it remains unclear how this is accomplished. Few examples of altered protein function through RNA editing have been documented in any animal, and none as a result of temperature acclimation. The findings from this study will help determine whether RNA editing is an important mechanism for acclimation in the octopus nervous system to rapid temperature fluctuations. In addition to this research, the fellow will promote greater inclusion of underrepresented groups in research at the Marine Biological Laboratory and host methods workshops at the University of Puerto Rico.This investigation will determine the magnitude and temporal dynamics of temperature-sensitive RNA editing in the octopus. The proposed experiments examine how quickly recoding events can change in response to acute temperature fluctuations at both the RNA and protein levels. Additional experiments will examine temperature-sensitive amino acid substitutions in kinesin and synaptotagmin, two important proteins for neuronal function, and ask whether they alter protein function to provide temperature compensation. The fellow seeks to broaden participation of underrepresented groups in biology at the Marine Biological Laboratory with a 3-point plan. Through a role on the MBL Diversity Committee, the fellow will 1) broaden career development opportunities for minorities already present at the MBL, 2) promote enrollment and funding opportunities at minority-serving institutions for world-renown MBL courses, and 3) train minority undergraduate students in molecular biology and approaches to whole organism physiology.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.