权益分类	功能权益	普通用户	{{item.name}}会员
{{category.name}}	{{benefitItem.name}}

NSFDEB-NERC: The evolutionary genomics of a major transition in evolution

NSFDEB-NERC：进化重大转变的进化基因组学

基本信息

批准号：
1929239
负责人：
Amy Toth
金额：
$ 46.18万
依托单位：
Iowa State University
依托单位国家：
美国
项目类别：
Standard Grant
财政年份：
2019
资助国家：
美国
起止时间：
2019-06-01 至 2023-05-31
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1929239&HistoricalAwards=false
关键词：
NSFDEB NERC evolutionary genomics major

项目摘要

Today's life forms are the accumulated result of billions of years of evolution. Biologists recognize several major transitions in evolution that resulted from smaller, simpler units (e.g., single cells) getting together to form larger, more complex forms (e.g., organisms). It is not known whether major transitions occur gradually or very quickly. The researchers will test this fundamental question, using the latest genetic tools applied to the major transition from solitary social living in bees and wasps. By comparing entire genomes (all of the DNA) of species that show solitary, weakly social, and highly social forms, the research asks whether major transitions are the result of small, gradual changes or rapid changes in the genome. The outcomes are therefore of a fundamental nature, generating basic information on the building blocks of the natural world. The project will also include involvement of underrepresented minority trainees, as well as a substantial educational components, with the aim of inspiring and engaging the public in an understanding of evolution. This will be accomplished through educational websites, videos, outreach presentations and lectures, as well as participation in educational programs organized by the researchers.To determine whether the major transition from solitary life to societies in insects evolved via gradual or punctuated processes, a collaborative team of US and UK researchers will generate comparable full genome datasets (high quality genomes including chromosomal maps) on multiple species of bees and wasps. They will then apply rigorous bioinformatic analyses on the consolidated datasets to test specific predictions made by the two contrasting hypotheses (gradual versus punctuated). Beyond the evolution of societies, a broader question is whether the same patterns and processes underpin other major evolutionary transitions. To test the predictions in other major transitions (e.g., the transition from single to multi-cellularity, or asexuality to sexuality) the researchers will draw together a community of theoreticians and empiricists with a united expertise in the theory of major transitions and the empirical nature of major transitions in order to evaluate the extent to which there may be common patterns or processes across major transitions. Synthesizing this information, they will develop a cross-disciplinary roadmap for determining the extent to which all major transitions evolved via common evolutionary routes, allowing them to evaluate the generality of evolutionary processes in the complexity of life.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.

今天的生命形式是数十亿年进化的累积结果。生物学家认识到进化中的几个主要转变，这些转变是由于更小、更简单的单位(如单细胞)聚集在一起形成更大、更复杂的形式(如生物体)而产生的。目前尚不清楚重大转变是逐渐发生的，还是很快发生的。研究人员将使用最新的遗传工具来测试这个基本问题，这些工具适用于蜜蜂和黄蜂从独居社会生活的重大转变。通过比较表现为独居、弱社会性和高度社会性形式的物种的整个基因组(所有DNA)，研究询问主要的转变是基因组中微小的、渐进的变化还是快速变化的结果。因此，结果是根本性的，产生了关于自然世界构成要素的基本信息。该项目还将包括代表性不足的少数群体受训人员的参与，以及大量的教育内容，目的是激励和参与公众对进化的理解。这将通过教育网站、视频、外联演讲和讲座以及参与研究人员组织的教育项目来实现。为了确定昆虫从独居生活到社会生活的主要转变是通过渐进的还是间断的过程进化的，一个由美国和英国研究人员组成的合作团队将在多种蜜蜂和黄蜂上生成类似的全基因组数据集(包括染色体图谱在内的高质量基因组)。然后，他们将对合并后的数据集进行严格的生物信息学分析，以测试两个截然不同的假设(渐进式和间歇式)做出的具体预测。除了社会的进化，一个更广泛的问题是，同样的模式和过程是否支撑了其他重大的进化转变。为了测试在其他重大转变中的预测(例如，从单细胞到多细胞的转变，或者从无性到有性的转变)，研究人员将召集一个在重大转变理论和重大转变的经验性质方面拥有统一专业知识的理论家和经验学家社区，以评估在多大程度上可能存在跨重大转变的共同模式或过程。综合这些信息，他们将制定一个跨学科的路线图，以确定所有主要转变通过共同进化路线进化的程度，使他们能够评估生命复杂性中进化过程的普遍性。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。