Transcription Factors in Cnidarian Immunity, Symbiosis, and Bleaching

该项目将开展的研究将增加对一组自然海洋生物和模式海洋生物，包括珊瑚和海葵的免疫和应激反应所涉及的分子因素(基因和蛋白质)的了解。这个项目将研究一种细胞转录因子--核因子-kappaB的作用，它对免疫很重要。这项研究将确定当藻类共生体从宿主珊瑚中移除或珊瑚因漂白而受到压力时，核因子-kappaB激活的基因。这些信息将有助于理解珊瑚和海葵如何受到环境变化的影响。它还将确定珊瑚中的藻类共生体如何帮助珊瑚保持健康。最后，它将加强对核因子-kappaB蛋白的理解，这是一种高度保守的蛋白质，对包括人类在内的其他动物的免疫很重要。因此，这些结果还可能带来对人类健康有影响的新见解。跨学科研究小组包括一名在海洋生态和基因表达领域具有专长的初级科学家和一名在分子途径分析方面具有专长的资深科学家。此外，这项研究将为能够在学术界、私营部门或政府部门从事相关领域职业的学生(特别是本科生和研究生)提供培训。这项研究将进一步了解调控关键共生的分子过程，以及这些过程的破坏如何导致生物失调。待研究的海洋共生是发生在某些海葵寄主(海葵和珊瑚)和共生科藻类之间的共生。具体地说，本研究将深入了解核因子-kappaB和其他信号通路在线虫免疫中的作用，以及核因子-kappaB和其他转录因子对线虫-藻类共生的生物学意义。保守的核因子-kappaB转录因子在多种生物体中控制先天免疫和应激反应。核因子-kappaB通过调节编程相关生物反应的基因的表达来实现其生物学效应。因此，将解决三个主要的实验目标。(1)在海葵模型Aiptasia的实验室对照实验中，确定受共生丧失影响的核因子-kappaB的靶基因，以及内部和外部线索对核因子-kappaB的调控。(2)使用一种新的高通量方法，还将识别由于Aiptasia中失去共生而改变的其他转录因子。(3)利用实验室和野外采集的标本，还将研究共生的建立和丧失对珊瑚中的核因子-kappaB和其他信号通路的影响。这项研究将加强对关键信号转导途径(NF-kappaB)的进化基础、其在共生中的作用，以及这些信号通路如何指导生物结果对环境变化的响应的理解。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。

The research to be carried out in this project will provide increased knowledge of the molecular factors (genes and proteins) that are involved in immunity and stress responses in a group of natural and model marine organisms, including corals and sea anemones. This project will investigate the role of a cellular transcription factor, NF-kappaB, which is important for immunity. The research will identify genes that are activated by NF-kappaB when an algal symbiont is removed from its host coral or when coral is stressed by bleaching. This information will be helpful in understanding how corals and sea anemones are affected by changes in their environments. It will also identify how the algal symbiont of a coral helps the coral stay healthy. Finally, it will enhance the understanding of the NF-kappaB protein, which is a highly conserved protein and important for immunity in other animals, including humans. Thus, these results could also lead to new insights with implications for human health. The interdisciplinary research team comprises a junior scientist with expertise in areas of marine ecology and gene expression and a senior scientist with expertise in molecular pathway analysis. In addition, the research will provide training to students (especially undergraduate and graduate students) who will be able to pursue careers in related areas in academia, the private sector, or government.This research will further the understanding of molecular processes that regulate a key symbiosis, and how disruption of those processes can lead to dysbiosis. The marine symbiosis to be studied is that which occurs between certain cnidarian hosts (sea anemones and corals) and algae of the family Symbiodiniaceae. Specifically, this research will provide insights into the function of NF-kappaB and other signaling pathways in cnidarian immunity, and the biological significance of modulation of NF-kappaB and other transcription factors for cnidarian-algal symbiosis. The conserved NF-kappaB transcription factor controls innate immune and stress responses in a variety of organisms. NF-kappaB carries out its biological effects by regulating the expression of genes that program relevant biological responses. As such, three major experimental goals will be addressed. (1) To identify target genes of NF-kappaB that are affected by loss of symbiosis in laboratory controlled experiments in the sea anemone model Aiptasia, as well as the regulation of NF-kappaB by internal and external cues. (2) Using a novel high-throughput approach, additional transcription factors altered by loss of symbiosis in Aiptasia will also be identified. (3) The effects of the establishment and loss of symbiosis on NF-kappaB, and other signaling pathways in corals, using laboratory and field collected specimens, will also be pursued. The research will enhance the understanding of the evolutionary underpinnings of a key signal transduction pathway (NF-kappaB), its role in symbiosis, and how such signaling pathways can direct biological outcomes in response to environmental changes.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.