EAR-PF: Unraveling the Convergent Origins of Secondary Palates in Amniotes

EAR-PF：揭开羊膜动物二级腭的趋同起源

• 批准号: 1952888
• 负责人: Zachary Morris
• 金额: $ 17.4万
• 依托单位: Morris, Zachary
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Fellowship Award
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2020-10-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1952888&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: EAR; PF; Unraveling; Convergent; Origins

Dr. Zachary S. Morris has been granted an NSF EAR postdoctoral fellowship to conduct research and outreach activities at Yale University under the mentorship of Dr. Bhart-Anjan S. Bhullar. Convergent evolution, or the independent derivation of similar features, as observed in the fossil record is arguably the greatest evidence of evolution by natural selection. However, how and why convergent evolution has happened is often poorly characterized. One striking, and understudied, example of convergent evolution is that of the secondary palate in amniotes (reptiles, mammals, and birds), which completely restructures the roof of the mouth and affects both feeding and breathing. This project will integrate analyses of the fossil record and developmental processes, to understand the timing and pattern of palate evolution and increase our understanding of the mechanisms driving the important phenomenon of convergent evolution. This project is an ideal platform for the mentorship of students, the development of classroom and public lectures, and outreach and education about the fossil record and developmental mechanisms of evolutionary change. Living amniotes and their extinct relatives in the fossil record display an astounding array of palate specializations, reflecting over 300 million years of evolutionary specialization in anatomy, diet, and behavior. Ancestrally the amniote palate allows the nasal passage to open into the mouth anteriorly, but mammals, crocodilians, and some lizards and turtles have independently derived an ossified secondary palate that segregates respiratory and olfactory functions from food acquisition and processing. This project will use quantitative analysis of the fossil record and modern evolutionary modeling with state-of-the-art imaging of embryonic anatomy in 3D to address two major research questions: 1) how has amniote palate shape evolved and secondary palate convergence been achieved? and 2) how has palate development changed to allow secondary palate convergence? By studying palate shape change at two distinct scales, macroevolutionary and developmental, the results of this project will reveal insights into the fundamental developmental and evolutionary mechanism that underlie the phenomenon of convergent evolution. Dr. Morris will develop educational materials for undergraduate and graduate students as well as public outreach activities through the Yale Peabody Museum.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.

Zachary S. Morris 博士已获得 NSF EAR 博士后奖学金，在 Bhart-Anjan S. Bhullar 博士的指导下在耶鲁大学开展研究和推广活动。正如在化石记录中观察到的那样，趋同进化或类似特征的独立衍生可以说是自然选择进化的最有力证据。然而，趋同进化是如何发生以及为何发生的，却常常没有被明确描述。趋同进化的一个引人注目且尚未得到研究的例子是羊膜动物（爬行动物、哺乳动物和鸟类）的次级上颚，它完全重建了口腔的顶部并影响进食和呼吸。该项目将整合化石记录和发育过程的分析，以了解味觉进化的时间和模式，并加深我们对驱动趋同进化这一重要现象的机制的理解。该项目是学生指导、课堂和公开讲座的发展以及关于化石记录和进化变化的发展机制的宣传和教育的理想平台。化石记录中现存的羊膜动物及其已灭绝的近亲显示出一系列令人震惊的味觉特化，反映了超过 3 亿年的解剖学、饮食和行为的进化特化。祖先的羊膜动物的上颚允许鼻腔从前面通向口腔，但哺乳动物、鳄鱼以及一些蜥蜴和海龟独立地衍生出了一种骨化的第二上颚，它将呼吸和嗅觉功能与食物获取和加工分开。该项目将利用化石记录的定量分析和现代进化模型以及最先进的 3D 胚胎解剖学成像来解决两个主要研究问题：1）羊膜动物的上颚形状是如何进化的以及次级上颚收敛是如何实现的？ 2）味觉发育发生了怎样的变化以允许二级味觉趋同？通过研究宏观进化和发育两个不同尺度上的味觉形状变化，该项目的结果将揭示趋同进化现象背后的基本发育和进化机制。莫里斯博士将为本科生和研究生开发教育材料，并通过耶鲁皮博迪博物馆开展公共宣传活动。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

项目成果

Developmental origins of the crocodylian skull table and platyrostral face

鳄鱼头骨台和扁吻面的发育起源

• DOI: 10.1002/ar.24802
• 发表时间: 2021
• 期刊: The Anatomical Record
• 作者: Morris, Zachary S.;Vliet, Kent A.;Abzhanov, Arhat;Pierce, Stephanie E.
• 通讯作者: Pierce, Stephanie E.