Exploring the Molecular Mechanisms of Symbiosis Stability in Reef-Building Corals

探索造礁珊瑚共生稳定性的分子机制

• 批准号: 2041401
• 负责人: Crawford Drury
• 金额: $ 67.31万
• 依托单位: University of Hawaii
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2021-03-01 至 2023-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2041401&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Exploring; Molecular; Mechanisms; Symbiosis; Stability

Coral reefs are dramatically declining worldwide due to a combination of threats, the most significant of which is thermal stress due to climate change. Unusually high temperatures cause a breakdown of the symbiosis between the coral host and its algal symbionts, resulting in an event called “bleaching,” named for the characteristic white appearance of corals. Bleaching events are becoming more frequent and intense, and often result in coral mortality, ultimately compromising the structure and function of reef ecosystems. The molecular mechanisms responsible for coral bleaching are unknown, and the goal of this proposal is to identify such processes. The experimental and molecular work in this project will be supported by internships of Hawaiian students, which is a Broader Impact. Also, a Marine Biology Mentoring Program for female high school students will be developed, which will helps participants understand tangible pathways toward a career in science. Coral reefs are vulnerable habitats identified by domestic and international organizations as conservation priorities. Reefs provide important ecosystem services and coastal protection to people around the world. This work will identify the molecular mechanisms of coral bleaching, information that can help identify new ways to stop coral bleaching. This project serves the NSF mission because it promotes the progress of science. Since coral reefs are important for tourism, this research also advances the nation’s prosperity.This research aims to define the molecular mechanisms contributing to coral bleaching to identify the causes of, and resilience to, bleaching. The project uses a framework in which ‘pre-conditioned’ Pocillopora acuta are used to examine short-term changes in thermal stress at the molecular level that will help define signaling pathways (e.g., NF-KappaB, MAP kinases) involved in the breakdown of symbiosis. Concurrently, existing genomic and transcriptomic data from known Montipora capitata colonies with a range of ‘fixed’ thermal tolerance will be mined for genomic candidates which influence thermal tolerance. These two datasets will provide targets for a recently developed siRNA knock-down of genes of interest in corals, thereby fortifying correlative and descriptive studies with experimental phenotyping via reverse genetics. Preconditioned P. acuta, thermally tolerant M. capitata and any successfully manipulated corals will be evaluated for DNA integrity during each experiment to describe the cellular outcomes of bleaching and potential consequences of ‘improved’ bleaching tolerance via human intervention. These aims will be supported by summer internships for local students and by a Marine Biology Mentoring Program that increases diversity in stem by providing hands-on experience in field and laboratory settings for female high school students. This work will deepen our mechanistic understanding of the coral-algal symbiosis and develop tools to analyze, compare and diagnose thermal tolerance, which are critical for the long-term persistence of reefs and the ecosystem services they provide. This project is jointly funded by the Symbiosis, Infection and Immunity Program, and the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).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.

由于各种威胁，全球珊瑚礁正在急剧减少，其中最重要的是气候变化造成的热应力。异常的高温会破坏珊瑚宿主和藻类共生体之间的共生关系，导致一种被称为“漂白”的现象，以珊瑚特有的白色外观命名。白化事件越来越频繁和严重，往往导致珊瑚死亡，最终损害珊瑚礁生态系统的结构和功能。珊瑚白化的分子机制尚不清楚，本提案的目标是确定这种过程。该项目的实验和分子工作将得到夏威夷学生实习的支持，这是一个更广泛的影响。此外，还将为女高中生开发海洋生物学辅导计划，这将帮助参与者了解科学职业的切实途径。珊瑚礁是脆弱的生境，被国内和国际组织确定为优先保护对象。珊瑚礁为世界各地的人们提供重要的生态系统服务和海岸保护。这项工作将确定珊瑚漂白的分子机制，这些信息可以帮助确定阻止珊瑚漂白的新方法。这个项目服务于NSF的使命，因为它促进了科学的进步。由于珊瑚礁对旅游业很重要，这项研究也促进了国家的繁荣。这项研究的目的是确定导致珊瑚漂白的分子机制，以确定漂白的原因和适应能力。该项目使用了一个框架，其中“预处理”Pocillopora acuta用于在分子水平上检查热应力的短期变化，这将有助于定义信号通路（例如，NF-κ B，MAP激酶）参与共生关系的破坏。同时，现有的基因组和转录组数据从已知的Montipora capitata殖民地与一系列的“固定”的耐热性将挖掘基因组候选人的影响耐热性。这两个数据集将为最近开发的siRNA敲除珊瑚中感兴趣的基因提供目标，从而通过反向遗传学加强与实验表型的相关性和描述性研究。经预处理的尖叶假单胞菌、耐热M. capitata和任何成功操纵的珊瑚将在每个实验期间评估DNA完整性，以描述漂白的细胞结果和通过人为干预“改善”漂白耐受性的潜在后果。这些目标将得到当地学生暑期实习和海洋生物学辅导方案的支持，该方案通过为女高中生提供实地和实验室环境的实践经验来增加科学、技术和工程的多样性。这项工作将加深我们对珊瑚-藻类共生的机械理解，并开发工具来分析、比较和诊断耐热性，这对珊瑚礁的长期存在及其提供的生态系统服务至关重要。该项目由共生、感染和免疫计划以及刺激竞争研究的既定计划（EPSCoR）共同资助。该奖项反映了NSF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。

项目成果

Thermal preconditioning in a reef-building coral alleviates oxidative damage through a BI-1-mediated antioxidant response

造礁珊瑚的热预处理通过 BI-1 介导的抗氧化反应减轻氧化损伤

• DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2022.971332
• 发表时间: 2022
• 期刊: Frontiers in Marine Science
• 影响因子: 3.7
• 作者: Majerová, Eva;Drury, Crawford
• 通讯作者: Drury, Crawford