Using Whiptail Lizards to Understand the Integration of Environmental and Host Genetic Effects on Host-Associated Microbiota

利用鞭尾蜥蜴了解环境和宿主遗传对宿主相关微生物群的影响的整合

• 批准号: 2105604
• 负责人: Sharon Bewick
• 金额: $ 62.39万
• 依托单位: Clemson University
• 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: 2021-08-01 至 2025-07-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2105604&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Using; Whiptail; Lizards; Understand; Integration

Animals, including humans, harbor large numbers of different microbes on and in their bodies – so called host-associated microbiota. Recently, scientists have begun to realize that host-associated microbiota are important determinants of host health. Microbes in an animal’s gut, for instance, help digestion and can even help determine whether the animal is lean or obese. Meanwhile, microbes on an animal’s skin can influence everything from wound healing to susceptibility to cutaneous disease. Despite the importance of host-associated microbiota to host health, there is a surprising amount of variation in the microbiota on one host relative to another. How do these differences emerge? More specifically, are these differences a result of nature (i.e., host genetics) or nurture (i.e., host environment)? Because most animals are genetically unique, it can be hard to determine whether inter-individual differences in host-associated microbiota are a result of host genetics, environment or both. In whiptail lizards, there are entire populations of genetically identical clones. What’s more, these clones are closely related to other, sexually reproducing whiptail lizard species where each individual lizard is genetically unique. By comparing inter-individual variation in host-associated microbiota across different environments in clonal lizard populations versus sexually reproducing lizard populations, it will be possible to assess the relative importance of both host genetics and environment on host-associated microbiota. This research also provides an opportunity to train undergraduate students in research and scientific communication to help train the next generation workforce in STEM.The strategy for this project is to use 16S rRNA gene sequencing to characterize and compare intraspecific variation in the bacterial and archaeal gut and skin microbiota of four hybrid parthenogenetic Aspidoscelis species and their bisexual parents. Microbiota of each lizard complex (parthenogen + bisexual parent(s)), will be examined within a single vegetation community (low environmental variation), across different vegetation communities (intermediate environmental variation) and, for a subset of systems, across broad geographic ranges (high environmental variation). The first hypothesis is that variation will be smaller in parthenogens as compared to their bisexual parents. The second hypothesis is that inter-individual variation in lizard microbiota is driven by the environment, and that microbiome variation will be smaller at lower levels of environmental heterogeneity. Determining the underlying causes of inter-individual variation in host-associated microbiota will identify rules governing host-associated microbial community assembly and, by extension, host health, fitness and ecological success. Results from this work will have implications for both understanding microbial community assembly and guiding host conservation. As an example, knowledge of the factors that promote healthy host microbiomes will help to clarify trade-offs between preserving landscape diversity versus host genetic diversity during reserve selection. Undergraduate students who are supported by this proposal will have the chance to perform research and to also develop podcasts about biology research to broaden participation and to train students for careers in the sciences.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.

动物，包括人类，在它们的身体上和身体内藏有大量不同的微生物-所谓的宿主相关微生物群。最近，科学家们开始意识到宿主相关的微生物群是宿主健康的重要决定因素。例如，动物肠道中的微生物有助于消化，甚至可以帮助确定动物是瘦还是胖。同时，动物皮肤上的微生物可以影响从伤口愈合到皮肤病易感性的一切。尽管宿主相关微生物群对宿主健康的重要性，但一种宿主上的微生物群相对于另一种宿主存在惊人的变化。这些差异是如何产生的？更具体地说，这些差异是自然的结果（即，宿主遗传学）或养育（即，主机环境）？由于大多数动物在遗传上是独特的，因此很难确定宿主相关微生物群的个体间差异是否是宿主遗传学、环境或两者兼而有之的结果。在鞭尾蜥蜴中，有整个种群的基因完全相同的克隆。更重要的是，这些克隆与其他有性繁殖的鞭尾蜥蜴物种密切相关，每只蜥蜴的基因都是独一无二的。通过比较克隆蜥蜴种群与有性繁殖蜥蜴种群中不同环境中宿主相关微生物群的个体间差异，可以评估宿主遗传学和环境对宿主相关微生物群的相对重要性。 这项研究还提供了一个机会，培养本科生的研究和科学交流，以帮助培养下一代劳动力在STEM。该项目的策略是使用16 S rRNA基因测序的特点和比较种内变异的细菌和古细菌的肠道和皮肤微生物群的四个杂交孤雌生殖Aspidoscelis物种和他们的两性父母。每种蜥蜴复合体（单性生殖+两性亲本）的微生物群将在单一植被群落（低环境变化）、不同植被群落（中等环境变化）以及广泛地理范围（高环境变化）的系统子集中进行检查。第一个假设是，与它们的两性亲本相比，单性生殖体的变异较小。第二个假设是蜥蜴微生物群的个体间变异是由环境驱动的，并且在较低水平的环境异质性下，微生物组的变异会较小。确定宿主相关微生物群中个体间变异的根本原因将确定管理宿主相关微生物群落组装的规则，并通过扩展，确定宿主健康，健身和生态成功。这项工作的结果将有意义的理解微生物群落组装和指导主机保护。作为一个例子，知识的因素，促进健康的主机微生物组将有助于澄清之间的权衡保护景观多样性与主机的遗传多样性在储备选择。获得该提案支持的本科生将有机会进行研究，并开发有关生物学研究的播客，以扩大参与并培养学生从事科学事业。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。