NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2021: Assessing potential parallel evolution of heterodonty via co-option of shared developmental modules

2021 财年 NSF 生物学博士后奖学金：通过共享发展模块的共同选择评估异齿的潜在平行进化

• 批准号: 2109588
• 负责人: Savannah Olroyd
• 金额: $ 13.8万
• 依托单位: Olroyd, Savannah L
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Fellowship Award
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2022-05-01 至 2024-04-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2109588&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: NSF; Postdoctoral; Fellowship; Biology; FY

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2021, Integrative Research Investigating the Rules of Life Governing Interactions Between Genomes, Environment and Phenotypes. The fellowship supports research and training of the Fellow that will contribute to the area of Rules of Life in innovative ways. Parallel evolution is when organisms evolve similar traits using the same ancestral genes. Detailed study of how parallel evolution works is rare, but it is important for understanding how often evolution repeats itself. One possible example of parallel evolution that would be particularly useful is heterodonty, a difference in tooth size/shape along the jaw. This feature can be observed in embryos and in fossils, providing information on its underlying genetics and evolution through deep time. Heterodonty is best known in mammals, but it has also evolved in many reptiles. This research will determine whether heterodonty develops using the same genes in mammals and reptiles. The Fellow will use µ-CT scans of reptile jaws to identify their distinct tooth regions and then observe normal tooth development in reptile embryos to see if it involves the same genes as in mammals. If this is the case, these genes in reptile embryos will be blocked to assess their necessity for developing heterodonty. This research will provide the Fellow with training necessary to build a research program combining techniques from embryonic development and paleontology. Additionally, this project will involve outreach to diverse members of the public through the Yale Peabody Museum and an online video series connecting pop culture with major concepts in evolution. Mammalian heterodonty is generated via regionalized expression of homeobox transcription factors in the developing dental epithelium, and this expression pattern is also known in chicks. This research will determine whether that same expression pattern was also co-opted for the development of reptilian heterodonty. The Fellow will use segmented linear regression to identify boundaries between toothrow regions in µ-CT scans of heterodont reptile jaws. Then, in situ hybridization will assess whether homeobox gene expression coincides with the identified tooth regions in reptile embryos. The Fellow will also use bead implantation to evaluate the necessity of homeobox genes in delineating regions of heterodont reptilian toothrows. This project will train the Fellow in molecular developmental techniques to complement her experience with functional morphology and paleontology. The Fellow will use this wide range of expertise to educate the public about functional morphology and development.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.

这项行动为2021财年的生物学生物学奖学金提供了一项NSF博士后研究奖学金，综合研究研究了基因组，环境和表型之间相互作用的生活规则。奖学金支持对研究员的研究和培训，这些研究和培训将以创新的方式为生活规则做出贡献。平行进化是当生物使用相同的祖先基因进化相似的性状时。对平行演化的工作原理的详细研究很少见，但对于理解进化频率重复的频率很重要。平行演化特别有用的一个可能的例子是异源，沿颌骨的牙齿尺寸/形状差异。可以在胚胎和化石中观察到此特征，从而提供有关其潜在遗传学和通过深层进化的信息。杂种在哺乳动物中是最著名的，但在许多爬行动物中也发展了。这项研究将确定杂音是否在哺乳动物和爬行动物中使用相同的基因发展。该研究员将使用爬行动物颌骨的µ-CT扫描来识别其不同的牙齿区域，然后观察爬行动物胚胎中的正常牙齿发育，以查看其是否涉及与哺乳动物相同的基因。如果是这种情况，则将阻断这些副本中的这些基因，以评估它们的发展杂音所需的必要条件。这项研究将为研究员提供必要的培训，以建立研究计划，结合了胚胎开发和古生物学的技术。此外，该项目将通过耶鲁·皮博迪博物馆（Yale Peabody Museum）和一个在线视频系列与流行文化与主要概念相关联的在线视频系列涉及向公众的宣传。哺乳动物的异源是通过在发育中的牙齿上皮中的同型转录因子的区域化表达产生的，并且这种表达模式在雏鸡中也已知。这项研究将确定是否还将相同的表达模式选择用于爬行动物异源的发展。该研究员将使用分段的线性回归来识别异物爬行动物颌骨µ-CT扫描中的牙齿区域之间的边界。然后，原位杂交将评估同源物基因表达是否与爬行动物胚胎中鉴定出的牙齿区域一致。该研究员还将使用珠子植入来评估异物副本复制牙齿的描绘区域中同源基因的必要性。该项目将培训该研究员的分子发育技术，以补充她在功能形态和古生物学方面的经验。该研究员将利用这么广泛的专家来教育公众有关功能形态和发展的知识。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并通过使用基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛的影响审查标准来评估被认为是宝贵的支持。