NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2021: Maximizing power to uncover the molecular mechanisms between genotype and phenotype

2021 财年 NSF 生物学博士后奖学金：最大限度地揭示基因型和表型之间的分子机制

• 批准号: 2109666
• 负责人: Avery Bell
• 金额: $ 13.8万
• 依托单位: Bell, Avery Davis
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Fellowship Award
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2021-09-01 至 2023-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2109666&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. Proteins are industrious molecules that are essential to all life processes. DNA provides instructions for building these proteins: genes in the DNA are converted into RNA template molecules that are translated into protein molecules. However, the number of RNA molecules that are produced from a stretch of DNA (a gene) does not necessarily predict the number of protein molecules produced from that RNA. This imperfect relationship may itself be genetically encoded in DNA, which could provide information about how the genetic encoding of other life processes has evolved. To better understand how RNA and protein levels are genetically encoded in DNA and how this encoding may have come to be, the Fellow will compare RNA and protein produced from two different versions of genes within the same organism using Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes (tiny worms). This study will improve the genetic resources available to the large scientific community that uses C. elegans to study diverse biological processes. This work will also broaden participation in science via engagement and long-term mentorship of a high schooler from a group historically underrepresented in science and via communication of the Fellow’s research and disability-accessible career journey.The Fellow will investigate the molecular steps and evolutionary genomic patterns along the genotype-to-phenotype path by first characterizing the genetic control of RNA expression variation in C. elegans by analyzing allele-specific RNA sequencing data from crosses among five wild-type strains. The project will interrogate the evolutionary patterns underlying RNA expression variation by evaluating population genomic contexts. To test the hypothesis that genetic variants in close proximity buffer expression in the translation of RNA into protein, the Fellow will investigate allele-specific protein levels of a set of candidate genes within individual animals by engineering epitope tags for highly sensitive quantification. The Fellow will be trained for a flexible career in science via expertise expansion, coding and experimental design workshop development and implementation, and long-term mentoring of a high school and potentially undergraduate student; this mentorship will broaden the impact of the research by engaging members of historically underrepresented groups.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.

该行动资助了2021财年的NSF生物学博士后研究奖学金，即调查基因组，环境和表型之间相互作用的生命规则的综合研究。该研究金支持研究员的研究和培训，以创新的方式为生活规则领域做出贡献。蛋白质是所有生命过程中必不可少的勤劳分子。DNA提供了构建这些蛋白质的指令：DNA中的基因被转化为RNA模板分子，RNA模板分子被翻译成蛋白质分子。然而，从一段DNA（一个基因）产生的RNA分子的数量并不一定预测从该RNA产生的蛋白质分子的数量。这种不完美的关系本身可能在DNA中被遗传编码，这可以提供有关其他生命过程的遗传编码如何进化的信息。为了更好地了解RNA和蛋白质水平是如何在DNA中遗传编码的，以及这种编码是如何产生的，研究员将使用秀丽隐杆线虫（微小的蠕虫）比较同一生物体内两种不同版本基因产生的RNA和蛋白质。这项研究将改善遗传资源提供给大型科学界使用C。研究各种生物过程。这项工作还将通过参与和长期指导一名来自历史上在科学领域代表性不足的群体的高中生，以及通过交流研究员的研究和残疾人无障碍的职业旅程，扩大对科学的参与。研究员将调查分子步骤和进化基因组模式。通过首先表征C中RNA表达变异的遗传控制，沿着基因型到表型路径。通过分析来自五种野生型菌株之间杂交的等位基因特异性RNA测序数据，该项目将通过评估群体基因组背景来询问RNA表达变异背后的进化模式。为了验证基因变异在RNA转译成蛋白质过程中缓冲表达的假设，研究员将通过工程表位标签研究个体动物中一组候选基因的等位基因特异性蛋白质水平，以进行高灵敏度定量。该研究员将接受培训，通过扩展专门知识、编写代码和实验设计讲习班的发展和实施，以及对一名高中生和可能的本科生进行长期指导，在科学领域从事灵活的职业;这个指导计划将通过吸引历史上代表性不足的群体的成员来扩大研究的影响。这个奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为是值得通过使用基金会的学术价值和更广泛的影响审查标准。