CAREER: Integrative Systematics: Taxonomy and Evolution of Megalomyrmex Ants and Their Venom

职业：综合系统学：巨蚁及其毒液的分类和进化

• 批准号: 2146104
• 负责人: Rachelle M Adams
• 金额: $ 137.4万
• 依托单位: Ohio State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2022-07-01 至 2027-06-30
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2146104&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CAREER; Integrative; Systematics; Taxonomy; Evolution

This award is funded in whole or in part under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2).The proposed work investigates the changes and function of ant venom and species diversification over time. Megalomyrmex consists of 45 ant species with a range of lifestyles, where some are predators and others maintain more beneficial associations with other insects. These mutualist ant species protect their associates from predatory threat using venom weaponry. In contrast, several Megalomyrmex species are social parasites (i.e., one social insect exploiting another social insect) and use their venom to dominate these other species. In this case, Megalomyrmex ants consume young ants and food from their partnering species. Megalomyrmex is exceptional among venomous organisms because of the breadth of interactions mediated by venom. By studying the composition of venom, novel natural products, some of which can be used in agricultural or medicinal practices, could be discovered. This research brings together public engagement and a research-integrated education plan that includes the development of a non-biology majors’ undergraduate course—blending research and outreach foci, while creating broad access to scientific thinking. These projects will involve training and mentoring of postdocs, PhD students, and undergraduate student researchers. Trainees will develop projects aligned with proposed aims and present results at scientific meetings and in scientific publications. An undergraduate summer internship program associated with Ohio Ant workshops will be established. The evolution of venomous species and venom complexity can provide wide-ranging insights into evolutionary ecology because changes in venom composition catalyze both speciation and coevolution. The proposed research leverages current venom evolution theory to explore comparative questions relating to ant venom alkaloids. The challenge is that, despite multiple parallel origins, we are in the early stages of understanding how eco-evolutionary processes relate to venom and lineage diversification. This is in-part because of the necessity for cross-cutting approaches using comparative phylogenetics, functional assays, and behavioral and chemical ecology. Megalomyrmex is an ideal model to address questions about ant lineage diversification and how venom evolves because species engage in various trophic interactions with other organisms. In this project, researchers will: (1) determine venom and lifestyle (i.e., predator, trophic mutualist, parasite) evolution in Megalomyrmex ants using comparative phylogenetics, while uncovering ecological relationships between host and parasite ant species pairs using cophylogenetic inference; (2) clarify how ecological lifestyles predict venom-related traits (e.g., use, venom drop size, toxicity) and contribute to venom evolution, by testing venom complexity hypotheses; (3) delimit cryptic species and revise Megalomyrmex while training taxonomists using a modern integrative taxonomic approach; and (4) broaden engagement in science and nature by demonstrating the ecological relationships of symbioses, while instructing a new general education course, Symbiotic systems: Serendipity or selfishness. This course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) will include comparative phylogenetics, integrative taxonomy, and natural history studies.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.

该奖项的全部或部分资金来自《2021年美国救援计划法案》(公法117-2)。拟议中的工作是调查蚂蚁毒液和物种多样性随时间的变化和功能。巨型蚂蚁由45种蚂蚁组成，它们的生活方式各异，其中一些是捕食者，另一些则与其他昆虫保持着更有利的联系。这些互惠互利的蚂蚁物种使用毒液武器保护它们的同伴免受掠夺性威胁。相比之下，几个巨型鱼种是群居寄生虫(即一种群居昆虫利用另一种群居昆虫)，并利用它们的毒液统治这些其他物种。在这种情况下，巨型蚂蚁会吃掉幼小的蚂蚁和它们伙伴物种的食物。巨藻在有毒生物中是例外的，因为它由毒液介导的广泛的相互作用。通过研究毒液的组成，可以发现新的天然产品，其中一些可以用于农业或医药实践。这项研究将公众参与和研究整合的教育计划结合在一起，其中包括开发非生物专业的本科课程-融合研究和推广重点，同时创造广泛的接触科学思维的机会。这些项目将包括对博士后、博士生和本科生研究人员的培训和指导。受训人员将制定与拟议目标相一致的项目，并在科学会议和科学出版物上介绍成果。将建立与俄亥俄州蚂蚁研讨会相关的本科生暑期实习计划。有毒物种的进化和毒液的复杂性可以为进化生态学提供广泛的见解，因为毒液成分的变化既催化物种形成，又促进共同进化。这项拟议的研究利用当前的毒液进化理论来探索与蚂蚁毒液生物碱相关的比较问题。挑战在于，尽管有多个平行起源，我们仍处于了解生态进化过程如何与毒液和血统多样化相关的早期阶段。这在一定程度上是因为需要使用比较系统发育学、功能分析以及行为和化学生态学的交叉方法。Megalmyrmex是一个理想的模型，可以解决关于蚂蚁谱系多样化和毒液如何进化的问题，因为物种与其他生物进行各种营养相互作用。在这个项目中，研究人员将：(1)使用比较系统发育学来确定巨型蚂蚁的毒液和生活方式(即捕食者、营养互惠者、寄生虫)的进化，同时使用共同进化推理来揭示寄主和寄生蚂蚁物种对之间的生态关系；(2)通过测试毒液的复杂性假设，阐明生态生活方式如何预测与毒液相关的特征(例如，毒液的使用、毒液液滴大小、毒性)并对毒液进化做出贡献；(3)在使用现代综合分类学方法培训分类学家的同时，划定隐蔽的物种并修改巨型蚂蚁；以及(4)通过演示共生的生态关系来扩大对科学和自然的参与，同时教授一门新的普通教育课程，共生系统：意外发现或自私。这一以课程为基础的本科生研究经验(CURE)将包括比较系统发生学、综合分类学和自然历史研究。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。