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源于《2021 年美国救援计划法案》（公法 117-2）。拟议的工作调查了蚂蚁毒液和物种多样化随时间的变化和功能。 巨蚁由 45 种蚂蚁组成，它们的生活方式各不相同，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。这些互利共生的蚂蚁物种使用毒液武器保护它们的同伴免受掠食性威胁。相比之下，一些巨蚁物种是社会性寄生虫（即一种社会性昆虫利用另一种社会性昆虫）并利用它们的毒液来控制其他物种。在这种情况下，巨蚁会消耗幼蚁和其伙伴物种的食物。由于毒液介导的相互作用广泛，巨噬菌在有毒生物中是特殊的。通过研究毒液的成分，可以发现新的天然产物，其中一些可用于农业或医药实践。这项研究汇集了公众参与和研究一体化教育计划，其中包括开发非生物学专业的本科课程——将研究和外展重点结合起来，同时创造广泛的科学思维机会。这些项目将涉及对博士后、博士生和本科生研究人员的培训和指导。学员将开发符合拟议目标的项目，并在科学会议和科学出版物上展示结果。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。有毒物种和毒液复杂性的进化可以为进化生态学提供广泛的见解，因为毒液成分的变化会催化物种形成和共同进化。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，但我们仍处于了解生态进化过程与毒液和谱系多样化之间关系的早期阶段。部分原因是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。 Megalomyrmex 是解决有关蚂蚁谱系多样化以及毒液如何进化的问题的理想模型，因为物种与其他生物体进行各种营养相互作用。在该项目中，研究人员将：（1）利用比较系统发育学确定巨蚁蚂蚁的毒液和生活方式（即捕食者、营养互利共生、寄生虫）进化，同时利用共系统发育推断揭示宿主和寄生蚂蚁物种对之间的生态关系； （2）通过测试毒液复杂性假设，阐明生态生活方式如何预测毒液相关特征（例如使用、毒液滴大小、毒性）并促进毒液进化； (3) 界定隐秘物种并修订 Megalomyrmex，同时使用现代综合分类方法培训分类学家； （4）通过展示共生的生态关系，扩大对科学和自然的参与，同时教授新的通识教育课程“共生系统：偶然性或自私”。这种基于课程的本科生研究经验 (CURE) 将包括比较系统发育学、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点和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。