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.

该奖项全部或部分由2021年美国救援计划法案（公法117-2）资助。拟议的工作调查蚂蚁毒液和物种多样化随时间的变化和功能。 Megalomyrmex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益的联系。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，几种Megalomyrmex物种是社会寄生虫（即，一种社会性昆虫利用另一种社会性昆虫），并使用它们的毒液来统治这些其他物种。在这种情况下，Megalomyrmex蚂蚁消耗年轻的蚂蚁和食物，从他们的伙伴物种。由于毒液介导的相互作用的广度，Megalomyrmex是有毒生物中的例外。通过研究毒液的组成，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综合教育计划，包括非生物学专业的本科课程的发展，融合研究和外展重点，同时创造广泛的科学思维。这些项目将涉及博士后、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展示成果。将建立一个与俄亥俄州蚂蚁讲习班有关的本科生暑期实习项目。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催化了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有关的比较问题。挑战在于，尽管有多个平行的起源，但我们仍处于理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。这部分是因为需要使用比较遗传学、功能测定以及行为和化学生态学的交叉方法。Megalomyrmex是一个理想的模型，以解决有关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体进行各种营养相互作用。在这个项目中，研究人员将：（1）确定毒液和生活方式（即，捕食者，营养互惠，寄生虫）的进化在Megalomyrmex蚂蚁使用比较遗传学，同时揭示宿主和寄生虫蚂蚁物种对之间的生态关系使用同生推理;（2）澄清生态生活方式如何预测毒液相关性状（例如，本课程的目的是：（1）通过检验毒液复杂性假说，研究（1）如何利用毒液（如毒液的用途、毒液滴的大小、毒性等）并对毒液进化做出贡献;（2）通过使用现代综合分类学方法对分类学家进行培训，划定神秘物种并修订Megalomyrmex;（3）通过展示共生体的生态关系，扩大对科学和自然的参与，同时教授一门新的通识教育课程“共生系统：偶然发现还是自私”。这个基于课程的本科生研究经验（CURE）将包括比较遗传学，综合分类学和自然历史研究。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智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估的支持。