NSF PRFB FY 2022: Identifying a Novel Green Fluorescent Small Molecule in a Heterotrophic Dinoflagellate

这项行动资助了2022财年的NSF生物学博士后研究奖学金，综合研究调查了基因组，环境和表型之间的生命管理相互作用的规则。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。生物荧光是一种广泛存在的光现象，其中许多生物体吸收并重新发射不同波长的光。对生物荧光的最早研究导致了从水母中发现了绿色荧光蛋白GFP。这一发现彻底改变了生物科学，导致海洋，医学和分子科学的突破，并最终导致诺贝尔奖。对海洋生物荧光的进一步调查导致发现了一些生物体的重要功能，荧光研究的许多发现正在应用于医学和生物技术。尽管生物荧光对海洋生物的功能和成功至关重要，但仍有许多物种需要更多的研究来了解这些生物在何处，如何以及为什么会发出生物荧光。这项研究将调查这些问题，同时也提供了一个更大的图片海洋环境中使用生物荧光的生物生活。本研究的主要目的是鉴定异养甲藻Gyrodinium jinhaense AP 17的结构、途径和环境分布。Gyrodinium jinhaense AP 17是一种新型绿色荧光分子。具体而言，该奖学金旨在（I）确定G。jinhaense AP 17的荧光分子的结构，（II）确定绿色荧光背后的化学和分子途径，和（III）研究这种绿色荧光在局部和全局背景下的环境分布。这些目标将通过整合分析化学技术、实验治疗、转录组学、基因沉默、元转录组学数据分析和环境采样来实现。该研究员将获得分析化学方面的新科学技能，并提高和推进当前的研究技能。此外，这些项目将包括本科生研究人员和至少一个研讨会，在那里公众参与者将被介绍到腰鞭毛虫采样和观察他们，与其他浮游生物，在显微镜下。所有的研究结果将被公布并广泛分享，从小学课堂到科学会议，并与媒体一起激发人们对生物学、海洋学、保护和科学过程的兴趣。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为值得通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估来支持。

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2022, 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. Biofluorescence is a widespread light phenomenon where many organisms absorb and re-emit light at different wavelengths. The earliest investigations in to biofluorescence led to the discovery of the green fluorescence protein, GFP, from a jellyfish. This finding revolutionized biological science, leading to breakthroughs in marine, medical, and molecular sciences and ultimately resulting in a Nobel Prize. Further investigations into marine biofluorescence have led to discoveries of important functions in a number of organisms, and many of the discoveries from fluorescent research are being applied in medicine and biotechnology. Despite the importance of biofluorescence to the function and success of marine organisms, there are still many species where more research is needed to understand where, how, and why these organisms biofluoresce. This fellowship will investigate these questions while also providing a larger picture of the marine environment in which organisms that use biofluorescence live. The main objectives of the proposed research are to identify the structure, pathway, and environmental distribution of the heterotrophic dinoflagellate, Gyrodinium jinhaense AP17, novel green fluorescent molecule(s). Specifically, this fellowship aims to (I) determine G. jinhaense AP17’s fluorescent molecule’s structure(s), (II) identify the chemical and molecular pathways behind the green fluorescence, and (III) investigate the environmental distribution of this green fluorescence in both local and global contexts. These aims will be achieved through the integration of analytical chemical techniques, experimental treatments, transcriptomics, gene silencing, analysis of metatranscriptomic data, and environmental sampling. The fellow will gain new scientific skills in analytical chemistry as well as improve and advance current research skills. Moreover, the projects will include undergraduate researchers and at least one workshop where public participants will be introduced to dinoflagellates by sampling and observing them, with other plankton, under the microscope. All findings will be published and shared broadly from elementary classrooms to scientific meetings and with media to inspire interest in biology, oceanography, conservation, and the scientific process.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.