Regulatory control of phenotypic plasticity: Analysis of the molecular basis of stressor-induced adaptation processes in the aquatic keystone species Daphnia

表型可塑性的调控：水生关键物种水蚤应激诱导适应过程的分子基础分析

• 批准号: 255211972
• 负责人: Dr. Dörthe Becker
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: Department of Biology
• 依托单位国家: 德国
• 项目类别: Research Fellowships
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 德国
• 起止时间: 2013-12-31 至 2015-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/255211972?language=en
• 关键词: Regulatory; control; phenotypic; plasticity; Analysis

The proposed project aims to understand how the environment interacts with (and shapes) genomes, and how genome regulation and variation are linked to phenotypic plasticity and phenotypic evolution. It focuses specifically on the stage-dependent, tissue-specific and reversible morphological development of traits that are induced, in the new model organism, Daphnia pulex, by chemical signals from their environment. So far, our understanding of the mechanistic basis of common morphological variation such as phenotypic plasticity is only fragmentary as there has been relatively little success at identifying empirical patterns of cellular control mechanisms governing phenotypic variation. This is predominantly due to the fact that determining the genetic architecture of complex traits is challenging since plastic development typically does not rely on a few plasticity or robustness genes but rather arises from interactions between multiple environmentally sensitive components and pathways that might be controlled by many loci. To elucidate the cellular machineries that drive the expression of plastic responses at the molecular level, I will employ a unique combination of state-of-the-art omic methodologies and in silico approaches. To unravel the genomic underpinnings of plastic developmental responses planned research will make use of the outstanding model organism Daphnia pulex. In response to chemical cues released by predators (i.e., kairomones) this species exhibits an astonishing repertoire of inducible defences including developmental, stage dependent, tissue-specific and reversible de novo morphological formations. By conducting functional genomic assays across genotypes and developmental stages that differ in expression of the adaptive and plastic traits, the overarching goal of the proposed project is to provide novel insights into how organisms can and do respond to environmental challenges. Because Daphnia is a keystone species of ponds and lakes, this study will ultimately transform our current understanding of the buffering capacity of populations and ecosystems to environmental changes.

该项目旨在了解环境如何与基因组相互作用（和形状），以及基因组调控和变异如何与表型可塑性和表型进化联系在一起。它特别关注的阶段依赖性，组织特异性和可逆的形态发育的特征，诱导，在新的模式生物，蚤状水蚤，从他们的环境中的化学信号。到目前为止，我们对常见形态学变异（如表型可塑性）的机制基础的理解只是零碎的，因为在确定控制表型变异的细胞控制机制的经验模式方面，成功的相对较少。这主要是由于确定复杂性状的遗传结构是具有挑战性的，因为可塑性发育通常不依赖于一些可塑性或鲁棒性基因，而是由多个环境敏感组分和可能由许多基因座控制的途径之间的相互作用引起的。为了阐明在分子水平上驱动塑性反应表达的细胞机制，我将采用最先进的组学方法和计算机方法的独特组合。为了解开塑料发育反应的基因组基础，计划的研究将利用杰出的模式生物蚤状水蚤。为了响应捕食者释放的化学信号（即，利它素），该物种表现出令人惊讶的诱导性防御系统，包括发育、阶段依赖性、组织特异性和可逆的从头形态形成。通过跨基因型和发育阶段进行功能基因组测定，这些基因型和发育阶段在适应性和可塑性性状的表达方面存在差异，拟议项目的总体目标是为生物体如何应对环境挑战提供新的见解。由于水蚤是池塘和湖泊的关键物种，这项研究将最终改变我们目前对人口和生态系统对环境变化的缓冲能力的理解。

项目成果

Differential transcriptomic responses of ancient and modern Daphnia genotypes to phosphorus supply

• DOI: 10.1111/mec.13009
• 发表时间: 2015-01
• 期刊: Molecular Ecology
• 影响因子: 4.9
• 作者: Priyanka Roy Chowdhury;Dagmar Frisch;D. Becker;Jacqueline Lopez;L. Weider;J. Colbourne;P. Jeyasingh