Collaborative Research: EDGE CMT: Genomic and molecular bases of pollination syndrome evolution in monkeyflowers

合作研究：EDGE CMT：猴花授粉综合征进化的基因组和分子基础

• 批准号: 2319721
• 负责人: Yaowu Yuan
• 金额: $ 128.25万
• 依托单位: University of Connecticut
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-09-01 至 2027-08-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2319721&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; EDGE; CMT; Genomic

Variation in complex traits (e.g., human height) is usually caused by multiple genes. Identification and characterization of the causal genes and mutations underlying these multi-gene traits remain a central challenge in biology. One of the most intriguing examples of such adaptations in plants is the pollination syndrome, a suite of floral traits that enable specialized associations between flowers and their animal pollinators (e.g., bees, hummingbirds, hawkmoths). For example, hummingbird-pollinated flowers are usually large in size, red in color, with copious nectar production and exerted reproductive organs, whereas bee-pollinated flowers usually display various colors (but not red), a smaller quantity of nectar, inserted reproductive organs, and a clear landing platform. Evolutionary transitions from one pollination syndrome to another require coordinated changes of multiple floral traits, with each trait controlled by multiple genes, yet these switches occur rapidly in nature in many plant groups. This study employs a new genetic model system, monkeyflowers, to investigate how pollination syndrome switches occur at the genomic and molecular level. Furthermore, this study integrates research with student education and public outreach through the lens of pollination syndromes. Specific activities include organized pollinator observation experiments in a common garden on the University of Connecticut campus to raise public awareness of animal pollination service, creation of a bioinformatic Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience at Haverford College, and production of professional videos that bring pollination syndrome research to life to be released on a highly subscribed YouTube channel, Science IRL (‘in real life’).The overall objective of this project is to systematically dissect the genomic and molecular bases of floral trait variation among three closely related monkeyflower (Mimulus) species that display three distinct pollination syndromes, including the bee-pollinated M. lewisii, the hummingbird-pollinated M. cardinalis, and the self-pollinated M. parishii. These species are amenable to fine-scale genetic mapping and rigorous functional interrogation through stable transgenics. We plan to accomplish our overall objective by pursuing the following specific aims: (i) Generate high-quality near-isogenic lines (NILs), which differ from a parental species by only a single floral trait locus introgressed from another species, and use the NILs to genetically dissect each quantitative trait locus (QTL) underlying the pollination syndrome switches, (ii) Functionally characterize the causal genes and mutations under individual QTLs using stable transgenic experiments, (iii) Construct gene regulatory networks/modules that control pollination syndrome component traits using weighted gene co-expression network analysis. Results from this study are anticipated to provide an in-depth, genome-wide view of the causal genes underlying pollination syndrome switches, to identify a set of gene regulatory modules controlling individual floral traits that should be widely applicable in other plant systems, and to reveal novel molecular mechanisms that can inform studies of phenotypic evolution in not only plants, but also other organisms.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.

复杂性状的变化（例如，人的身高）通常是由多个基因引起的。这些多基因特征的灾难性基因和突变的鉴定和表征仍然是生物学的核心挑战。植物中这种适应的最有趣的例子之一是授粉综合征，授粉综合征，这是一系列花卉特征，可以使鲜花及其动物授粉媒介（例如蜜蜂，蜂鸟，霍克莫斯）之间的专门关联。例如，蜂鸟授粉的花朵通常大小，红色，颜色红色，具有大量的花蜜生产和执行的生殖器官，而蜂授粉花的花通常显示出各种颜色（但不显示各种颜色），较少的花蜜，插入的生殖器官和透明的着陆平台。从一个授粉综合征到另一个授粉综合征的进化过渡需要多种花卉特征的协调变化，每个特征由多个基因控制，但这些开关在许多植物群中迅速出现。这项研究采用了一种新的遗传模型系统Monkeyflowers来研究授粉综合征开关如何在基因组和分子水平上发生。此外，这项研究通过授粉综合征的角度将研究与学生的教育和公共宣传融为一体。具体活动包括在康涅狄格大学校园的一个共同花园中进行的有组织的传粉观测实验，以提高对动物授粉服务的意识，创建在哈弗福德学院的基于生物信息学课程的本科研究经验，并生产专业视频，这些专业视频将授粉综合症带入栩栩如生，将在高度订阅的YouTube Channel，IS IS IS IS IS IS IS IS IS IS IS IS IS IS IS of IS of COLICATION IS IS IS IS IS IS IS IS IS IS IS of COMPATION IS IS IS IS IS IS IS IS IS IS IS IS excript of IRL（））中发行。三种密切相关的猴子（Mimulus）种之间的基因组和分子碱基，它们显示了三种不同的授粉综合征，包括蜜蜂 - 授粉的M. lewisii，蜂鸟授粉的M. cardinalis m. cardinalis和自授粉M. Prishii。这些物种可以通过稳定的转化体来适应细尺度的遗传图和严格的功能审查。 We plan to accomplish our overall objective by pursuing the following specific aims: (i) Generate high-quality near-isogenic lines (NILs), which differ from a parental species by only a single floral trait locus introduced from another species, and use the NILs to genetically dissect each quantitative trait locus (QTL) underlying the pollination syndrome switches, (ii) Functionally characterize the causal genes and mutations under individual QTL使用稳定的转基因实验，（iii）构建基因调节网络/模块，使用加权基因共表达网络分析来控制授粉综合征成分特征。预计这项研究的结果将提供深入的，全基因组的观点，以供抑制授粉综合征开关的灾难性基因开关，以确定一组基因调节模块，这些基因调节模块控制了各个花卉性状，这些模块应广泛适用于其他植物系统，并揭示了其他分子机制，不仅可以揭示出其他有机型的统计学特征，而且还可以告知现场统计学的研究，这是现场型的，即现场的概述，这是现场型的，即现场的依赖性。并使用基金会的智力优点和更广泛的影响审查标准通过评估来诚实地获得支持。