UNM COBRE: DIVERSE RECOGNITION CAPABILITY: INVERTEBRATE MODEL

该子项目是利用 由NIH/NCRR资助的中心赠款提供的资源。子项目和 研究者（PI）可能从另一个NIH来源获得主要资金， 因此可以在其他CRISP条目中表示。列出的机构是 中心，不一定是研究者的机构。 先天免疫的传统模式表明，非自我识别需要相对较少的模式识别受体（PRR）。PRR能够识别存在于病原体表面的高度保守的病原体相关分子模式（PAMP），无论病原体之间的差异有多大。根据不同实验室的新研究，这种观点似乎不完整。我们最近的工作纤维蛋白原相关蛋白（FREP）基因的多样化提供了第一个证据，在无脊椎动物的先天防御分子的多样化，通过一种新的机制。本项目的目标是研究无脊椎动物宿主中免疫相关基因（FREP）家族多样化的机制，并研究该宿主与相关寄生虫之间相互作用的分子方面。该项目的具体目标是确定在我们以前的研究中观察到的FREP基因多样性产生的潜在机制，并开发RNA干扰（RNAi）来评估FREP功能。了解FREPs的多样性和功能的机制，将拓宽我们对无脊椎动物先天免疫的理解，特别是蜗牛的内部防御。最终，这项研究将有利于控制血吸虫病，这是一种影响全球2亿人的蜗牛传播疾病。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. The conventional paradigm of innate immunity suggests that relatively few pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs) are needed for non-self recognition. PRRs are able to recognize highly conserved pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) present on the surface of pathogens, no matter how great the differences among the pathogens are. Based on the emerging studies from different labs, this view seems incomplete. Our recent work on the diversification of fibrinogen related protein (FREP) genes provides the first evidence in invertebrates for the diversification of innate defense molecules through a novel mechanism. The goal of this project is to study the mechanism of diversification of an immune-related gene (FREP) family in an invertebrate host and to investigate molecular aspects of the interaction between this host and relevant parasites. The specific goals of the project are to determine underlying mechanisms generating diversity of FREP genes observed in our previous investigations, and to develop RNA interference (RNAi) to assess FREP functions. Understanding the mechanism of diversification and function of FREPs, will broaden our understanding of invertebrate innate immunity in general, and snail internal defense in particular. Ultimately, the study will have benefits for the control of schistosomiasis, a snail-borne disease that affects 200 million people world wide.