Signaling Architecture Underlying Metamorphic Transitions in Marine Environments

在大多数的海洋海岸海洋无脊椎动物，在他们的生命周期中的一个关键转变是从一个游泳的幼虫到一个底栖少年变态。尽管这一事件在动物生命周期中普遍存在，并且对栖息地的选择具有很强的选择性，但对这一过程的机械理解仍然很差。我的长期目标是了解海胆幼虫发育，变态和定居的监管架构，并获得这些过程如何通过内分泌和神经内分泌机制与环境信号相结合的新见解。通过使用海胆，发育生物学和基因调控网络的功能和进化的先进模型，该研究计划正在为我们理解动物胚胎后发育做出重要贡献。为了实现这一目标，我建立了一个成功的研究计划，调查海胆变态中的激素和神经递质系统，其结果阐明了环境和生理系统复杂整合的各个方面，这些系统共同确保成功的变态和定居。本提案中描述的工作将继续这项工作。我在这五年的资助期内的具体目标是：1）了解组胺（HA）在海胆变态中调节功能的机制（合成和信号）; 2）了解HA信号与一氧化氮（NO）和甲状腺激素（TH）信号的相互作用; 3）了解海胆变态信号结构的演变，特别强调HA信号。通过弥合经典幼虫生活史与现代发育，细胞和基因组方法之间的差距，该计划证实了多学科生物学研究的潜力，为动物个体发育，进化和生态学提供新的见解。

In a majority of sea shore marine invertebrates, a key transition in their life cycles is metamorphosis from a swimming larva to a bottom dwelling juvenile. Despite the ubiquity of this event in animal life cycles and strong selection on habitat choice, a mechanistic understanding of this process remains poor. My long term objective is to understand the regulatory architecture underlying larval development, metamorphosis and settlement in sea urchin larvae and gain novel insights into how these processes are integrated with environmental signals through endocrine and neuroendocrine mechanisms. By using the sea urchin, an advanced model in developmental biology and in the function and evolution of gene regulatory networks, this research program is making essential contributions to our understanding of post-embryonic development in animals. Towards that goal, I have built a successful research program investigating hormonal and neurotransmitter systems in sea urchin metamorphosis, the results of which has elucidated aspects of the complex integration of environmental and physiological systems that conspire to ensure successful metamorphosis and settlement. The work described in this proposal will continue this work. My specific goals for this five-year granting period are to 1) understand the mechanisms (synthesis and signaling) underlying the modulatory function of histamine (HA) in sea urchin metamorphosis; 2) understand the interactions of HA signaling with nitric oxide (NO) and thyroid hormone (TH) signaling; 3) understand the evolution of metamorphic signaling architecture in echinoids with specific emphasis on HA signaling. By bridging the gap between classical larval life history and modern developmental, cellular and genomic approaches, this program exemplifies the potential of multidisciplinary biological research to provide novel insights into animal ontogeny, evolution and ecology.