Mechanisms and Evolution of Plant Defence Against Herbivores

植物防御食草动物的机制和进化

• 批准号: RGPIN-2016-06063
• 负责人: Johnson, Marc
• 金额: $ 5.25万
• 依托单位: University of Toronto
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2019-01-01 至 2020-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=691647
• 关键词: Mechanisms; Evolution; Plant; Defence; Against

Plants-herbivore interactions have large and important effects on the ecology and evolution of natural and managed ecosystems. My research program examines the mechanisms and evolution of antiherbivore plant defences, as well as how herbivores influence plant reproductive traits. In the next 5 years, my lab will address three research objectives:****1) Comprehensively identify the genetic and phenotypic mechanisms of plant defence against herbivores.***2) Determine the environmental and genetic factors affecting the molecular and phenotypic evolution of antiherbivore defences.***3) Test whether antiherbivore defences affect the evolution of plant reproductive traits.****To achieve Objective 1, we will characterize the genetic and phenotypic mechanisms of defence in one model system and one non-model system. We will combine existing whole-genome sequence data (Arabidopsis), and transcriptome data (Oenothera), with comprehensive phenotyping to build a genes-to-phenotype understanding of antiherbivore defences. The defensive function of candidate genes will be validated using the CRISPR-cas9 genome editing system.****In Objective 2, we will conduct three projects that examine how environmental gradients and plant sexual reproduction affect the evolution of defence. First, we will test whether plant species in the genus Oenothera vary in defence along latitudinal gradients, which will help resolve current debate about the role of biogeography in plant-herbivore coevolution. Second, we will examine whether Trifolium repens exhibits genetic and phenotypic clines in cyanogenic defences along urban-rural gradients where anthropogenic activities cause dramatic changes in the environment. Third, we will use transcriptome data to test if repeated loss of sex across the Oenothera genus affect molecular evolution of defence proteins.****In Objective 3, we will test how pollinators, herbivores and defence interact to affect the evolution of plant reproductive traits. In one project we will test how pollinators and herbivores interact to affect floral evolution (e.g., petal size) of Trifolium. In a second project we will examine whether herbivores facilitate the evolutionary transition from hermaphroditism to separate sexes in Sagittaria.****IMPACT The results from these projects will provide the most comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms and evolution of plant defence to date. Our results will have direct implications for agriculture and plant biopharmaceutical industry.***Highly qualified personnel (HQP) will play a central role in all of my research objectives. I will provide training for 60 HQP at all levels (PDF, PhD, MSc, BSc). HQP will gain expertise in a multidisciplinary suite of techniques while publishing novel high-impact publications. I will also provide professional training on future careers in science, which has proven effective with previous HQP in my lab.**

植物 - 小动物相互作用对自然和托管生态系统的生态和演变具有很大的重要影响。我的研究计划研究了抗生物植物防御的机制和演变，以及食草动物如何影响植物生殖特征。在接下来的五年中，我的实验室将解决三个研究目标：**** 1）全面确定植物防御对草食动物的遗传和表型机制。*** 2）确定影响抗血栓形成抗体的分子和表型进化的环境和遗传因素，抗杀虫剂防御的分子和表型进化。表征一个模型系统和一个非模型系统中防御的遗传和表型机制。我们将将现有的全基因组序列数据（拟南芥）和转录组数据（Oenothera）结合在一起，并全面表型，以建立对抗毒素防御能力的基因到表型的理解。候选基因的防御功能将使用CRISPR-CAS9基因组编辑系统进行验证。****在目标2中，我们将进行三个项目，研究环境梯度和植物有性繁殖如何影响防御的演变。首先，我们将测试Oenothera属的植物物种在沿纬度梯度沿防御方面是否有所不同，这将有助于解决有关生物地理学在植物 - 植物学共同进化中作用的当前辩论。其次，我们将检查三叶式再生体是否在沿着农村梯度的氰化防御措施中表现出遗传和表型林，在这些防御中，人为活性会引起环境的巨大变化。第三，我们将使用转录组数据来测试整个oenothera属的重复性丧失会影响防御蛋白的分子进化。****在目标3中，我们将测试授粉媒介，草食动物和防御如何影响植物生殖特征的演变。在一个项目中，我们将测试授粉媒介和食草动物如何相互作用以影响三圆形的花卉进化（例如花瓣大小）。在第二个项目中，我们将研究草食动物是否促进了从雌雄同体的进化过渡到射手座的分开性别。我们的结果将对农业和植物生物制药行业产生直接影响。***高素质的人员（HQP）将在我的所有研究目标中发挥核心作用。我将在各个级别（PDF，PhD，MSC，BSC）上提供60 HQP的培训。 HQP将在出版新颖的高影响力出版物的同时，获得多学科技术套件的专业知识。我还将提供有关科学未来职业的专业培训，该培训已证明在我的实验室中对以前的HQP有效。**